Streaming Fatigue: Why More People Are Canceling (and Turning to Piracy)

Not long ago, streaming was supposed to be the ultimate solution for watching what you wanted, when you wanted, without any hassle. Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape looks a lot different. Subscription prices are climbing, password-sharing crackdowns are in full effect, and new platforms keep popping up—each demanding a hefty monthly fee.

Now, a growing number of consumers are questioning whether all these streaming services are worth the cost. But are people actually canceling, or is this just a myth? The short answer is yes, and it’s happening more than ever before. In 2023, the average U.S. household subscribed to 4.4 streaming services, down from 5.2 in 2022. The percentage of users canceling a service reached an all-time high of 6% per month across major platforms. A survey found that 46% of users had canceled at least one streaming service in the past six months, mainly due to cost. Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu have all increased their prices in the last year, and for many consumers, it’s starting to feel like they’re paying more for less.

So, why are people unsubscribing? There are many reasons; first, price rise is starting to add up - Netflix's standard plan with ads is now $6.99 per month, while the ad-free option costs $15.49 per month - and that’s just one service. If you add Disney+, Hulu, Max, Apple TV, and others, the total monthly bill can easily exceed $70–$100. In addition to cost, the overwhelming number of platforms and content choices have also contributed. When streaming first became popular, Netflix was the go-to platform for everything. Now, content is scattered across multiple services, forcing users to subscribe to several platforms just to watch their favorite shows. On top of that, Netflix started enforcing stricter password-sharing policies in 2023, and other services are following. This has pushed some users to either pay up or cancel altogether. There’s also a growing sense of content fatigue - some consumers feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content, much of which feels repetitive and unoriginal. With so many platforms fighting for attention, it’s harder for any one service to stand out.

While some people are cutting back on subscriptions, others are leaving streaming services all together - by turning to piracy. In 2023, visits to piracy sites increased by 23% compared to the previous year. Popular illegal streaming sites are reporting millions of users per month, especially after major price hikes. The stricter password-sharing rules may be unintentionally pushing more users toward piracy as well. While piracy comes with legal risks, it showcases peoples’ growing frustration with streaming services.

Streaming is at a crossroads. Price hikes, content being spread across many

different platforms, and subscription fatigue are leading more consumers to cancel, and some are even turning to piracy instead. As the industry adjusts, we might see more bundling, ad-supported options, or even a shift in how platforms operate. The real question is: have we reached the peak of streaming, or is there another shift on the horizon?