Podcast #1224: Streaming Price Hikes: A Historical Look
Description
On this week's show we look at the streamers and their pricing history. Are they keeping up with inflation or are they seeing how far they can keep raising prices. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.
News:
- Apple TV Revs Up to Compete, For Real, In Streaming
- 86 Years Ago NBC Made History with First Televised Pro Football Game in 1939
- HBO Max raises prices on all plans while WBD reevaluates future
Other:
Streaming Price Hikes: A Historical Look
Netflix
Netflix has raised prices multiple times since launching its streaming service in 2007, with increases tied to content investments and competition. The service now offers four tiers: ad-supported Standard with Ads, Basic (ad-free, one screen), Standard (ad-free, two screens), and Premium (ad-free, four screens, 4K). Below is a summary of U.S. monthly prices for the most popular tiers (Standard and Premium) over time.
| Year | Date | Standard Plan | Premium Plan | Notes |
| 2010 | Launch (streaming-only) | $7.99 | N/A | Basic streaming plan introduced. |
| 2011 | Feb | $7.99 | N/A | No change. |
| 2014 | May | $8.99 | N/A | First major streaming hike. |
| 2015 | N/A | $9.99 | $11.99 | Introduction of HD tier. |
| 2017 | Oct | $10.99 | $13.99 | Subtle rollout. |
| 2019 | Jan | $12.99 | $15.99 | Basic introduced at $8.99 (discontinued 2023). |
| 2020 | Oct | $13.99 | $17.99 | Response to content costs. |
| 2022 | Jan | $15.49 | $19.99 | Largest hike at the time. |
| 2023 | Oct | N/A | N/A | Ads tier launched at $6.99. |
| 2024 | Jan | $15.49 | $22.99 | Basic discontinued. |
| 2025 | Jan | $18.00 | $25.00 | All plans increased; ads tier to $8.00. |
Prices are monthly in USD; annual options offer ~17% savings. Current as of October 2025. Note - $8 in 2010 is worth approximately $11.57 in October 2025
Disney+
Launched in 2019 at a competitive $6.99/month, Disney+ has seen nearly annual increases, often bundled with Hulu/ESPN+. It now has two main tiers: ad-supported Basic and ad-free Premium. Prices reflect U.S. monthly rates for standalone Premium (most common).
| Year | Date | Basic (Ads) | Premium (Ad-Free) | Notes |
| 2019 | Nov (Launch) | N/A | $6.99 | Single ad-free tier. |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | $6.99 | No change. |
| 2021 | Jan | N/A | $7.99 | First hike. |
| 2022 | Dec | $7.99 | $10.99 | Ads tier introduced. |
| 2023 | Oct | $7.99 | $13.99 | Bundle prices also rose. |
| 2024 | Oct | $9.99 | $15.99 | Ads tier up $2. |
| 2025 | Oct | $12.99 | $17.99 | All plans up $2–$3; annual Premium $169.99. |
Annual billing saves ~16% (e.g., Premium $139.99/year in 2024). Bundles start at $9.99/month with Hulu/ESPN+. Note - $7 in 2019 is worth approximately $9 in October 2025 dollars
Hulu
Hulu, launched in 2007, has fluctuated prices but stabilized post-Disney acquisition (2019). It offers ad-supported, ad-free, and Live TV tiers. Focus here on on-demand plans (most subscribed).
| Year | Date | Ad-Supported | Ad-Free</st |
