 Logo used since 2014. | |
Type of site | OTT streaming platform |
|---|---|
| Available in | 50 languages |
List of languages
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| Headquarters | Los Gatos, California, U.S. |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Area served | Worldwide (except China, Crimea, North Korea, Russia, and Syria) |
| Industry | |
| Products | |
| Services |
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| Parent | Netflix, Inc. |
| URL | netflix.com |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Required |
| Users |  301.6 million (as of January 21, 2025[update]) |
| Launched | August 29, 1997 (as a DVD e-commerce) January 16, 2007 (as a streaming service) |
| Current status | Active |
| ASN | |
Netflix, Inc. is an American entertainment services provider in Los Gatos, California, founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California. As of April 2019, Netflix had over 148 million paid subscriptions worldwide, including 60 million in the United States, and over 154 million subscriptions total including free trials. It was started in California in 1997. It allows members to rent movies on DVD or Blu-ray, and also watch movies and TV shows online with a computer, game console, smartphone, tablet or Internet-connected TV.
Netflix originally started as a DVD sales and rental by mail then switched to focus on the DVD rental business. In 2007, Netflix expended their business with streaming media.
Since December 2018, Netflix provided their first interactive film, called Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. On January 22, 2019, Netflix became the first streaming service to become a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Netflix entered the content-production industry in 2012, debuting its first series Lilyhammer This introduced the "Netflix Original" content and its on online library. In 2016, Netflix released around 126 original series and films. Netflix is not available in mainland China (due to local restrictions) as well as Syria, North Korea, Iran, and Crimea (due to US sanctions).
The company's primary business is its subscription-based streaming which offers online streaming of a library of films, TV programs, and Netflix originals.
In 2020 Netflix was preparing to launch NetFX, a cloud-based platform to make it easier for artists, and creators to keep connected and collaborate on visual effects for titles on Netflix.
Netflix has exclusive pay TV deals with several studios. The deals give Netflix exclusive streaming rights while following the structures of traditional pay TV terms.
Distributors that have licensed content to Netflix include Warner Bros.., Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and previously The Walt Disney Studios. Netflix also holds current and back-catalog rights to television programs distributed by Walt Disney Television, DreamWorks Classics, Kino International, PBS, Warner Bros. Television and Paramount Global Content Distribution, along with titles from other companies such as ABS-CBN Studios, GMA Network, Cignal Entertainment, MQ Studios, Regal Entertainment, Viva Films, MNC Media, Screenplay Films, Soraya Intercine Films, Falcon Pictures, MD Pictures, Rapi Films, Starvision Plus, CJ ENM, JTBC, Kakao Entertainment, TBS, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, Mediacorp, Primeworks Studios, GMM Grammy, Public Television Service, Gala Television, ITV Studios, Hasbro Entertainment and StudioCanal. Previously, the streaming service also held rights to select television programs distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Television and 20th Century Fox Television.
In 2012 Netflix negotiated a deal to distribute animated films from Universal that HBO declined to acquire, such as The Lorax, ParaNorman, and Minions.
In 2013 Netflix acquired the U.S. rights to show eight television shows from Warner Bros., including The West Wing.
In 2020 Netflix made a deal for the exclusive streaming rights to the film library of Studio Ghibli (except Grave of the Fireflies) worldwide except in the U.S. and Japan as part of an agreement signed with Ghibli's international sales rights holder Wild Bunch.
In 2024, Netflix expanded on a previous deal with Universal to show the studio's live action movies in addition to animated movies within the first pay TV window after theatrical release, which went into effect in 2026, a year earlier than previously announced.
In 2025 Netflix announced a three month deal with Amazon MGM to show the James Bond film collection and other titles for a limited time.
In 2026, Netflix announced a new global deal with Sony Pictures to show its movies in the first pay TV window rolling out from 2027 to 2029, expanding on a previous deal limited to the United States only.
In 2025 and 2026, several Warner Bros. television titles became newly available in the U.S. and internationally, including The West Wing returning to the service after being removed in 2020.
Netflix also announced in 2026 a new deal to show 20 TV programs from Paramount Skydance in the U.S. and other countries including including Seal Team, Watson, Mayor of Kingstown, Matlock and The King of Queens.
