Netflix Reportedly Sees Spike In Sign-Ups Following Password Sharing Crackdown

The week following Netflix’s infamous May 23 password sharing crackdown saw the streamer experience four of the largest days of subscriber growth in the past four and a half years, according to analytics tracking firm Antenna.

“Netflix has had the four single largest days of U.S. user acquisition in the four and a half years that Antenna has been measuring the streaming service,” Antenna said. “Based on the most current data available, Netflix saw nearly 100,000 daily sign-ups on both May 26 and May 27.”

Netflix revealed back in February it was planning a “broad rollout” of a new policy that would prevent users from sharing passwords between households in the U.S. and other territories. On May 23 the streaming giant began its offensive. 

As detailed in an email to subscribers, the company would now be asking users to pay an extra $7.99 per month for each person who wanted to continue using the account in a separate household. Netflix simultaneously launched a service that would allow users to transfer their existing profile to a new membership.

The crackdown was met with widespread derision from existing subscribers, some of whom promised to cancel their memberships if the new policy was brought into effect. Judging by the uptick in subscription cancellations in the Antenna data, many made good on that threat. However, the ratio of people joining the service relative to those leaving was still up +25.6 percent “compared to the previous 60-day period”.

“Average daily sign-ups to Netflix reached 73,000 during that period, a +102% increase from the prior 60-day average,” Antenna said. The recent spike is even more significant than the uptake figures enjoyed by the streaming giant during early 2020, when lockdowns imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic drive stay-at-home entertainment use.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer