It's not just you. Your streaming bill is more expensive this summer.
Max is the latest streaming service to boost prices.
Spotify also recently announced its monthly subscription was getting more expensive.
Overall, your streaming bill this summer is likely higher than last year.
It's not just your electrical bill that's expected to go up this summer.
Your streaming bill is also likely to hit your wallet harder this summer compared to last year.
Ten of the top streaming services have boosted prices at least once in the past year, according to an analysis conducted by Business Insider.
Max was the latest to boost prices, effective immediately for new subscribers and by the next billing date on or after July 4 for current subscribers.
Ad-free plans will increase from $15.99 to $16.99 a month and $149.99 to $169.99 a year for annual plans. The Ultimate ad-free plan which includes 4k UHD streaming, will increase from $19.99 to $20.99 a month and $199.99 to $209.99 a year.
Those with the ad-supported plan will be spared — for now. Max's streaming plan with ads remains at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.
Max wasn't the first price hike announced this week. A day earlier, Spotify announced that Premium monthly plans for Individual, Duo, and Family were increasing by $1, $2, and $3, respectively.
Video and music streaming services have overwhelmingly surged since last summer, and not just by raising existing plans.
They've also seen some changes. Amazon Prime Video introduced ads earlier this year. If you want to avoid them, you were forced to upgrade to a more expensive plan, which costs an extra $2.99.
Netflix first introduced its ad-supported plan back in 2022, which has remained the same price since launch, $6.99, and helped the company's subscriber base reach new heights.
The changes highlight the efforts that streaming companies are making to boost their revenue per subscriber — which included an industry-wide crackdown on password-sharing. Netflix led the charge, announcing that it was limiting viewership to household members and charging $7.99 a month for each outside user. Since then, many of its rivals are planning to follow suit, including Disney+ and Max.
Some streaming companies are also moving toward bundled pricing, with the combined costs of multiple streaming services starting to rival cable TV. An analysis conducted by the Financial Times last August priced a top US streaming service bundle at $87, exceeding the $83 average cable package.
However, viewers who don't mind some ad breaks will still find themselves enjoying streaming as a cheaper cable alternative.
With prices continuing to rise along with the heat, it will be interesting to see if consumers add pruning their streaming package to their summer chores list.
Read the original article on Business Insider
