US Adults Are Throwing Away Over $250 a Year on Unused Subscriptions, CNET Finds

Remember those subscriptions you forgot to cancel after the free trial ended? Or the ones you haven't used in months? They could be sneakily draining your bank account. 

Every year, CNET dives into the state of subscriptions to find out how much US adults spend on subscriptions and on which types of services. This year, we found that US adults' top subscription is streaming, and they're spending an average of $111 a month on subscriptions, totaling $1,332 annually. Even more unsettling, US adults waste an average of $21 a month (or $252 annually) on unused subscriptions. 

Here's your reminder to stop letting those unutilized subscriptions mess up your budget. There are ways to keep what you love and cancel what you don't. 

US adults are wasting more than before on unused subscriptions 

Compared to last year's findings, US adults are still wasting money on unused subscriptions. Last year, US adults wasted an average of $17 a month, totaling $204 a year. That amount has risen slightly to $21 a month and $252 a year.

Most subscriptions don't require a contract, unlike cable services back in the day. So you can cancel without waiting or incurring fees. But it's easy to forget to cancel a free trial or a service you no longer use. And there's not one clear-cut rule to stop sneaky subscription cancellation practices since an appeals court blocked the Federal Trade Commission's click-to-cancel rule. Making it harder to unsubscribe may prompt you to keep your subscription or delay unsubscribing, meaning you're paying for a subscription you don't use. CNET has a step-by-step guide that can help you cancel popular streaming subscriptions, too. 

There are a few methods for canceling subscriptions that waste your money. 

• Use a budgeting app to identify which subscriptions you're paying for. CNET recommends Rocket Money, but you could try other popular apps like Trim, Hiatus and PocketGuard. Some paid versions of these apps will cancel subscriptions on your behalf, such as Rocket Money and Trim. 
• Look at your monthly credit card statement to see which apps you're paying for monthly. Some banks have a built-in subscription management tool that lets you cancel eligible subscriptions in the app. 
• Use Apple's App Store or Google Play's subscription manager to track and cancel any subscriptions you purchased through the app store. 
• Some AI tools can help you narrow down your subscriptions, but they can also give misinformation, so remember to double-check any information you receive before taking action. 

US adults are spending more on subscriptions, too

Subscription costs have risen sharply over the years. CNET found that US adults are paying an average of $111 a month for subscriptions. Millennials spend the most on subscriptions each month ($125), while Gen X spends the least ($100).

CNET's 2025 subscription survey found that US adults spent an average of $90 a month, up from $91 in 2024. Back then, millennials still spent the most, averaging $119 a month. Older generations have historically spent less. 

Generational differences aside, subscriptions are becoming more costly than ever, which could help explain the average $20 increase from 2024 to 2026. For example, Netflix's standard account with ads was $7 a month in 2024, but now it costs $9 a month. The premium account has increased by $4, from $23 in 2024 to $27 now. 

Read more: We're Tracking Streaming Price Hikes in 2026: Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and Others

On top of price increases, there are subscriptions for almost everything, as many tech giants and retailers are putting services behind paywalls, such as Meta's One Plus, which starts at $4 a month and offers more advanced Meta AI features, app tools and metrics. And now, Tesla's full self-driving service is no longer a one-time fee. Instead, it's $99 a month. So it's not prices alone that are driving higher monthly subscription spending. It's also the number of subscriptions we're paying for. 

A subscription for everything can add up quickly, which could be why we're paying more in monthly subscriptions than before. To lower costs, many US adults are turning to analog purchases, such as vinyl records and CDs, which have also become collectibles. You may also set reminders to cancel free trials before you're charged and only keep subscriptions you use regularly.

Streaming remains the most popular subscription type among US adults

CNET found that among the types of subscriptions US adults have paid for since April 2025, streaming or video services are the most popular. Over half (61%) have paid for streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix and Prime Video.

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Getty Images/Cole Kan/CNET

Subscription creep is real when it comes to your favorite movies and shows. Here are a few other ways Kourtnee Jackson, CNET's senior streaming editor, recommends canceling subscriptions without giving up what you love. 

• Use free services when possible to help cut down. Tubi, Roku Channel and Pluto TV are all free streaming platforms, for example. And some popular services offer free plans, such as Spotify and YouTube Music. Plus, Google offers 5GB of standard storage for all customers.
• Rotate streaming subscriptions to keep a few streaming services for the time you know you'll use them, like when a new season of your favorite show is released. Then you can cancel the subscription to avoid paying for a service you're not using.
• Consider a skinny package to cut back on live channels. DirecTV offers genre-based packages starting at $20, with add-ons available for an extra charge. YouTube TV has slim packages starting at $55 a month, and budget-friendly options from Philo and Sling cost even less.  
• Look for streaming deals, bundling and special discounts, such as military or education discounts. 

Methodology

CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,522 adults, of whom 2,074 are currently paying and/or have paid for a subscription in the past year. Fieldwork was undertaken between April 29 and May 1, 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18 or older).