With the rising popularity of streaming services like Netflix, many wonder if it’s possible for multiple people to watch shows and movies at the same time on the same account. The short answer is yes, Netflix does allow for simultaneous streaming, but there are some limitations depending on your subscription plan.
Basic Netflix plans
Netflix’s basic plan, which starts at $9.99 per month, only allows for one concurrent stream. This means only one device can be watching Netflix at any given time. If you try to start playback on a second device, the first device playing Netflix will be paused. The basic plan also only allows streaming in standard definition.
Standard Netflix plan
The standard Netflix plan, which is $15.99 per month, allows for two concurrent streams. This makes it possible for two people to be watching Netflix at the same time on different devices logged into the same account. For example, you could have Netflix playing on your living room TV while someone else is streaming a show on their tablet in another room.
The standard plan upgrades video quality to high-definition 1080p when available. So two people can enjoy HD Netflix together under this plan.
Premium Netflix plan
Netflix’s premium plan unlocks four concurrent streams for $19.99 per month. This allows up to four people to be watching Netflix on different devices at the same time using the same login credentials. The premium plan also offers ultra HD 4K streaming when available.
Here is a comparison of the three main Netflix plans:
| Plan | Monthly Price | Max Concurrent Streams | Video Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $9.99 | 1 | SD |
| Standard | $15.99 | 2 | HD |
| Premium | $19.99 | 4 | HD & 4K |
Device limits
It’s important to note that even if your Netflix plan allows for multiple concurrent streams, there are still device limits in place. Each Netflix account can only have a certain number of registered devices that are able to play content.
Here are the device limits for each Netflix plan:
- Basic – 1 registered device
- Standard – 2 registered devices
- Premium – 4 registered devices
So while the Premium plan permits up to 4 concurrent streams, you’d need a minimum of 4 devices registered to that same Netflix account to max out those simultaneous streams.
Watching Netflix offline
Downloading Netflix content to watch offline does not count against concurrent stream limits. Netflix allows you to download certain movies and shows to smartphones, tablets, and laptops to watch without an internet connection. This gives you the ability to watch Netflix on a plane, in areas with poor connectivity, or to save data usage on a mobile plan.
The number of devices you can download Netflix on depends on your plan. You get 1 registered download device on the Basic plan, 2 on Standard, and 4 on Premium. Multiple people could download different content to watch offline later without interfering with what someone else is streaming online.
Changing locations
Netflix uses location data to determine if streams are coming from the same household or not. You are generally limited to streaming on devices connected to the same WiFi network or devices within the same geographical area.
Attempting to watch Netflix simultaneously across different cities, states, or countries could potentially trigger an error or Netflix asking you to verify your account. This restriction is in place to prevent widespread account sharing beyond someone’s immediate household.
Using profiles
The easiest way for multiple people to share one Netflix account is by taking advantage of Netflix user profiles. Every account comes with 5 profiles that can each have their own watch history, recommendations, and viewing preferences.
This allows every person using the account to have a customized Netflix experience tuned to their taste without disrupting anyone else’s recommendations or watch progress. As long as concurrent stream limits are respected, profiles make it simple for families or roommates to share Netflix while keeping tabs on their own shows and movies.
Changing plans
One of the benefits of Netflix is the ability to easily upgrade or downgrade your monthly subscription plan at any time. You can switch to a higher tier plan if you want more concurrent streams, or drop down to save money in months when you don’t need as many streams.
If you attempt to exceed the number of concurrent streams permitted by your current plan, Netflix will prompt you to upgrade your plan. So you have the flexibility to adjust your Netflix plan to meet your ongoing streaming needs.
Using multiple accounts
Households with a greater need for simultaneous streaming may find the greatest value in each person having their own Netflix login. While more expensive than sharing a single account, this gives everyone maximum streaming freedom to watch Netflix from anywhere at their own convenience.
Netflix could suspend accounts or IP addresses being used outside of an authorized household. So having multiple accounts can be the simplest solution for extended families or groups of friends looking to watch Netflix together online.
Conclusion
Netflix provides clear concurrent streaming limits based on the subscription plan you choose. While you can simultaneously stream on multiple devices with a Standard or Premium plan, each account has restrictions on the number of total registered devices.
Using individual profiles and selectively downloading content to watch offline are smart ways to maximize your Netflix account within the concurrent stream limits. For complete freedom to watch shows and movies together online, separate Netflix logins for each person may be the best approach.
