Think Your Subscriptions Are Cheap? They Could Be Costing...

Subscription fatigue is still real. There's a subscription for everything nowadays, from retail memberships to streaming services to software and even meal and grocery delivery services. Sure, monthly services are convenient -- but they also add up.

Every year, CNET dives into the state of subscriptions. We find out how much US adults spend on subscriptions each month and on which types of services. In our most recent survey, we found that US adults are spending an average of $111 per month on subscriptions, totaling $1,332 annually. Even more unsettling, US adults waste an average of $21 per month (or $252 annually) on unused subscriptions, with certain generations wasting even more.

But it's not all bad news. There are ways to cut costs, including bundling, opting for a streaming TV plan with fewer channels, such as a skinny package, or cutting back on your subscriptions altogether.

CNET's 2026 State of Subscriptions key findings

US adults who have paid for a subscription within the past year spend an average of $111 per month, totaling $1,332 annually. Subscription spending is up 23% compared with last year's monthly average of $90 and annual average of $1,080.
US adults waste an average of $252 a year on unused subscriptions. Millennials and Gen Z waste the most ($29 and $27 monthly, respectively).
Streaming and video subscriptions are still the most popular paid subscription (61%), followed by membership retail platforms (48%) and music (35%).
Even though subscription costs have increased, there are ways to reduce how much you spend.

Streaming is the most popular subscription type among US adults

CNET found that among the types of subscriptions US adults have paid for since April 2025, streaming or video services are the most popular. Over half (61%) have paid for streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix and Prime Video. Other popular subscriptions include membership retail platforms such as Costco (48%) and music subscriptions like Spotify and Apple Music (35%).

The findings also show that fewer US adults paid for subscription services such as AI services, home security apps, meal kit deliveries and software management.

Monthly streaming services have become the norm for cord-cutters and non-cord-cutters alike. However, if you subscribe to too many, you may end up paying just as much as -- if not more than -- you would have paid for a premium cable package.

Plus, it's hard to keep straight which streaming services carry your favorite shows and sports programming. For instance, Formula 1 races stream on Apple TV, but the National Football League is fragmented across multiple platforms, including Amazon's Prime Video, ESPN, Peacock and major broadcast channels that require a cable plan or a livestreaming service such as YouTube TV or Hulu Plus Live TV. And paying for all of those monthly services can get expensive.

These subscriptions may feel necessary, but if you prefer a single genre -- such as sports -- CNET's senior streaming editor Kourtnee Jackson recommends a skinny package to cut back on live channels. While YouTube TV, Hulu and DirecTV have full live TV packages that are 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 extra charge. YouTube TV has slim packages starting at $55 a month, and budget-friendly options from Philo and Sling cost even less.

You may also be able to cut costs by rotating subscriptions, keeping a few streaming services for the time you know you'll use 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're not using. You can also lower costs through bundling and special discounts, such as military or education 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 are paying an average of $111 per month for subscriptions. Millennials spend the most on subscriptions each month ($125), while Gen X spends the least ($100).

CNET's 2025 subscription survey found that US adults spent an average of $90 per month in 2025, up from $91 in 2024. Back then, millennials still spent the most, averaging $119 per month. Older generations have historically spent less.

Generational differences aside, subscriptions are becoming more costly than ever, which could help explain the average $20 increase from 2024 to 2026. For example, Netflix's standard account with ads was $7 per month in 2024, but now it costs $9 per month. The premium account has increased by $4, from $23 in 2024 to $27 now.

On top of price increases, there are subscriptions for almost everything, as many tech giants and retailers are putting services behind paywalls, such as Meta's One Plus, which starts at $4 per month and offers more advanced Meta AI features, app tools and metrics. And now, Tesla's full self-driving service is no longer a one-time fee. Instead, it's $99 per month. So it's not prices alone that are driving higher monthly subscription spending. It's also the number of subscriptions we're paying for.

A subscription for everything can add up quickly, which could be why we're paying more in monthly subscriptions than before. To cut subscription creep, many US 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 cut down. Tubi, Roku Channel and Pluto TV are all free streaming platforms, for example. And some popular services offer free plans, such as Spotify and YouTube Music. Plus, Google offers 5 GB of standard storage for all customers.

US adults are wasting even more money on unused subscriptions

The more alarming finding is that US adults are still paying for unused subscriptions. Last year, US adults wasted an average of $17 per month, totaling $204 a year. That amount has risen slightly to $21 per month and $252 per year.

Most subscriptions don't require a contract, unlike cable services back in the day. 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. And businesses aren't required to make it easy since an appeals court blocked the Federal Trade Commission's click-to-cancel rule. Making it harder to unsubscribe may prompt you to keep your subscription or delay unsubscribing, meaning you're paying for a subscription you don't use. CNET has a step-by-step guide that can help you cancel popular streaming subscriptions, too.

There are a few methods to cancel subscriptions that are wasting your money.

Use a budgeting app to identify which subscriptions you're paying for. CNET recommends Rocket Money, but you could try other popular ones like Trim, Hiatus and PocketGuard. Some paid versions of these apps will cancel subscriptions on your behalf, such as Rocket Money and Trim.
Look at your monthly credit card statement to see which apps you're paying for monthly. Some banks, such as Chase, have a built-in subscription management tool that lets you cancel eligible subscriptions in the app.
Use Apple's App Store or Google Play's subscription manager to track and cancel any subscriptions you purchased through the app store.
Some AI tools can help you narrow down your subscriptions, but they can also give misinformation, so remember to double-check any information you receive before taking action.

Methodology

CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,522 adults, of whom 2,074 are currently paying and/or have paid for a subscription in the past year. Fieldwork was undertaken between April 29 and May 1, 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18 or older).