25+ Important Netflix Statistics Every Binge-Watcher Should Know

Have you ever wondered how Netflix became one of the leading streaming platforms in the world? If you’re a big fan or simply a user who just wants to know what makes Netflix so special, we’ll answer all of your burning questions with these important Netflix statistics that every binge-watcher should know.

Netflix has grown from a small company that mailed DVDs to customers to an innovative, world-renowned streaming platform with revolutionary ideas that have changed the way we watch content today. During that time it has quite quickly become a household name both in the US and across the world. 

The stats we’ve compiled in this article will help you understand the platform better and answer many of your questions. So, without further ado, let’s begin

Netflix User Statistics

1. Over 200 million people use Netflix worldwide.

(Variety)

Netflix celebrated a huge milestone during the COVID-19 pandemic by crossing the threshold of 200 million subscribers. There’s no doubt that 2020 was a good year for the company, as its subscription numbers surpassed all predictions. Of course, this stat includes only those with paid and registered accounts; unfortunately, there isn’t any way to know how many Netflix subscribers are sharing an account with someone else. However, we can assume that those users would make the total number much higher. Still, despite growing competition and rising subscription fees, Netflix has managed to surprise even the experts once again.

2. 73 million Americans are subscribed to Netflix.

(Statista)

If you feel like everybody has a Netflix account by now, you might be surprised to learn that that’s not quite the case. As we can see from American Netflix subscriber statistics, about 73 million people in the US have a paid account on this platform. That’s over 10 million more than last year.

3. The US Netflix library has almost 6,000 pieces of content available.

(Finder)

The content of Netflix’s library varies in the countries where it’s available. Recent numbers show that the United States has the largest amount of content, with almost 6,000 movies and series to choose from. With such a huge array of content to choose from, it’s no wonder that the Netflix growth rate in the US continues to increase so consistently. The United Kingdom comes in second with about 200 fewer pieces of content, while Canada is in third place with nearly 5,700 options to choose from. 

On the other hand, if you go to Bangladesh, you’ll have fewer than 2,000 options to choose from. Surprisingly, Austria also has a low number: 1,287 options. 

4. 53% of users would be willing to pay a higher subscription fee.

(Statista)

One of the most interesting Netflix statistics comes from a survey conducted in the US in 2018. It showed that the vast majority of participants - 84% - would continue using the platform even if the monthly subscription fee rose by a dollar. What’s even more fascinating is that 53% of users wouldn’t have a problem paying an extra $5 per month.

5. 41% of subscribers wouldn’t mind watching ads.

(Statista)

Surprisingly, about 41% of surveyed users said they wouldn’t cancel their Netflix subscription if the platform decided to include ads. That number would be even higher – 50% – if the platform were to lower its monthly fee by $3. This makes us wonder, especially given that 70% of mobile users have an aversion toward mobile ads.

6. 12% of users would turn off Netflix if their pets didn’t like the show they were watching.

(Statista)

Pets can affect Netflix usage statistics – who knew? In another survey cited by Statista, about 12% of users would turn off Netflix if their pet didn’t like the show. Furthermore, about 22% are willing to bribe their pets with treats in order to watch Netflix longer.

Is Competition Harming the Platform?

7. 85% of American households paid for digital content from Netflix during 2019.

(Statista)

It’s no surprise that if you look at the streaming services market share chart from the 2019 Statista Global Consumer Survey, Netflix is still the clear leader. About 85% of American households paid for digital content from the company during that year. However, experts expect a big surge in usership figures for the fourth quarter of 2020 due to the pandemic. At the time of writing, no official information from Q4 2020 had been published, so we’ll have to wait and see whether those predictions come true.

8. In 2020, Netflix’s annual revenue was $24.99 billion.

(Macrotrends)

In 2020, Netflix’s annual revenue was $24.99 billion, which was 24% more than the company generated in 2019. If this seems like a massive increase to you, bear in mind that the company’s revenue in 2019 was up 27.62% from the previous year. But the company’s biggest success so far came in 2018, when Netflix recorded a staggering year-on-year growth rate of 35.08%.

9. The company’s revenue in Q3 2020 was $6.4 billion.

(CSI Market)

If you’ve been googling “Netflix profit” for the past hour wondering whether the pandemic has harmed or helped the company, we have the answer. The company’s revenue for the third quarter of last year, which ended in September, was about $6.4 billion, which represents a 22% increase compared to Q3 2019.

10. As of 2018, 33 million people in the US had canceled their cable TV subscriptions.

(Variety)

Netflix surpassed both cable and satellite usage three years ago. Indeed, by 2018, the number of consumers who had ever canceled their TV subscriptions was 33 million. With that in mind, it’s clear which direction Netflix vs TV statistics have been going in recent years. However, there are still more Americans who have cable TV than those who don’t. We’ve seen cable companies raising the bar when it comes to content since the streaming platforms became popular, which leaves us wondering whether these two rivals can successfully coexist in the future.

11. Netflix earned 35 Academy nominations in 2021.

(Statista)

One of the most important Netflix facts to mention is that its first Academy nomination came as recently as 2014. That recognition changed the way the world sees streaming platforms. After that, Netflix continued investing in original motion pictures and has received an increasing number of nominations each year since. In 2021, Netflix beat all other studios to earn a whopping 35 Academy nominations.

12. In 2018, Netflix took the Emmy crown from HBO with 112 nominations.

(Vulture)

The year 2018 was a crucial one for Netflix. The platform finally ended HBO’s streak of the most Emmy nods per year with an astonishing 112 nominations! This is especially interesting seeing as Netflix didn’t have any shows that attracted as many viewers as mega hits like Game of Thrones.

Netflix Viewership Statistics

13. On average, users spend two hours a day on Netflix.

(Variety)

As per comments from Netflix representative Cindy Holland in 2019, the average Netflix viewer spends two hours per day on the platform. It’s reasonable to assume that this average increased significantly in 2020 due to pandemic-related lockdowns which made many people stay at home and work from home. If you’re not sure whether you’re binge-watching too much, this stat could be a useful reference point.

14. 70% of people watch Netflix on their TVs.

(Statista)

Netflix device statistics show us that most people watch the platform on their TVs. Desktops and laptops come in second with 15%, while only 10% use phones and 5% use tablets. Yes, desktops and laptops are more used for Netflix than our mobile phones! That shows us that while mobile traffic continues to grow, desktops will remain relevant, especially when it comes to streaming platforms.

15. Netflix’s most-watched original movie had 99 million views as of July 2021.

(What’s on Netflix)

When you take a look at Netflix viewing statistics for originals, you’ll see that the most-watched original movie is Extraction. Despite the film’s subpar reviews from critics, Chris Hemsworth’s charm has been able to attract 99 million viewers so far, with many more likely to come in the future.

16. The Witcher attracted 76 million people in the first month of its release.

(CNBC Make It)

When it comes to the platform’s TV shows, The Witcher is considered to be the most successful launch ever. If you’ve been following Netflix show statistics, you probably already know that. But, what you mightn’t have known is that the show had 76 million views in its launch period. The “launch” is defined as the first month after a show’s release. This already makes it more successful than most other Netflix original shows that have been running for several seasons.

17. A children’s show spent over 100 days on Netlifx’s most-watched list.

(Netflix)

If you’ve been searching for Netflix children shows statistics, you probably know that the number of programs for kids is increasing. In fact, there are reports that CoComelon, a show for children, has been the most-watched show in 2020. That’s not too much of a surprise, since we know that children tend to rewatch cartoons they like multiple times a day. 

Furthermore, the platform offers users an option to customize the experience for different age groups, including kids. Presumably, parents have let their children use Netflix more since the customization to make the platform child-friendly came into effect. This, in turn, provides a boost to Netflix streaming statistics.

18. In March of 2022, the platform had more than 1.3 billion visits from around the world.

(Statista)

In March of 2020, Netflix shattered all previous records by notching up more than 1.3 billion visits! That’s a huge number, especially when we compare it to other popular global streaming services. In fact, the platform had about 2.5 times more visits than the second most popular platform, asserting its dominance at a time when the competition was fiercer than ever. If you look at Netflix traffic statistics from November to March, it becomes crystal clear that the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns encourage people around the world to binge-watch more than ever. 

19. Netflix uses 1 GB of data per hour.

(Netflix)

If you’re on a smaller data plan, you might want to think twice about watching a movie on Netflix, especially in HD. That’s because the platform uses 1 GB of your data every hour for standard videos and three times that much for HD ones. But if you’re looking at Netflix internet usage statistics and worrying that you might have to give up your favorite streaming service for good, don’t panic! You can control data usage in a few simple steps via the Netflix website. 

If you’re accessing the platform from your desktop, the option to change your video quality is under “playback settings” on your account page. In case you’re using your phone, you should go to the “video playback” option in the app settings and adjust it from there. You can choose low, medium, or three levels of high quality.

Netflix Demographic Figures

20. 31% of people aged 65 or above in the US are subscribed to Netflix.

(Statista)

The platform attracts a variety of users, the majority of whom belong to younger demographics. However, it’s a significant development for Netflix that more than 30% of baby boomers are now subscribed to the platform. This suggests that Netflix’s diverse content and excellent usability have made it increasingly attractive to older generations.

21. Nine in 10 college students use the platform.

(The Transcript)

There’s a strong correlation between the behavior of college students and Netflix statistics. Procrastinating and binge-watching are pretty common traits among young people, so it’s no surprise that nine out of 10 college students in the US regularly use the platform.

22. 50% of Netflix lovers aren’t physically active enough.

(Eurekalert)

While we can’t say that there is a clear correlation between watching Netflix and obesity, some studies show that binge-watching can cause you to eat less healthily. In a survey of people who watch Netflix regularly, around 50% of participants didn’t meet the minimum recommended amount of physical activity. You should keep these statistics on Netflix and obesity in mind the next time you decide to procrastinate with Netflix.

Netflix Is Stepping up its Game

23. Netflix produced 371 pieces of original content in 2019.

(Variety)

In 2019, Netflix produced more than one original piece of content per day on average, amounting to 371 in total. To give you some perspective on how big of a number that really is, it’s more than what the whole television industry produced in 2005. What we can conclude from this is that in order to continue improving Netflix exclusive content statistics, the platform has dedicated plenty of time and resources to producing more and more content each year.

24. Netflix will likely spend more than $17 billion on video content in 2021.

(Statista)

We keep reiterating that Netflix continues to raise the bar when it comes to the platform’s content. The company’s budget for video content was over $15.3 billion in 2019, and experts estimate that the platform will spend a further $2 billion on top of that in 2021. 

25. 80% of the company’s total content spending is for Netflix originals.

(Statista)

After reading previous Netflix statistics, this one comes as no surprise; about 80% of total content spending goes to producing originals. Netflix original shows are becoming increasingly popular, especially because of the fact that the platform tends to release the whole season of a show instead of making fans wait for each episode. 

26. In 2021, the company’s employee gender demographics are 47.5% female and 46.1% male.

(Statista)

On top of the aforementioned statistics, 0.9% of Netflix employees identify as neither male nor female, with the remaining 5.5% presumably declining to identify as any particular gender. Even though this stat might not be one of the Netflix watching statistics you were looking for, we think it’s still important to mention. 

Stats over recent years show that the company has slowly been building towards this balance, which is clearly a large step towards gender equality. However, we couldn’t help but wonder if there is still a wage gap among the genders, especially because we know that women still make 79 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn.

Netflix Statistics - The Final Word

Now that you’ve read these stats, it’ll come as no surprise to you that many popular streaming platforms have followed Netflix’s lead. This company continues to put forward innovative ideas and successfully fight its competitors. Users, on the other hand, will surely be happy to know that they’re not the only ones who enjoy bingeing on the platform’s content from time to time. 

It’s also clear that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns have changed the way we live. Netflix has risen to the occasion and provided much-needed entertainment during these tough times.

If you’ve made it to the end of our article, congrats! You now know all of the crucial statistics about Netflix required to be a well-informed binge-watcher!