How Much Do Americans Spend on Subscriptions? (2026 Data)

US adults who pay for subscriptions spend an average of $111 a month ($1,332 a year), according to CNET's 2026 subscription survey, conducted by YouGov. That's up 23% from $90 a month in 2025. The same survey found people waste about $21 a month on subscriptions they don't use. Below is what the main studies say, why their numbers differ and how to calculate your own total.

#How much does the average American spend on subscriptions?

CNET's 2026 survey is the most recent large, weighted look at all subscription spending. YouGov surveyed 2,522 US adults online from April 29 to May 1, 2026; 2,074 of them had paid for a subscription in the past year. The averages below are for those subscribers:

By generation, Millennials spend the most ($125 a month) and Gen X the least ($100). Millennials also waste the most on unused subscriptions ($29 a month), followed by Gen Z ($27). Streaming is the most common type: 61% had paid for a streaming or video service since April 2025.

#Do people underestimate what they spend?

By a lot. In a C+R Research survey of 1,000 US consumers (April 22 to May 2, 2022), people first guessed their monthly subscription spending. The average guess was $86. When they went category by category, the average came to $219, more than 2.5 times the guess.

The same survey found that 42% had kept paying for a subscription after they stopped using it. These are 2022 numbers, so the dollar amounts are dated, but the gap between what people think they pay and what they actually pay is the useful part.

#How much do households spend on streaming?

Streaming is the most common type of subscription, and studies usually measure it per household:

• Deloitte, 2025: what subscribing households reported paying for streaming video rose from $61 to $69 a month (Digital Media Trends 2025, 3,595 US consumers surveyed in October 2024).
• Deloitte, fall 2026: the Digital Media Monitor, updated October 15, 2026, says the average subscribing household spends $76 a month on streaming video subscriptions, with Gen Z highest at $83.
• Bank of America, 2025: from its own card data for May to July 2025, about two-thirds of households paid under $40 a month for streaming TV and music, and about 10% paid more than $100.

#Is subscription spending still growing?

Yes, and faster than spending overall. The Bank of America Institute reported in September 2026 that recurring subscription payments grew 7.7% year over year in July 2026, beating total card spending growth by more than 1.5 percentage points. Gen Z's subscription spending grew fastest, at nearly 14%.

Price increases are a big part of it. In 2026 alone, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube Premium, Peacock, Disney+, Hulu and others raised US prices, as our list of 2026 price increases shows. The Subfaro price index tracks a basket of popular services month by month against official inflation.

#Where does the subscription money go?

Bank of America's card data shows that entertainment and retail subscriptions make up roughly 43% of all subscription spending, and they drove most of the recent growth. Reading and information subscriptions are the smallest share, but they're growing fastest across generations.

Streaming video is nearly universal. In Deloitte's 2026 Digital Media Trends survey (3,575 US consumers, October and November 2025), 90% of US households had a paid streaming video service, with an average of four services.

People also cancel more than you might think. In the same survey, 41% of consumers had canceled a paid streaming service in the past six months, and 22% had canceled one and then come back to it. That's rotation in practice: dropping a service when there's nothing to watch and returning for the next big season, which is one of the easiest ways to keep the monthly total in check.

#Why the subscription numbers don't match

Each source measures something different, so don't compare them head to head:

Surveys depend on what people remember, and people forget small charges. Card data captures every charge but only from one bank's customers. Household streaming figures leave out music, cloud storage, apps and memberships. The safest takeaway: the average subscriber spends more than $100 a month, and a good chunk of it goes unused.

#How to calculate your own subscription total

Averages only go so far. The number that matters is yours, and you can get it in about 30 minutes:

1. Pull your last three card and bank statements, including any PayPal or app store receipts.
2. Mark every recurring charge: streaming, music, cloud storage, apps, games, memberships, delivery passes. Here's how to find forgotten subscriptions on a statement.
3. Turn yearly plans into monthly costs by dividing by 12.
4. Add it up, then multiply by 12 to see the full year.

Here's an example with common US plans, prices checked in October 2026:

That's $1,158.36 a year for seven common subscriptions, a little under the CNET average. If your total surprised you, start with our guide on how to save money on subscriptions. To run the numbers without a spreadsheet, use the Subfaro calculator.

#How Subfaro helps

Subfaro is a subscription tracker that shows your total per month and per year. You pick a plan and the price fills in. Instead of combing through statements by hand, upload your card statement (PDF, CSV or OFX) and Subfaro finds the recurring charges, with no bank login. The file isn't stored.

You also get reminders before each charge and a monthly summary email. The free plan covers up to 10 subscriptions with no time limit. Create your free account.