One in three Americans are cutting household costs to hang on to their streaming subscriptions

Rhea-AI Summary

Bango (BGOPF) research dated Nov 5, 2025 finds one in three U.S. streamers (34%) cut other household costs to maintain streaming subscriptions. The survey reports 63% of subscribers can’t afford all services they want and 55% say bills are higher than they’d like, prompting tier moves, ad-tolerance for discounts, and bundling.

Key behaviors: 60% would accept more ads for bigger discounts, 42% downgrade to ad plans, 68% buy via bundles (avg saving $16.32/month), and 60% name Netflix a “Forever Subscription.”

Positive

• 34% of U.S. streamers cut costs to keep subscriptions
• 60% would accept more ads in exchange for discounts
• 68% purchase subscriptions via bundles
• Average reported bundle saving of $16.32 per month
• 60% cite Netflix as a "Forever Subscription"

Negative

• 63% of subscribers say they can’t afford all services they want
• 55% report streaming bills are higher than they’d like
• 42% downgraded to ad-supported tiers, signaling revenue pressure
• 22% switched to a bundle in the past six months, shifting distribution

Consumers trim household costs elsewhere to keep spending on must-have streaming services, including most favored: Netflix

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A third of U.S. streamers (34%) say they have cut back on other household expenses specifically to keep paying for their streaming subscriptions. That’s according to a newly released “Streaming Squeeze” research report from Bango (AIM:BGO), examining how streaming fans are coping with rising costs.

As inflation continues to squeeze household budgets, nearly two-thirds (63%) of Americans with streaming subscriptions say they can’t afford all the services they want, while more than half (55%) admit their streaming bills are higher than they’d like.

As a result, many now rotate, move up and down ad tiers, or bundle subscriptions, doing whatever it takes to stay subscribed and keep their favorite streaming services.

Ad tiers: choice wins, but the tension is real

The majority of consumers (69%) say paid subscriptions should never show ads, yet 60% say they would accept even more ads on their streaming, in exchange for a bigger discount. According to Bango’s report, this shows a clash between what people want and what they’re willing to pay for.

In practice, ad tiering is helping to expand the market in both directions: when cheaper ad-supported plans launch, 42% downgrade onto them and 39% upgrade to avoid them.

The net effect is more people participating at a price they can manage, and more subscribers staying “in the ecosystem”, continuing to spend on streaming rather than canceling outright.

Younger subscribers are even more likely to use tiers as a “safety valve”. For example, half of Gen Z (47%) report starting a subscription when an ad-supported option became available, compared with only a quarter of Boomers.

The ‘forever’ effect: protected subscriptions at the center

Even as budgets tighten, consumers keep spending on at least one “Forever Subscription” they say they’ll never cancel. Netflix dominates that leaderboard (60%), followed by Prime Video (31%) and Hulu (24%).

Looking at different age brackets, Netflix also secures cross-generational appeal, which highlights its universal pull. In contrast, Prime skews older, with 45% of Boomers considering it a Forever Subscription — more than any other generation. At the other end of the scale, Disney+ resonates with younger audiences (28% of Gen Z treat it as a Forever Subscription).

Bundling: buying more for less

More than two-thirds of subscribers (68%) have taken an indirect subscription - buying via a bundle or third-party channel. These bundled buyers report meaningful monthly savings, and typically hold more subscriptions overall — because when costs come down and admin gets simpler, subscribers keep more of what they love.

Among streaming subscribers who report savings, the average monthly saving is $16.32, with roughly half saying they save $15–$24 or more each month. Given these benefits, 22% of streaming subscribers have switched to a bundle deal in the past six months — where services are offered indirectly through a telecom or TV provider, included as a perk with other services, or bundled together via a platform like Amazon Prime. This momentum is even stronger among younger adults, with a third (32%) of Gen Z signing up for bundles in the same time period.

Subscribers keep spending

Commenting on the new study, Paul Larbey, CEO at Bango, said, “Subscribers refuse to give up on streaming — they just keep spending. But they’re re-balancing that spend to protect the streamers they love the most. They'll cut back elsewhere, tolerate ads if the deal’s right, and move up or down tiers when new options land. But a key point is that for most people, Netflix is a non-negotiable ‘Forever Subscription’.

“For SVOD teams looking to grow their subscriber base in this market, the brief isn’t ‘add more content’, it’s ‘productize choice’. Offer clear ad tiering options to keep subscribers paying, and make upgrade/downgrade as easy as play/pause. Treat ‘forever’ as a distribution strategy by bundling alongside the brands people never cancel.”

To find out more about today’s streaming and subscription habits, download Bango’s full Streaming Squeeze report here.

About Bango

Bango enables content providers to reach more paying customers through global partnerships. Bango revolutionized the monetization of digital content and services, by opening-up online payments to mobile phone users worldwide. Today, the Digital Vending Machine® is driving the rapid growth of the subscription economy, powering choice and control for subscribers.

The world's largest content providers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft trust Bango technology to reach subscribers everywhere.

Bango, where people subscribe. For more information, visit www.bango.com

Media contact
For US enquiries, contact SamsonPR: bango@samsonpr.com
For all other enquiries, contact Giles Tongue, VP Marketing at Bango: giles@bango.com

FAQ

What did Bango report about U.S. streaming affordability on Nov 5, 2025 for BGOPF?

Bango found 34% of U.S. streamers cut other household costs to keep streaming, and 63% can’t afford all the services they want.

How common is ad-tolerant behavior among subscribers according to BGOPF’s Nov 5, 2025 report?

60% of respondents said they would accept more ads on streaming in exchange for a bigger discount.

What does the Nov 5, 2025 Bango report say about bundling and savings for BGOPF investors?

The report shows 68% buy via bundles and the average monthly saving among those reporting savings is $16.32.

Which services are most likely to be "Forever Subscriptions" per Bango (BGOPF) Nov 5, 2025?

Survey respondents named Netflix 60%, Prime Video 31%, and Hulu 24% as subscriptions they’d never cancel.

How are younger viewers responding to new ad tiers in the Nov 5, 2025 BGOPF study?

Younger viewers use tiers more as a safety valve: 47% of Gen Z started subscriptions when ad-supported options arrived.

What investor implications does Bango’s Nov 5, 2025 streaming study suggest for BGOPF stakeholders?

The findings indicate pressure on pricing but expanded participation via ad tiers and bundles, which can preserve subscriber counts while compressing ARPU.