As each calendar year begins, a renewed wave of enthusiasm sweeps through viewers eager to discover forthcoming entertainment experiences. The dawn of a new streaming season carries an atmosphere of lively anticipation — a sense of excitement about the countless hours of films, series, live events, and musical offerings soon to be devoured from the comfort of our homes. Perhaps you will stumble upon a hidden gem of a series that escaped broad public recognition, or immerse yourself once again in the long-awaited continuation of a beloved franchise. Maybe you will find yourself captivated by a freshly crowned Oscar-winning motion picture, newly available to stream at the press of a button. This annual cycle of expectation fuels our cultural imagination. Yet, the pleasure of envisioning future entertainment is often untainted by the pragmatic realization that access to such content may become more expensive — a change that is no longer merely hypothetical but already unfolding.

As 2026 takes shape, it ushers in a round of price adjustments across many of the most widely used streaming services — not only for video platforms but also for music and live television. Major players such as Paramount Plus, Spotify, and Sling are instituting noticeable increases, affirming what users have begun calling a new era of ‘streamflation.’ Still, even as subscription costs climb, few consumers appear ready to abandon streaming altogether. Instead, most will adapt: monitoring each price modification, reassessing their entertainment budgets, and exploring alternatives like canceling certain subscriptions, rotating between services depending on new releases, or searching for valuable promotional discounts that help balance monthly expenses.

### 2026 Streaming Price Hikes
**Crunchyroll (February 2026)**
The anime-focused platform Crunchyroll announced in early February its first significant price increase since 2019, marking a milestone for both the company and its community of dedicated fans. This adjustment came shortly after the elimination of Crunchyroll’s free, ad-supported tier, which disappeared approximately one month prior. The February 2 update raised the rates on each of its three core subscription levels — Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan — now priced at $10, $14, and $18 per month, respectively. This represents a uniform $2 increase across the board. While new subscribers encountered the revised rates immediately, existing members will see their bills reflect the new structure beginning March 4.

**Amazon Music (February 2026)**
Amazon Music Unlimited followed closely by introducing subtle but impactful price modifications. The individual plan, once $12 per month for Prime members, rose to $13 per month ($12 for Prime members), a modest $1 bump. Family plans saw a larger jump, increasing by $2 to a new monthly cost of $22. For new subscribers, these changes took immediate effect on February 3, while existing customers will notice them beginning March 5. This isn’t Amazon Music’s first such revision — the company had implemented previous adjustments in 2025, signaling an ongoing recalibration across the music streaming market.

**Paramount Plus (January 2026)**
Those who missed Paramount Plus’ mid-January increase may recall that it was actually announced months earlier in November 2025. When the change became official, the ad-supported Essential plan rose from $8 to $9 per month, and the annual rate climbed from $60 to $90. Similarly, the ad-free Premium plan progressed from $13 to $14 per month, and the yearly payment option grew from $120 to $140. These adjustments continue a pattern visible across nearly every major streaming provider as production costs, licensing fees, and platform enhancements expand.

**Spotify (January 2026)**
On January 15, Spotify — the world’s most widely recognized music platform — joined the roster of services raising subscription fees. The company implemented a $1 boost for the Premium Individual plan, instantly applicable to newcomers, while existing members would transition in February. The updated structure now lists Premium Individual at $13 per month, Premium Duo at $19, Premium Family at $22, and Premium Student at $7. Even minor increments like these, when multiplied across millions of users, have a substantial industrywide ripple effect.

**Sling TV (January 2026)**
Sling, a pivotal player in the live television streaming segment, modified its pricing specifically in regions that receive local broadcast stations such as ABC, Fox, or NBC. The cost adjustment affects customers differently according to availability: new subscribers in markets hosting all three local networks will now pay an additional $9 (up from $5), while those with one or two local stations will incur a $4 increase. Current users will experience the revised pricing beginning on or after February 20, following their respective billing cycles.

### 2025 Streaming Price Hikes
**HBO Max (October 2025)**
Arriving alongside the releases of anticipated series like *It: Welcome to Derry* and *I Love LA*, HBO Max instituted a wide-ranging price adjustment effective October 21. The ad-supported Basic subscription increased from $10 to $11 per month, the ad-free Standard plan moved from $17 to $18.50, and the ad-free Premium tier climbed from $21 to $23 monthly. Those who subscribed annually saw proportional increases, with prices now ranging between $110 and $230 depending on tier. The higher costs applied immediately to new customers, while existing subscribers encountered them beginning November 20. Coinciding with the same timeline, Disney executed similar price hikes across its platforms, creating one of the most significant synchronized pricing shifts in streaming history.

**Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Select, and Hulu Plus Live TV (October 2025)**
Among 2025’s adjustments, Disney’s suite of services underwent the steepest transformation. Across multiple offerings — from standalone Disney Plus and Hulu subscriptions to ESPN Select and bundled packages — prices increased on October 21. While ad-free bundles such as the Disney Plus–Hulu combination and ad-free Hulu itself remained stable, the ad-supported counterparts rose noticeably: Disney Plus and Hulu both climbed from $10 to $12 per month, ESPN Select moved from $12 to $13, and the comprehensive Disney Plus–Hulu–ESPN Select bundle jumped from $17 to $20 with ads, or from $27 to $30 ad-free. Those subscribed to Hulu Plus Live TV saw their packages rise to between $89 and $100 monthly.

**DirecTV (October 2025)**
Traditional live television provider DirecTV quietly raised its rates beginning October 5. The company disclosed these details largely through direct communication with customers rather than broad public announcements, directing subscribers to sign into their accounts for individualized information. Although specifics were limited, reports confirmed that monthly bills reflected the changes shortly after the effective date.

**Philo (September 2025)**
Philo, a streaming platform known for its affordability, implemented a $5 increase to its Core plan on September 30. This adjustment also came with expanded access — adding ad-supported HBO Max and Discovery Plus to its offerings. With the Core plan now priced at $33, the increase applied to existing users starting October 30.

**Apple TV (August 2025)**
In late August, just preceding its rebrand to Apple TV, the company formerly known as Apple TV Plus introduced a $3 rise in its subscription fees. The premium, ad-free platform now costs $13 per month, positioning it within the mid-to-high range among comparable services.

**Peacock (July 2025)**
NBCUniversal’s Peacock became part of the upward trend in mid-2025. In July, both the ad-supported and ad-free Premium plans were raised by $3, adjusting monthly costs to $11 and $17, respectively. Additionally, Peacock began evaluating audience response to its new $8-per-month ‘Select’ tier, designed to provide next-day access to NBC and Bravo programming. Annual subscribers experienced comparable $30 increases starting August 22.

**Netflix (January 2025)**
The streaming giant Netflix, accustomed to setting industry standards, implemented its last price revision more than a year ago — but in early 2025, it adjusted its plans once again. The Standard with Ads plan went from $7 to $8 per month, marking the first change since its introduction in 2022. Meanwhile, the ad-free Standard option rose by $2.50 to $18, and the ad-free Premium plan increased by $2 to $25. These modifications reinforced Netflix’s positioning as a high-value service aligned with its continual investments in original content.

### Streaming Price Decreases
**Fubo (January 2026)**
Amid an era dominated by price hikes, Fubo stood out by offering rare reductions in its subscription fees. In connection with an ongoing carriage dispute with NBCUniversal — one that temporarily removed multiple network channels — Fubo lowered the cost of its Pro and Elite plans by $11, now priced at $74 and $84 per month, respectively. Existing customers benefited from the reductions beginning January 1, illustrating how market pressures and contract negotiations can occasionally yield temporarily lower costs for consumers.

Across all these developments, a clear pattern emerges: the cost of digital entertainment continues to inch upward as companies seek balance between rising operational expenses and customer retention. While 2026 has already proven to be yet another year marked by incremental increases, it also highlights consumers’ growing adaptability — their willingness to shift plans, seek offers, and refine viewing habits in pursuit of value. Streaming, it seems, remains not a passing trend but a cultural mainstay evolving in real time with every pricing update and platform transformation.

Sourse: https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/streaming-price-hikes-2026-spotify-paramount-plus-crunchyroll-and-more/