The price of streaming services is going to be a little higher this time around. In recent years, the streaming TV and movie industry has become more competitive and companies around Hollywood have thrown billions into building their own platforms and libraries to compete with Netflix, causing the industry to become increasingly expensive. Since its launch, Netflix has raised the cost of its subscription. Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus have all been more expensive as Disney has invested more in streaming. Paramount Plus, Peacock, Shudder, Starz - virtually any service you can name - charges more per month than it did a few years ago. Even as many of these companies add ads to their platforms, they're still charging more.
As more customers cancel cable and DVDs, the studios and distributors are looking for a way to make up the lost revenue. Shows and movies are more in demand - and so more expensive - than ever. Companies are seeking ways to improve their bottom line. They're cracking down on password sharing, canceling shows for tax breaks, and even selling their prized content to other platforms. The most common approach to charging you, the viewer, more is simply to charge you. A dollar here, two dollars there. Add it all up, and the golden era of TV suddenly has a pretty startling ticket price.
We're tracking all price hikes and other changes from streaming services so you can know you're only paying for what you want.