Western Europe Leads in Streaming Price Hikes
Western European subscribers to Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have faced higher price increases than in any other market in recent years. Research by Ampere Analysis found that over the past four years, these streaming services have changed their business models to attract new subscribers with lower-priced tiers featuring advertising.
The research showed that average monthly subscription prices rose by $1.86 (£1.36) in western Europe over the past three years, surpassing price increases in other regions, including the US, which saw a rise of $1.70. In contrast, sub-Saharan Africa experienced the smallest average price increase, at less than $1.
Netflix recently increased prices in the UK for its basic package with ads by £1 to £5.99 and for its standard ad-free package by £2 to £12.99. The streaming service's revenue reached a record £2.06bn last year, an 11% increase from the previous year.
Ampere Analysis' research also found that the scale of price increases has decreased over time as consumers reach limits on their willingness to pay. Average price rises across the three streaming companies have fallen from 24% of the previous subscription price in 2023-24 to 14% in 2025-26.