Are major streaming services still worth it after price hikes of up to 172% since 2019?

Remember the days when cutting the cord was supposed to save you money? With streaming services continually increasing prices, those days feel like a distant memory. It seems like 2025 has brought yet another round of hikes, leading to what some are calling “streamflation” as entertainment budgets are being squeezed.

Every major streaming platform has raised its prices since 2019, with some more than doubling their original monthly cost. As these companies focus on profitability and invest billions in original content and sports rights, subscribers are left questioning if the cost is worth it.

Let’s break down the seven major streaming services by their price increases, from the least to the most significant bumps.

Starting with Max, formerly HBO Max, the service has kept its price increases relatively moderate. Launched in May 2020 at $14.99 per month, the standard ad-free plan now costs $18.49 – a 23% increase over the years.

Moving to Netflix, the standard plan has seen a 38% increase from $12.99 in January 2019 to $17.99 today. The Premium plan price has jumped even more, rising from $15.99 in 2019 to $24.99 now.

Paramount+ has also seen a 40% increase in less than four years, going from $9.99 to $13.99 for its ad-free Premium tier. Hulu, owned by Disney, has quietly implemented substantial price increases, with the ad-supported tier rising from $7.99 to $11.99 and the ad-free tier going from $11.99 to $18.99.

Peacock has raised prices by 120% since launch, and Apple TV+ takes second place with a 160% increase. Finally, Disney+ takes the crown with a 172% increase since its launch in November 2019.

As these prices continue to rise, it’s essential to consider if the cost is still worth it for the quality and variety of content offered by these streaming services. Are we heading back to the cable days with high monthly costs for entertainment? With monthly subscriptions for these major services ranging from $75.93 to $118.43, it’s worth evaluating if the premium experience is truly worth the price tag.