Erin and I decided to cancel Netflix the other week after subscribing for about eight years. I’d been infrequently toying with the idea for a few years, but while recording a recent episode of Comical Start Grant asked me something that solidified my reasoning.
Unlike many people who have recently left Netflix, no part of the decision came from their new rules about geo-locking accounts to make password sharing all but impossible.1I suppose I feel a principled opposition to this, because it’s hypocritical and likely won’t help them. But practically it had no effect on how I use Netflix. It came down to a straightforward conversation about how Erin and I value the entertainment we get in our lives.
In a direct comparison of streaming services we subscribe to2Among traditional streaming services, we also subscribe to Apple TV+, Hulu, Disney+, and (HBO) Max. it was clear that Netflix was low on usage. There was always a show or two Erin could watch there, and I’d open it up every few months to watch a new comedy special, but it was not in our regular rotation. Add to this that Apple TV+ is part of a bundle that Erin already pays for, and I get Disney+ and Hulu through my Verizon cellular service, and the ever-increasing price of Netflix made it the best candidate to be let go.
This has all been true for at least a year though, and was never quite enough to get me off the subscription. Instead, the flow of thoughts I was able to process on Comical Start about being a paying subscriber to specific creators helped me realize how little I value Netflix these days.
I spend a minuscule amount of time watching streaming shows. I almost exclusively watch them with Erin, and that might be only one night a week. Instead my entertainment is primarily a mix of YouTube, podcasts, and sports (much of which I consume through YouTube). I pay for YouTube Premium, directly support a few creators, and am also a member of several podcasts on the Relay FM network.
YouTube Premium is slightly less expensive than Netflix, yet I use it every day compared to once a month at best. The total I spend on podcast memberships is likely a little higher than YouTube, but that’s also direct support to creators I thoroughly enjoy and want to see succeed. In terms of dollars spent per minute of enjoyment, YouTube and podcasts represent incredible value for me.
It’s possible that if there’s a Netflix-only show we want to watch—we’ve been meaning to get back to The Umbrella Academy at some point—we’d subscribe for a month and consider it an inflated rental cost. But this approach of sticking with a subscription either because it’s never convenient to cancel, or because there are veiled threats of increased prices or data loss if you wait too long to return, is tiresome.
These days I’ve become enamored by content that is made by individuals who care, are doing something they love, and work to build a real community they directly interact with. Sitting down for a TV show doesn’t work for me most of the time right now, and Netflix has very little for when I do make the time.
During this year where I’m working to set up my future for success by building habits and systems that feel sustainable and healthy, I’ve tried to be more intentional about how I spend my time. It’s a valuable commodity and I’d rather not throw it away.
- 1I suppose I feel a principled opposition to this, because it’s hypocritical and likely won’t help them. But practically it had no effect on how I use Netflix.
- 2Among traditional streaming services, we also subscribe to Apple TV+, Hulu, Disney+, and (HBO) Max.