Netflix Review: Who’s it Best For in 2024?

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Netflix has been the go-to source of entertainment for millions of people across the world for more than 25 years. It’s still one of the biggest streaming platforms around, but the competition has not only been growing in quantity but quality as well.

In November 2022 the #1 streamer did something it swore it would never do — have ads. Of course, this led to price changes to the other Netflix price plans as well.

Our Netflix review looks at the current state of the streamer and helps you decide whether it still deserves your hard-earned dollars in 2024.

How much does Netflix cost in 2024?

Surprise, surprise. Another year, another Netflix price increase.

So what does Netflix cost in 2024? Thanks to price hikes in November (that’s 2023, not the November 2022 price hikes) you can now pay even more for the world’s most expensive on-demand streaming service.

The short-lived Basic plan was the best deal, but Netflix quickly scrapped it in July 2023. If you were lucky enough to subscribe to the Basic plan, Netflix assured its paying customers that they would be able to keep it until they canceled or changed their subscription.

Not even a year later, Netflix has reneged on that promise. It is “retiring” the plan altogether, forcing people to change their subscription to either have unwanted ads or pay for the much more expensive Standard plan.

Netflix then renamed the Basic with ads plan to Standard with ads, so there are now 3 Netflix plans to choose from:

Standard with ads: $6.99/month

• Shows and movies have ads, unlimited mobile games
• Most of the library, but not necessarily all of it
• Downloads: 2 devices at a time
• Simultaneous screens: 2
• Quality: Full HD (1080p)

Standard: $15.49/month

• Ad-free movies, shows, and mobile games
• Complete Netflix library
• Downloads: 2 devices at a time
• Simultaneous screens: 2
• Quality: Full HD (1080p)
• Option to add 1 “extra member”

Premium: $22.99/month

• Ad-free movies, shows, and mobile games
• Complete library
• Downloads: 6 devices at a time
• Simultaneous screens: 4
• Quality: Ultra HD (4K)
• Option to add 2 “extra members”
• Netflix spatial audio

The new prices to watch Netflix ad-free are the highest in the market. See the table below to see how Netflix stacks up against the competition.

What kind of content does Netflix have?

While the online masses like to complain about Netflix’s lack of “good” content, it’s still got all that incredible content that essentially changed the way TV is made. (Props to Max Review for that as well, of course.)

Good is usually subjective, but the streamer spent around $17 billion on content per year for the last 4 years, so there should be at least a few things to suit nearly every taste.

Original content

The streamer still has the “classics” that have already finished their run, like Ozark and House of Cards. But here are some of the best current original Netflix shows:

• Stranger Things (since 2016)
• You (since 2018)
• Love, Death, And Robots (since 2019)
• Emily in Paris (since 2020)
• Squid Game (since 2021)
• Red Rose (since 2022)
• Wednesday (since 2022)
• The Night Agent (2023)
• Beef (2023)
• The Diplomat (2023)
• Berlin (since 2024)
• The Brothers Sun (since 2024)

That seems like enough to keep most people entertained to make it worth at least one billing cycle.

Movies

The streamer is home to a plethora of movies from different genres, including action, adventure, drama, comedy, romance, and more. From classics like The Godfather to modern blockbusters like The Avengers, Netflix has something for everyone. Some of the popular movies on Netflix right now are:

• Bullet Train
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Hunger
• Luther: The Fallen Sun
• The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
• The Mustang

TV shows

Netflix’s collection of TV shows is equally impressive, with popular shows like Narcos, Money Heist, and The Crown. Here are some of the most popular shows on Netflix right now:

• American Nightmare
• Beef
• Bodies
• Captivating the King
• Fool Me Once
• The Glory
• Louder Milk
• Lupin
• Who is Erin Carter?

Live TV

Unlike traditional cable TV and some competitors, you won’t fin live TV on Netflix.

However, a feature called “Netflix Live” provides live entertainment events and stand-up comedy shows. But if live TV is what you’re after, this overpriced on-demand streaming service is definitely not for you.

Video games

Netflix expanded its entertainment menu to include mobile video games in 2023. It recently added a bunch of Grand Theft Auto games. Some of the mobile games that Netflix offers include:

• GTA: San Adreas – The Definitive Edition
• Money Heist: Ultimate choice
• Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited
• Solitaire
• SpongeBob: Get Cooking
• Stranger Things: 1984
• Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales
• Tomb Raider Reloaded

Netflix interface and usability

Netflix is known for its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to navigate and find content that you want to watch. Its interface remains fairly consistent across all platforms, is among the easiest to navigate, and the most responsive on the market.

However, we could do without the autoplay “feature” that the CEO refuses to make optional, even though millions of people have complained about it for years.

Navigation

Navigation is straightforward, with a homepage that displays recommended content based on your viewing history. It’s easy to search for specific movies or TV shows and filter by genre, release year, or popularity.

In a browser, top-level navigation is divided into Home, TV Shows, Movies, New & Popular, and My List, which takes you directly to your to-watch list. The Movies and TV Shows pages both have dropdowns so you can browse by genre.

There’s also a 6th tab to Browse by Languages, which has dropdowns for Original Language, Dubbing, and Subtitles, which can have up to 40+ different languages. This is great for those who want to quickly find the best Korean dramas or Spanish crime thrillers.

The mobile app is a little more streamlined, but just as responsive and easy to navigate.

Language settings

There are usually good language options for most shows and movies, including audio and subtitles in multiple languages. This makes it easy for international viewers to enjoy content in their preferred language. You can even watch a show dubbed and subbed in 2 languages different from the original dialogue.

As mentioned above, you can browse content by language directly from the main menu on certain platforms.

Parental controls

You’ll find standard parental controls that allow you to restrict access to specific content based on its age rating. This is an essential feature for families with children. Parents can lock kid profiles, requiring a PIN code to exit the profile, as well as review the profile’s viewing activity from the main account settings.

Netflix account sharing and simultaneous screens

Netflix came under fire in 2023 when it announced plans to crack down on account sharing, with many users reacting by canceling — or threatening to cancel — their subscriptions.

The crackdown was already executed in some markets, such as Canada and Spain, but it was put on hold in the USA. However, it continued with its plan and was satisfied with its progress according to its Q3 shareholder letter for 2023.

How many people can watch Netflix at once?

The number of screens you can watch depends on your subscription plan. As noted above, it’s one the worst when it comes to account sharing. It’s not that much better when it comes to sharing screens, although it’s slightly improved since 2023.

The first 2 plans let you watch on 2 screens, while the Premium plan graciously lets you watch on 4 screens at once for the low, low price of $23/month.

How many profiles can you make on Netflix?

You can create up to 5 profiles on a single account, making it easy for everyone in your household to have their personalized viewing experience. They don’t need to create an account with an email, as some streamers require, which keeps things nice and simple.

Netflix supported devices

Netflix is compatible with a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV.

• Streaming devices: Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, NVIDIA Shield
• Phones & tablets: Android, iOS, Fire Tablet, Windows Phone
• Cable & satellite boxes: Cox, Xfinity, Sky, Free, Magenta TV, Btv, Telstra TV, Rogers, Verizon
• Smart TVs: Android TV, Hisense, LG, Panasonic, Philips. Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Vestel, and more
• Smart home devices: Amazon Echo, Facebook Portal
• Game consoles: PlayStation, Xbox
• Desktops & laptops: Windows, All major browsers
• Blu-ray players: LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony

Does Netflix have a free trial?

Unsurprisingly, there’s no longer a Netflix free trial. But you can cancel at any time and keep watching until the end of your billing period. It also remembers your viewing activity for 10 months in case you want to reopen your subscription.

HOWEVER: There are a few ways to get Netflix for free. Check out our Netflix free trial post for more details.

Who is Netflix good for in 2024?

Netflix is no longer the great deal for families it once was, especially with much better options out there that cost less and offer more. Disney+ is still just $7.99/month and lets you watch on 4 screens at once, downloads movies and shows, and delivers 4K quality. Peacock and Paramount+ have huge libraries and include the local live TV feeds of their respective networks for much less than Netflix’s overpriced Standard plan.

That’s not to say it’s a total bust. So, who is the original streamer best for in 2023? 

Netflix is worth it for people who enjoy high-quality, original series — and mostly dramas and thrillers. They’re likely to get the most mileage out of the service. And with the current price plans, it’s geared toward people who don’t mind ads — or those with plenty of disposable income to spend on streaming services.

And for those waiting for the final season of Stranger Things, keep in mind you can go away for 10 months and return to Netflix with no hard feelings — and your viewing history intact.

Netflix isn’t worth subscribing to for all 12 months of the year, but it is worth stopping and starting your subscription every 6 months or so.