UK Netflix 'has half the number of shows as US version'

Netflix in the UK has around half the number of shows as the US offering, despite costing the same amount, it has emerged
Kevin Spacey stars in Netflix flagship political drama House of Cards
Hatty Collier18 March 2016

Netflix customers in the US get almost double the choice of films and TV shows than in the UK, despite paying the same monthly fee.

American viewers can choose from 5,600 films and TV shows for a £7.05 per month fee, while British users who face paying the standard fee of £7.49 can select from about 3,000.

Netflix does not publish the number of shows available in different regions, but several unofficial listings websites report the figures.

Many UK viewers use software to disguise their IP addresses and locations so they can watch Netflix USA shows, which are not available here, including Friends and Grey’s Anatomy.

Netflix has previously said it does not support viewers using “unblockers” to bypass country restrictions and that licensing rules limit content in certain regions.

The firm, which offers streaming services in some 190 nations, is trying to close the loophole for people who use software to dodge the country licensing restrictions.

A Netflix spokesman told The Sun the company is "moving as quickly as we can" to offer the same service in all countries.

Netflix: Eight exclusive shows you need to watch

1/8

He added: "Until then we have to deal with the reality of territorial licensing. That's a legacy of the traditional world of TV and film."

The Evening Standard has approached Netflix for further comment.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT