As consumers face mounting costs and higher inflation rates, with some major streaming services now costing more than $20 a month, new research indicates that consumers are paying more attention to bundles as a way of controlling their streaming costs.
Hub Entertainment Research’s annual “Best Bundle” study indicates that streaming prices are rising and consumers are feeling the pinch. Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max have all raised their prices $1-$2 a month since 2025, focusing consumers to be more budget-conscious.
In response, the Hub survey found that half of consumers "strongly agree" that budget is the main factor they consider when buying entertainment services, up significantly from 41% last year.
In addition, more consumers believe that streamers are raising their prices more often compared to last year (49% vs. 44%).
"Studios know that bundles deliver stronger retention and reduce churn, giving them huge incentives to get consumers to sign on to these stickier bundles," says Jason Platt Zolov, Senior Consultant at Hub. "While saving money is the key driver, reminding consumers of the expanded content options and simplified billing can help to grow these bundles into the ideal TV packages of tomorrow."
The survey also found that for consumers, streaming bundles are not just about saving money—they also expand viewing options and simplify billing. Nearly half of consumers (44%) cited the simplicity of having one bill for multiple subscriptions as a top value driver for bundles.
Being able to "try more services" (32%) and bringing together "popular & niche services in one plan" (20%) are also key value drivers.
But the researchers also cautioned that bundle awareness has room to grow.
At most, only half of consumers have heard of the major streaming bundles, led by the Disney and HBO Max bundle variations. Second-tier streamer and sports bundles are recognized by just 1 out of 5 consumers.
As Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery more towards merging their operations and streaming offerings, the research found that consumers are split on how they might buy a Paramount+ and HBO Max bundle in the future. A third (32%) say they would subscribe to both services separately if offered together as a discounted bundle
Only one-in-five (19%) say they would subscribe to a single, combined service that had HBO Max and Paramount+ content in one app.
These findings are from Hub’s 2026 “Best Bundle” report, based on a survey conducted among 1,600 US consumers ages 16-74 with broadband access. Interviews were conducted in March 2026. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.
Source: tvtechnology.com