{
  "id": 1746041,
  "title": "Ad-free streaming can now run you $137 a month as another major service hikes prices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ad-free-streaming-can-now-run-you-137-a-month-as-another-major",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-18T16:21:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/streaming-inflation-ad-free-tv-cost-increase-peacock-hikes-prices-2026-8"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Streaming services are progressively raising their prices, with Peacock being the latest to increase costs. The combined price for eight top ad-free streaming platforms now totals $137 per month, although bundles can lower expenses. Consumers are opting for ad-supported versions of paid streaming services and favoring free platforms such as YouTube. The cost of ad-free streaming is increasing. In the past year, every major streaming service has raised prices. Peacock, owned by NBCUniversal, increased its main ad plan from $10.99 to $12.99 a month and its ad-free plan from $16.99 to $19.99 a month, matching Netflix's standard ad-free rate. The total cost to purchase the ad-free versions of Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video individually would exceed $137 monthly. However, consumers can save by bundling or choosing lower-cost ad-supported plans. The cost to acquire all eight ad-free streaming services by bundling HBO Max, Hulu, and Disney+ ($32.99) and pairing Peacock with Apple TV ($19.99) is slightly over $100 monthly. Ad-free streaming services have seen a decline in subscribers, with nearly half of all premium subscriptions now being ad-supported, up from 39% in the first quarter of 2024.",
  "summary": "Streaming services are steadily raising prices, bringing the à la carte cost of the eight top streamers to over $137 a month.",
  "key_points": [
    "Peacock raised ad-free plan from $16.99 to $19.99 monthly",
    "Combined cost of top 8 ad-free services exceeds $137 monthly",
    "Ad-supported subscriptions now make up nearly half of premium plans"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}