The streaming value era is fading. Apple TV and Peacock are the latest major platforms to push through price increases, following Netflix’s move earlier in 2026. Together, the changes are reshaping how media planners and entertainment marketers should think about ad-supported and ad-free inventory.
Research firm Antenna found that prices for both ad-free and ad-supported streaming services have risen on average more than 20% since 2023. That shift is becoming the pricing baseline, not a one-time adjustment.
What changed at the top
Netflix’s Standard with Ads plan now costs $8.99 a month, up $1, while the no-ads Standard plan climbed $2 to $19.99 and Premium rose $2 to $26.99. Netflix has kept its ad tier priced below half of the ad-free plan, a deliberate nudge toward lower-cost inventory.
Apple TV now costs $14.99 per month, with an annual plan at $119. The service has more than tripled from its $4.99 launch price in 2019. Peacock raised rates effective August 18, 2026: Select is $8.99, Premium is $12.99 and Premium Plus is $19.99 monthly.
YouTube TV’s base plan rose $10 to $82.99 a month, now matching Hulu + Live TV.
The current US plan snapshot
- Netflix: $8.99 with ads, $19.99 Standard, $26.99 Premium.
- Disney+: $11.99 with ads, $18.99 no ads.
- Hulu: $11.99 with ads, $18.99 no ads.
- HBO Max: $10.99 with ads, $18.49 Standard, $22.99 Premium.
- Paramount+: $8.99 Essential, $13.99 Premium.
- Peacock: $8.99 Select, $12.99 Premium, $19.99 Premium Plus.
- Prime Video: $8.99 standalone; Prime membership $14.99 monthly; Ultra ad-free add-on $4.99.
The bundle hedge
Bundles are absorbing some of the shock. Apple TV and Peacock are launching a $14.99 monthly bundle, which the companies say saves more than 30% off full retail. Comcast’s StreamSaver combines Apple TV, Netflix’s ad-based tier and Peacock for $15 a month for Xfinity broadband customers.
Why this matters for media buyers
The old assumption that ad-supported tiers are deep-discount entry points is breaking down. Disney+, Hulu, Max and Peacock have all raised ad-tier pricing, even as bundles become the real pressure valve. Disney+ and Hulu list a bundle at $11.99 with ads, while the Disney+, Hulu and Max bundle is $21.99 with ads and $34.99 without.
For planners, streaming budgets need quarterly re-audits. The decision is shifting from “which service has the cheapest ad tier” to “which bundle, annual lock-in or add-on channel reduces effective CPM and churn.” Roku adding Apple TV and Peacock’s ad-free tier to its premium subscriptions is another example of distribution blurring.
Source: Deadline
