The “subscribe to everything” era is unraveling. After years of stacking streaming platforms, delivery perks, and digital add-ons, Americans are pulling back hard. A new survey from Self Financial shows the average household cut its paid subscriptions from 4.1 in 2024 to just 2.8 this year. That’s a drop of nearly a third in twelve months.
The numbers say a lot. Monthly household costs dropped from $40.39 to $37, but the stronger signal comes from how people feel about it. Nearly half of subscribers now say they won’t put up with another price hike. A few dollars more for Disney+, Hulu, or Apple TV+ might not seem like much, but across multiple services, it piles up to a small rent payment.
When asked why they canceled, cost dominated the answers. Over a third cited the rising cost of living, a similar number pointed to repeated price hikes, and one in four said they were simply cutting expenses. Convenience is still the reason many keep subscriptions, but fewer people think the content justifies the fees. In 2024, more than half called the services “good value.” This year, only 40.9 percent agreed.
Password sharing crackdowns are also changing behavior. The average household shared accounts with 3.2 people last year. This year, it dropped to 2.3, thanks to new enforcement rules. Companies hoped those freeloaders would convert to paying customers. Instead, nearly half of respondents said they’re now more likely to pirate shows than pay another monthly bill.
Some services look especially vulnerable. Apple TV+ subscribers were most likely to cancel, with 42 percent saying they plan to drop it. Starz came in at 40.8 percent, while Paramount+ sat at 29.6 percent. On the food delivery side, more than half of people with Caviar, Grubhub, or Postmates subscriptions admitted they hadn’t used them in the past month.
Even with cutbacks, people are still wasting money. The average household pays for an unused subscription, costing about $127 a year. Most of that comes from free trials that flipped into paid plans because no one remembered to cancel.
It’s not only about saving money. The way people handle digital subscriptions has entered a new phase. What once felt like automatic sign-ups now demands scrutiny. When a service falters, people cancel quickly and look harder at what’s worth keeping.
The subscription purge of 2025 points to a new reality. Novelty no longer guarantees growth. Services now have to compete on affordability and substance.
The post The Subscription Era Is Over. The Purge Has Begun in America. appeared first on VICE.
