The great streaming rip-off: MailOnline’s calculator reveals how much you spend on subscriptions to services such as Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix – with some Britons now shelling out £3,000 a year

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From Netflix to Hayu, there are now dozens of streaming services available to TV fans in the UK.

These services were once hailed as a cheaper alternative to a Sky Box, but many now come with hefty price tags – which are quickly adding up.

Netflix announced this week that it will be raising its prices for millions of UK customers, with some now facing monthly charges of up to £17.99 – an increase of £2 per month.

Research has shown that three-quarters of Britons now have at least one streaming service, while more than half have three or more.

So, how much do you spend on TV subscriptions? Use MailOnline’s airtime cost calculator below to find out.

Some of the UK's most popular streaming platforms for movies, TV, and watch terrestrial shows, reality TV and sports without ads - but subscribing to these services will cost you £110.92 per month

Some of the UK’s most popular streaming platforms for movies, TV, and watch terrestrial shows, reality TV and sports without ads – but subscribing to these services will cost you £110.92 per month

How are Netflix subscription prices rising?

United kingdom

Basic plan: Increase by £1 per month to £7.99 per month

standard: Unchanged at £10.99 per month

beloved: Up to £2 to £17.99 per month

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Basic plan: Up to $2 to $12 per month

standard: Unchanged at $15.49 per month

beloved: Up to $2 to $23 per month

The calculator includes 30 of the most popular TV subscription services in the UK, ranging in price from £3.99 per month to £34.99 per month.

To use it, click in the search box and type the name of the service.

Click on the name, and you’ll see the cost appear in the box below.

Keep adding up all the services you use to see your total monthly spending.

At the bottom of the scale are Discovery+ (basic) and Channel 4+, both of which cost £3.99 per month.

However, if you want access to the more comprehensive Discovery+ packages, you’ll have to pay £5.99 for Discovery+ Standard, and £29.99 for Premium with TNT Sports.

Other options on the cheaper end of the scale include MGM (£4.49 per month), StudioCanal Presents (£4.99 per month), Hayu (£4.99 per month) and Shudder (£4.99).

However, it is somewhat unsurprising that the more popular services come at a higher cost.

With around 12.9 million users in the UK, Amazon Prime Video is one of the most popular platforms, attracting users with exclusive shows such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and Good Omens.

However, a monthly subscription will cost you £8.99 per month.

Netflix users were outraged, following news this week of rising subscription prices

Netflix users were outraged, following news this week of rising subscription prices

With around 12.9 million users in the UK, Amazon Prime Video is one of the most popular platforms, attracting users with exclusive shows such as The Summer I Turned Pretty (pictured) and Good Omens

With around 12.9 million users in the UK, Amazon Prime Video is one of the most popular platforms, attracting users with exclusive shows such as The Summer I Turned Pretty (pictured) and Good Omens

Although you can subscribe to Prime Video on its own for £5.99 a month, you won’t get the other benefits that come with Prime, such as one-day and same-day delivery.

At £7.99, Disney+ is currently a bit cheaper – but not for long.

From 1 November, this price will automatically increase by £3, and users now face monthly bills of £10.99.

If you can stomach the annoying adverts, you’ll also have the option of a new ad-supported tier at £4.99 per month.

Meanwhile, Netflix users were outraged, following news this week of rising subscription prices.

In the UK, the price of the Basic plan has risen by £1 per month to £7.99.

Its ad-free premium plan now costs £17.99 in the UK – an increase of £2.

The standard subscription will remain at £10.99 per month.

However, it is NOW TV that offers the most expensive offer in the UK.

NOW Sports, which offers unlimited access to 11 Sky Sports channels, will set you back £34.99 per month.

Individually, these subscriptions may not seem expensive, but when you start subscribing to multiple services, they really start to add up.

A subscription to Netflix (standard), Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ will currently cost you £27.97 a month, which equates to £335.64 a year.

Meanwhile, if you’re a super TV fan and decide to subscribe to all 30 services, you’ll spend £266.21 every month.

Disney+ is currently a little cheaper, at £7.99 – but not for long.  From 1 November, this price will automatically increase by £3, with users now facing monthly bills of £10.99

Disney+ is currently a little cheaper, at £7.99 – but not for long. From 1 November, this price will automatically increase by £3, with users now facing monthly bills of £10.99

This equates to £3,194.52 every year!

Ollie Townsend, assistant deals and features editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, told MailOnline: ‘Signing up to just one streaming service at a time, watching what you want, then canceling and moving on to another service is a quick way to save each month.

“With streaming becoming more expensive for many, this is a good time for consumers to consider how much value they are getting from any subscriptions they have, and look for alternatives if they want to cut the cost.

“It’s important to check your bank accounts regularly for recurring payments for streaming services, as they can sometimes be forgotten and difficult to detect.

Some banks display these payments in a dedicated section, often called “Subscriptions” or “Scheduled Payments,” so be sure to check if you’re currently using the platforms you’re subscribed to.

Use JustWatch’s easy-to-use, free online tool to check which streaming service has the shows or movies you want to watch, so you only pay for the streaming service you’ll actually use.

“If you subscribe to a channel but are having trouble finding something to watch, remember that if you pay monthly, most of them let you cancel without penalty at any time.”

History of Netflix price hikes in the UK

May 2014: Netflix has announced an increase in its monthly fees for streaming movies and TV shows from £5.99 to £6.99.

The price hike was immediate for new subscribers, but delayed by two years for its existing members.

But Netflix has allowed subscribers to continue paying £5.99 a month if they choose a lower-resolution SD quality service.

May 2016: Netflix is ​​raising its monthly price for basic users in the UK from £5.99 to £7.49 per month.

A similar price change occurred for US customers, who saw their subscription fees increase by $2 (about £1.40 at the time).

Anyone who signed up to Netflix when it launched in Britain would have gotten the standard package for £5.99 a month.

But in an email to subscribers, Netflix wrote: “When we raised prices for new Netflix members in 2014, we kept your price the same for two years.” Your special rates will now end and your new rate will be £7.49 per month.’

October 2017: The company raised prices in both the United Kingdom and the United States for the first time in two years.

The price of the Standard package increases by 50p to £7.99 per month.

The premium package has jumped to £9.99 per month, an increase of £1.

Netflix said at the time that the price change reflects additional content added to its service.

May 2019: Netflix confirms that British customers will see a price increase for the standard tariff from £7.99 to £8.99.

The premium tariff has also been raised by £2 to £11.99.

January 2021: Netflix is ​​raising subscription fees for UK users as the country enters its third lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Standard package – which allows two displays to access the account, plus HD – has been increased by £1 per month, from £8.99 to £9.99.

The Premium package – which offers access to four screens per account and Ultra HD – has been increased by £2, from £11.99 to £13.99.

The basic package remained the same price.

March 2022: Netflix is ​​increasing prices for the second time in just over a year.

The Basic and Standard plans rise by £1 per month to £6.99 and £10.99 respectively, while the Premium tier ranges from £13.99 to £15.99.

October 2023: In the UK, the price of the Basic plan rises by £1 per month to £7.99.

Its ad-free premium plan now costs £17.99 in the UK – an increase of £2.

The standard subscription will remain at £10.99 per month.

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