New Ampere Analysis data shows price increases across Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon have nearly halved in three years. Disney+ moderated the most, dropping from 31% increases to 13%. Are consumers at their limit?
The streaming price spiral appears to be slowing.
Annual price increases across Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon have fallen from 24 percent of the previous subscription price in 2023-24 to 14 percent in 2025-26.
Ampere Analysis, which compiled the data, reads it as the services moving closer to the limits of what consumers are willing to spend.
How much streaming prices have actually risen
The dollar figures are smaller than the percentages suggest, which is part of why the increases have been absorbed.
Across the full three-year period, individual price increases averaged $1.60, or 17 percent of the previous price.
The average increase edged down from $1.67 to $1.54 over the same window.
Ampere’s findings draw on its Pricing and Bundling dataset, examining direct-to-consumer pricing from August 2023 through July 2026.
Which streaming service raised prices the most
Netflix increases averaged $1.73, or 16 percent, and stayed relatively stable year to year.
Disney+ averaged $1.53, or 17 percent, but showed the largest change in behavior. Its average increase fell from $1.86, or 31 percent, in 2023-24 to $1.45, or 13 percent, in 2025-26.
Amazon averaged $1.47, or 30 percent, with the fewest adjustments overall. Ampere attributes that partly to Prime Video’s role inside the broader Amazon Prime retail subscription rather than as a standalone product.
Why ad-supported tiers are staying cheap
The companies likely make more money with advertising with the cheaper consumer payment.
Ad-free tiers absorbed the largest increases, averaging $1.62 over three years against $1.21 for ad-supported tiers.
The global price gap between the two widened from $4.53 in the August 2023 to July 2024 window to $5.35 in August 2025 to July 2026.
In the U.S., the difference between Netflix’s Standard with Ads and its ad-free Standard tier for new subscribers grew from $8.50 in August 2023 to $11 by July 2026.
With advertising now a central revenue stream, platforms have every incentive to keep the cheap tier cheap and push subscribers toward it.
It’s basically back to advertisements all over your shows, but now you pay them for the opportunity to watch the commercials.
Where streaming prices are rising fastest
The regional breakdown shows North America is not the leader.
Western Europe had the largest average increases over three years at $1.86, or 16 percent.
North America followed at $1.70, or 15 percent, with Central and Eastern Europe behind that.
What streaming actually costs right now
For reference, here is where the major services sit.
Netflix runs $8.99 ad-supported, $19.99 for ad-free Standard, and $26.99 for Premium with four screens and 4K.
Paramount+ raised prices for new subscribers on January 15, 2026, with the ad-supported Essential plan at $8.99 and the ad-free Premium tier with Showtime at $13.99.
Peacock held its pricing into 2026, with Premium at $10.99, Premium Plus at $16.99, and a Peacock Select tier at $7.99.
Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime at $14.99 monthly or $139 annually, with a standalone ad-supported option at $8.99.
What this means for Disney+ subscribers specifically
The legacy Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundle rises from $24.99 to $27.99 on September 17, affecting subscribers who enrolled before August 20.
Disney also raised prices across its plans in October 2025, with Disney+ with ads and Hulu with ads each going up $2 and Disney+ Premium up $3.
Slowing increases do not mean stopping increases. It means the annual bump is more likely to be $1.45 than $1.86, which over a household with three or four subscriptions is a real difference and not a large one.
The genuinely interesting question is what happens when the ceiling is actually reached. Password sharing crackdowns and ad tiers were the last two levers, and both have been pulled.
Will customers cut the cord’s cord?
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Ampere Analysis, via NewscastStudio (August 24, 2026), the full three-year dataset including per-service and regional breakdowns
Broadband TV News (August 24, 2026), Robert Briel’s reporting on the tier gap and the willingness-to-pay assessment
Tom’s Guide (August 2026), current pricing across Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, and Prime Video
Cord Cutters News (August 22, 2026), the September 17 Disney bundle increase