HBO Max is the latest streaming service to get a price increase, following Disney+, Peacock, Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu, and more. Here’s how we got here and what you can expect to pay.
The streaming revolution was supposed to let us swap expensive cable TV bills for a more affordable, a la carte viewing experience. And while a Netflix membership is cheaper than a Comcast or Spectrum TV subscription, the cost ticks up if you also need HBO Max for The Pitt, Prime Video for The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Apple TV for The Studio.
Not helping matters is a constant stream of price hikes and plan adjustments in recent years. And don’t even think about splitting the cost by sharing a password. Mooching off your old roommate’s sister’s login is now a thing of the past as major streaming services crack down.
The latest: Disney+ raises its monthly, ad-supported rate to $12.99, while HBO Max gets price hikes across the board.
If you don’t keep close tabs on your subscriptions, it’s easy to miss a cost increase. A subscription that started at $4.99 per month can easily creep up to $9.99. If you have a half dozen or so video-streaming services, plus music streaming or cloud storage, it quickly adds up.
Below we’ll run through the price history of the top video-streaming services, and what you’ll pay if you sign up today. Netflix
After doing away with its Basic plan, Netflix now has three tiers: Standard with ads ($6.99), Standard ($15.49), and Premium ($22.99). You’d think a company would want as many people on its most expensive plan as possible, but the ad-based tier has proven popular and lucrative, hence the demise of the Basic plan. Looking for something to watch? Here’s what leaving and coming to Netflix this month. And check out 16 Underrated Netflix Shows and Movies to Stream Right Now.
Jan. 21, 2025: Netflix starts notifying customers of across-the-board price hikes:
Standard with ads increases from $6.99 to $7.99
Standard with no ads increases from $15.49 to $17.99
Premium with no ads increases from $22.99 to $24.99
Adding an extra member increases by $1 from $7.99 to $8.99
January 2024: Announces plans to get rid of the Basic plan for existing users.
October 2023:
The Basic plan goes up $2 per month from $9.99 to $11.99.
The Premium plan increases $3 from $19.99 to $22.99.
The Standard and ad-supported plans remain the same at $15.49 and $6.99, respectively.
July 2023: Gets rid of Basic ad-free $9.99 plan for new subscribers.
May 2023: Add another member is $7.99 per month/person for higher tiers.
November 2022: Launches ad-based tier for $6.99 per month.
January 2022:
Basic plan increases $1 per month from $8.99 to $9.99.
Standard plan increases $1.50 from $13.99 to $15.49.
Premium plan goes up $2 from $17.99 to $19.99.
October 2020: Netflix raises the Standard plan by a dollar to $13.99 a month, and the Premium tier by two dollars to $17.99 a month.
January 2019: The Standard plan goes up from $11 per month to $13. The Basic plan, on the other hand, increases from $8 to $9.
Jan. 21, 2025: Netflix starts notifying customers of across-the-board price hikes:
Standard with ads increases from $6.99 to $7.99
Standard with no ads increases from $15.49 to $17.99
Premium with no ads increases from $22.99 to $24.99
Adding an extra member increases by $1 from $7.99 to $8.99
October 2023:
The Basic plan goes up $2 per month from $9.99 to $11.99.
The Premium plan increases $3 from $19.99 to $22.99.
The Standard and ad-supported plans remain the same at $15.49 and $6.99, respectively.
January 2022:
Basic plan increases $1 per month from $8.99 to $9.99.
Standard plan increases $1.50 from $13.99 to $15.49.
Premium plan goes up $2 from $17.99 to $19.99.Apple TV
Apple TV came in at a low price due to an emerging library of original content. Plus, Apple could afford it. But as its shows have picked up steam over the years, thanks to hits like The Studio and Severance, the service’s pricing has fallen in line with its rivals. Purchasing a new Apple device will get you an extended free trial (for new customers), depending on what you buy. Apple is still a hardware company, after all. For more, check out The Best Shows and Movies on Apple TV.
October 2025: Apple and NBCUniversal announce a bundle that offers subscribers access to Apple TV and Peacock for a discounted rate of $14.99 per month.
October 2025: Apple changes the name of its streaming service from Apple TV+ to just Apple TV.
August 2025: Monthly price jumps to $12.99 per month. Annual is still $99.99.
October 2023: Goes up to $9.99 per month. Plus, the Apple One bundle, which includes cloud storage, Apple TV, and Apple Music, among other services, now costs $19.95 per month for individuals, up from $16.95.
October 2022: Price increase to $6.99 per month and $69 annually.
November 2019: Debuts at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.HBO Max / Discovery+
HBO made the jump to streaming in 2015 ahead of the season five premiere of Game of Thrones, with one service for those with a pay TV subscription and another for those who just watched online. At $14.99 per month, it was one of the more expensive options, but prestige TV doesn’t come cheap. Now HBO Max, it includes an ad-supported tier and content from Discovery. Looking for something to watch? Here’s what’s coming to Max this month. And don’t miss 15 HBO Max Sleeper Hits That Are Actually Worth Watching.
October 2025: More price hikes incoming, effective immediately for new customers and Nov. 20 for everyone else.
Recommended by Our Editors
x Just Hiked Prices for the Second Time in 18 Months
What’s New to Watch on Disney+ and Hulu the Week of Oct. 17, 2025
What’s New to Watch on HBO Max the Week of Oct. 17, 2025
HBO Max’s Basic with Ads plan is rising $1 a month to $10.99. The annual subscription is jumping to $109.99 from $99.99.
HBO Max Standard subscription is increasing by $1.50 a month to $18.49. Annual subscription is $184.99, up from $169.99.
HBO Max Premium goes up $2 per month to $22.99 per month. A yearly subscription goes up $20 to $229.99.
July 2025: Max is once again HBO Max, but the price is the same.
