Remember when cutting the cable cord was supposed to save you money?
How’s that working out for you now that you’re paying for Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max (sorry, “Max”), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, Paramount+, and maybe Spotify and YouTube Premium on top of that?
Let’s do the math:
- Netflix: $15.49/month (Standard)
- Disney+: $13.99/month
- Hulu: $17.99/month (no ads)
- Max: $15.99/month
- Amazon Prime Video: $8.99/month (or included with Prime)
- Apple TV+: $9.99/month
- Paramount+: $11.99/month
Total: $94.43/month = $1,133.16 per year
Compare that to: Cable package average of $83/month.
Congratulations, you played yourself.
The streaming wars promised infinite content, lower costs, and freedom from cable bundles. Instead, we got fragmented content, rising prices, and… bundles again.
Let’s break down what happened, who actually won, and most importantly—how to stop hemorrhaging money on streaming services you barely use.
How We Got Here: The Rise and Fall of Streaming Utopia
Phase 1: The Netflix Golden Age (2010-2019)
The promise: Everything in one place for $7.99/month.
What we had:
- Netflix had basically everything (shows, movies, originals)
- Hulu existed but was secondary
- Amazon Prime Video was a nice bonus
- That’s it. Three services, tops.
The experience: Glorious. Cancel cable, pay $20-30/month total, access almost everything.
Why it worked: Content owners licensed everything to Netflix cheaply because they didn’t understand streaming yet.
Phase 2: Everyone Wants a Piece (2019-2021)
What happened: Content owners realized they were stupid for licensing to Netflix when they could stream directly.
The land grab:
- Disney launches Disney+ (and takes all Disney/Marvel/Star Wars content)
- NBCUniversal launches Peacock (takes The Office, Parks and Rec)
- WarnerMedia launches HBO Max
- CBS launches Paramount+
- Everyone else launches a streaming service
The pitch: “It’s only $5.99/month for all of [our content]!”
The trap: You need seven services to see what you used to see on one.
Phase 3: The Reckoning (2022-2025)
What’s happening now:
- Streaming services lose billions annually
- Companies realize streaming isn’t profitable
- Prices increase dramatically
- Ad tiers return (the thing we escaped from)
- Services merge (HBO Max + Discovery = Max)
- Content is removed from platforms to save money
- Shows are canceled after one season
The reality: The streaming model was never sustainable at the prices they promised.
Who Actually Won the Streaming Wars
Let’s be clear: Nobody wins these wars except the executives. But if we’re ranking “winners” and “losers”:
The Winners:
1. Netflix (Barely)
- Still has the most subscribers globally
- Successfully transitioned to ads + premium tiers
- Original content strategy paid off (sometimes)
- But: Lost tons of licensed content, price increases angered subscribers, growth slowing
2. Disney+ (By Consolidation)
- Bundle strategy (Disney+ + Hulu + ESPN+)
- Owns Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney catalog
- But: Losing billions, raised prices, facing subscriber plateau
3. Amazon Prime Video (By Cheating)
- Bundled with Amazon Prime (everyone has it anyway)
- Deep pockets to weather losses
- But: Content quality is hit-or-miss, adding ads even to “included” tier
4. YouTube (The Actual Winner)
- Free tier with ads
- Premium tier removes ads + music
- Infinite content from creators
- Actually profitable
- Most watched streaming platform
The Losers:
1. HBO Max → Max
- Lost billions
- Terrible rebrand
- Removed tons of content
- Leadership chaos
2. Paramount+
- Nobody remembers this exists
- Limited appealing content
- Struggling financially
3. Peacock
- Billions in losses
- People only subscribe for one show then cancel
- NBCUniversal questioning its existence
4. Apple TV+
- High-quality content
- Nobody watches it
- Estimated 0.2% of US TV viewing
- Apple can afford to lose money forever, so they probably will
The Real Winners:
Content creators. For a brief moment, streaming competition meant:
- More shows getting made
- Higher budgets
- More opportunities
But that’s ending too. Now we’re back to “only make guaranteed hits.”
The Real Losers:
You. The consumer. You’re paying more for less, and nobody cares.
Why Streaming Services Are Getting Worse
It’s not your imagination. They genuinely are.
Reason 1: The Money Ran Out
The model:
- Spend billions on content to attract subscribers
- Charge $5-10/month
- ???
- Profit!
The problem: Step 3 never materialized. Streaming is expensive. Server costs, content costs, marketing costs—all while charging less than cable.
The solution: Raise prices, cut content, add ads.
Reason 2: Wall Street Demands Profitability
For years, investors accepted losses if subscriber numbers went up. Not anymore.
Now Wall Street wants:
- Fewer subscribers paying more > more subscribers paying less
- Profitability over growth
- Cost cutting over content spending
What this means:
- Fewer shows made
- Shows canceled faster
- Higher prices
- Content removed to avoid residuals
Reason 3: The Bundle Trap Returns
Remember when we hated cable for forcing bundles? They’re back.
Current bundles:
- Disney+ + Hulu + ESPN+ ($24.99/month)
- Netflix + Paramount+ (Walmart bundle)
- Max + Discovery+ (they’re the same company now)
- Amazon Prime Video + Paramount+ + Showtime
The pitch: “Save money with bundles!”
The reality: We’ve recreated cable but worse.
Reason 4: Password Sharing Crackdown
Netflix led the charge. Others are following.
What they’re doing:
- Limiting number of devices
- IP address tracking
- Charging fees for “extra members”
- Forcing account verification
Why it’s annoying:
- Families split across locations can’t share
- You pay for multiple streams but can’t use them how you want
- Visiting parents? Gotta log out and in constantly
- Vacation rental? Doesn’t work
The impact: Many people just cancel when they can’t share anymore.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
The subscription price isn’t the only cost.
Mental Cost: Decision Fatigue
The experience:
- Want to watch something
- Don’t know which service it’s on
- Search multiple apps
- Find it on service you don’t have
- Debate subscribing just for that show
- End up watching nothing and doomscrolling TikTok
The solution: Apps like JustWatch that tell you where things are streaming. But you shouldn’t need an app to use apps.
Time Cost: Subscription Management
- Remembering to cancel free trials
- Tracking which services you actually use
- Canceling and resubscribing when you need specific content
- Managing payment info across platforms
- Dealing with price increases
The result: Subscription fatigue. You’re spending time managing subscriptions instead of enjoying content.
Content Discovery Cost
The problem: Each service’s algorithm only shows you their content.
What you miss:
- Great shows on services you don’t have
- Content that would be perfect for you but you don’t know exists
- Recommendations limited to single platform
The irony: More content available than ever, harder than ever to find what you want.
What You Should Actually Pay For (The Honest Guide)
Let’s be real: You can’t afford every service. Here’s how to choose.
The Tier System:
Tier 1: Must-Have (Keep Year-Round)
Netflix – If you watch regularly
- Most content
- Best originals (hit-or-miss)
- Something for everyone
Disney+ Bundle – If you have kids or love Marvel/Star Wars
- Disney catalog
- Hulu content
- ESPN+ (if you watch sports)
Amazon Prime Video – If you have Prime anyway
- Included with Amazon Prime
- Add-on channels available
- Good original content
YouTube Premium – The overlooked winner
- No ads on YouTube
- Background play on mobile
- YouTube Music included
- More content than any streaming service
Tier 2: Seasonal Subscriptions (Subscribe When Watching)
Max – For specific shows
- HBO quality content
- DC content
- Subscribe when show you want is airing, cancel after
Apple TV+ – For specific shows
- High-quality originals
- Limited library
- Subscribe, binge, cancel
Paramount+ – For specific shows (Star Trek, etc.)
- Only if you watch their specific shows
Tier 3: Probably Skip
Peacock – Unless you watch sports or one specific show
Discovery+ – Niche content, not worth it for most
Showtime, Starz, etc. – Can be added through other services if needed
The Rotation Strategy (How to Save $500+/Year)
The concept: Rotate services. Subscribe to one or two at a time, binge everything you want, cancel, move to next service.
Example schedule:
Months 1-3: Netflix + Disney+
- Watch everything new on both
- Cancel both
Months 4-6: Max + Apple TV+
- Binge their shows
- Cancel both
Months 7-9: Back to Netflix + Disney+
- New content has accumulated
- Repeat
Months 10-12: Paramount+ + Peacock
- Catch up on their content
- Cancel
Savings: $50-70/month compared to keeping everything = $600-840/year
The catch: Requires discipline and planning.
The Free and Cheap Alternatives
You don’t need to pay for everything.
Free Streaming:
Pluto TV – Free with ads
- Cable-like experience
- Good for background viewing
Tubi – Surprisingly good free content
- Large library
- Ads aren’t terrible
Freevee (Amazon) – Free with ads
- Some originals
- Decent movie selection
YouTube – Obviously free
- Creators make better content than most streaming shows
- Ad-supported
Your Library – Seriously
- Many libraries offer free streaming (Kanopy, Hoopla)
- Physical media rentals (DVDs/Blu-rays)
Cheaper Options:
Ad-Supported Tiers
- Netflix: $6.99 (vs $15.49)
- Hulu: $7.99 (vs $17.99)
- Max: $9.99 (vs $15.99)
If you can tolerate ads: Save $50+/month
Student Discounts
- Spotify + Hulu + Showtime: $5.99/month for students
- Apple TV+: $5.99 for students
- Amazon Prime: $7.49/month for students
The Piracy Elephant in the Room
Let’s address it: Piracy is rising again.
Why:
- Content fragmented across too many services
- Prices too high
- Content removed from platforms
- Geographic restrictions
- Easier to pirate than manage 10 subscriptions
The ethics:
- Is it stealing? Yes.
- Do companies care about you? No.
- Will they change if piracy rises? Maybe.
I’m not recommending it, but the streaming industry created the conditions for its return.
The Future of Streaming (Spoiler: It Gets Worse)
What’s coming:
More Price Increases
- Netflix will hit $20+ for standard
- Others will follow
- Annual increases become normal
More Ads
- Even premium tiers might get ads
- Unskippable ads increase
- Ads between episodes/scenes
More Consolidation
- Services will merge
- Fewer companies controlling more content
- Back to cable-like monopolies
More Content Removal
- Shows removed after release
- No long-term access
- “You don’t own digital content”
More Restrictions
- Stricter password sharing rules
- Device limits
- Geographic restrictions
AI-Generated Content
- Cheaper to produce
- Lower quality
- Studios will try it
The sad truth: Streaming will eventually become what we tried to escape from—expensive, ad-filled, bundled cable, but over the internet.
How to Actually Save Money (The Action Plan)
Step 1: Audit Your Subscriptions
- List every streaming service you pay for
- Note last time you actually watched each
- Calculate total monthly cost
Step 2: Cut Immediately
- Cancel anything you haven’t used in 60 days
- Keep maximum 2-3 services
Step 3: Implement Rotation Strategy
- Subscribe to 1-2 at a time
- Binge everything
- Cancel
- Move to next
Step 4: Use Free Options
- Library apps
- Ad-supported tiers
- YouTube
Step 5: Share (Within ToS)
- Family plans are allowed
- Split costs with actual family members
- Don’t violate terms (they’re cracking down)
Step 6: Wait
- Most shows get bundled for cheaper elsewhere eventually
- Don’t need to watch everything immediately
Realistic target: Cut streaming costs from $100/month to $30-40/month without sacrificing much.
The Bottom Line
The streaming wars are over. Nobody won except the companies who convinced you to pay for eight services instead of one.
What we were promised:
- Cheaper than cable
- Everything in one place
- Freedom from ads and bundles
What we got:
- Just as expensive as cable (or more)
- Content scattered across 20 services
- Ads are back, bundles are back
What you should do:
- Audit your subscriptions
- Cut ruthlessly
- Rotate services
- Use free options
- Stop feeling obligated to watch everything
The harsh reality: Streaming companies bet you’re too lazy to cancel, too afraid of missing out, and too overwhelmed to manage your subscriptions effectively.
Prove them wrong.
Your wallet will thank you.