American households on average spent $69 per month in 2025 on streaming video services — the same as they did the year prior, according to a newly released study by consulting firm Deloitte.
At the same time, more U.S. consumers than ever subscribe to ad-supported streaming services, which notched double-digit growth last year. Around two-thirds (68%) of U.S. streaming subscribers now pay for an ad tier, up from 54% in 2024 and 46% the year prior.
Overall, roughly 90% of U.S. households now have a paid subscription VOD service. The average consumer has four paid streaming video services, the same as the prior three years.
As the prices of streaming services have risen over time, “ad-supported tiers have emerged not just as a budget alternative, but as a primary engine of subscriber growth and engagement, especially as many consumers grow more cautious about recurring expenses and frustrated with rising prices,” Deloitte said in releasing the 20th annual edition of its “Digital Media Trends” report Wednesday.
Price hikes are an ongoing irritation for consumers. In 2025, services that hiked fees included Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, HBO Max and NBCUniversal’s Peacock. This January, Paramount+ raised pricing and in April Amazon’s no-ads Prime Video tier is going up to $5/month.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. streaming customers say they’re frustrated that the entertainment services they subscribe to continue to raise prices, the Deloitte study found. About 61% of those surveyed said they would cancel their favorite service if monthly prices increased by $5.
Meanwhile, the annual churn rate among streaming video subscribers remained roughly flat year-over-year at around 40%.
Per Deloitte’s analysis of the sector, consumers who identify as “fans” are a key growth driver. Most consumers (around 80%) identify as “fans” and spend $71 per month on video streaming, 27% more than “non-fans” ($56 per month). Fans also report spending nearly an hour more (51 additional minutes, or 16% more time) per day on entertainment activities compared to non-fans. Overall, U.S. consumers spend an average of 6 hours per day on media and entertainment activities, according to Deloitte’s study.
“As some consumers plan to spend less on streaming services, passionate fans have the potential to become even more valuable, investing time, money and energy across platforms,” said Doug Van Dyke, Deloitte’s vice chair and U.S. telecom, media and entertainment sector leader.
The Deloitte study found that entertainment companies can tap into AI to improve the fan experience. About 27% of fans say they are interested in personalized, AI-generated digests of streaming, social, podcast and actor updates about their favorite TV shows and franchises. Around a quarter of fans (24%) say they would like the option to co-create content with generative AI, like developing alternative endings to shows or movies. Moreover, some fans are open to AI-generated advertisements, with around one-third saying they “don’t care” if ads are made using gen-AI technology.
The 2026 edition of Deloitte’s “Digital Media Trends” report is based on an online survey of 3,575 consumers 14 and older fielded in October and November 2025.
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