Netflix is a subscription service that allows you to stream TV shows and movies through a variety of devices. You can also watch online via a computer or a smartphone. If you have tried the free period and don't wish to continue or want to stop your ongoing subscription, this guide can help. Cancelling Netflix is relatively easy, particularly if you have been with them for a while or are still on the free trial.
What is Netflix?
Netflix is one of the leading subscription based streaming services in the world. When you subscribe you get access to thousands of films and TV shows including their own exclusive content. You can try it free for 30 days then there is a monthly fee which is currently around £6 a month for a basic subscription or £9 a month for premium access on multiple devices.
You can access Netflix through devices including smartphones, smart TVs, some set top boxes such as Sky and also games consoles such as the Xbox 360 or the PS3. You can also use tablets or a desktop computer to watch the programs.
Things to consider
One of the first things to do before you cancel Netflix is to take a note of your watch list. If you want to be able to find these programs and remember what you wanted to watch, then it is important to jot these down. Once you cancel your subscription, you will no longer be able to access this list so note down it's content before you cancel. You can even take a simple screenshot of the programs you want to see.
Remember, if any of these shows are Netflix own productions, you may not be able to view them on any other service. Netflix make a lot of their own TV series and even some films. These are only available to Netflix subscribers. So if you want to watch a lot of their own content, you may want to consider waiting to cancel the service until you have seen them.
If you were receiving your Netflix subscription at some kind of special deal or price, then be aware if you cancel and later return, you won't get this price again. Some people were grandfathered in to the new subscription prices at their original rates. If you then cancel your package, you lose this discounted rate. And should you re-subscribe, it will be at the current new customer rate, not the discount rate you had before.
Processing the cancellation
To start the cancellation process, you need to go the Netflix website and access your account. This is done through the portrait in the right hand corner and opens the 'Your account' options. Next find the 'cancel membership' option under the Membership & Billing account section and click on the red button.
Netflix will now tell you about what happens when you cancel a subscription. This will include:
- When the cancellation will take place
- How you will receive confirmation of the subscription
- That you will lose any discounted pricing if you return and re-subscribe
If you are happy with these terms, you can click on 'complete cancellation' to cancel the Netflix membership. After this, you will receive an email confirmation that tells you the date that your subscription stops.
Reasons to consider not cancelling
There are two main reasons for people cancelling their Netflix subscription - financial and simply not finding enough of the programs they like in the package. But are there reasons to consider keeping the subscription?
While most of the grandfathered pricing has now ended, there are still people with special deals or offers. These are ongoing but if you cancel the subscription, you will lose this benefit. And if you decide to go back to them, it will be at whatever the current price is.
As mentioned, there are lots of shows that are exclusively Netflix content and cannot be viewed anywhere else. So if these were the reason that you joined, you may want to consider paying a few months more until you have viewed these. Also look ahead to see what new shows and movies are coming up that are exclusively on Netflix to help you make the decision.
What other options are there?
If you are unhappy with Netflix but like the idea of streaming shows, there are other options. Netflix was one of the first to offer this kind of subscription-based multiple choice TV service, but they are now not the only ones to offer it.
Amazon Instant Video
One example of a competitor is Amazon - their Instant Video service works much the same was as Netflix. You can pay a monthly subscription to view all of the content or you can even pay for specific movies or programs, even individual episodes. Like Netflix, Amazon also produce their own shows and movies, so they have content that isn't featured anywhere else. You can also get a 30 day free trial for Amazon to let you take a look at what they offer.
Another reason to consider Amazon is that the video package is included with their Prime membership which works out about the same monthly cost as Netflix. This has a host of extra benefits including free next day delivery, access to their music library and also to their eBooks.
BBC offer a streaming service that doesn't involve a subscription fee to watch programs they have available. You can also buy content to watch repeatedly or purchase a whole series or individual episodes as you want. Typically, it costs around £8 for a series or less than £2 for a single episode. Some of the BBC's back catalogue is only available through their streaming service.
The main downside is that it is mostly the BBC's own programs that feature on the service. Their free iPlayer lets you view programs from the last 30 days on any device including a smartphone.
iTunes from Apple is similar to the BBC service in that you pay for items rather than a subscription. There are whole series or individual episodes or movies available. A series pass also gets access to every episode once it has aired on TV. iTunes also offers movie rentals which give you 30 days to start watching the film and 48 hours to finish it.
A film rental costs around £3.50 while a TV series costs less than £2. They have a good range of new releases and an extensive back catalogue to choose from. There's no original or own content. You can watch from any device, but you usually have to download the iTunes free software first and it is standard on Apple devices.
Now TV is both a streaming service and a TV box that lets you access services like a Freeview box. The box and access costs £15 a month or you can just sign up for a monthly subscription and access the content through the website or YouView. They also offer packages - monthly passes for a certain part of the subscription. So there are Entertainment passes from £7, Sky Movie passes from £10 and Sports Day passes from £7 a day, £11 a week or £32 a month.
Now TV doesn't have its own content, but it does let you access channels from others that do such as Sky. The box turns your TV into a smart TV, so you can also access services such as BBC iPlayer if you couldn't already. You can even access the service through games consoles such as the Xbox 360 or PS3.
Simple cancellation
Netflix offer a simple cancellation process for a comprehensive service. If you decide that it isn't for you, cancelling Netflix is simple and if you later change your mind, they are always happy to welcome you back.