Netflix subscribers count worldwide 2011-2020

How many paid subscribers does Netflix have?

Netflix had 195.15 million paid subscribers worldwide as of the third quarter of 2020. Most Netflix subscribers are based in the United States, with the U.S. accounting for over 73 million of Netflix’s total global subscriber base.

While the popularity of Netflix's streaming service has been increasing, the company's DVD section has declined. At the end of 2019, there were just 2.15 million subscribers to Netflix's DVD rental service in the United States, a drop from 11.17 million in 2011.

Who is Netflix’s audience?

Netflix subscribers are a loyal bunch, with the majority reporting that they would keep Netflix even if the monthly subscription price increased, and subscribers also stated that they would continue using the service with ads. With a wealth of content spanning multiple genres and a diverse catalogue of TV shows, movies and documentaries, Netflix appeals to a wide audience and consistently impresses users with its often binge-worthy original content.

Subscribers are from diverse ethnic backgrounds – data on Netflix subscribers by ethnicity found that more Hispanic and African Americans watch Netflix than their White counterparts. Netflix considers diversity important and featured almost five times the number of LGBTQ characters in its TV series than Hulu in the 2018-19 season. Additionally, openly published data on the gender of Netflix employees in early 2019 revealed that the company performs extremely well in terms of achieving an even split. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Netflix appeals to all age groups and a survey showed that the majority of adults aged 18 to 54 years old subscribed to the service.

Netflix viewer habits

Interestingly, a survey exploring the behavior of Netflix viewers with pets found that a total of 12 percent of respondents admitted that they had stopped viewing a show because their pet did not like it, and 22 percent had bribed their pet with treats in a bid to encourage the animal to watch the show or movie for longer. Such behavior may seem strange to some, but with Netflix available to watch on multiple devices and in any location, consumers inevitably have and will continue to tailor their viewing experience to their preferences, needs, and lifestyles. Some U.S. adults have even admitted to watching TV and movies in public restrooms, and with Netflix retaining its title as the undisputed market leader when it comes to video streaming it’s safe to assume that some of these bathroom binge viewers are Netflix customers, too.