For years, the pitch was simple: cut the cord, save money. Streaming was the cheap, flexible alternative to bloated cable bills. But a new report suggests the bargain is over — and that streaming prices are now climbing faster than cable television ever did during its own peak.
According to data compiled by The Hollywood Reporter, streaming rates have risen “three times as much as inflation,” with some services more than doubling their launch prices. The report, covered by Breitbart, paints a picture of an industry that has abandoned its early discounting strategy in favor of cable-like price hikes.
The Price of Convenience
Apple TV+ launched in 2019 at an aggressive $4.99 per month. Today, that same service costs three times as much, according to THR. Disney+, which also debuted in 2019 at a modest $6.99 per month, now charges $11.99 for its ad-supported tier. HBO Max is the notable exception, having kept its price relatively stable since launching in 2020.
But the increases aren’t limited to the big names. THR reports that Paramount+’s cheapest tier is up 80 percent in five years, while Netflix’s Premium plan has risen 125 percent since 2013. Apple TV+ went up 50 percent just in the past year, and Peacock’s tiers saw similar jumps. Over the last 12 months, streaming rates collectively rose 11.8 percent — and 2023 was even worse, with an average increase of 17.7 percent.
The Cable Comparison
What makes these numbers striking is the contrast with cable. Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in the report shows that cable prices rose at an average annual rate of just 3.9 percent. That means the streaming industry is now hiking prices at a pace that would have been unthinkable for cable even in its most profitable years.
There’s also a certain irony in the bottom line. THR notes that subscribing to all eight major streamers without ads or bundle commitments now costs about $151 a month. Four years ago, that same lineup would have set you back roughly $90. In other words, the total cost of a full streaming stack is now comparable to a standard cable subscription — the very thing cord-cutters were trying to escape.
Streaming Cycling: The New Workaround
Younger viewers, in particular, are pushing back. THR describes a phenomenon called “streaming cycling,” where subscribers sign up for just one service at a time, binge what they want, cancel, and move on to the next. As the report puts it, it’s “literally ‘this one simple trick that streamers hate.’”
The strategy has obvious drawbacks, though. You fall behind on shows, and you miss out on the cultural moment when everyone’s talking about the latest hit. But for a generation that grew up with on-demand everything, the idea of paying $150 a month for dozens of channels they’ll never watch is a hard sell.
Cable still appeals to older generations, THR notes, because it offers live sports, 24/7 news, and events. But even that advantage is eroding as streamers snap up sports rights and launch their own news offerings. The question now is whether streaming will eventually face the same consumer backlash that drove people away from cable in the first place.
For now, the trend is clear: streaming is getting more expensive, and it’s happening faster than cable ever did. Whether viewers will keep paying — or keep cycling — remains to be seen.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/09/report-streamers-raising-prices-faster-than-cable-tv/