Costs of living are rising across the board and the streaming services used by millions of people are no different. Earlier this week it was announced that Amazon Prime Video will be raising its monthly prices from £7.99 to £8.99 from September 15, 2022.
An email sent to customers in the UK said those on an annual membership will also go from paying £79 to £95 from that date. According to the latest data 16.9 million people - or around 58% of households - currently have at least one paid subscription service.
The latest increases are likely to further heap the pressure on households struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis, and for many it could mean having to cancel your subscriptions.
Read more: 40% of Welsh households can afford nothing beyond everyday essentials
With so many price rises, it might be worth checking what services you pay for, which ones are cheapest and what deals you can avail of. Here's a list of all the current prices on streaming services and what you get for your money.
Netflix
How much it costs: £6.99 per month on standard definition on one device / £10.99 per month on HD and on two devices / £15.99 per month on Ultra HD on four devices
What you get: Nearly 2,000 TV shows and over 4,000 movies
In March 2022, Netflix raised its prices for UK subscribers by £1 a month from £5.99 to £6.99. Its HD option went from £9.99 to £10.99 and the premium plan increased by £2 a month to £15.99. The price increase came into effect immediately for new subscribers, while existing subscribers got 30 days' notice by email unless they changed their plan.
A Netflix spokesperson at the time that the higher prices "reflect the investment we have made in our service and catalogue and will allow us to continue making the series, documentaries and films our members love as well as investing in talent and the creative industry."
There aren't many ways to get Netflix for cheaper - it ditched its 30-day free trial back in 2019. You can get it for £39 per month with Sky TV but this isn't a good option if you just want to binge box sets on Netflix. Find out more about Netflix here.
Amazon Prime Video
How much it costs: £7.99 a month, rising to £8.99 from September 15 / £79 per year rising to £95 on September 15
What you get: Thousands of films and TV programmes including Amazon Originals exclusives
Regarding its price rises announced earlier this week an Amazon spokesperson said: "Prime offers the best of shopping and entertainment, and continues to improve each year. We have increased the number of products available with fast, unlimited Prime delivery, recently added ultra-fast fresh grocery delivery, and have significantly expanded our high-quality digital entertainment, including TV, movies, music, games, and books.
“With increased inflation and operating costs in the UK continuing to rise, we will change the price of Prime.”
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has given his advice on how to get Prime for cheaper before the new rates come in. You can read what he said here. You can also get Prime Video if you get a 30-day free trials for signing up for Amazon Prime. Find out more about Prime Video here.
Disney Plus
How much it costs: £7.99 per month or £79.90 a year
What you get: Disney films and TV series including Marvel and Star Wars, plus Disney+ Originals
With its big-hitting franchises, Disney Plus is probably your pick if you're into all things Disney and its subsidiaries like Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and many more. It most recently raised its prices in February 2021 and hasn't done so since. One downside is that there is no free trial with Disney Plus, so unfortunately you can't try before you buy. Find out more about Disney Plus here.
Apple TV+
How much it costs: £4.99 a month
What you get: New Apple Originals films and TV shows every month
While it might not have the endless library of Netflix, Apple TV+ has spent big on developing original content and acquiring titles that can serve as Apple TV Plus exclusives of all genres. There is no word currently on any possible price increases to Apply TV+, but if you sign up you get a seven-day free trial. Find out more here.
NOW Entertainment
How much it costs: £9.99 per month
What you get: Hundreds of box sets, Sky Originals and live and on-demand Sky TV channels including Sky One
Owned by Sky, NOW has a number of different packages depending on what you like to watch. NOW Entertainment offers hundreds of box sets and a range of TV channels not available on Freeview, including Sky Atlantic, Sky Comedy and Sky Documentaries, as well as on-demand box sets and documentaries. It has not announced anything on price increases but there's a seven-day free trial if you sign up. Find out all you need to know about NOW here.
NOW Cinema
How much it costs: £9.99 per month
What you get: More than 1,000 films including Sky Originals and 11 Sky Cinema channels
For movie lovers, Now Cinema offers access to over 1,000 movies to watch on demand, plus all the Sky Cinema channels including Premiere, Hits, Action, Comedy and Animation. It has actually reduced in price in the past few years, down to £9.99 from £11.99, and the package includes a seven-day free trial before you sign up properly.
BritBox
How much it costs: 5.99 a month or £59.99 per year (which works out as roughly £4.99 per month)
What you get: TV series and films from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Comedy Central and Film 4, as well BritBox Original exclusives
BritBox is a subscription service formed as a joint venture between UK broadcasters ITV and BBC, and offers many programmes that are no longer available on ITV Hub or BBC iPlayer. You can sign up through its website, download the app and stream as much as you want. There is also a seven-day free trial if you sign up. You can find out more here.
MUBI
How much it costs: £9.99 per month or £95.88 a year (about £7.99 a month)
What you get: A curated selection of films for movie fans
MUBI specialises in world cinema, independent films, old classics and arthouse gems. Its hand-picked approach is unique by adding a film every day and removing it 30 days later, so you've always got something new to watch. You can get a seven-day free trial when you sign up. Find out more about MUBI here.
Hayu
How much it costs: £4.99 per month / £23.99 for six month / £43.99 for 12 months
What you get: Plenty of reality TV
Hayu came onto the scene in 2016 and mainly focuses on reality and true-crime TV, with over 300 shows on the platform. Hayu offers a seven-day free trial so you can make sure you're actually going to watch the shows before signing up to the streaming service. Find out more about Hayu here.
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