Why Thousands of Netflix Users Are Canceling, and How to Quit – CNET

Streaming video giant Netflix recently shocked the entertainment industry by reporting the loss of 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. The company had previously projected an increase of 2.5 million subscribers for that period.

Why are so many users leaving Netflix? The decline of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions is one big reason — folks formerly limited to streaming video at home now have more entertainment options available such as eating out, attending concerts or watching movies in theaters.

Inflation isn’t helping Netflix either. The high cost of food and gasoline has families cutting other spending, and Netflix’s price increase at the start of 2022 may have brought attention to it as a potential budget cut. 

In its Q1 2022 shareholder letter, the company mentioned the war in Ukraine as a major factor in subscriber loss. Netflix contends that suspension of its service in Russia resulted in a 700,000 net loss of global subscribers.

As competitors like Disney Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and Hulu grow, more users might be considering canceling Netflix. If you’re ready to leave Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Russian Doll and Better Call Saul behind, read on to learn how to easily cancel your Netflix account.

How to cancel your Netflix subscription on your phone or tablet

It’s easy to cancel your subscription on a computer (see the next section). Netflix makes it difficult to cancel your subscription on your phone and tablet, but there is a way to do it, although you won’t be using any of the official Netflix apps on the App Store or Play Store. Instead, you’ll need to use the web browser of your choice to cancel your Netflix account:

1. Go to Netflix.com on your web browser and sign in to your account. If you are redirected to the app, access the Netflix website in a private browser, which prevents redirecting from occurring.

2. Tap the three-dash menu in the top left to open the side menu.

3. Now hit Account.

4. Scroll down and tap Cancel Membership, which you’ll find under Membership & Billing. The next page will notify you that your cancellation will be effective at the end of your current billing period.

5. To cancel your Netflix subscription, tap the blue Finish Cancellation button.

How to cancel your Netflix subscription on your computer

Canceling your Netflix subscription is much more straightforward on your computer. To start, simply open your preferred web browser and then follow these steps:

1. Go to Netflix.com, sign in to your account and choose a user. Don’t use a Kids account or else you won’t be able to access your account settings.

2. Next, hover your mouse over the user icon in the top-right and click Account.

3. Hit the Cancel Membership button.

4. Finally, click the blue Finish Cancellation button.

New Netflix subscription prices

The price increases for the three tiers of Netflix’s streaming service that the company announced in January are now in effect for new subscribers and rolling out for existing Netflix customers. You may have received an email about the price hikes, but if you haven’t, here’s the latest price breakdown:

Cut down on your streaming costs