Show of hands: Who remembers when Netflix was a DVD-by-mail service? (If you said, “What’s a DVD?”, I officially hate you.) Has any other company pulled off such a dramatic — and successful — transformation of its business model? Today’s Netflix is synonymous with streaming, with the largest subscriber base of any service and some of the most notable original shows of the 2010s and 2020s.

However, it’s also synonymous with price increases, with Standard and Premium plans rising eight times in the past 12 years. And in 2023, the company infamously banned password-sharing, meaning family members outside your home could no longer share your account — unless you paid an added fee. How’s that for treating loyal customers?

A more realistic question: Is Netflix worth it? With plans as high as $25 per month and fewer breakout shows than in the early days, the service may seem more like a luxury than a necessity. So what’s the story? Here’s my Netflix review.