Share this @internewscast.com
Initially, streaming platforms were seen as the economical, advertisement-free substitute for cable television. Nowadays, opting for just a couple of the top streaming services could set you back anywhere from $15 to $130 each month.
According to Finder’s 2023 report on Internet TV streaming statistics, nearly 70% of Australians have at least one streaming service subscription, and the typical Australian user is subscribed to two of these services.
And many will soon pick up yet another subscription to HBO’s hotly anticipated Max platform, which launched in Australia today.
While streaming platforms were originally praised for providing ad-free experiences unlike cable TV, the introduction of ‘with ads’ options is intended to attract customers aiming to cut costs during financial strains.
Max has also followed the trend of streaming services cracking down on password sharing, which previously allowed families or groups of friends to save money by sharing a single subscription.
To reduce password sharing and drive up subscription numbers, platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have recently made it so most customers can only share their subscription within a single household.
That has pushed some Australians to fork out for additional subscriptions, especially those who want to watch platform-exclusive content hosted on multiple different services.
Many massive streaming hits are exclusive to a single platform, like Netflix’s Stranger Things series or Amazon Prime Video’s Amazon Original series The Boys, forcing Aussies to subscribe to streaming services if they want to watch them all.
The top 10 jobs actually making money in cost-of-living crisis
So what does it actually cost the average Australian to subscribe to two streaming services in 2025?
Based on nine of the most well-known TV and movie streaming services in Australia (Max, Netflix, Stan, Binge, Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and Foxtel Now), the cost could be as low as $14.98 per month or as high as $109.99 per month.
Aussies who don’t mind ads can subscribe to Paramount+ Basic (with ads) for $6.99 per month and either Netflix Standard with ads or Max Basic with ads for $7.99 per month (based on Max’s current introductory offer), totalling $14.98 per month.
For cheap streaming without ads, they can subscribe to Paramount+ Standard for $10.99 per month and HBO’s Max Standard for $11.99 per month (based on Max’s current introductory offer), totalling $22.98 per month.
The most expensive pairing would be Netflix Premium for $25.99 per month and Foxtel Now Ultimate bundle for $104 per month, for a total of $129.99 per month.
And if a household wants to subscribe to all nine services, it could cost between $118.94 per month and $256.93 per month.
By comparison, Foxtel’s Platinum Plus cable TV package (which includes access to Netflix, HBO’s Max, and Foxtel Go) costs $145 per month without discounts.
The numbers don’t lie; while streaming is generally still cheaper than cable TV, it is no longer the ad-free bargain it was even five years ago – especially with so many platforms to keep up with.
