Are Streaming Services Becoming the New Cable?

When streaming first started, a major benefit was the absence of commercials. Due to popularity and demand, there are more platforms than ever to choose from, each offering content that isn’t available on another platform. As a whole, the price for these subscriptions has been increasing over the years, and consumers are finding that something needs to give. Many platforms offer an ad-supported version at a reduced price, but does this defeat the purpose of streaming?

Ad-supported subscriptions act like cable, which is the very thing streaming platforms originally set out to be different from. What’s their selling point now?

1.        Streaming services still lack ads, if you’re willing to pay.

Streaming services still offer ad-free versions, they just cost more than ad-supported ones. If you’re subscribed to multiple platforms, you may want to cut down on your monthly expenses by switching to an ad-supported option. As of March 2024, the price comparison for some popular platforms is shown below.

Netflix: Ad-free: $15.49/month, Ad-supported: $6.99/month

Hulu: Ad-free: $17.99/month, Ad-supported: $7.99/month

Disney+: Ad-free: $13.99/month, Ad-supported: $7.99/month

2.        Watching what you want, when you want to.

One benefit streaming still provides, ad-free or ad-supported, is the ability for customers to watch anything, anytime. This is where cable falls short; with streaming, you don’t have to wait for your favorite show to be broadcasted on TV or be disappointed when you forget to record the new episode on your DVR. Consumers are in complete control of their entertainment experience with streaming.

3.        Ease of cancelation and flexibility.

Streaming services make it easy to cancel or change membership plans, something cable just doesn’t offer. Consumers aren’t boxed in or trapped in a deal. Because of this, consumers can also choose to subscribe to a platform for a month, cancel, and subscribe to a different the next month, to avoid paying for all platforms at the same time.

Some platforms and phone carriers also offer bundles to help consumers save. Hulu and Disney+ have plans where the two can be bundled together, and T-Mobile offers Netflix with their Magenta Max plan.

Overall, streaming still has benefits that cable doesn’t and they do offer reduced price plans to keep customers subscribed. If a consumer isn’t willing to bear the full cost, these platforms rely on advertisement revenue to make up the difference in subscription price. For more information on advertising and recent trends, check out our website and social media pages.