Short answer: in 2026, Americans spent about $111 a month on subscriptions in CNET’s annual survey, up 23% from a year earlier. Around six in ten people pay for at least one subscription they don’t use, seven in ten have forgotten to cancel a free trial at least once, and 43% cancelled a streaming service in the last six months.
The numbers at a glance
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average monthly subscription spend (US) | $111 a month, $1,332 a year, up 23% | CNET annual subscription survey, 2026 (as reported in July 2026) |
| Spend on subscriptions that go unused | About $252 a year | CNET, 2026 (same report) |
| People with a paid subscription going unused each month | 59.9% | Self Financial, March 2026, 1,272 US adults |
| Unused subscriptions per person | 2.6 on average | Self Financial, March 2026 |
| People who have forgotten to cancel a free trial | 70% | Self Financial, March 2026 |
| Estimated monthly spend vs itemized spend | $86 estimated, $219 itemized | C+R Research, April–May 2022, 1,000 US consumers |
| Who say recurring charges are easy to forget | 74% | C+R Research, 2022 |
| Who stopped using a service but kept paying | 42% | C+R Research, 2022 |
| Streaming churn: cancelled at least one paid streaming service in the last six months | 43%, up from 39% a year earlier | Deloitte Digital Media Trends, May 2026, 3,518 US consumers |
How much people spend on subscriptions
CNET’s 2026 survey puts the average at $111 a month, or $1,332 a year, up 23% on the year before. Self Financial’s March 2026 survey of 1,272 US adults found a much lower average, $35.03 a month on paid subscriptions. The gap comes from what each survey counts and who it asks, so compare a survey with itself over time, not with another survey.
Why people underestimate
The clearest finding is old but still useful. In C+R Research’s 2022 survey, people first guessed they spent $86 a month on subscriptions. When they went through the services one by one, the total came to $219, $133 more than their guess. 74% said recurring charges were easy to forget.
That is the case for itemizing: a list of what you actually pay beats a feeling about what you probably pay.
Unused subscriptions and forgotten trials
In Self Financial’s survey, 59.9% of people had a paid subscription going unused each month, 2.6 of them on average, and 70% had forgotten to cancel a free trial at some point. CNET’s 2026 report put the cost of unused subscriptions at about $252 a year.
Streaming churn
People do cancel. Deloitte’s May 2026 survey of 3,518 US consumers found that 43% had cancelled at least one paid streaming service in the last six months, up from 39% a year earlier. Many cancel and come back later, which is the rotation pattern: subscribe for a show, cancel when it ends.
How we chose these figures
- Only surveys that name who ran them, when, and how many people answered.
- Each figure links to the original page, or to the report that published it when the original couldn’t be reached.
- Self-reported surveys measure what people say, not bank data. Treat them as a range, not a price list.
Last checked: 9 November 2026. We review this page every quarter.
Your own number
Survey averages say little about your own list. The subscription cost calculator turns weekly, monthly and yearly plans into one yearly total in a minute. To keep that list current, Cadora tracks subscriptions and bills on your iPhone or iPad, totals them, and reminds you before renewals when notifications are on. It doesn’t connect to your bank; you add each item yourself.
FAQ
How much does the average American spend on subscriptions in 2026?
About $111 a month, or $1,332 a year, in CNET’s 2026 annual subscription survey, up 23% from the year before. Other surveys count differently and report lower averages.
How many people pay for subscriptions they don’t use?
In Self Financial’s March 2026 survey of 1,272 US adults, 59.9% had a paid subscription going unused each month, 2.6 on average.
How many people forget to cancel free trials?
70% of people in Self Financial’s March 2026 survey said they had forgotten to cancel a free trial at some point.
What is the streaming churn rate in 2026?
Deloitte’s May 2026 survey found that 43% of US consumers had cancelled at least one paid streaming service in the previous six months, up from 39% a year earlier.
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Khai Do is an independent iOS developer in Vietnam who builds and supports Cadora under Aquifer.