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Subscription fatigue is still real. There’s a subscription for everything nowadays, from Retail Memberships to Streaming services To programs and even a meal and Grocery delivery services. Monthly services are certainly convenient, but they also add a lot.
Every year, CNET dives into the state of subscriptions. We find out how much US adults spend on subscriptions each month and what types of services. In our latest survey, we found that US adults spend an average of $111 per month on subscriptions, for a total of $1,332 per year. Even more alarming is that US adults waste an average of $21 a month (or $252 a year) on unused subscriptions, and certain generations are wasting even more.
But this is not all bad news. There are ways to reduce costs, including: to gatherand choose a TV plan with fewer channels, such as Slim packageOr cut back on your subscriptions completely.
CNET’s 2026 State of Subscriptions key findings
- US adults who paid for a subscription in the past year spent an average of $111 per monththe total $1,332 per year. Subscription spending is up 23% Compared to the monthly average of last year, which amounted to $90 And the annual rate $1,080.
- Adults in the United States waste an average of $252 annually On unused subscriptions. Millennials and Generation Z spend the most ($29 and $27 per month, respectively).
- Streaming and video subscriptions remain the most popular paid subscriptions (61%), followed by organic retail platforms (48%) and music (35%).
- Although subscription costs increase, there are ways to reduce the amount you spend.
Streaming is the most popular subscription type among adults in the United States
CNET found that among the types of subscriptions paid by US adults since April 2025, streaming or video services are the most popular. More than half (61%) have paid for streaming services such as Holo, Netflix and Prime Video. Other popular subscriptions include membership retail platforms such as Costco (48%) and music subscriptions such as Spotify and Apple music (35%).
The results also show that fewer US adults paid for subscription services such as Artificial intelligence services, Home security applicationsand meal kit delivery and program management.
Monthly streaming services have become the norm Cord cutters And non-cord cutters alike. However, if you subscribe to too many, you could end up paying the same amount you would have paid for a premium cable package, if not more.
Additionally, it’s difficult to know which streaming services are showing your favorite shows and sports programs. For example, Formula 1 racing Streaming on Apple TV, but the NFL is fragmented across multiple platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, espn, peacock And major streaming channels that require a cable plan or streaming service such as YouTube TV or Hulu Plus Live TV. Paying for all these monthly services can get expensive.
These subscriptions may seem essential, but if you prefer one genre — like sports — Courtney Jackson, CNET’s senior streaming editor, recommends Slim package To reduce live channels. While YouTube TV, Hulu, and… DirectTV be complete Live TV packages Comparable to cable, there are ways to pay for fewer channels and still watch what you want. DirecTV offers genre-based packages starting at $20, with add-ons available for an additional cost. YouTube TV has slim packages starting at $55 per month, and budget-friendly options from Filo and sling Lower cost.
You may also be able to reduce costs by Regular subscriptionsreserving some streaming services for when you know you’ll be using them, like when a new season of your favorite show is released. Then you can cancel the subscription to avoid paying for a service you don’t use. You can also cut costs through bundling and special discounts, such as military or educational discounts.
US adults spend an average of $111 per month on subscriptions
Subscription costs have risen sharply over the years. CNET found that US adults pay an average of $111 per month for subscriptions. Millennials spend the most on subscriptions each month ($125), while Gen
CNET Subscription Survey 2025 It found that US adults spent an average of $90 per month in 2025, up from $91 in 2024. At that time, millennials were still spending the most, at an average of $119 per month. Older generations have historically spent less.
Generational differences aside, subscriptions are more expensive than ever, which could help explain the average increase of $20 from 2024 to 2026. For example, a standard Netflix account with ads was $7 per month in 2024, but now costs $9 per month. The premium account is up $4, from $23 in 2024 to $27 now.
Read more: We’re tracking streaming price hikes in 2026: Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and more
On top of the higher prices, there are subscriptions for almost everything, with many tech giants and retailers putting services behind a paywall, such as Meta One Pluswhich starts at $4 per month and offers more advanced Meta AI features, tools, and app metrics. And now, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Service No longer a one-time fee. Instead, it’s $99 per month. So, it’s not just prices that lead to higher spending on monthly subscriptions. It’s also the number of subscriptions we pay for.
Subscribing to everything can add up quickly, which may be why we’re paying more for monthly subscriptions than before. To cut down on subscription creep, many U.S. adults are turning to analog purchases, such as vinyl records and CDs, which have also become collectibles.
You can also use free services when possible to help reduce the problem. tubes, Roku channel and Pluto TV They’re all free streaming platforms, for example. Some popular services offer free plans, such as Spotify and YouTube Music. Additionally, Google offers a standard storage capacity of 5GB to all customers.
US adults waste more money on unused subscriptions
The most troubling finding is that US adults are still paying for unused subscriptions. Last year, U.S. adults wasted an average of $17 a month, for a total of $204 a year. This amount has increased slightly to $21 per month and $252 per year.
Most subscriptions did not require a contract, unlike cable services at the time. So you can cancel without waiting or incurring fees. But it’s easy to forget to cancel a free trial or a service you no longer use. Companies are not required to make it easier since the appeals court blocked the FTC Click to cancel rule. Making it more difficult to cancel a subscription may result in you being asked to keep your subscription or delay canceling, which means you’re paying for a subscription that you don’t use. CNET has a step-by-step guide that can help you Cancel popular streaming subscriptionsalso.
There are several ways to cancel subscriptions that are wasting your money.
- Use a Budget app To specify which subscriptions you pay for. CNET recommends Rocket moneybut you can try other popular programs like Trim, Hiatus, and PocketGuard. Some paid versions of these apps will cancel subscriptions for you, such as Rocket Money and Trim.
- Look at your monthly credit card statement to see which apps you pay for monthly. Some banks, like Chase, have a built-in subscription management tool that lets you cancel eligible subscriptions in the app.
- Use the Apple App Store or Google Play Subscription Manager to track and cancel any subscriptions you purchased through the App Store.
- some Artificial intelligence tools They can help you narrow down your subscriptions, but they may also provide false information, so remember to double-check any information you receive before taking action.
methodology
CNET commissioned the poll from YouGov Plc. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,522 adults, of whom 2,074 currently pay and/or have paid for a subscription in the past year. Fieldwork was conducted between April 29 and May 1, 2026. The survey was conducted online. Figures have been weighted and represent all U.S. adults (aged 18 or older).
