The best documentaries on Netflix
176 documentary titles are streaming on Netflix in the US. These are the top 20 by score, rebuilt every day from the live catalogue, so nothing here has already left.
Top pick
The Last Dance (2020)
BN 76.9Series
A 10-part documentary chronicling the untold story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty with rare, never-before-seen footage and sound from the 1997-98 championship season – plus over 100 interviews with famous figures and bas…
Best documentary movies on Netflix
| # | Title | BN | IMDb | RT | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Octopus Teacher (2020) | 73.7 | n/a | n/a | 1h 25m |
| 2 | David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020) | 73.2 | n/a | n/a | 1h 23m |
| 3 | BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky (2020) | 72.9 | n/a | n/a | 1h 19m |
| 4 | Apollo 11 (2019) | 72.5 | n/a | n/a | 1h 33m |
| 5 | 13th (2016) | 72.5 | n/a | n/a | 1h 40m |
| 6 | The Social Dilemma (2020) | 72.3 | n/a | n/a | 1h 34m |
| 7 | Miss Americana (2020) | 72 | n/a | n/a | 1h 25m |
| 8 | Icarus (2017) | 71.9 | n/a | n/a | 2h 1m |
| 9 | The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo (2020) | 71.9 | n/a | n/a | 1h 49m |
| 10 | Seaspiracy (2021) | 71.2 | n/a | n/a | 1h 29m |
| 11 | Money Heist: The Phenomenon (2020) | 71.1 | n/a | n/a | 57m |
| 12 | HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé (2019) | 71.1 | n/a | n/a | 2h 17m |
| 13 | Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017) | 71 | n/a | n/a | 1h 33m |
| 14 | ariana grande: excuse me, i love you (2020) | 71 | n/a | n/a | 1h 37m |
| 15 | Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014) | 70.8 | n/a | n/a | 1h 30m |
Best documentary series on Netflix
| # | Title | BN | IMDb | RT | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Last Dance (2020) | 76.9 | n/a | n/a | 50m |
| 2 | Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019) | 73.6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 3 | Our Planet (2019) | 73.6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 4 | Money Heist: From Tokyo to Berlin (2021) | 70.9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 5 | Arnold (2023) | 70.3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 6 | Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (2022) | 70.3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 7 | Wild Wild Country (2018) | 70.2 | n/a | n/a | 1h 7m |
| 8 | Life on Our Planet (2023) | 70.1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 9 | Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020) | 70.1 | n/a | n/a | 39m |
| 10 | Beckham (2023) | 69.9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 11 | The Dinosaurs (2026) | 69.8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 12 | High Score (2020) | 69.3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Questions about documentary on Netflix
What is the best documentary movie on Netflix?
My Octopus Teacher (2020) is the highest-scoring documentary movie on Netflix right now, at 73.7/100 on our blend of critic and audience ratings.
What is the best documentary series on Netflix?
The Last Dance leads Netflix's documentary series at 76.9/100.
How many documentaries are on Netflix?
We count 176 documentary titles on Netflix in the US, checked against the live catalogue every day.
More on Netflix
DramasComediesAnimated TitlesCrime TitlesThrillersAction MoviesSci-Fi & FantasyMysteriesAction & AdventureRomance TitlesFamily TitlesAdventure MoviesFantasy TitlesHorror MoviesSci-Fi MoviesKids Titles