Subscription Inflation

[El Presidente]

This is a topic that came up on one of my feeds and it is something that I have noticed.

The streaming/online subscription model has well and truly taken hold. So too has "subscription inflation"  13% on average in 2025 across the board. 

If you have ever tried to cancel an online subscription, you know how challenging operators can make it 

I have no problem paying for quality/engaging content. However every 6 months I review those subscriptions, drop (often with effort) what is no longer being used and introduce one or two new ones to trial. 

Question for members.

What are your paid online News & Entertainment  subscriptions currently? 

 

Mine: Active

Courier Mail  (local newspaper). 

The Australian (National newspaper) 

NY Times. 

Wall Street Journal

The 5th Column (podcast). 

Uncomfortable Conversations (podcast)

Netflix

Prime

Stan

Kayo (Sports) 

Foxtel (generally sports)

YouTube Premium 

[Chibearsv]

These are the separate monthly bills that I know of...she might have a couple more - ridiculous really:

Netflix

Prime

Peacock

Hulu

Chicago Suntimes - local includes NYT Crossword every day - me

Amazon Music

Apple TV

Uverse - the "everything" package in case we might miss something not included above

And I watch the commercials on YouTube because I won't pay for the premium version.  I have no idea why that's the sword I'll fall on, but it is.  Stubborn ass some might say.

[Arabian]

- YouTube Prime/ Music

- Amazon Prime U.S

- Microsoft Office 365 (Work related)

Through my phone plan package I get the following for free. 

- OSN/ HBO

- Amazon Prime SA

[tbelle7]

The ones I know about:

Netflix

Apple TV+

Prime

Hulu

ESPN

WSJ

The Athletic

YouTube Premium

Peacock

HBO Max

ESPN App

[chris12381]

Current:

Wall Street Journal 

Uncomfortable Conversations 

The Fifth Column 

Smoke Em If You Got Em

Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast 

The Tim Dillon Show

Blocked and Reported

YouTube Premium (still the best deal around)

BritBox (my girlfriend loves Gardener's World/Monty Don)

I just cancelled Netflix after 20 years.  Prices going up on content I have very little interest watching.  I'm back to sailing the seven seas 🏴‍☠️...

[ElLoboLoco]

YouTube TV

HBO Max

Netflix

Amazon Prime

Wallstreet Journal Digital Print

Britbox: I like but will be going January when we go back to the office full time 

Podcast: Lounge Lizards, Dateline and Joe Rogan Experience 

[FOHgetaboutit]

YouTube Premium

Spotify Family

Netflix

Amazon Prime

Microsoft 365 (business)

F1TV 

Plex

Everand

Burner

[JohnS]

I try to keep subscriptions to a minimum. Plenty of accessible content out there on the internet that is freely available, in my view. Off the top of my head:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime
• Kayo Sports
• Microsoft Office 365 (Work related) 

[Ford2112]

Prime Peacock Hulu HBO ESPN+ Max Britbox and a bunch others I can't remember. I only watch Peacock for the old 80's and 90's pro wrestling shows. 

[BG318]

Netflix and Pandora only. I buy gift cards to re-up Netflix because I can't deal with trying to speak with someone if I need to change or cancel. I probably miss out on a lot - reading free online news is like eating McDonald's every night. I constantly get booted off things when free becomes less free or when the ads begin to drain my soul. I miss WSJ, but online problems are the bane of my existence.

[MrBirdman]

Netflix (off and on)

Prime (rarely used today, considering cancelling)

Hulu

HBO Max 

NYTimes

Substack (presently only “Žižek Goads and Prods”)

I also support a couple digital content creators on Patreon, though that’s purely voluntary since, aside from some early access their material, everything is available for free on YouTube or podcast providers). Currently supporting Digital Foundry, French Whisperer ASMR, and a smattering of other minor support (usually $1/$2 a month to people doing thankless but valuable work for minimal compensation, like the creator of SpecialK, a PC performance monitoring tool). 

[benfica_77]

Amazon Prime 

Spotify 

The rest that's what the high seas are for Arrrrr! Plex/Radarr/Sonarr/home server is the way to go

[JDoughty]

18 minutes ago, benfica_77 said:

Amazon Prime 

Spotify 

The rest that's what the high seas are for Arrrrr! Plex/Radarr/Sonarr/home server is the way to go

I have a few invitations left to a certain site of this nature if you aren't already on GP. 😁

[Bagman]

Not 1 thing. Ever. Aside from my internet service. Life is better here. Let go of the control these companies have over you.

I don't know WHAT you are talking about here 

6 hours ago, benfica_77 said:

The rest that's what the high seas are for Arrrrr! Plex/Radarr/Sonarr/home server is the way to go

[Dr vonPuffenberg]

YouTube premium, my #1 used service 

Spotify

Netflix

Hulu but not the expensive one 

HBO

Disney plus

I have a skin care subscription that is too expensive but I like the results.

Just cancelled a razor subscription. 

We actually cancelled Amazon Prime a couple years ago. I think Amazon is the devil and my wife doesn’t like the idea of paying for the “privilege” of free shipping. I found it’s not that hard to get the c**p that I need without Amazon.

[chasy]

Oh jeeze.

Amazon Prime 2x (wife and I both have, should cancel one)

Netflix

HBO Max

Apple Tv+

Chatgpt

Spotify

ESPN

wsj

Peacock

Nanit baby monitor

my wife has a bunch of twitter / substacks that she supports 

Tunnels to Towers (she is on a subscription to donate monthly in exchange for a free tote bag!)

[LizardGizmo]

I cut all of my TV subscriptions about two weeks ago. Just not worth it anymore.

Currently, though:

Prime (for the crazy fast shipping)
NYTimes
Wall Street Journal
YouTube Premium (can't stand ads)
Spotify Family
SiriusXM

[BrightonCorgi]

Tidal and 2 IPTV services.  

I get just about every channel in the world for ~$100 a year.

Sirius XM is a lifetime subscription with the car but had to buy the car.

[Hammer Smokin']

only siriusxm

while canada blows for cigars, it leads the world with digital rights platforms. 

we freely sail the high seas, allowing us to skip on 100% of streaming services. 

we keep old school cable for live sports. 

[Puros Y Vino]

I absolutely hate how everything is segmented.  This is it the Cable TV mess all over again but with more/better tech.

Here's my list.

• Netflix (we just subscribe for a month when we feel there is enough to binge. Then cancel. Rinse , repeat.
• Prime (same as above but far less frequent,  Content there is lame)
• Digital subscription to local paper: Toronto Star  (hardly use it TBH)
• As Hammer mentions above, Canada is somewhat safe for the "high seas".  I've got access to a friends Plex server which has an insane amount of content. I get other content from another friend that in turn I put on my Plex server.
• A lot of our TV stations have web sites and they allow you to stream a lot of their shows(mostly Canadian produced IIRC).
• Disney+ had it for a couple of months of free promo. Haven't gone back to pay for it.While the Star Wars and Marvel stuff is cool. I can only watch so much of it and so many times.  

Our ISP provides TV for which we have basic channels. 30+  Fortunately, one of those channels was CBS based so I was able to watch the entire World Series for "free". Otherwise I would have had to fork over $18 for the month to upgrade to a sports package.  I was considering it, but glad I avoided having to do so. I find I care less about sports the older I get.  

Thanks to various Open Source software, I'm able to rip content from youtube and other sites in HQ.  For music I'm active on FLAC trading sites. Mostly bootleg concerts. No official releases. Those can be easily ripped from YT.  I have Terabytes of music to choose from.