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Streaming is not universally more expensive than cable: Deloitte’s 2025 survey found that subscribers to four paid streaming video services spent an average of $69 a month, while pay-TV subscribers reported about $125. But separate subscriptions, price increases and the need to add live-TV options can make streaming feel less simple—and less affordable—than its à-la-carte promise. The better comparison is your household’s full bill and viewing needs, not a blanket claim that one option always costs less.
Is streaming more expensive than cable?
Not in the available national comparison. Deloitte Insights reported in 2025 that surveyed subscribers to four paid subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services spent an average of $69 per month, up from $61 in 2024. The same report put average pay-TV subscription spending at about $125 per month.
Those figures are useful context, not a like-for-like quote for every household. They do not account for each person’s mix of services and plan tiers, or establish whether a pay-TV bill includes broadband, equipment or fees. The streaming figure covers four paid SVOD services; it does not mean every household subscribes to four, or that four services provide the same live channels as a cable package.
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| Measure | Reported amount or finding | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Paid SVOD spending | $69 per month in 2025, up from $61 in 2024 | Deloitte-reported average among a sample of 3,229 SVOD subscribers; spending for four paid services. |
| Pay-TV subscriptions | About $125 per month | Deloitte’s 2025 reported average for cable or satellite subscriptions; not a controlled comparison of total household costs. |
| Streaming value judgment | 44% said the services they use were worth the cost; 31% said they were not; 25% were unsure | Pew Research Center survey finding from 2025; responses show mixed views, not a consensus that streaming is a bad deal. |
In Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey of 9,397 U.S. adults, 83% said they watched streaming services and 36% said they subscribed to cable or satellite at home; 28% reported both streaming use and a cable or satellite subscription. Streaming and pay TV are not always mutually exclusive choices.
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Why are streaming services getting so expensive?
The practical reason a streaming bill can grow is that the total is spread across several recurring subscriptions. Each service may seem manageable on its own, but the household pays the sum of every active plan. Plan choices matter too: ad-supported and ad-free tiers can have different costs, while a household seeking live news or sports may need a separate live-TV option in addition to on-demand libraries.
Deloitte’s reported average for four paid services rose from $61 a month in 2024 to $69 in 2025, a 13% increase. That is a survey result about subscriber spending, not a price list or proof that every provider raised its price by the same amount. Prices, tiers and bundle terms change; the cited figures do not establish current prices for individual services.
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A 2025 snapshot from Democratic staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation also cited average streaming spending of $69 per month and listed price increases at several major services. Its discussion of consolidation and possible consumer effects is analysis and projection, not evidence that a specific consolidation caused a particular household’s bill to rise.
What makes streaming feel like a trap?
“Trapped” is a fair description of the tradeoff some viewers experience, but the available evidence does not establish that streaming companies deliberately trap subscribers. The mechanics are less dramatic and easier to verify: multiple recurring bills, separate content libraries, changing prices, and the inconvenience of deciding which service to keep when the show or event you want is elsewhere.
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Survey findings suggest that price sensitivity and switching are real. In Deloitte’s 2025 survey, 60% said a $5 price increase would make them likely to cancel their favorite SVOD service. That measures stated likelihood, not cancellations caused by an actual price increase. Separately, 39% said they had canceled at least one paid SVOD service in the prior six months, and 24% said they had canceled and returned within six months.
Cancellation and re-subscribing can be a way to limit spending when your viewing needs change, but it is not automatically frictionless. The evidence here does not establish the cancellation steps or terms for individual providers. Check the account’s current billing and cancellation terms, including when access ends and whether a returning subscription would have the same plan or price.
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How much do people spend on streaming each month?
The most useful benchmark in the cited U.S. data is Deloitte’s $69 monthly average in 2025 among surveyed subscribers to four paid SVOD services, compared with $61 in 2024. It is not a universal household average: it applies to the surveyed group and the report’s measure of paid SVOD spending.
A separate 2026 CableTV.com report, based partly on a Pollfish survey of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18–65 fielded in January 2026, found that 43% named cost as their primary reason for canceling a streaming subscription. CableTV.com also reported that half of cable subscribers bundled TV with internet or mobile. These are that report’s survey results, not official national statistics; a bundle’s value depends on its specific price and conditions.
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Is cable cheaper if I want live sports or news?
It depends on the channels and events you need and what each option costs at your address. Deloitte reported that live news was the primary reason for paying for cable or satellite for 43% of those subscribers, and sports for 41%. Those figures help explain why some households keep pay TV, but they do not show that cable is the cheapest way for every viewer to watch live programming.
Compare the specific live channels or events you need against the available alternatives, then add their full monthly costs. For pay TV, include any relevant equipment, fees and broadband costs; for a streaming setup, count all required subscriptions and any live-TV service. If either option is bundled with internet or mobile, compare the actual bundle terms and what happens to the price if you remove one component.
How to compare your household’s real monthly cost
- List what you actively pay for. Include every recurring on-demand and live-TV subscription, not just the service you use most.
- Record the plan and billing amount for each. Distinguish ad-supported from ad-free plans and note whether a price is promotional or recurring.
- Write down what you actually need to watch. Separate on-demand shows and films from live news, sports and other channels; identify which service or package supplies each.
- Add the full pay-TV and broadband costs. Include equipment and fees where applicable, and check whether internet is already included in a bundle.
- Compare bundle conditions, not just the headline price. Check the term, what the price becomes afterward, and whether removing a service changes the rest of the bill.
- Revisit subscriptions when your viewing changes. If you pause or cancel a service, verify its current cancellation and billing terms and note when access ends.
This method avoids comparing a bare streaming subscription with a cable bill that includes other services—or comparing an on-demand library with a package chosen for live programming. The relevant answer is the total cost of the combination your household would actually use.
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