The online streaming landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, and Netflix is no longer the clear leader in the industry. Despite gaining over two million subscribers over the summer last year, the online media giant was likely rattled by seven-digit subscriber losses earlier in 2022, leading to the cancelation of a host of shows and the closure of its animation department.
Netflix’s growth curve began to flatten over the last few years. On top of this news, Netflix started charging for account sharing in March 2023. If someone isn’t part of your household, they need to transfer their profile to a new paid account, or you’re charged $8 per month for the extra member. While no streaming service wants you to share your password beyond your family members, the crackdown on password sharing could affect your decision to continue your Netflix subscription.
Netflix created an ad-supported tier priced at $7 per month, which is cheaper than Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. However, it only supports 720p resolution and sets a worrying precedent of cutting features while introducing commercials. Netflix’s basic, standard, and premium tiers are still at the same price point as the last price increase in January 2022.
Given all of this, does it make sense to continue subscribing to Netflix, or is it time to jump ship to Apple TV, Amazon Prime, or one of the other streaming platforms bouncing around the web? If you’re ready to simplify your streaming services subscriptions, keep reading.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription from your web browser
To cancel your Netflix account, take the following steps in a mobile or desktop web browser. It’s simpler to use a desktop browser, but the same process applies to the mobile version of the site. To skip to step 5, go to the Netflix account cancelation confirmation page.
- Go to the Netflix website and log in to the account you want to cancel.
- Click your profile picture in the upper-right corner of the page.
- Click Account to open the Account Details page.
- Click the Cancel Membership button under Membership & Billing to open the cancelation confirmation page that shows the end date of your plan if you decide to cancel.
- Click Finish Cancelation. This opens a survey where you can select the reason for your cancelation from a list of predefined items or provide detailed feedback.
- Complete the feedback survey and click Done. This takes you to the Account Details page, with information about when you will lose access to the Netflix shows.
You cannot process the cancelation from the desktop app, but you can look at the account settings from the app. In the Netflix desktop app, click the three dots in the upper-right corner of the screen, then go to Settings > Account Details. This opens the Account Management page.
After canceling your Netflix account, you can restart the subscription and resume where you left off (including your favorites, preferences, and where you stopped on previously watched shows) as long as you resume within 10 months of cancelation. To resume your plan, log in to netflix.com, go to the Account Details page (as described above in step 3), and click the Restart Membership button on the left side of the page.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription via the Google Play app on your Android phone or tablet
If you created your account on the Netflix app using one of the best Android tablets, it’s probably linked to your Google account. If so, you can cancel your account on your phone by following these steps:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap your profile icon in the upper-right corner. The profile icon shows the picture you assigned to the account or your initials.
- Once the profile menu is open, select Payments & Subscriptions.
- Select Subscriptions.
- Choose Netflix and tap Cancel Subscription.
- Confirm your cancelation.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription via Google Play in your browser
If you created your Netflix account through Google Play, the cancelation process must go through Google Play.
- Go to the Google Play website and log in.
- Click your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page.
- Select Payments & subscriptions from the menu.
- Click the Subscriptions tab to begin the unsubscribe process.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription on your iPhone or iPad
If you created your account in the Netflix app for iOS, you can cancel your Netflix subscription using your iPhone or iPad in seconds by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap your name at the top of the Settings page.
- Select Subscriptions from the Apple ID menu.
- Tap Netflix > Cancel Subscription.
- Confirm the cancelation.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription from iTunes on your PC
You can also cancel your Netflix subscription using iTunes.
- Open the iTunes app.
- Click Account from the top menu, then select View My Account from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down until you get to the Settings section.
- Find Subscriptions and click Manage to its right.
How to cancel your Netflix subscription from the mobile app
There’s no need to involve Google or Apple in your Netflix drama. You can do it from the Netflix app on your Apple or Android device.
- Open the app and log in to your profile.
- Tap your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the app.
- Select Account.
- Scroll down and tap Cancel Membership.
Netflix asks you to confirm that you want to cancel and lets you know when your service will be terminated.
The fine print
Now that you’ve officially informed Netflix of your intent to suspend your account, you probably won’t lose access right away. Even though your subscription is canceled (no more monthly charges), you can still access everything until the end of your current billing cycle. You can find out when that is by checking the billing details in your account.
If you don’t resubscribe within 10 months, your account is closed. You’ll lose your profiles, watch list, watch history, and everything that allows Netflix to customize recommendations that match your viewing preferences.
- On mobile or desktop, select Account from the profile icon menu.
- Look under your payment info to find your next billing date.
If you have a Netflix gift card balance, you can access your account as long as you have a sufficient balance on your gift card.
A break from Netflix
Just like that, you’re unsubscribed, and you can detox from the constant barrage of media flung at you from all angles. If, on the other hand, you want to hop over to a new service to binge, you’ll find plenty of other excellent streaming services (many of which offer free trials). Also, make sure you get your fill of the best action movies Netflix has and check out some great Netflix games while you still have a few days of streaming left.
If you regret your decision, you can resubscribe anytime and pick up where you left off. Netflix will email you to tempt you back, sometimes with special deals. With new series and movies added regularly, including exclusive content you can’t find anywhere else, you could find yourself back on board within a few months.