Affordability has become the leading reason consumers cancel streaming services, overtaking content availability, according to new research released by Parks Associates.
In findings from its Streaming Competition and Profitability: Pricing Models & Retention Strategies study, Parks said 30% of consumers in 2025 cited “cutting household expenses” as the top reason for cancelling a streaming service, up from 26% in 2020.
The research also points to “rotational” viewing in a saturated market. Parks’ quarterly surveys of 8,000 US internet households found nearly 1 in 4 subscribers cancelled after finishing the programme they were watching.
Ad-supported tiers were highlighted as the strongest retention lever, with lower-cost plans including advertising ranked as the top incentive to retain or win back subscribers. At the same time, Parks said ad repetition is the biggest source of dissatisfaction, with 70% of viewers complaining the same ads repeat too often.
The study lands as Parks continues to track streaming as a “baseline” household product in the United States, previously reporting that 91% of US internet households subscribe to at least 1 SVOD service.
