Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph have an idea to rent DVDs by mail. They test the concept by mailing themselves a DVD. The DVD arrives intact, and the idea for Netflix is born.

1997

Netflix.com, the first DVD rental and sales site, is launched.

1998 Timeline-new

The Netflix subscription service debuts, offering members unlimited DVD rentals without due dates, late fees, or monthly rental limits.

1999

A personalized movie recommendation system is introduced, using members’ ratings on past titles to accurately predict future choices.

2000

Netflix makes its initial public offering (IPO), at a selling price of $1 a share under the NASDAQ ticker NFLX.

2002

Netflix is issued a patent by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to cover its subscription rental services as membership surpasses 1 million.

2003

The Profiles feature launches, allowing members to create different lists for different users and/or different moods.

2005

2006

Streaming is introduced, allowing members to instantly watch series and films.

2007

Netflix partners with consumer electronics brands to allow streaming on Xbox 360, Blu-ray players and TV set-top boxes.

2008

After nearly three years and 40,000 submissions, the $1 million Netflix Prize is awarded to the team Bellkor's Pragmatic Chaos for improving the accuracy of recommendations by 10%. Streaming partnerships expand to internet connected TVs as membership surpasses 10 million. The Netflix Culture Deck is published.

2009

Netflix arrives in Canada and streaming launches on mobile devices. The first dedicated kids experience debuts on streaming.

2010

Netflix launches in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first Netflix button appears on remote controls. 

2011

Membership reaches 25 million members, and expands into the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordic Countries. Netflix ventures into stand-up specials with 'Bill Burr: You People Are All the Same.'



companytimeline-2012new

'House of Cards,' 'Hemlock Grove,' 'Arrested Development' and 'Orange Is the New Black' usher in the first slate of original series programming. 'House of Cards' goes on to win three Primetime Emmy awards - the first for an internet streaming service. The Profiles and My List features debut on streaming.

timeline-2013-new

Membership surpasses 50 million and extends to Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Netflix begins streaming in 4K Ultra HD.

timeline-2014-new

Our first original feature film ('Beasts of No Nation'), our first non-English original series ('Club de Cuervos') and our first Asian original ('Terrace House') debut. Membership extends to Australia, Cuba, Italy, Japan, Spain and New Zealand. Audio descriptions for the visually impaired launch with 'Daredevil.'

2015

Netflix expands to 130 new countries, bringing the service to members in more than 190 countries and 21 languages around the world. The Download feature is added for offline and on-the-go viewing.

Company Timeline-2016

Membership hits 100 million members globally. Netflix wins its first Academy Award, for 'The White Helmets.' The introduction of interactive storytelling and the Skip Intro button gives members more choices to tailor their viewing experience.

2017

Netflix is the most-nominated studio at the Emmys, winning 23 for series including 'GLOW,' 'Godless' and 'Queer Eye.' PIN protection is rolled out as part of several parental control enhancements.

timeline-2018-new

Netflix wins four Academy Awards, for 'ROMA' and 'Period. End of Sentence,' and  debuts its first original animated film with 'Klaus.' New production hubs open in London, Madrid, New York and Toronto. 'Bandersnatch' wins the first major Emmy for an interactive title.

2019

Top 10 lists debut, allowing members to see what’s popular for the first time. Netflix is the most-nominated studio at the Academy Awards and Emmys. The Hardship Fund launches to aid creative community workers impacted by COVID-19, and two percent of our cash holdings move to financial institutions supporting Black communities.

top 10

Membership surpasses 200 million. Netflix releases its first-ever film and series diversity study, in conjunction with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, and announces plans to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022. Netflix launches mobile games.

Games

August marks the 25th anniversary of Netflix. Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival, Netflix’s biggest live, in-person event took place in Los Angeles, spanning 11 days and 295 shows. Netflix rolls out spatial audio to bring the cinematic experience to any device and adds Category Hubs for TV.

Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival

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General Motors and Netflix Partner to Give EVs the Stage they Deserve 

Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters Are Now Co-CEOs of Netflix, With Reed Hastings as Executive Chairman

2023 Movie Preview: New Year, New Must Watch Movies

Netflix Takes K-Content to New Heights with 2023 Slate

Open Connect: Celebrating a Decade of Smooth and Efficient Streaming

Cozy Games Developer Spry Fox Joins Netflix 

With Profile Transfer, Keep Your Netflix Experience a Constant Even in Times of Change 

Netflix Starting From $6.99 a Month 

Tudum: A Netflix Global Fan Event Delights Fans Around the World

Building Our Internal Games Studios

Netflix Partners with Ubisoft to Create Three Exclusive Mobile Games for Members Around the World from 2023

Netflix Turns 25

Netflix Acquires World Leading Independent Animation Studio Animal Logic 

Netflix to Partner With Microsoft on New Ad Supported Subscription Plan

Something for Everyone

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Read about our commitment to the environment and how we’re raising awareness through our films and series


The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

A More Sustainable Future 

They make us feel more emotion, see new perspectives,<br> and bring us closer to each other.

In her own words, through personal video and diaries, Pamela Anderson shares the story of her rise to fame, rocky romances and infamous sex tape scandal.

Pamela, a love story 

Families and cultures clash when two LA millennials from different backgrounds fall in love and face the ultimate relationship test: meeting the parents.

You People

An extraordinary girl with a sharp mind and a vivid imagination takes a daring stand to change her story — with miraculous results. Meet Matilda.

Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical Box Art

World-famous detective Benoit Blanc heads to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery surrounding a tech billionaire and his eclectic crew of friends.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Box Art

Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates a murder spree while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.

Wednesday Box Art

An aimless gamer and his two friends find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive.

Alice in Borderland Box Art

After landing her dream job in Paris, Chicago marketing exec Emily Cooper embraces her adventurous new life while juggling work, friends and romance.

Emily in Paris Box Art

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents the classic story of a wooden puppet brought to life in this stunning stop-motion musical tale.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Box Art

When 17-year-old Paul joins the Western Front in World War I, his initial excitement is soon shattered by the grim reality of life in the trenches.

All Quiet on the Western Front Box Art

When an explosion in the Norwegian mountains awakens an ancient troll, officials appoint a fearless paleontologist to stop it from wreaking deadly havoc.

Troll

A rookie lawyer at the CIA stumbles headlong into the dangerous world of international espionage when a former asset threatens to expose agency secrets.

The Recruit

Young, free and madly in love. As teenagers, the world was their oyster — but as adults, their lives seem dimmer, like a very important piece is missing.

First Love Box Art

Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign.

The Crown Box Art

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Stories move us.They make us feel more emotion, see new perspectives,
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The Story of Netflix

A More Sustainable Future

New on Netflix

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Stories move us.They make us feel more emotion, see new perspectives, and bring us closer to each other.

The Story of Netflix

A More Sustainable Future

New on Netflix

Our Culture

Investor Relations

Careers

Watch Now

Stories move us.They make us feel more emotion, see new perspectives,
and bring us closer to each other.