# How Much You're Actually Spending on Streaming
Most households have no idea how much they're really paying for streaming services each month. NerdWallet's new calculator helps you find out.
The tool pulls together all your active subscriptions and adds up the total cost. It's a reality check many people need. Netflix costs $6.99 to $22.99 monthly depending on the plan. Disney Plus runs $7.99 to $13.99. Hulu starts at $7.99. HBO Max charges $9.99 to $19.99. Apple TV Plus costs $9.99. Amazon Prime Video is $14.99 monthly or $139 annually. Paramount Plus ranges from $5.99 to $11.99. Those are just the major players.
Add in niche services like Peacock, Paramount Plus, Max, and various sports-specific platforms, and the bill climbs fast. Many families subscribe to five or six services without tracking the cumulative hit to their budget.
The average household now spends between $50 and $100 monthly on streaming. Some spend much more. This matters because that money compounds yearly. A $75 monthly bill becomes $900 annually. Over a decade, that's $9,000 that could fund a retirement account or pay down debt.
The calculator forces you to confront two key questions: How many services do you actually use, and how often do you use them. A service you watch once every few months becomes an expensive habit. Many people discover they're paying for three or four subscriptions they've forgotten about entirely.
The strategy is simple once you know your number. Cancel services you don't actively watch. Share family plans where permitted. Rotate subscriptions seasonally. Subscribe to a service for a month, binge what you want, then cancel. This approach keeps costs realistic