Streaming Services See Widespread Price Hikes Over Past Year Amid Rising Content Costs

Streaming services have seen a significant price hike in recent times, a departure from the affordable entertainment that they initially provided. This trend is particularly evident in 2025, with several large services increasing their subscription prices.
Netflix Price Hikes
Netflix, which is one of the largest streaming services, has implemented significant price hikes on all of its plans. As of Jan. 21, 2025, the ad-supported Standard plan increased from $6.99 to $7.99 a month. The ad-free Standard plan rose from $15.49 to $17.99 a month, and the Premium plan rose from $22.99 to $24.99 a month. In addition, the cost of adding an extra member to a plan also increased by $1, from $7.99 to $8.99 for ad-free subscribers. These changes are due to Netflix’s efforts to invest more in content and improve its services.
Netflix’s price increase follows a massive surge in subscribers, gaining 19 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The increase is thanks to hit content such as the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing fight and the second season of “Squid Game.” Netflix has also made a foray into live sports, including NFL games and WWE events, which have enabled it to boost its subscriber numbers.
Discovery+ Increases
Discovery+ also began the year with price hikes. The ad-supported plan rose from $4.99 to $5.99 a month on January 7, 2025, its first price hike since it debuted in 2021. The ad-free plan rose by $1, from $8.99 to $9.99 a month. It follows the ad-free plan rising in October 2023, when it rose from $6.99 to $8.99.
Other Streaming Services
In addition to Netflix and Discovery+, other streaming providers also raised their prices. YouTube TV, which was initially $35 a month when launched in 2017, will be $83 a month by 2025. The consistent increase is an indicator of rising costs of providing live TV streaming services.
Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+—all owned by Disney—increased their prices in October 2024. Disney+ increased its no-ads plan from $13.99 to $15.99 per month. Hulu’s no-ads plan went from $17.99 to $18.99 per month. The price increases are part of a broader trend in the industry where streaming services are increasing prices to help cover rising content costs and maintain profitability.
Peacock raised its premium subscription to $80 a year in July 2024, and Paramount+ also hiked its prices in August 2024. Sling TV also raised the prices of its plans by $6 in December 2024. The changes reflect the ongoing development of the streaming industry, where providers are balancing affordability with the need to invest in quality content and improve their services.
Impact on Consumers
The combined effect of these price hikes is making streaming services less competitive with traditional cable, which they aimed to disrupt. As streaming prices converge with those of cable, consumers are having to make hard choices about what services to maintain. Packaging bundles, such as those being offered by Comcast and Verizon, can provide consumers some relief by offering discounted access to multiple platforms.
Despite these problems, streaming remains a highly sought-after option due to its convenience and extensive content. However, the back-to-back price increases point to shifting dynamics in the streaming industry, where profitability and content excellence are becoming paramount factors.