The 15 Best Rom-Coms On Netflix, Ranked

Look, if your goal is to Netflix and chill, the last thing you want to do is put on a documentary about insider trading. Or maybe you do; different strokes for different folks and all that. But by and large, your aim should be to get your partner in the mood by watching attractive people suck each other's faces. 

Of course, you don't need a partner to enjoy a good romantic comedy. Perhaps you just need reminding that love is possible in this crazy world of ours after experiencing some heartbreak of your own. With a Netflix subscription, you have a cornucopia of options to choose from.

Netflix has really cornered the market on romantic films, as every movie on this list is original to the platform. These are the best rom-coms on Netflix to make you laugh and, more importantly, make you feel. And who knows? Maybe these stories will give you the courage to send that risky text to that special someone.

"Hot Frosty" is the goofiest, strangest Netflix Christmas movie of 2024, and by extension, it really heated up the charts. When people tend to think of goofy, formulaic Christmas rom-coms, their first thoughts probably go to Hallmark. However, Netflix has really given them a run for their money in the past few years, cranking out many silly holiday adventures of their own. And "Hot Frosty" represents a pinnacle of that effort. 

Kathy (Lacey Chabert) is a widow who takes solace in a snowman who's turned into a real man, Jack (Dustin Milligan). Oh yeah, and this snowman is buff as hell. He definitely doesn't have the proportions one usually makes a snowman with, but if you're looking for any kind of logic in this film, you're watching the wrong thing. There's plenty of time elsewhere on this list to appreciate Netflix rom-coms that break the mold in some way or really make you think. "Hot Frosty" dares to ask the question of what would happen if you wanted to bang Frosty the Snowman. You're either in or you're out, and we're most definitely in. 

"Love Wedding Repeat" isn't exactly a time loop story, although it does play around with the idea of the inherent chaos of the universe. Jack (Sam Claflin) wants to ensure his sister's wedding goes off without a hitch, which only becomes more difficult when her ex-boyfriend shows up, and he's juggling his own romantic feelings for Dina (Olivia Munn). Once it seems like the wedding is beyond salvageable, the plot stops and reverses, and we see how everything could've played out with different seating arrangements affecting the plot. 

It's basically the "Remedial Chaos Theory" of "Community," the best episode of the series, and this rom-com also has a ton of fun utilizing that concept. It's a heartwarming reminder of how so much in life is left to random chance, and it's out-there premise is grounded by Claflin and Munn's chemistry. And it's a good film to watch if you feel like there was something amiss about your own wedding because it'll make you realize there were so, so many more ways things could've gone wrong. 

Casual viewers may not realize this, but Netflix has a very legitimate cinematic universe on its hands with its slate of Christmas movies. These films reference one another in various ways, and, arguably, the best within that franchise is "The Princess Switch." 

The movie's a classic "Prince and the Pauper" situation where Stacy (Vanessa Hudgens) enters a baking competition in another country, only to realize she looks just like said country's princess, Lady Margaret (also Hudgens). It's a classic set-up for holiday hijinks, and amazingly, the film's actually pretty funny. Hudgens is clearly having a blast playing someone pretending to be someone else. 

With such effortless charm, it may not be surprising that Netflix released two sequels to the original, with yet another lookalike entering the mix. While there are plenty of Netflix Christmas movies to have on in the background while you take care of chores around the house, "The Princess Switch" is one you actually want to sit down and watch. 

Gabrielle Union proves she needs to be in way more romantic comedies with her performance in "The Perfect Find." Union plays Jenna Jones, a woman trying to overcome the heartbreak of a 10-year relationship ending while navigating a career and a potential new romance with a younger man, Eric (Keith Powers). And to make things even messier, Eric is Jenna's new boss' son, so she has to play everything lowkey.

It's a fairly by-the-books plot, but it's all elevated with Union. She knows when to be utterly hilarious in this role, but she also knows when to bring things back and make Jenna vulnerable. There's a palpable anxiety for when she needs to figure out her next steps, making her a far more relatable rom-com protagonist compared to some other Netflix offerings. And to make "The Perfect Find" even more unique, it's the rare rom-com to focus on love beyond your 20s. It's a story about how not only is it all right to start over again at 40, but your second act may be even better than the first. 

For a period of time, Noah Centineo was Netflix's rom-com good luck charm. He'll make another appearance later on in this list, but first, let's talk about one of his more underrated offerings: "The Perfect Date."

Centineo plays Brooks, who needs to make some extra money to afford Yale tuition. He finds a lucrative side hustle posing as the boyfriend to a very wealthy girl, Celia (Laura Marano). Not only is he making money, but the two hatch a plan to break up publicly so that they can spin off and wind up with the people they actually have crushes on — only to realize they fell in love with each other. 

It's filled with tropes and a basic plot you've probably seen elsewhere, but Centineo really proves rom-coms are where he shines. He makes you swoon with a simple gaze, and any time he needs forgiveness, it's easy to see why his romantic interests can so easily look past anything that came before. Ultimately, "The Perfect Date" is a fun, stress-free time when you don't want to worry about whether two people will wind up together. Just enjoy the ride. 

Far too often in romantic comedies, the female lead is portrayed as some kind of unobtainable object while the guy gets to have all the fun being a bumbling fool, meaning they get the lion's share of funny beats. "The Kissing Booth" is refreshing in how it reverses those roles, allowing Joey King to goof off more. 

"The Kissing Booth" is unique in how it emphasizes both romantic and platonic friendships. Elle (King) pursues a romantic relationship with Noah (Jacob Elordi) despite him being the older brother to her lifelong best friend, Lee (Joel Courtney). What ensues is a classic comedy of errors of trying to keep the burgeoning relationship on the down-low. 

Like many other movies on this list, "The Kissing Booth" has its share of tropes, but the difference always comes down to how those tropes are implemented. It can create something that's perfectly enjoyable to watch, with reports suggesting that at the time of its 2018 release, 50% of people who watched "Kissing Booth" ended up rewatching it. No wonder King has been a regular Netflix fixture ever since. 

It's nice to see a romantic comedy that recognizes the ever-changing ways people are meeting one another and interacting while dating. "The Incredible Jessica James" is a typical millennial story following Jessica (Jessica Williams) as she struggles advancing in her desired career while finding love fresh out of a relationship. Early on in the film, this means sorting through Tinder, and when she finally meets someone, they both talk about looking through one another's social media. 

Romance is certainly front and center, but "The Incredible Jessica James" is ultimately about finding one's place in the world. Finding a partner is only one aspect of that, as Jessica still so desperately wants to become a successful playwright. 

Jessica James is sharp and witty, that's a big reason why /Film's review of "The Incredible Jessica James" is so positive. But there's a real vulnerability there, too, about questioning the decisions you make. Even when it seems like you have your entire life in front of you, things go by so quickly. This movie is basically an essential text for anyone who feels like they're stuck in arrested development because things can, indeed, change in an instant. 

"Dumplin'" isn't the most traditional romantic comedy, although there are heaping handfuls of both romance and comedy here. It's really about a girl's journey to self-discovery, even if that's outside of the confines of getting into a relationship. Willowdean, aka Dumplin' (Danielle Macdonald), is self-conscious about her appearance being plus-size, especially seeing as her mother, Rosie (Jennifer Aniston), is a former beauty queen. 

Throughout everything, Willowdean has an admirer in the form of Bo (Luke Benward), who wants to start a relationship with Willowdean, but she's overly cautious. It's not a standard rom-com where they're pulled apart because of external forces. It's all about Willowdean coming to terms with her body and how others perceive her. She doesn't allow herself to accept the romantic advances and pushes Bo away. 

Bo is somewhat of a non-factor throughout much of the film. Again, being a romantic comedy isn't necessarily of the utmost importance here. But like many of the great rom-coms on this list, it's a story about taking big leaps and risks and discovering who you are above everything else.

For all the Swifties out there, it's probably worth mentioning that Taylor Swift was inspired to write "Death by a Thousand Cuts" from "Someone Great." If that doesn't convince you to check it out, I don't know what will. 

"Someone Great" opens with Jenny's (Gina Rodriguez) relationship ending after nine years because they simply grew apart. It's a tragically common breakup reason where a couple doesn't break up because they walk in on their partner with someone else; you both just kind of drift away even though you may still love each other. Fortunately, Jenny rallies with her friends who try to lift up her spirits while tackling their own relationship drama, as she prepares to move away to pursue a dream job. 

A lot of romantic comedies make getting married or finding a boyfriend the end-all, be-all of happiness. But there's so much more to life. Jenny has a great last day in New York with her friends before leaving. She has an exciting job on the horizon. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be in a relationship, especially if it's with someone you care for deeply, but life is so much richer than who you decide to make out with regularly. 

"Hit Man" is more than just one of the best Netflix movies of 2024; it's one of the best rom-coms on Netflix period. The movie honestly defies traditional genre labels. Gary (Glen Powell) and Madison (Adria Arjona) getting together has all the fixtures of a traditional rom-com, but it's also a tense thriller that'll have you on the edge of your seat. The Notes app scene alone is one of the best sequences of the year bar none, and it all comes together beautifully with Powell and Arjona's electric chemistry. 

The film has a lot more on its mind than just having a sexy story. It also explores a person's ability to change, which comes forth literally, as Gary dons numerous disguises while working with the local police to help arrest people who try to hire hitmen. But there's also Madison's capacity to change, which is demonstrated when Gary talks her out of hiring him for a job — the beginning of the blossoming romance. It's an entertaining rom-com that also makes you think while having some of the sexiest moments any movie has had in years. 

In a /Film interview, "The Half of It" director Alice Wu spoke about drawing from her own experiences when writing her LGBTQ+-friendly rom-com. "I sort of realized, 'What am I doing with my life?'" Wu said. "Like, is my role in life just supposed to be trying to be someone's good daughter or someone's good girlfriend? Is there something I could be doing?" 

Discovering one's true identity and calling is a big part of "The Half of It," which pulls from "Cyrano de Bergerac" to tell the story of Ellie (Leah Lewis), who helps the jockey Paul (Daniel Diemer) write love letters to Aster (Alexxis Lemire) even though she also has a crush on her. Just like Wu wondered whether she was just meant to be a daughter or romantic partner, Ellie questions where to go to college because she wants to be near her widower father. At a certain point, it's impossible to live life according to someone else's terms. And while the main characters are in high school, "The Half of It" is a surprisingly mature story about how what you need isn't always necessarily what you want. 

Speaking of queer romantic comedies, Netflix also has "Alex Strangelove," which presents yet another love triangle teenagers need to navigate. While Alex (Daniel Doheny) is on the cusp of losing his virginity with his girlfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein), he begins developing feelings for Elliot (Antonio Marziale) and questions his sexuality. It's basically a pressure cooker of every insecurity a teenager can have and sees the characters try to navigate through them — sometimes with grace but more often not. 

At points, "Alex Strangelove" feels like something out of a John Hughes movie. The sentimentality, especially when dealing with an important subject that has historically been overlooked in mainstream rom-coms, is much appreciated. And the movie never feels like it's trying to lecture about some larger point. Everyone, regardless of exact sexuality, goes on some kind of journey of self-discovery, which can occasionally involve hurting someone you care about. "Alex Strangelove" explores this in all of its messy glory. 

Being a unique, innovative movie doesn't have to mean defying convention at every turn. You can hit every rom-com plot beat that's come before, but if you have some likable leads and a story bursting with heart, that's all you need to kickstart a franchise. But the fact "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" isn't afraid of its rom-com roots is only one of the reasons it sets a new gold standard for Netflix rom-coms. 

Lara Jean (Lana Condor) writes letters to boys she has crushes on, which is harmless enough until her little sister sends them out to all the boys they're addressed to. Lara Jean then finds herself very popular at school, but it's the advances of Peter (Noah Centineo) that cause sparks to fly. It's a heartwarming story, and Condor's performance is pitch-perfect as a shy girl navigating romance for the first time. It doesn't hurt that she's backed up by Centineo, with the two having as much chemistry as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in their rom-com heyday. It's the kind of film that ends up pleasing newcomers to this world as well as fans of the book it's based on. 

Glen Powell's ascension to become Hollywood's next lovable leading man shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone who saw him in 2018's "Set It Up." He's as charismatic as ever as overworked assistant Charlie, and together with equally likable and overworked Harper (Zoey Deutch), they hatch a plan to get their bosses off their back a bit. They plot to bring them together into a relationship, believing love will cool their tempers, but in the process (you guess it), they wind up falling in love with each other. 

"Set It Up" is a Netflix original movie that really feels like it would've been a big hit in theaters in the 2000s. There's been a deep lack of romantic comedies getting a shot in theaters, perhaps out of a fear they'll get consumed by any number of bigger tentpoles. But when the formulas work, they really work. There's a breeziness to the flick that makes it the perfect pick-me-up. Powell and Deutch shine with snappy dialogue, and you just can't help but root for them. I'd happily fund a dozen more rom-coms with these two. 

It's one thing for a romantic comedy to have two likable leads; that's easy enough. It's another thing for a rom-com to be filled with funny, interesting characters that add to the story and help the central couple figure out what it is they really want. "Always Be My Maybe" is a true gem on Netflix. 

Ali Wong, mostly known for her stand-up, and Randall Park, one of the best comedic actors around on shows like "Fresh Off the Boat," naturally play off each other wonderfully, both when they're delivering hilarious lines and offering real pathos. But then you have the rest of the cast filled out with the likes of Daniel Dae Kim, Michelle Buteau, and, of course, Keanu Reeves as himself. Reeves was fully committed to his "Always Be My Maybe" role, offering perhaps one of the best celebrity cameos in cinematic history. 

Wong and Park play two friends who reconnect as adults, now in very different places but still manage to find some common ground and discover how they fill in for what the other person is missing. With a friends-to-lovers plot and a showcase of how it's never too late to find the one, "Always Be My Maybe" is a rom-com you'll keep coming back to.