Account share: Netflix subscribers prefer extra cost over more subscription fee

Netflix recently implemented a restriction on password sharing in India, following the success of a similar initiative in over 100 countries earlier this year. As per the latest results from YouGov Surveys: Serviced, a nationally representative study conducted in July 2023, half of urban Indians (51%) are willing to pay an additional fee, less than a full subscription cost, to share their Netflix accounts with family or friends.

The restriction introduced by Netflix prevents users from availing the ‘extra member’ functionality, requiring them to transfer existing profiles to their own accounts at an additional membership cost if they wish to share their subscriptions.
Among users who already pay for a Netflix subscription, the willingness to pay an extra fee for account sharing increases to three in five (61%), indicating a strong preference for this approach over an additional full subscription fee.
India, like many other regions, has seen widespread password sharing on streaming platforms. The survey reveals that over half of urban Indians (55%) agree with the statement, "Video and music streaming services should allow password sharing among users," with millennials expressing the highest agreement at 59%.
Furthermore, the survey data indicates that a significant portion of consumers in India believe that video and music streaming services should offer more group subscription options, with over three in five (62%) respondents supporting this idea.
Currently, Netflix holds the third position in terms of subscription base among urban Indians, following Disney+ Hotstar (38%) and Amazon Prime Video (36%).
Digging deeper into the streaming preferences of urban Indians, the survey found that shorter-duration plans are the most preferred, with 36% favoring monthly subscription plans. Annual subscription plans are preferred by 30% of respondents, while quarterly plans are less popular, chosen by only 14% of participants.
Interestingly, seven in ten (70%) urban Indians express interest in trying out weekly or event-specific plans, which would allow them to subscribe solely for a particular series or sports tournament.
Regarding paying an additional charge for renting or accessing premium services above the subscription cost, nearly half of urban Indian respondents (48%) seem comfortable with this arrangement. Around 35% are not comfortable with the idea, and 17% remain uncertain about their view.
Survey respondents were also asked about their consumption habits, and the findings indicate that nearly six in ten (59%) reduced their content consumption on streaming platforms in the past six months. The primary reasons cited for this reduction include subscription fatigue or having too many subscriptions (42%), cost-saving measures (38%), and streaming fatigue or having too much content to watch (37%). Additionally, 25% reduced consumption because they had either already watched or were no longer interested in the content available.