💲 Streaming price hikes shift viewer habits

In response, cable and satellite operators have begun aggressively rolling out “skinny bundles” that combine streaming services and broadband internet at a discounted rate. Amid ongoing market consolidation, a key question remains for viewers: how can they secure the maximum amount of valuable content without overpaying?

The annual Best Bundle study by Hub Entertainment Research demonstrates that these new bundled packages do more than just save consumers money—they also solve the problem of market fragmentation by delivering long-sought simplicity to users.

Key industry trends highlighted in Hub’s 2026 report include:

• Budget becomes the top priority: Driven by regular subscription price increases across Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max, half of all respondents named price as their primary criterion when choosing a platform, up from 41% the previous year. Furthermore, 49% of respondents are convinced that services have begun raising tariffs much more frequently.
• The value of a unified bill: Cost savings are not the sole advantage of bundles. For 44% of consumers, the chief benefit is the convenience of paying for all subscriptions via a single invoice. Other noted advantages include the opportunity to legally test new platforms (32%) and gain access to niche content within a single tier (20%).
• Growth potential: Audience awareness of bundled offers currently remains moderate. Only half of those surveyed are aware of the most popular bundles (such as the Disney and HBO Max pairing), while only one in five is familiar with niche or sports-centric packages.

The streaming platforms’ interest in this format is clear: bundles retain audiences and reduce subscriber churn. According to Hub analysts, it is crucial for operators to remind users not only of the financial savings but also of content diversity and the convenience of a unified user interface in order to establish bundled solutions as the definitive television format of the future.