Q. I cancelled DIRECTV because prices kept going up and now Netflix is raising its price. It’s going to be $18, nearly $20 a month! This is too much. I’m going to get an antenna and be done with them all. How do you cancel Netflix? I want to do it today! — Millie, Topeka, Kansas.
Millie, I’m sure that many Netflix subscribers are upset that the streaming service just announced it’s raising the price of its standard and premium plans by $1 and $2 a month respectively.
However, before you give Netflix the boot, you might want to consider a less expensive package from Netflix. It sounds like you have the premium plan, which includes 4K programming and four simultaneous streams. That package price will increase from $15.99 a month to $17.99 a month. (The hike has been implemented for new customers while existing subscribers will see the increase in their bills in the coming weeks.)
But the company’s standard plan, which includes two streams and high-def programming (but no 4K), will now be $13.99 a month, up from $12.99 a month. And the company’s basic plan, which includes standard-def programming, will stay at $8.99 a month.
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?
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.
Millie, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
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— Phillip Swann
