Once again, streaming service subscribers are facing price hikes, and this time it’s Peacock raising its rates. Comcast, the parent company of Peacock, is implementing notable increases for both tiers of its service, which may come as a shock to even the most experienced users in the streaming landscape. As reported, the price for Peacock’s ad-supported Premium tier will rise from $7.99 per month to $11. Meanwhile, the Premium Plus plan, which is mostly free of ads, will jump from $13.99 to $17 monthly.
This marks a $3 increase for all plans and represents the most significant price hike since Peacock’s launch five years ago. To put this in context, the new pricing puts Peacock’s top-tier option above that of competitors like Max and Hulu, which offer stronger content selections and enhanced user experiences. The timing of this increase is particularly irksome. New subscribers will be the first to feel the impact, with the new pricing taking effect for them starting July 23.
Current subscribers will have until August 22 before their bills reflect the new rates. This is now the third price increase since Peacock launched in 2020. What began as a fresh option with immediate access to NBC shows, Universal movies, and an expanding collection of live sports is rapidly becoming another costly addition to monthly expenses. While Peacock is set to feature events like the summer Olympics and the NFL season, the trend of increasing prices while offering diminishing returns cannot be overlooked.
The concept of “platform rot,” which points to a shift from user-focused services to profit-driven operations, describes this worrying trend. Nearly every major streaming service has raised its rates recently, leaving users with reduced value, shrinking libraries, and more ads. As streaming begins to resemble the cumbersome cable bundles it sought to replace, one has to question how many more price increases there can be before viewers decide to part ways altogether.
Leave a Reply