Here's How Much Subscriptions Cost The Average American

If you watch enough television or streaming services, you have most likely seen the commercial with the Rocket Money app. The service shows you how many subscription services you currently have and how much each one is costing you. This can help you out by showing just how much you spend on subscription services, though there are other ways to track like actively monitoring your bank account and recording what you subscribe to.

A recent study by CNET shows that you may be spending an average of $1,332 per year — or about $111 per month — on subscriptions they actually use. That figure does not include subscription services or memberships that are no longer being used, which is costing US adults around $250 per year with an average of $21 a month. Interestingly, millennials pay the most for each category spending an average of $125 monthly and wasting an average of $29 each month, while boomers pay the second most ($109 a month) and Gen Z wastes the second most ($27 a month).

All that spending could be costing as much and possibly more than a premium cable service. Once again, that raises the question of which has better value, streaming versus cable? The CNET study reported that since April 2025, people are spending more on streaming and video platforms.

Keeping track of what you are spending is one thing, but following your favorite shows, movies, or sports can be just as difficult. Take sporting events for example. WWE shows like "Monday Night RAW" were on Sling before switching to Netflix. "NXT" and "Friday Night Smackdown" were on Sling before "NXT" moved to the CW. If you want to watch a Premium Live Event (PLE) such as WrestleMania, you will have to pay for ESPN.

It's something my family and I decided was just not worth the time, money, and effort. We were already paying for Sling TV's Blue plan of around $45.99 a month for "RAW", "SmackDown", and "NXT." When "RAW" moved to Netflix, we kept Sling and bought a Netflix subscription for $8.99 per month. "NXT" is available through Hulu for $12.99 a month. We also had Peacock at $10.99 a month for PLE's before they moved to ESPN which is $29.99. That's around $110 per month just to be able to watch all of WWE's programming throughout the week and one PLE a month!

Keeping up with shows and sports has become a multi-platform subscription model. It's not just for sporting events, either. Shows and movies can move around from platform to platform, causing dedicated viewers to decide whether or not to add another subscription to their account, and the same is true for audiobook subscriptions, food delivery apps, and gaming.

If you are looking to cut down on your subscription service fees, there are free alternatives to doing just that. They may not give you access to some of your favorite shows or live programming, but you may be able to access older content or find new shows, movies, or audio to enjoy.

You can find free TV platforms to stream shows. You can access TV and movies through Pluto TV, Sling freestream, Tubi, and the Roku Channel –- one of the most watched free TV streaming services. Still, if you want to cut down on how much you spend, experts recommend using a budgeting tool, keeping track of your monthly spending, or using a subscription manager through Apple's App Store or Google Play. Tracking your bank account each month can also help you see just how much you are spending on subscription services you may no longer need anymore.

One free service to watch a nearly endless amount of content is through YouTube. The online platform is full of creators and channels devoted to just about everything you can imagine. There are even channels that show highlights or recaps of events including the World Cup and WWE. You can even find and use free trials of subscription services if you want to watch a certain movie or TV series within a given amount of time.