Streaming platforms were initially seen as a revolutionary alternative to cable TV, but in my opinion, they’ve gotten progressively worse over the past five years or so. Paid plans with ads, declining show quality, and in-app experiences are some of the many reasons why.
1 Paid Plans With Ads
Many apps and websites use ad-supported free tiers, and I have no problem with this whatsoever. Businesses ultimately need to make money, and I also think that a lot of people don’t understand how expensive content that’s free for them is to make.
However, if you pay for a premium subscription, you can often get rid of these ads. Streaming services still let you do this but at a higher price than before. When Netflix introduced a paid ad-supported tier in November 2022, many people were unhappy about this.
I think those people have every reason to be upset, too. Besides having ads, the cheapest Netflix subscription also doesn’t give you access to every TV show and movie. While I can understand why Netflix introduced an ad-supported tier, I also think it has worsened the experience.
Max and Disney+ are other streaming services with ad-supported subscriptions.
2 Declining Quality in Shows Available
I’ll happily pay for any subscription that adds value to my life, but I’m also quick to cancel anything that doesn’t. One reason why I no longer watch most streaming services is because the quality of shows has declined.
Some shows and movies are picked up by other streaming services. For example, Rick and Morty is now on Max rather than Netflix. However, this isn’t always the case.
I’d be happy to consider signing up for a streaming service if the show quality was anywhere near the same as in the late 2010s, but until then, I’m happy without them.
3 Password-Sharing Crackdowns
Password-sharing crackdowns have been one of the most talked about topics in recent years. Disney+ has started to take password-sharing more seriously, for example, and Netflix has also gotten stricter with sharing passwords.
I understand why streaming services are cracking down on passwords; theoretically, it results in lost revenue from those people signing up for accounts. However, while some people watch streaming services consistently, I believe that many are only interested in a small selection of shows.
Rather than getting a subscription, it makes sense for them to borrow someone else’s password. For the casual user, who doesn’t want to watch lots of shows, I’d argue that these crackdowns are more harmful than good. I think that Max charging more for shared subscriptions is the right alternative approach.
4 Price Increases
I think that people can’t expect subscription prices to remain the same forever. Inflation is a reality for businesses and not just ordinary users. But beyond inflation and operating costs, I do think that greed sometimes falls into the picture.
In 2023, for example, Netflix increased its prices twice. This is one of many reasons that some users think you should avoid subscribing to Netflix. Disney+, meanwhile, raised the cost of its ad-free and ad-supported tiers.
Again, I don’t have a problem with price increases if the product quality increases. But from what I’ve seen when browsing these apps, that is not the case. I also think that constantly raising prices gets exhausting for users, especially those who want to budget their month accordingly.
5 Focusing on Quantity Over Quality
I honestly think that the “more = better” equation is flawed in many cases, especially when it comes to products and offerings. Right now, it feels like many streaming services are focusing on quantity over quality—and if you ask me, it’s leading to a worse overall product.
Sure, users want some diversity in what they can watch. However, I think almost everyone would agree that we also want high-quality content. This is the same way I look at independent creators; I’d rather watch (and produce) one high-quality video per month than multiple low-quality posts per week.
All of these productions cost money, so the budget is clearly there. I would rather that these streaming services didn’t spread themselves so thin and instead invested more in a handful of high-quality projects.
6 A Worse In-App Experience
More often than not, I’ll choose an intuitive and user-friendly app over something that’s difficult to navigate. This is the precise reason why I switched from Spotify to Apple Music. So, unsurprisingly, I’ve stopped using a lot of streaming services because their in-app experience has gotten worse.
Many users have complained about the search filtering on different streaming services, for example. With so much content out there now, it’s vital that users can easily navigate to what they need. While you can improve your Netflix searches with secret codes (likewise on other platforms), but paying customers should have easier access without these.
I’ve also noticed that many apps encounter bugs far more frequently than they used to. There are only so many times you can endure your app crashing mid-show before it starts to get tiresome. Moreover, some streaming services have changed their user interfaces to the detriment of users.
7 Being Too Fast With Show Cancelations
Streaming services are absolutely right to pull shows that nobody watches; keeping them on there is pointless. However, I also think that some show cancelations have been far too quick.
My Lady Jane, Dead Boy Detectives, and Archive 81 are just three examples of canceled programs. I understand being experimental and think it’s a good thing for innovation, but it’s a bit tiresome when programs you start watching are canceled.
It’d be nice if streaming platforms gave programs more of a chance; perhaps keeping them up for a certain timescale would be a good idea.
8 Too Much Fragmentation
Competition is good, but I also think that the number of streaming services has become exhausting. This is especially true for people who sign up for certain platforms because they have a show they like and then switch to another. I also think that shows and movies are spread too thin across multiple services now.
I don’t think there’s any reasonable solution at this point other than to consider streaming bundles. Luckily, some streaming bundles will actually save you money.
Streaming platforms are far from dead, but I do think they’ve declined significantly since around 2020. Unfortunately, some services have focused too much on quantity instead of quality. I also believe that many prices aren’t entirely justified. These, combined with worse in-app experiences, make it difficult to deem paying a subscription as worthwhile.
