Considering Canceling Netflix? 7 Questions to Help You Decide

Netflix is now one of many worthy streaming services, so remaining subscribed isn't the no-brainer it once was.

At one time, Netflix was the de facto streaming service. Nowadays, it's simply one choice from a selection of many: Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video... the list goes on, and it continues to expand.

This means you need to be choosy about where you spend your time and money. Perhaps you're a long-term Netflix subscriber who is now considering canceling, in order to jump to another service or ditch streaming entirely. Or maybe you're a new subscriber who isn't totally convinced by what you've seen so far.

Whatever the case, we've rounded up all the questions you need to ask yourself to help you decide whether to cancel Netflix.

1. How Much Do You Watch?

Consider how much content you consume on Netflix. If you're only watching a couple of movies a month, you're perhaps not getting full value for your money. On the other hand, if you binge through multiple episodes of shows every night, and use Netflix as your main source of entertainment, canceling doesn't seem wise.

You should check what you've watched on Netflix, which you can do via Account > Profile & parental controls > Viewing activity. This lists everything by date, giving you an accurate overview of how much content you consume. You might think you watch a lot on Netflix, but how does it actually shake out on a monthly basis?

2. Where Do You Live?

Netflix is available in over 190 countries and the catalog varies for each. While you'll get the same Netflix Originals wherever you are, this isn't the same for licensed content from other studios. This is because those studios negotiate with Netflix on a regional basis. For example, Netflix in the UK has all seasons of Friends, while in the US the show is on HBO Max.

It means that other countries may have more to watch on Netflix than is available to you. While you can use a VPN to watch Netflix in other countries, Netflix often cracks down on this so it isn't a reliable workaround. If you live somewhere with a slim Netflix library, you might decide it's time to part ways.

3. Do You Like Netflix Originals?

Netflix licenses thousands of shows and movies from distributors, but these regularly change; content comes and goes with little advanced notice, frequently moving to another streaming service, sometimes returning to Netflix later. As such, it's hard to judge whether to cancel Netflix based on its third-party content.

Instead, ask yourself whether you enjoy Netflix's original content. There's certainly no shortage of it. The company spends billions of dollars creating exclusive movies and shows, across a broad range of languages and genres. There's bound to be at least something you'll enjoy. But whether there's enough of it is another question, and something you need to assess.

For instance, many of Netflix's productions have a uniform style, which might not appeal to you. Or perhaps you prefer the big-name blockbuster franchises that can be found on places like Disney+, rather than Netflix.

4. Would It Be Cheaper to Rent?

It seems that nearly everything is a subscription service nowadays—food, software, educational resources, and more. Just because you can't move for streaming services, it doesn't mean that has to be the way you consume your media. You should weigh up the monthly cost of Netflix against renting or buying; services like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube let you do both.

Though the rental and purchase price can be high if it's a new release, the cost quickly drops. If you don't consume much on Netflix, you might find it's actually cheaper in the long term to specifically buy what you want to watch, rather than having everything at your fingertips and facing choice paralysis.

5. How Many Other Streaming Services Do You Use?

As mentioned, everyone and their mother has a streaming service, each with exclusive content. It's likely that you subscribe to more than one simultaneously. But with so many hours in the day, it's not the most cost-effective solution.

Instead, consider rotating through the different services. You could subscribe to a different one each month, for example. This means you can see everything new that you want to watch on Netflix, give it a break for some months, then return to it down the line when it's been topped up with more movies and shows.

6. Can You Afford It?

Netflix has three plans priced at $9.99, $15.49, and $19.99 a month. It's important to consider whether you can afford this. Obviously, that's something which is personal to you. It depends on your disposable income, and whether you get enough enjoyment from the service for the cost.

If you're on the higher priced Premium plan, consider switching your Netflix plan to one of the cheaper options. While you will lose perks like 4K viewing, at least you won't miss out on Netflix entirely and can save money in the process.

7. Does Netflix Have All the Features You Want?

Netflix has a great interface, regardless of what device you use, but there's no denying that the Netflix lacks some nice-to-have features. For instance, you can't build custom playlists (you only get one catch-all called "My List"), mark something as already seen, or host a watch party natively.

These are all features that many members have requested for years, but they've yet to come to fruition. If Netflix doesn't have the functionality you expect from a streaming service, perhaps it's time to throw in the towel.

You Can Always Return to Netflix

Netflix has over 200 million subscribers. If you do decide to part ways with the company, don't worry, its bottom line will be just fine. Besides, the breakup doesn't need to be permanent. Netflix is a flexible monthly subscription, which means you can cancel as and when you want.

There's nothing to stop you returning to Netflix later. It makes no difference because long-term subscribers don't get any special benefits. In the past, Netflix grandfathered old subscribers through on cheaper price plans when it raised costs; nowadays, everyone just pays the same anyway.

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