As 2022 draws to a close, it can be somewhat dizzying to look back and take stock of where each streaming service stands from a perspective of price. Many of the major streaming services increased prices this year, and several launched ad-supported plans to counterbalance the impact of those price hikes.
Several other services are due for an increase soon, and some have flat-out announced that prices will be rising in 2023. Check out our list of which services increased their price in 2022, and which have a good chance of raising subscription costs in 2023.
Unlikely, Because They’ve Raised Prices Recently
Amazon Prime Video:
Amazon increased the cost of its Prime membership in February 2022, from $119 a year to $139. It was the first price increase from Amazon since 2018 when the company hiked the price of Prime from $99 to $119.
Apple TV+:
Apple TV+ saw an unexpected 40% price jump in price in late October, from $4.99 per month to $6.99 per month. The service is still one of the cheapest available, especially considering all of its content is ad-free. Apple recently announced the price of its new standalone MLS Season Pass, which will allow users to stream Major League Soccer games all season long. Season Pass will run $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year, but Apple TV+ subscribers will receive a discount to $12.99 or $79.99 respectively.
Disney+:
Disney+ launched its new ad-supported price tier, called “Disney+ Basic,” on Dec. 8. In turn, on that date, the price of an ad-free subscription rose to $10.99 per month, while Disney+ Basic took over the old $7.99 per month price point. Customers can still utilize the Disney Bundle to save, with multiple options available.
Hulu:
Hulu was the second of the three Disney-owned streamers to increase in price in 2022, following ESPN+. The general entertainment service rose from $6.99 per month to $7.99 for its ad-free tier, and from $12.99 per month to $14.99 monthly for the ad-free Premium tier in October.
Hulu + Live TV:
Hulu + Live TV also saw a price increase on Dec. 8, the same day that parent company Disney released its ad-supported tier of Disney+. A standalone subscription to Hulu + Live TV is now $68.99 per month, but customers can bundle it with ad-supported Disney+, ad-supported Hulu on-demand, and ESPN+ for just $1 more. Subscribing to Hulu + Live TV with ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu is now $82.99 per month.
Netflix:
Netflix announced in January that it would be raising prices on all three of its services. Its basic plan increased from $8.99 to $9.99, while its Standard tier increased from $13.99 to $15.49, and its 4K Premium tier increased to $19.99 from 17.99. Netflix’s launch of an ad-supported tier in November means that subscribers can now access a cheaper option at a price point of just $6.99 per month.
ESPN+:
ESPN+ executed a price increase from $6.99 to $9.99 a month in August. The annual plan increased from $69.99 to $99.99, but users can still sign up for the Disney Bundle and effectively get their ESPN+ subscription for free.
Earlier this week, the sports-focused streamer announced that for the third January in a row, it would be increasing the price for UFC pay-per-views by $5. Similarly, 2022 marked the third straight August that saw a subscription increase from ESPN+, so the streamer will probably move off of the “Unlikely” list as we move into summer 2023.
Fubo:
The sport-centric live TV streaming service raised its prices most recently on May 1, 2022. In doing so, it eliminated its $64.99 starter plan, migrating all customers subscribed to that pricing tier to the $69.99 per month Pro plan.
Sling TV:
In November, Sling announced a price hike of $5 per month for new subscribers, while existing subscribers saw the changes go into effect with their first bill following Dec. 3. Sling Orange and Sling Blue now each cost $40 per month, and if you subscribe to both packages, the bundled price is now $55 vs. the previous $50. This is the first price increase for Sling TV since January 2021.
Still Stable… for Now
YouTube TV:
YouTube TV’s last price hike from $50 to $65 in June 2020 makes it over two years since the service saw an increase, the longest it has gone without an increase in price. YouTube TV recently secured the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket, but as that will be available as a standalone option at what is likely to be a premium price point, it shouldn’t affect the price of a YouTube TV subscription.
Philo:
Philo raised its subscription price from $20 per month to $25 in May 2021, but it allowed existing customers to keep their current subscription price. New customers can still get a seven-day free trial when they sign up, but looking toward the spring might be when the skinny bundle eyes its next hike.
Peacock:
Peacock continues to be one of the best streaming bargains available, with no price increases on the horizon. Ad-supported viewing on Peacock is $4.99, while an ad-free Peacock premium subscription is $9.99 per month. Xfinity subscribers get $4.99 off either plan, making the Peacock Premium effectively free.
Peacock has been adding more features to its $9.99 Premium Plus tier lately, including the ability to watch local NBC stations, and plans to add NBC regional sports networks in select markets.
The one group of customers that could effectively see a price increase is those who have free access via their Xfinity internet and cable service. Throughout 2022, Comcast executives have maintained that their plan was to eventually eliminate the free option and attempt to convert those customers into paid subscribers. While no timeline has been placed on that process as of yet, it is likely that it will happen in 2023.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME:
No news is good news for Showtime fans. The most recent update on this streaming service was an update this fall that allowed Paramount+ subscribers to access bundled Showtime content from inside the Paramount app.
This is also the cheapest way to get a Showtime subscription, as it runs an extra $5.99 with a Paramount+ subscription versus $10.99 as a standalone subscription. If the two services eventually merge in the near future, however, a price increase could follow for the unified streamer.
STARZ:
STARZ has never gone above the $9 mark. In July, parent company Lionsgate announced that it would be spinning off STARZ, so its pricing stability may be in doubt going forward.
There have been no further details on this plan since then, and things have continued to remain fluid with the company as it restructures its business. Lionsgate has already pulled its streaming platform from multiple international markets, so what’s next for the domestic version is still very much up in the air.
Most Likely or Certain to Increase
Paramount+:
At a media conference in early December, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish stated, “There’s also no question that we are nowhere near the top of the pricing [for Paramount+]. We’re very much value-priced … [it’s] really great value to the consumer. We will move the price up, no question about it.”
Bakish suggested that the Premium tier of Paramount+, which includes ad-free on-demand viewing and access to live streams of local CBS feeds, would likely be the first tier to increase from its current $9.99 per month price tag. The Essential pricing plan, which is ad-supported and does not include the CBS affiliates, is likely to stay at the $4.99 per month price point for the time being, as Paramount has stated that it wants to offer options for families across the country in all financial situations.
Thus far, no Paramount executives have given an estimate for when a price increase will come, but it’s reasonable to assume it will happen before the end of 2023.
HBO Max/discovery+/Max:
HBO Max had a troubled 2022, to say the least. Amidst a need to cut more than $5 billion from Warner Bros. Discovery’s balance sheet, the service has been canceling shows and movies, and reducing its content library at a dizzying pace.
HBO Max is also focused on monetizing to the max, and WBD’s streaming chief JB Perrette indicated in November that a part of the company’s strategy would be to increase its flagship streamer’s price.
“By 2023, HBO Max will not have raised price since its launch,” Perrette said. “So it’ll have been three years since pricing has moved, which we think is an opportunity, particularly in this environment.”
HBO Max is set to merge with discovery+ in the spring of 2023, which would almost certainly be the right time for a price increase on the service. However, a rate hike could drive away discovery+ subscribers who have become accustomed to the low $4.99 and $6.99 monthly pricing plans.
Either way, as the new service, likely to be named “Max,” approaches its projected spring launch, it will definitely be one of the first streamers to keep an eye on for a price hike announcement in 2023.
DIRECTV STREAM:
DIRECTV STREAM customers don’t need to wait for an announcement for a price hike to their live TV streamer, because for the second year in a row, DIRECTV has announced that its virtual service DIRECTV STREAM will increase in price.
The company will raise the price of its Choice plan by $10 per month, making it $99.99 monthly, while the rest of its current plans — Entertainment, Ultimate, and Premier — will increase by $5 monthly. With the price hikes, DIRECTV STREAM will now start at $74.99 per month, making it the most expensive live TV streaming service.