The same nine streaming subscriptions — Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Peacock, YouTube Premium, and Spotify — now cost $702 more per year than they did in early 2021. That works out to a monthly bill of $154.41 today, up from $95.91 in March 2021, a jump of 61% over five years.
The figures come from HonestlyRanked, a pricing tracking site run by an editor who writes under the pen name Rashid N. The project appears as a Show HN post under the title “Show HN: The same nine streaming subscriptions cost $702/year more than in 2021.” Every price change is dated and linked to its source.
The $702 gap, broken down
The math is simple. At March 2021 prices, those nine services cost $1,150.92 a year. Today, the same nine cost $1,852.92 a year — a difference of $702 annually.
That figure is not the result of switching plans or dropping anything. “Nothing was cancelled or downgraded to produce that number,” the site states. The comparison holds each service to the same tier it offered in 2021, in most cases. In other words, the $702 gap reflects the same basket of nine services, measured at the same tiers, at two points in time.
Rashid N. is explicit about the method. “We do not speculate on motive; we record what was charged and when,” the site says. “What the dated record shows is that increases have become regular rather than exceptional, and that several services have raised prices more than once in a single year.”
Which service went up the most
The increases are not evenly spread. Measured from March 2021 to today, on each service’s flagship tier, Apple TV+ leads the pack with a 200% increase.
Disney+ is next at 138%, followed by Peacock at 100%. Hulu is up 58%, Netflix is up 43%, and Paramount+ is up 40%. YouTube Premium rose 33%, Spotify rose 30%, and HBO Max rose the least at 23%.
| Service | Price increase since March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Apple TV+ | +200% |
| Disney+ | +138% |
| Peacock | +100% |
| Hulu | +58% |
| Netflix | +43% |
| Paramount+ | +40% |
| YouTube Premium | +33% |
| Spotify | +30% |
| HBO Max | +23% |
How the tracking works
HonestlyRanked publishes its data from a tracking database that is rebuilt at page-build time and re-checked daily. The site measures published pricing only. It does not test provider performance, support, or uptime.
Rashid N. says he reviews every figure against its source before it goes out. The site also claims he has “never accepted a free account, a review unit, or payment for placement.” Rashid N. is a pen name; the site points to a methodology page for further detail.
Each of the nine services has its own dated timeline with a citation on every change. That means a reader can check, for example, exactly when Netflix moved from one price point to the next, and where that information came from. Because the database is re-checked daily, the published timelines are kept current rather than compiled once and left to age.
What the record actually shows
The site is careful not to overstate its findings. It does not claim to know why prices have risen. It does not blame content budgets, competition, or corporate strategy. As the site puts it, it records what was charged and when — nothing more.
What the dated record shows is a pattern. Price increases have become regular rather than exceptional. Several services have raised prices more than once in a single year.
For a household paying for all nine services, the practical effect is a monthly bill that has grown by more than $58 since March 2021. That is a real cost for consumers who signed up when the total was under $100 a month.
The basket itself is a selection of major services, not an exhaustive list. It does not include newer entrants or niche platforms.
The bigger picture
The $702 figure is a snapshot, not a trend line. The site records what was charged and when, and the comparison is between two specific dates: March 2021 and today.
That makes the number easy to verify. Every figure is dated and linked to its source, so a skeptical reader can follow the trail from the headline to the original pricing announcement.
The site also corrects itself. “Corrections: tell us,” it says, and the methodology page is public. This is not a black-box estimate; it is a documented record.
For consumers, the practical takeaway is straightforward. The same nine services that cost $95.91 a month five years ago now cost $154.41. That is a 61% increase in five years — $702 more per year for the same basket of subscriptions.
Whether that trend continues is not something the data can answer. But the record shows that the increases have not stopped.
Source: honestlyranked.com
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