Netflix sees growth in users following password crackdown

The decision by Netflix to start putting pressure on users who share their passwords – and, of course, those that were on the other side of that deal – was met with a lot of backlash and skepticism from people who expected users to flee from the service. However, according to a recent report, Netflix has done quite well in the move, averaging 73,000 sign-ups per day between May 23rd and May 28th, a 102% increase from the last 60-day average.

According to Antenna – an analytics company that focuses on streaming service data – Netflix saw upwards of 100,000 new subscribers per day within that time frame, making it the best four-day stretch for Netflix since 2019, when Antenna began collecting data. This even tops the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when so many were in lockdown and had nothing to do but stream movies, do puzzles and learn how to take longer to kill their houseplants. This might be a bit of a surprise, since many were threatening to leave Netflix if they went through with their password crackdown plan, but the streaming giant fully expected it to happen based on figures in Canada. While there were still plenty of cancellations, Antenna noted, “The ratio of Sign-ups to Cancels since May 23rd is up +25.6% compared to the previous 60-day period.”

Ahead of their enacting of the password tactic, Netflix issued the following stern statement: “A Netflix account is meant to be shared by people living together in one household…People who are not in your household will need to sign up for their own account to watch.” Aaaanndddd we’ll just leave this tweet here:

Netflix still does offer the option to share your password – you just have to pay extra for it, as users who have a Standard or Premium account can add one or two extra members, respectively, for an additional $7.99 per month. Meanwhile, the ad-supported tier costs $6.99 per month. Those actively against the move might want to call up Arnold Schwarzenegger to put a plan into action…

Did you share a Netflix password with friends and family? If so, how have you reacted to the crackdown? Let us know your experience in the comments section below.