Streaming Giants Temper Price Rises as Consumers Near Willingness-to-Pay Limits
Streaming services are increasingly cautious about raising subscription prices, according to new research from Ampere Analysis. The firm found that Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon's Prime Video have reduced the average size of their price increases from 24% per subscription in 2023/24 to 14% in 2025/26. In dollar terms, the average monthly increase has fallen from $1.67 to $1.54 over the same period.
Ampere suggests the moderation reflects a maturing market. "As streaming markets mature and become increasingly competitive and saturated, Ampere believes the trend could indicate that streamers are moving closer to the limits of consumers' willingness to pay," the research house said in its latest report. The analysis covered the three major global streaming platforms.
The report highlights a widening gap between ad-supported and ad-free tiers. Ad-free packages have seen larger price rises than their ad-supported counterparts, with increases of $1.61 versus $1.21 per month on average. The price differential between the two tiers has grown as a result.
Jaanika Juntson, a senior research manager at Ampere Analysis, said the decline in price increases comes as streamers diversify how they monetise their audiences. "Advertising is increasingly important, reducing reliance on subscription pricing alone, while password-sharing crackdowns and other measures generate more value from existing audiences," she said, noting that streamers are also mindful of positioning in a competitive landscape.
Regional Variations
Western Europe has experienced the highest average price increases over the past three years, with a rise of $1.86 per month, or 16%. That is ahead of North America ($1.79, 15%) and Central and Eastern Europe ($1.68, 18%). By contrast, subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa have seen the smallest average increase of less than $1 over the same period.
The Guardian reported that the most recent price changes in the UK and US illustrate the trend. In March, Netflix raised prices in the US for the second time in just over a year. UK subscribers last faced increases of £1 to £2 a month in February 2025, pushing the basic ad-supported package to £5.99 and the standard ad-free tier to £12.99. Meanwhile, Netflix UK's annual revenue surpassed £2 billion for the first time, reaching £2.06 billion—a 7% increase on the previous year—with pre-tax profits rising from £60 million to £73 million. The growth was driven by higher average revenue per paying member and a 7% increase in average paid memberships.
Disney+ last raised prices in the UK and US in September and October last year, bringing its ad-supported tier to £5.99 per month and its standard ad-free option to £9.99 monthly or £99.90 annually. Amazon introduced a £2.99 monthly fee on top of Prime Video membership in February 2024 to avoid ads.
Among the three services, Ampere's analysis shows Netflix's price increases have "remained broadly stable," while Disney+ has demonstrated "the clearest shift towards more modest increases." Amazon made the fewest adjustments, which the firm attributes to "the broader role of the Prime subscription within Amazon's retail business."
Ampere's findings point to a strategic pivot in how streaming companies generate revenue. As advertising becomes a key driver, firms are incentivised to keep ad-supported tiers affordable while allowing larger increases on premium ad-free plans. The firm notes that password-sharing crackdowns are also helping extract more value from existing subscriber bases without relying solely on price hikes.
The research comes as the streaming industry faces intensifying competition and shifting consumer expectations. Ampere's analysis suggests that the era of aggressive price escalation may be drawing to a close, with companies seeking alternative revenue streams to sustain growth.