Over the past 3 years, streaming services have repeatedly raised subscription costs - often with little fanfare. Apple TV+ just delivered a sharp 30% increase. Netflix, Amazon Prime and others have made similar moves in the past.
What’s driving this upward trend and are these platforms truly hurting, as providers claim? More importantly, can consumers push back?
Price-Increase Timeline (2022-2025)
Apple’s increase this past week (timed perfectly when everyone is on vacation and not paying attention) is the most recent and highly dramatic, especially looking back at what it charged in 2022 (+260% since then). Netflix and others have raised prices over this period, further underscoring the industry’s aggressive pricing strategy.
Just thinking out loud: what would you do if the cost of gas increased by 260% in 3 years? Switch to a smaller car? Start taking public transit more often? Or would you do nothing?
What if the cost of food increased 260% in 3 years? I bet you’d start paying attention to specials, shop at different grocery stores and buy cheaper store brands instead of national brands, right?
So, when a streaming service boosts its monthly fees by 260% in 3 years, why would you grin and bare it?
What’s Behind the Increases?
Streaming platforms say they are facing mounting pressures as content costs skyrocket, exacerbated even more by inflation; however, big picture financial data suggests profitability, not necessity, is the real driver behind these moves.
Apple makes about $100 billion in profit every year. Netflix has increased profit from $5 billion to almost $9 billion in the past 3 years, and Amazon reported net income of $59 billion in 2024. Do you feel sorry for these guys who have their hands in your pockets once again?
These platforms aren’t hiking prices due to financial distress - they’re doing so because the market (i.e. us) allows it to happen. While increases are only a few bucks every month (but are huge proportionately), they add up over time and, when multiplied by millions of customers, represent a sizeable amount.
Why Consumers Are Still Paying
Streaming services retain subscribers through a mix of exclusive hits like Stranger Things, Ted Lasso and Severance that build loyalty, subscription inertia that makes canceling more hassle than it’s worth and the fear of missing out in a fragmented market where must-see shows are spread across multiple platforms.
What You Can Do to Push Back
Consume Strategically
To optimize streaming costs, rotate subscriptions monthly instead of paying for everything at once, tracking days with worthwhile content versus wasted scrolling. If under 50%, cancel and resubscribe only when must-watch shows arrive. For avid viewers, annual plans or bundles like Apple One or Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ offer savings, but occasional viewers should stick to pay-as-you-go to avoid overspending.
Opt for Lower-Cost Options
Consider ad-supported tiers or free services like Tubi and Pluto TV. Even if it feels like a downgrade, it’ll put pressure on the Big Streaming providers. Even temporary use of these lower-cost options can hit the Big Boys’ bottom line, potentially forcing them to rethink aggressive rate hikes.
Use Your Voice (and Wallet)
If you want to make your voice heard, sending a respectful complaint to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook (pictured above), can be surprisingly impactful. While email (tcook@apple.com) or Twitter (@tim_cook) may be handled by staff, CEO-level complaints are costly to process and can register as a financial “penalty” to the company. These complaints are also reported to the Board of Directors, which tracks trends as key indicators of reputational, operational and financial risk. Even if your issue isn’t resolved individually, a growing number of complaints can influence company priorities. You can send official snail mail to:
Tim Cook
Apple Inc.
One Apple Park Way
Cupertino, CA 95015
You can also reach Board members - though their emails are often private, many are on LinkedIn: Alex Gorsky (Johnson & Johnson), Andrea Jung (Grameen America), Monica Lozano (College Futures Foundation), Ronald Sugar (Northrop Grumman Corp), Susan Wagner (BlackRock), Wanda Austin (The Aerospace Corp).
Feeling bold? Cancel your Apple subscription in protest. With roughly 45 million subscribers, just 1% opting out would cost the company nearly $6 million per month, and 5% would hit $30 million. The process may be a hassle, but the financial impact and the satisfaction of taking a stand, can make it worth the effort.
Cancel Apple TV+ via the Web
- Visit tv.apple.com
- Click Sign In at the top and log in with your Apple ID (if you can’t remember it, reset it)
- Click your account icon (top right) and select Settings
- Scroll to Subscriptions and click Manage
- Click Cancel Subscription and confirm
Cancel Apple TV+ via iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name → Subscriptions
- Select Apple TV+
- Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm
Cancel Apple TV+ via Android (Google Play)
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Tap your profile icon → Payments & Subscriptions → Subscriptions
- Find Apple TV+ and tap Cancel Subscription
- Follow the on-screen instructions
If You Subscribed via Amazon Prime Video
If you subscribed to Apple TV+ through Amazon Prime Video, you need to cancel it through Amazon:
- Go to Prime Video Subscriptions
- Sign in to your Amazon account
- Select Your Subscriptions
- Find Apple TV+ and click Unsubscribe
- Confirm the cancellation
You can voice your opinion directly in-app, through social media and/or via app store reviews. Joining collective consumer movements amplifies your voice, enabling public dissatisfaction to influence company decisions, as seen when Netflix eased password-sharing rules after a huge backlash. Complaining to regulatory bodies is generally less effective, as such authorities act as slowly as molasses.
Final Thought: Don’t Let “Streaming Enshittification” Win
As tech activist Cory Doctorow warns, streaming services often offer excellent value early on, then steadily degrade content quality and raise prices once users are comfortably locked in. Avoid acceptance: use your subscription choices to protect your rights and your wallet. Do not fall into the “it’s only a few bucks a month” trap.
If all else fails and you choose to do nothing about these continuous, obscene streaming price increases, at least you’ve learned a new word today. Drop “enshittification” at your next cocktail party. Sounds fire, don’tcha think?
Now that you’ve read today’s blog, why not take what you’ve learned and play today’s matching quiz on your Quizefy app? Many of the answers can be found right here. We publish an on-trend, hint-filled blog at www.quizefy.com every Tuesday, along with a matching quiz in your Quizefy app. We think they’re a great combination and a great way to Strut Your Smart.