The True Cost of Streaming in 2026: How Much Are Families Actually Spending?

Remember when cutting the cord was supposed to save you money? In 2026, that promise feels like a distant memory. What started as a $7.99 Netflix subscription has exploded into a fragmented landscape of services, tiers, bundles, and hidden fees that can easily exceed what cable ever cost.

We analyzed every major streaming platform's current pricing (as of January 2026), calculated what typical households are actually spending, and discovered some uncomfortable truths about the "savings" of cord-cutting.

The 2026 Streaming Pricing Landscape

Let's start with the cold, hard numbers. Here's what every major streaming service costs in January 2026:

Netflix

Plan	Monthly	Annual Equivalent
Standard with Ads	$7.99	$95.88
Standard (ad-free, 2 screens)	$17.99	$215.88
Premium (ad-free, 4K, 4 screens)	$24.99	$299.88

Extra member add-on: $6.99-$8.99/month for password sharing beyond your household.

Disney+

Plan	Monthly	Annual Equivalent
Basic (with ads)	$11.99	$143.88
Premium (ad-free)	$18.99	$227.88

Hulu (Standalone)

Plan	Monthly	Annual Equivalent
Hulu with Ads	$9.99	$119.88
Hulu (ad-free)	$18.99	$227.88

HBO Max (formerly Max)

Plan	Monthly	Annual
Basic with Ads	$10.99	$109.99
Standard (ad-free)	$18.49	$184.99
Premium (ad-free, 4K)	$22.99	$229.99

Apple TV+

Plan	Monthly	Annual
Apple TV+ (single tier)	$12.99	$99.99

Peacock

Plan	Monthly	Annual
Premium (with ads)	$10.99	$109.99
Premium Plus (ad-free)	$16.99	$169.99

Paramount+

Plan	Monthly	Annual
Essential (with ads)	$9.00	$90.00
Premium (ad-free, Showtime)	$14.00	$140.00

Note: Paramount+ just increased prices on January 15, 2026.

Amazon Prime Video

Plan	Monthly	Annual
Standalone Prime Video (with ads)	$8.99	$107.88
Prime Membership (includes Prime Video)	$14.99	$139.00
Ad-free add-on	+$2.99	+$35.88

What Households Are Actually Paying

Individual service prices tell only part of the story. Let's look at what real households are spending based on their viewing habits:

The "Minimal" Household: 2-3 Services

Example: Netflix Standard + Prime (included) + one add-on

• Netflix Standard: $17.99
• Amazon Prime: $14.99 (with video included)
• Disney+ Basic: $11.99

Monthly Total: $44.97

Annual Total: $539.64

The "Average" Household: 4-5 Services

Research shows the typical US household subscribes to 4.7 streaming services. Here's what that looks like:

• Netflix Standard: $17.99
• Amazon Prime: $14.99
• Disney+ Premium: $18.99
• HBO Max Standard: $18.49
• Paramount+ Essential: $9.00

Monthly Total: $79.46

Annual Total: $953.52

Reality Check: At nearly $80/month, the average streaming household is paying MORE than what a basic cable package cost just a decade ago. We've come full circle.

The "Everything" Household: 6+ Services

For families who want access to all major content libraries (premium tiers, no ads):

• Netflix Premium: $24.99
• Disney+ Premium: $18.99
• HBO Max Premium: $22.99
• Hulu (ad-free): $18.99
• Apple TV+: $12.99
• Peacock Premium Plus: $16.99
• Paramount+ Premium: $14.00
• Amazon Prime (ad-free): $17.98 ($14.99 + $2.99)

Monthly Total: $147.92

Annual Total: $1,775.04

That's nearly $1,800 per year just on streaming—before you add music services, gaming subscriptions, or live TV replacements like YouTube TV ($72.99/month).

The Hidden Costs You're Not Counting

Password Sharing Crackdowns

Netflix's "extra member" fee of $6.99-$8.99/month now applies per additional household. If you were splitting accounts with family outside your home, that "savings" is gone. Other services are following suit.

Add-On Channels

Services like Amazon Prime Video now offer premium channels as add-ons:

• Max through Prime: $15.99/month
• Paramount+ through Prime: $11.99/month
• Starz: $9.99/month
• AMC+: $8.99/month

These add up quickly and often auto-renew without clear notifications.

Live TV Replacement Services

If you want live TV (sports, news, events), you need something like:

• YouTube TV: $72.99/month ($875.88/year)
• Hulu + Live TV: $76.99/month ($923.88/year)
• Sling TV: $40-65/month
• Fubo: $79.99/month

Add one of these to your streaming stack, and you're easily over $150/month.

4K/HDR Upgrade Tiers

Want to actually use your nice TV? Premium tiers cost $4-7 more per month per service. For 4 services, that's an extra $16-28/month just for picture quality.

The Relentless Price Increase Timeline

Here's how prices have climbed over recent years:

Netflix Premium

• 2019: $15.99
• 2021: $17.99
• 2023: $22.99
• 2025: $24.99

56% increase in 6 years

Disney+ (Standard/Premium)

• 2019 Launch: $6.99
• 2023: $13.99
• 2025: $18.99

172% increase in 6 years

Apple TV+

• 2019 Launch: $4.99
• 2022: $6.99
• 2025: $12.99

160% increase in 6 years

Key Insight: If price increases continue at this pace, the average streaming bundle will cost over $120/month by 2028. That's more than premium cable ever was.

The Bundle Strategy: Are They Worth It?

Streaming services are increasingly offering bundles to capture more of your wallet. Here are the current options:

Disney Bundle

• Disney+ + Hulu (both with ads): $12.99/month (save ~$9/month vs. separate)
• Disney+ + Hulu (both ad-free): $24.99/month (save ~$13/month vs. separate)

Disney/Hulu/HBO Max Bundle

• All with ads: $19.99/month
• All ad-free: $32.99/month

Bundle Verdict

Bundles can save 15-30% compared to individual subscriptions—but only if you actually watch all included services. Many households pay for bundle components they rarely use, negating the savings.

A Smarter Approach: The Rotation Strategy

You don't have to subscribe to everything all the time. Here's how smart subscribers save:

The Monthly Rotation Method

1. Keep 1-2 "anchor" services you use daily (probably Netflix or Prime)
2. Rotate secondary services based on new releases
3. Subscribe for 1-2 months when a show you want drops, then cancel
4. Use your calendar to track when subscriptions renew

Example Rotation Schedule

• Always on: Netflix ($17.99) + Prime ($14.99) = $32.98/month
• January-February: Add HBO Max for new seasons = +$18.49
• March-April: Swap to Apple TV+ for new releases = +$12.99
• May-June: Add Disney+ for summer movies = +$11.99
• July-August: Back to HBO Max = +$18.49
• Continue rotating...

Annual cost with rotation: ~$600 vs. ~$950 for subscribing to everything year-round.

Savings: $350/year

Track Your Streaming Spend with SubBuddy

The first step to controlling streaming costs is knowing exactly what you're paying. That's where SubBuddy comes in.

With SubBuddy, you can:

• See all streaming subscriptions in one dashboard with real totals
• Get renewal reminders so you can cancel before the next billing cycle
• Track your streaming category separately from other subscriptions
• Visualize annual costs to see the true impact on your budget
• Plan rotations with our subscription calendar

SubBuddy User Insight: Our users discover an average of $47/month in forgotten or underused streaming subscriptions. That's $564 per year you could be saving.

Streaming vs. Cable: The 2026 Reality Check

Option	Monthly Cost	Content Access
Basic Cable Package (2016)	$65-85	Live TV + limited on-demand
Average Streaming Stack (2026)	$79.46	On-demand only, no live TV
Streaming + YouTube TV (2026)	$152.45	On-demand + live TV
Premium Streaming Everything (2026)	$147.92	All major libraries, no live

The uncomfortable truth: cord-cutting in 2026 often costs more than cable ever did, especially if you want comparable content access.

Our Recommendations

For Budget-Conscious Households

1. Pick 2 services max as your "core" subscriptions
2. Embrace ad-supported tiers—the savings are significant
3. Use the rotation strategy for everything else
4. Set calendar reminders before renewals
5. Budget goal: Under $50/month for streaming

For Families with Kids

1. Disney+ is likely essential (kids content + Marvel/Star Wars)
2. Consider the Disney Bundle for best value
3. Netflix has strong kids content—worth keeping
4. Peacock has solid kids programming on the cheaper tier
5. Budget goal: Under $60/month

For Sports Fans

1. You likely need YouTube TV, Fubo, or Hulu Live—no way around it
2. Peacock is mandatory for NBC sports and Premier League
3. ESPN+ ($10.99/month) for additional sports
4. Budget goal: Accept you'll pay $100-120/month with live sports

Take Action Today

Streaming costs have crept up slowly enough that most households don't realize how much they're spending. Here's your action plan:

1. Audit your current subscriptions — List every streaming service you pay for
2. Calculate your actual monthly cost — Include add-ons and premium tiers
3. Identify services you haven't watched in 30+ days — These are cancellation candidates
4. Consider downgrading tiers — Do you really need 4K on every service?
5. Set up SubBuddy — Track everything in one place and get renewal alerts

The streaming wars are really a war for your wallet. Don't let entertainment companies win by default. Take control of your subscriptions and put that money back in your pocket.

For more strategies to cut subscription costs, check out our guides on How the Average American Wastes $273/Month on Subscriptions and Which Streaming Services Are Actually Worth It in 2026.