Over the year, digital subscriptions have noticeably become more expensive. It's not a catastrophe, but if you haven't been watching your card…
Over the year, digital subscriptions have noticeably become more expensive. It's not a catastrophe, but if you haven't been watching your card statements since January, the result might surprise you. Let's break down what has actually gotten more expensive, where the price has stayed the same, and how to create a budget for 2027 so you don't pay for what you don't use.
What got more expensive: the numbers 📈
Comparing official US tariffs from early 2025 and fall 2026.
Netflix (price increase in March 2026):
"Standard with ads": $7.99 → $8.99, that's +12.5%.
"Standard": $17.99 → $19.99, that's +11%.
"Premium": $24.99 → $26.99, that's +8%.
YouTube Premium (price increase in spring 2026):
Individual: $13.99 → $16, that's +14%.
Family: $22.99 → $27, that's +17%.
A light Lite option appeared for around $9.
We provide prices based on media publications and US tariffs; amounts may differ in your country, and increases may occur in waves.
What stayed the same ✅
Basic AI service tariffs remain around $20 per month: ChatGPT Plus $20, Claude Pro $20, Gemini AI Pro $19.99. It's not the base price that's growing, but the "upper floor": plans for $100, $200, $250, and $300 for those who work with AI all day. This means for the average user, the price has hardly changed, but the temptation to overpay for the "maximum" has appeared.
What got cheaper 📉
Honestly: it's not the price that's getting cheaper, but the price per unit of benefit. Tariffs with ads offer a cheap entry: $8.99 for Netflix with ads or $9 for YouTube Lite are 55% and 44% cheaper than the full tariff, respectively. Short subscription terms and pausing subscriptions also help save money: pay only for the months you use.
Our forecast for 2027 (opinion, not a guarantee) 🔮
Price increases will continue, but most likely, one service at a time.
The share of ad-supported tariffs is growing: it's profitable for platforms to sell cheap entry and earn from advertising.
Top AI tariffs will remain expensive, and the basic $20 level will hold.
More "packages" - subscriptions are bundled, where it's important to count what you actually use.
Budget plan for 2027 in one evening 📋
List all charges for the last three months: service, amount, date.
Mark usage: every day, once a week, once a month, never.
Remove "never." This is immediate savings.
For "once a month," switch to short-term plans.
For "every day," look for family plans or long-term subscriptions.
Set aside a 10% reserve for price increases.
Example: five subscriptions totaling $55 per month is $660 per year. If you use two of them less than once a month and switch to pay-as-you-go, savings can be $200-250.
Where to compare 🛒
The price on the marketplace and on the official page often differs, as do the term and delivery format. In SOCNET STORE, offers from different sellers are gathered in one catalog, with filters, smart search, statistics in the product card, and public seller profiles. Transaction history helps maintain that expense audit: all your purchases are in one place.
If you place an order in December, use the promo code ARTICLE8: it gives 8% off Marketplace goods and services.
Official SOCNET resources are conveniently accessed via socnet.info.
Subscriptions are getting more expensive, that's a fact. But whether to pay for them or not is up to you: conduct an audit in December, and in January, you'll start the year with a clear figure, not an unpleasant surprise in your statement. You can start right now in the Marketplace catalog.