Q. I used to have just Netflix, but now I have Netflix, Hulu, Disney, HBO and Showtime all streaming on my TV. That’s too much so I want to scale down a bit, starting with getting rid of Netflix for awhile. I’m not paying $15.99 a month for it! But I’ve had it for so long that I don’t know how to cancel the thing! How do I cancel Netflix? — Jennifer, Laurel, Maryland.
Jennifer, you are not alone. I receive many e-mails from readers who say their streaming bills are getting too high. Of course, the irony is not lost on me because many of them previously ‘cut the cord’ because their cable or satellite bill was too high!
So allow me to explain how to cancel Netflix, as you request. And in future columns, I will outline how to cancel some of the other streaming services as well.
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However, before you give Netflix the boot, Jennifer, you might want to consider a less expensive package from the streaming service. Netflix’s premium plan, which includes 4K programming and four simultaneous streams, does cost $15.99 a month.
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But the company’s standard plan, which includes two streams and high-def programming (but no 4K), is only $12.99 a month. And the company’s basic plan, which includes standard-def programming, is only $8.99 a month.
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Perhaps one of those options would work better for you. If not, Netflix makes it relatively easy to unsubscribe. Company officials have said if they make it convenient to unsubscribe, people are more likely to come back and sign up again. (By the way, I agree with that philosophy and I think it’s helped Netflix maintain its subscriber growth during good times and bad.)
Now to the question at hand: How do you unsubscribe from Netflix?
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If you have the streaming plan, you have to go to Netflix.com and click on the Your Account link. (You can’t cancel via the app.) Then, you’ll have to type in your password and user name. Once you do that, under the Your Streaming Plan button, click on Cancel Membership Plan. And that’s it.
(Note: If you signed up for Netflix via a third party, such as Roku or Apple TV, you’ll have to cancel on that service by clicking the Manage Subscriptions button or link in the Your Account area.)
Once you’ve finished these steps, your account will close at the end of your billing period; there are no partial month refunds. By the way, if you cancel and decide to renew Netflix within 10 months, your viewing history and preferences will still be available.
Jennifer, hope that helps. Happy Viewing!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
