Recode:
The streaming service says it has at least 139 million paid subscribers around the world. But there are decent odds that many more people are watching Netflix and letting someone else pay for it.
A new survey from analysts MoffettNathanson finds that 14 percent of US Netflix users admit that they’re watching the service using an account paid for by someone they don’t live with.
If 14% of surveyed users admit to Netflix pirating, chances are good that the true number is much higher.
So why doesn’t Netflix do something about this? From the analyst who did the survey:
On the plus side, he figures Netflix non-payers currently represent some 8 million users who could eventually be persuaded to pay for Triple Frontier and other Netflix content. On the other hand, if those non-payers never end up paying, they end up reducing Netflix’s growth prospects.
I can’t help but compare this to Apple’s approach to services, like Apple Music, with family pricing that gives discounts to encourage sharing. Will Netflix change their plan, lock illicit sharing up if and when Apple makes headway into their market?
Interesting read.
I don’t pay for Netflix, I’m logged into my brother’s Netflix account on my TV and have my own profile setup. I don’t really watch any TV and use Netflix maybe once a week, if that.
Netflix accounts seem kinda implied family share to begin with, considering you can stream on multiple screens at once (number depending on tier) and you can have separate user profiles. Counting the users sharing living together (27%), you have 41% of users sharing an account.
Course having to share the paying account/password requires a higher level of trust than other actual multi account shared setups, but obviously hasn’t stopped a crapload of users from doing it.