Streaming Price Increases 2026: What Went Up and What to Decide
Netflix, Spotify, Disney+ and Peacock all cost more in 2026. Current US prices from their own pages, and a simple way to decide what stays.
Streaming price increases in 2026 hit Spotify in January, Peacock in August and Disney+ in September, and Netflix plans now run from $8.99 to $26.99 a month in the US. The useful move is a decision per service: keep, drop to the ad tier, rotate, or cancel before the new price reaches your bill.
Price increases usually arrive as an email with a subject line like "an update to your plan", a few weeks before the bill changes. By then it feels too small to act on, and a year later it adds up.
This page lists what changed this year at the services most households pay for, with prices taken from each company's own page and the date we checked. We update it once a month. Below the table is the part most price roundups skip: how to decide what to do about each one.
Which streaming services raised prices in 2026?
| Service | What changed in 2026 | US price now (checked 5 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Higher plan prices than in 2024 | Standard with ads $8.99, Standard $19.99, Premium $26.99 a month |
| Spotify | US price update announced January 15, 2026 | Individual $12.99, Duo $18.99, Family $21.99, Student $6.99 a month |
| Disney+ | Increase announced September 23, 2026 | With ads $12.49, Premium $21.49 a month or $214.99 a year |
| Disney+ and Hulu bundle | Same announcement | Bundle Premium $21.99 a month |
| Peacock | New prices from August 18, 2026 | Select $8.99, Premium $12.99, Premium Plus $19.99 a month |
Sources: Netflix's US plans page, Spotify's January announcement and its US Premium page, the US Disney+ sign-up page, and Peacock's price increase help article, confirmed by Deadline's report of August 18, 2026.
How much more are people paying than last year?
For Disney+, the ad-free plan went from $18.99 to $21.49, up $2.50 a month, according to The Hollywood Reporter's coverage of the announcement. The ad tier went up 50 cents to $12.49. Peacock Premium went from $10.99 to $12.99 and Premium Plus from $16.99 to $19.99. Netflix's ad plan cost about $7 in 2024 and about $9 now, by CNET's count in its 2026 subscription survey, and Premium went from about $23 to about $27.
Small steps, but they stack. CNET's survey puts the average US adult who pays for subscriptions at $111 a month in 2026, and streaming is the most common kind: 61 percent had paid for one in the past year.
In plain numbers: the Disney+ Premium increase is $30 a year, Peacock Premium is $24 a year, Peacock Premium Plus is $36 a year, and the Disney+ ad tier is $6 a year. For one service that is a lunch. For three or four, it is a whole extra subscription.
When does the new price hit an existing subscription?
Usually one billing cycle or more after the announcement. Peacock's new prices applied to new subscribers from August 18, and to people who subscribed before that from their next billing date on or after September 17. Annual subscribers and anyone on an active promotion kept their current price until the plan or offer expired. Reports on the Disney+ change say existing subscribers move to the new price later than new ones, so check the date in the email you get.
That gap is your decision window. Apple's terms say you will be notified if a subscription price increases, and the same goes for most services you pay directly. The email is the trigger. The mistake is reading it and doing nothing until the higher charge shows up.
What to actually decide for each service
Ask one question per service: did we watch or listen to it this month, and would we sign up today at the new price? Then pick one of four moves.
| Move | When it fits | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | Used every week, worth the new price | Nothing. Note the new price for your budget |
| Drop to the ad tier | Used often, ads are tolerable | Switch plans before the next bill |
| Rotate | Watched for one show at a time | Keep one service, cancel the others, switch when a season ends |
| Cancel | Not opened in a month | Cancel where it is billed and keep the confirmation |
Rotating works because most streaming plans are monthly with no contract. Netflix, for example, bills monthly and offers no annual plans. If you cancel, you can usually keep watching until the end of the period you paid for.
Keep the decision from slipping
A price change has two dates: the day you read the email and the day the new price reaches your bill. Everything useful happens between them. Most people lose that window because the email gets read on a phone at a bad moment and never comes back.
That is the job we built dEssence for. Forward the price change email to Tracy, or send a screenshot, and ask her to remind you a few days before the new price starts. She keeps the date and the old and new price, and writes first when it gets close. If you want her to watch the plan page for another change, ask, and she checks it on the schedule of your plan: daily on Free, hourly on Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Why do streaming prices keep going up?
Each company gives its own reason in the announcement, usually content and new features. For your budget, the reason matters less than the date of the next bill.
Is the ad-supported plan worth it?
If you watch a few hours a week, often yes. After this increase the Disney+ ad tier costs $12.49 against $21.49 for Premium, and Netflix's ad plan costs $11 less than Standard.
Can I keep the old price?
Rarely. Annual subscribers and people on promotions keep it until the plan or offer ends, as Peacock's notice explains. After that, the new price applies.
Will this page be updated?
Yes. We check the official price pages monthly and change the date at the top when prices move.