What goes down during Netflix and chill is really no one’s business. But isn’t it amazing how Netflix has become a vocabulary of its own? It has become an activity among Gen Zs and millennials, and even boomers get the drill.
So, what does Netflix mean?
Probably late-night binges, “just one more episode” lies, and heated debates over which K-drama or thriller is the best. But behind the endless scroll and the familiar “ta-dum” lies a deeply thought-out user experience that keeps us glued for hours.
Netflix has successfully turned the streaming platform into an experience, an emotion that everyone looks forward to having. From snuggling under blankets during monsoons to arguing over whose turn it is to pick a show or using lunch break to watch one episode, Netflix has found itself in our everyday routines.
Do you know where the real magic is? It’s in the app! The UX.
Users complain about how time-consuming and unproductive it is, but still find themselves crawling back to their guilty pleasure. How did they manage to bring their users to this point? How did they make the user journey so seamless from “What do I watch?” to “Damn, I finished the whole season”? And is their mobile UI/UX as flawless as we think?
Netflix has a staggering user download of 100 crores and a 3.9-star rating from 1.4 crores users. There are many apps on the Play Store, but not all get up to 1 lakh user reviews. Even on the ios app store, it ranks no. 9 in entertainment, with a 4.6-star rating from over 2.6 million ratings.
Netflix was started in 1998 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph as an online DVD rental service. At the time, it was impressive. They soon shifted to a subscription-based model, and even though they had rough years, they were able to pull through to become one of the OTT giants in the world.
How did Netflix become so Popular?
- In 2007, they took a giant step by moving from DVD rental services to online streaming services. The internet was becoming popular, and they took advantage.
- In 2013, they started their own series “ House of Cards”, which opened them up to opportunities in Hollywood.
- Another giant leap was their shift to using cloud infrastructure, which helped them host the majority of their business operations and scale exponentially.
- By 2016, Netflix had moved its operations globally as its users and subscribers had grown exponentially. Netflix became available in over 190 countries, instantly becoming a global entertainment powerhouse.
- They reached 100 million subscribers in 2017 and have been the leading force in the entertainment industry since then.
From Data to Decision #UserFeedbackDecoded
- The High-resolution visuals, previews, and smooth transitions don’t just look good—they work. Users found themselves exploring more, just because the UI invited them to.
- Across multiple responses, decision fatigue emerged as a theme. Choosing something to watch becomes a chore when every movie looks great.
- While the search bar delivers results across titles, actors, and genres, users wish for smarter filters to narrow down the noise and get to the good stuff faster.
- Be it Typography, iconography, or colours, Netflix nails it with visual consistency. It’s not just aesthetic; it builds trust. And trust keeps users loyal.
- Is Netflix overpriced? User reviews have suggested so. Even if the price is not an issue, how about the crashes and bugs that affect the performance?
Some users have complained about audio language, subtitles, issues with brightness, and so on. Isn’t it surprising that an app with so many downloads is still rated 3.9 stars? Our designers have taken the time to point out the UX strengths and flaws to learn from.
Our expert designers have conducted a UX Audit and review, which combines online research, such as Google reviews, heuristic evaluation, usability evaluation, and their expertise. The online reviews were aggregated and adequately analysed to see what users like and what they do not like. This review ended with recommendations to make the user journey smoother and help designers.
Netflix App UX Review Led By Sagar, A Design Expert At Yellowslice.
Reviewed by:
- Sagar
- Harshini
- Sonalika
- Samrudhi
- Aadesh
This is a breakdown of the findings about UX.
They took Consistency seriously.
Netflix doesn’t just look clean—it feels clean. The platform thrives on visual and functional consistency, and it shows across every user touchpoint. The design tokens, such as the colour palette, typography, and button styles, are religiously followed.
Users don’t have to relearn anything when they use other devices like tablets or smart TVS. This cross-platform design consistency reduces cognitive load and improves retention. This is a case study for many modern tech products.
Personalisation is the next best thing after Pakora
Netflix was built on personalisation, from the days of DVD rental. Their solution involved recommending content for their users; no wonder it’s even more effective with their algorithm and AI. Algorithms are trained to listen closely to every scroll, click, pause, and also evolve with the user.
Decision Fatigue
There are too many options that make it harder for users to just press play. It’s not that there’s nothing to watch; there’s too much. The time that is supposed to be spent on “Netflix and chill” is spent looking for a movie to watch.
It’s good that Netflix has a large collection of content (videos and games), but also comes with decision paralysis. While the personalisation feature has helped to streamline this, there is still a Lack of advanced filtering and sorting, forcing users to rely solely on surface-level recommendations instead of tailoring their journey.
Possibility of UX ethics Violation
A good, conscious-centric UX design knows when to tell users to stop. The app is user-friendly and irresistible, but it’s now turning into borderline addiction. Netflix is low-key, enabling users to keep watching with auto-playing the next episode and quietly encouraging binge-watching. The question isn’t “Do you want to continue?” but “Why wouldn’t you?”
There is rarely an exit point. Once a movie is done, a line-up of other recommendations will start if the user doesn’t pick one within the allotted time frame. All of these might look subtle, but they’re feeding on human psychology to encourage the possibility of addiction.
Higher Consumer Satisfaction = Higher Conversion Rates
User experience is all about customer satisfaction. Since this review aims to improve the overall user experience, our design team has devised possible solutions to the problems users currently face when interacting with the app.
Emphasis on consciousness-centric UX Design
Netflix doesn’t just design for clicks; it designs for cognition. Consciousness-centric UX is about how users think, feel, and choose, and Netflix gets inside that headspace.
True user engagement comes not just from smooth interactions, but from intentional ones. Consciousness-centric UX design puts the user’s awareness at the centre. Not just “How fast can they click?” but “Are they aware they’re clicking at all?”
There are so many notifications to “continue watching” or turn on reminders that create fear-of-missing-out loops, but rarely tell users how many hours they’ve spent inside the app or tell them to take a break.
UX designers are now influencing human behaviours, and trust me, we dont want an ecosystem with users addicted to every app/website they use. So designers must create a conscious user experience to make users aware of their choice instead of being tricked by some psychological theory.
What if Netflix introduced a “Mindful Mode”? One that disables autoplay, sends soft nudges after long watch periods, or shows weekly viewing time recaps?
Hierarchy and Content Arrangement are top-notch.
A UX review should not be about negative reviews, and so this is to doff a hat to the UX team in charge of information architecture. They did something with content arrangement despite the fact that Netflix has a large library of content.
Users might be indecisive, but they are never confused on Netflix. That’s not luck—it’s hierarchy at work. The hero banner at the top of the homepage highlights what Netflix wants you to see first, usually a trending or original title. Below that, neatly arranged carousels follow themes like Top Picks, Continue Watching, and Because You Watched.
As designers or business owners, use layout to guide decisions. Bold visuals on top, personalised utility below, and niche explorations deeper down help structure information and content based on priority.
Too much content is a pain.
Have you ever heard about the paradox of choice? It is a real thing, and Netflix is not left out. The hierarchy and content arrangement are commendable, but they can’t manage the overwhelming amount of content in the app.
When users land on Netflix, they see 20+ rows of thumbnails and spend 20 minutes scrolling. Many eventually exit the app without watching anything. Sometimes, it is not about the amount of content; more isn’t better. Introduce smart content limits, spotlight features, or mood-based recommendations to help users narrow the field and make decisions faster.
Prioritise a functional and practical search button.
Netflix allows users to search by title, actor, genre, or even vague keywords like “thrillers or “romantic comedy.” However, it lacks deeper filters like duration, year, or ratings, which users want.
A search feature should be flexible and fast. Designers should anticipate user queries with smart suggestions. Invest in a search system that understands user language, not just your database tags.
Expert Review by Sagar
Netflix isn’t just winning at content—it’s playing the long game in design. From consistent UI patterns to hyper-personalised recommendations, the platform is a textbook case of data-driven UX done right. But it’s not flawless. In fact, no UX is flawless because user needs are insatiable.
So, what’s the way forward? Many digital products or services should prioritise designing for intentional behaviour, conscious choices, and empowered users. This requires constant iteration by expert UX professionals, one of whom Yellow Slice offers on a platter of gold. Contact us to guide you to the next evolution of digital products.
FAQS- Netflix User Journey Decoded
1. Why is Netflix’s UX so addictive?
Because it’s engineered to be, from autoplay features to endless scrolls and tailored recommendations, the platform minimises friction and maximises engagement. It’s great for business but risky for the user agency.
2. What’s one underrated UX win on the platform?
Profile-based personalisation ensures that each user gets a tailored experience from the landing screen to the “Because you watched…” row. It’s smart, subtle, and super scalable.
