There are more streaming choices than ever before, and now Peacock has joined the list of services getting even more expensive.
A media update reported by Variety, The Hollywood ReporterAnd The Streamable confirmed prices for both streaming plans go up, effective August 17 for existing customers, with the lower-priced Premium plan increasing by $1 each month, from $4.99 to $5.99, and the Premium Plus package that removes ads on removes most content and adds downloads for offline viewing along with access to live, local NBC channels goes up $2, from $9.99 to $11.99 per month.
As of midnight ET, the annual pricing mentioned by Peacock also changed, going from $49.99/$99.99 for both packages to $59.99/$119.99 for one year of Premium/Premium Plus service, respectively.
It’s the first price hike for Peacock, but just the latest in a series of bumps that have boosted prices for everything from Netflix to (not HBO) Max, to Paramount Plus, to Disney Plus and the rest of the bundle.
The truth is that this trend is not going to stop any time soon. Streaming services must raise prices or embrace advertising if they want to meet investor expectations. They will just have to risk losing subscribers who don’t want to pay these jacked up prices down the road.
The streaming content lined up for Peacock over the next few months isn’t cheap, including the new ones Twisted metal TV show, WWE, Big Ten college sports, an NFL playoff game and more. In addition, some subscribers joined Peacock in June 2022, when they could sign up for a year’s Premium package for just $20 with a coupon code “summerofpeacock,” which will expire. For the people who stick around, they are about to pay a few dollars more a year.
Disclosure: Comcast, owner of NBCUniversal, is also an investor in Vox Media, The edge‘s parent company.
Update July 18, 01:29 ET: Added annual pricing information from Peacock’s website.
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