With rising inflation and mounting pressure on household budgets, consumers are feeling the strain—particularly when navigating an increasingly fragmented and costly TV subscription landscape. Since 2018, Hub Entertainment Research’s “Monetizing Video” has tracked how consumers prioritize spending across TV and streaming services, identifying which services and features offer the best value. The latest study shows that consumers paying for three or more subscriptions are already spending more than they’d like, with the average user committing $83 per month to TV services but only willing to pay a few dollars more, at $86. Many subscribers are tapped out, unwilling to take on additional costs for more services.
New streaming bundles have emerged as a clear win for consumers and a powerful tool to reduce churn. Bundles introduced over the past year—such as Disney+ & Max or Hulu with Disney+—have dramatically boosted subscriber loyalty, with 42% of users saying they are much more likely to keep bundled services compared to individual subscriptions. This presents streamers with a win-win opportunity to build value-added packages that strengthen customer retention.
While low price, including “free” services, remains the most important factor when choosing a TV service, users are still willing to pay for the right combination of content and features. When asked to rank 16 service attributes by their importance, “low price” came out on top by a significant margin, fueling the growth of platforms like YouTube, Tubi, and The Roku Channel. Other key drivers include access to full seasons and the ability to binge-watch—attributes that Netflix has made industry standards. Tolerance for ads has grown, with “no ads” ranking lower than in previous years as viewers increasingly embrace ad-supported free services. Demand for new theatrical movies on TV has declined, coinciding with a soft theatrical market and an abundance of original streaming content. At the same time, live sports have gained importance as leagues expand streaming rights, making access to favorite teams and games a higher priority for consumers. New, cheaper streaming tiers introduced since 2022 have also reduced the emphasis on plan tier choices, as audiences gravitate toward bundled offerings.
“Emphasizing ‘low price’ and ‘unlimited access’ are evergreen value drivers that streamers can lean into as they manage the ups and downs of new programming slates,” says Jason Platt Zolov, Senior Consultant at Hub. “Leaning into attractive bundles of complementary services is proof-positive that combined services bring winning value and even stronger customer loyalty.”
The findings are drawn from Hub’s 2025 “Monetizing Video” report, based on a survey of 1,600 US consumers aged 16–74 with broadband access, conducted in June 2025. The report is part of the “Hub Reports” syndicated series, with a free excerpt available from Hub’s website.