Netflix Review
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Netflix offers three plans — on 2 device in HD with their “Standard with Ads” ($6.99) plan, on 2 devices in HD with their “Standard” ($15.49) plan, and 4 devices in up to 4K on their “Premium” ($22.99) plan.
Netflix spends more money on content than any other streaming service meaning that you get more value for the monthly fee.
Review
We tested Netflix and other subscription streaming services for more than 100 hours. Netflix is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.
Content
Originals
With the service spending $15 billion on content, the sheer amount of original series on the service is astounding. They have scripted series like Stranger Things, Black Mirror, The Witcher, The Crown, Bridgerton, as well as unscripted shows like Tiger King, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, Too Hot Too Handle, and Nailed It!
The streaming service also makes its own original films like Red Notice, Army of the Dead, Spenser Confidential, The Irishman, Bird Box, All The Boys I Loved Before, Extraction, and The Kissing Booth.
TV Shows
Netflix has historically had a deep library of some favorites from the past few decades. Seinfeld is available on the service, along with Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Community, Outlander, Friday Night Lights, and Shameless. As more streaming services emerge, Netflix has lost many older shows, and the service is more focused on creating original series.
Movies
While Netflix invests most heavily in its own films, you’ll also see a rotating library that includes Hollywood hits like Gladiator, When Harry Met Sally, Snatch, and American Beauty. The titles fluctuate from month to month.
Netflix is also the current streaming home to Sony films, so users will be able to see Bullet Train, The Woman King, and the upcoming Into the Spider-Verse films.
Kids
Netflix is creating a lot of original programming for kids from animated series to live action. They have series like Ask The Storybots, Carmen Sandiego, Beat Bugs, and Chip and Potato. They’ve also partnered with DreamWorks to create new shows like Dragons Rescue Riders (based on How to Train Your Dragon) and Go, Dog. Go!.
Features
Up to 5 Profiles
Netflix allows up to five individual profiles within a single account, but each profile uses the same log-in.
Parental Controls
You have the ability to create a Kids Profile with Netflix. Once you do, you can customize it further to allow show content “For Little Kids” (G, TV-Y, TV-G), Older Kids (PG, TV-Y7, TV-Y7-FV, or TV-PG), or Teens (PG-13 or TV-14).
Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Max, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, and STARZ also have parental control features.
Up to 4 Devices
Netflix allows streaming on 1 device with their “Basic” ($11.99) plan, with simultaneous access on 2 devices on their “Standard” ($15.49) plan, and 4 devices on their “Premium” ($22.99) plan.
Offline Downloads
Netflix allows you to download shows and movies offline. While every title isn’t available, their content available offline includes nearly all their original titles, as well as a large selection of their library content.
The streaming service allows you to download 100 titles on single device. The number of devices that you can download content to depends on your plan. Their “Basic” ($11.99) plan allows downloads to 1 device, while the “Standard” ($15.49) plan offers downloads on up to 2 devices, and the “Premium” ($22.99) plan on up to 4 devices.
Once a show or movie is downloaded, most titles are available for 30 days to watch, with 48 hours access after you first press play. If a download expires, you will need to access it online to renew. Some titles have annual limits on the number of downloads.
International Access
Depending on where you travel to, Netflix will behave differently. If you go to country that has Netflix, you will see the content catalog in that country. If you go to a country that doesn’t have Netflix, you will only be able to access shows and movies you’ve already downloaded offline.
Compatible Devices
Netflix is compatible with these devices:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast (Google Cast)
- Roku
- Android TV
- iPhone/iPad (iOS 14.0+)
- Android Phone/Tablet (4.4+)
- Mac
- Windows
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- Nintendo (Wii, Wii U, 3DS)
- LG Smart TV (webOS 3.0+)
- Samsung Smart TV (2016+)
- Sony Smart TV
- VIZIO Smart TV (2016+)
Tech Specs
1080p HD
(Up to 4K UHD)
While nearly all content on Netflix is in at least HD, you will need to subscribe to their Standard or Premium tier to access HD content.
If you upgrade to the Premium plan, you will get access to ~600 titles in 4K including their original series and some licensed content like Planet Earth.
Some Surround
Stereo/Surround Sound
Most of Netflix content is available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. A small selection of content has Dolby Atmos support, but you will need their Premium plan to access that level of audio quality.