8 Ways Streaming Platforms Got Worse

Streaming platforms were initially seen as a revolutionary alternative to cable TV, but in my opinion, they have gone from strength to strength over the past five years. Paid plans with ads, declining quality of shows and in-app experiences are some of the many reasons.

1 Paid plans with ads

Many apps and websites use ad-supported free tiers and I have no problem with that. Businesses ultimately need to make money and I also think a lot of people don’t understand how expensive content that is free for them to produce is.

However, if you pay for a premium subscription, you can often get rid of these ads. Streaming services still let you do that, but at a higher price than before. When Netflix introduced a paid advertising layer in November 2022, many people were unhappy.

I think these people have every reason to be angry too. In addition to ads, the cheapest Netflix subscription also doesn’t give you access to every TV show and movie. While I understand why Netflix introduced the ad-supported layer, I also think it made the experience worse.

Max and Disney+ are other ad-supported subscription streaming services.

2 Declining quality of available shows

I’ll happily pay for any subscription that adds value to my life, but I’ll also quickly cancel anything that doesn’t. One of the reasons I don’t watch most streaming services anymore is the decline in show quality.

Some shows and movies are subscribed to by other streaming services. For example, Rick and Morty is now on Max rather than Netflix. However, this is not always the case.

I’d like to consider signing up for a streaming service if the quality of the show is anywhere near what it was in late 2010, but until then I’m happy without them.

3 Password sharing crackdowns

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Crackdown on password sharing has been one of the most discussed topics in recent years. Disney+, for example, has become more serious about password sharing, and Netflix has also gotten stricter with password sharing.

I understand why streaming services crack down on passwords; in theory, this leads to a loss of revenue from those people who sign up for accounts. However, while some people watch streaming services consistently, I believe 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 average user who doesn’t want to watch a lot of shows, I’d argue that these interventions do more harm than good. I think Max charging more for a shared subscription is the right alternative approach.

4 Price increase

I don’t think people can expect subscription prices to stay the same forever. Inflation is a reality for businesses and not just for ordinary users. But apart from inflation and operating costs, I think sometimes greed comes into it.

In 2023, for example, Netflix raised prices twice. This is one of the many reasons why some users think you should avoid subscribing to Netflix. Meanwhile, Disney+ has increased the cost of its ad-free and ad-supported tiers.

Again, I have no problem with increasing the price if the quality of the product increases. But from what I’ve seen while browsing these apps, that’s not the case. I also think the constant price increases are exhausting for users, especially those who want to budget their month accordingly.

5 Focus on quantity over quality

I honestly think the “more = better” equation is flawed in many cases, especially when it comes to products and offers. Right now, a lot of streaming services seem to focus on quantity over quality — and if you ask me, that makes for a worse overall product.

Of course, users want variety in what they can watch. However, I think almost everyone will agree that we also want quality content. That’s the same way I look at indie creators; I’d rather watch (and produce) one quality video per month than multiple poor quality posts per week.

All these productions cost money, so the budget is clearly given. I’d rather these streaming services didn’t spread themselves so thin and instead invest more in a handful of high-quality projects.

6 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 exact reason I switched from Spotify to Apple Music. So, unsurprisingly, I’ve stopped using a lot of streaming services because their in-app experience has deteriorated.

For example, many users have complained about filtering searches on various streaming services. With so much content now available, it is vital that users can easily navigate to what they need. While you can enhance your Netflix search with secret codes (just like on other platforms), paying customers should have an easier time accessing without them.

I’ve also noticed that many apps are running into errors much more frequently than before. There’s only so many times you can take your app crashing in the middle of a performance before it gets tiresome. Additionally, some streaming services have changed their user interfaces to the detriment of users.

7 Being too quick to cancel a show

Streaming services are perfectly fine to download shows that no one watches; there is no point in keeping them there. However, I also think that some of the show cancellations were a little too quick.

My Lady Jane, Dead Boy Detective and Archive 81 are just three examples of canceled shows. I understand that I’m experimenting and I think it’s a good thing for innovation, but it’s a little tiring when programs you start watching are canceled.

It would be nice if streaming platforms gave programs more of a chance; it might be a good idea to keep them for a period of time.

8 Too much fragmentation

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Competition is good, but I also think the number of streaming services is 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 the shows and movies are spread too thin between multiple services now.

I don’t think there is any reasonable solution at this point other than to consider streaming packages. Fortunately, some streaming packages actually save you money.

Streaming platforms are far from dead, but I think they have declined significantly since 2020. Unfortunately, some services focused too much on quantity instead of quality. I also believe that many of the prices are not entirely justified. This, combined with a poorer in-app experience, makes it difficult to consider paying for a subscription worthwhile.