Let’s say you have a streaming stack of HBO Now, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Sling TV. At their lowest subscription levels, that will cost you about $64.00 a month. When you add on broadband access, which costs on average $52 per month, according to Kagan, you’re already at $114.
$64 + $52 = $114/month on average!
According to the Leichtman Research Group, the average cost for pay-TV service in 2016 was $103 per month. While streamers no doubt have access to more content than ever, the question remains whether the current à la carte streaming era is actually better for consumers.
With more streaming services entering the market in the next few years, you wonder when consumers will start feeling subscription overload. If cord-cutting was originally driven by cost, it no longer seems to be the main benefit to doing so.
There are other benefits of course—more content, choice, and freedom. But with it comes confusion, gaps in programming, and frustration in finding the shows you want to watch when you want to watch them. The more you think about it, is it worth the high price?
