Whether you spend your time in front of the TV watching sports, the news, the latest buzzy shows or reruns of your favorite sitcoms, you've probably noticed that you're shelling out more for your entertainment in recent years. Between March 2024 and March 2026, prices for subscription and rental of video and video games, which includes subscription streaming services, surged roughly 25%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Costs are rising so much that the phenomenon even has a new nickname: “streamflation.” Netflix, the largest and most popular streaming service, hiked prices for all three of its subscription tiers in March for the second time in less than two years. In April, prices for Amazon Prime Video's ad-free tier increased by $2 per month. Many of the other major players, including Paramount+ and HBO Max, have also raised their prices within the past year.
