93% of streaming subscribers could cancel this year, new study finds

Paying for streaming services can get very expensive, especially if you’re subscribed to multiple different ones at the same time, and one new study has found that 93% of people consider cancelling their subscriptions every month.

While services like Disney+ and Netflix can be great to have, with shows like The Mandalorian, Moon Knight, Stranger Things and Wednesday available to watch, the vast majority of viewers don’t tend to stay loyally subscribed forever. Given the price of these things (as well as the fact that so many shows get abruptly cancelled), this isn’t really a shock.

In case you missed it, take a look at the Stranger Things experience which was open in London last year.

As The Streamable reports, findings from a new study by Publishers Clearing House and expert in media studies, Evan Shapiro, suggest that in any given month, an enormous 93% of streaming service users may potentially cancel their subscriptions. This number takes into account those who re-think their subscriptions every month (and cancel the ones they’re not using at the moment), as well as those looking to cut down on the amount of streaming services they pay for, and people who only pay for a small amount of them in the first place.

With that in mind, the figures suggest that 7% of viewers who pay for streaming services leave their subscriptions rolling endlessly, and never think about cancelling them. When you think of it that way, it’s honestly surprising to think that this proportion is as high as 7% - I personally can’t say I know anyone who doesn’t cancel their payments when there’s nothing on that they want to watch. Clearly though, plenty stick with it.

Again, this 93% figure accounts only for those who consider cancelling each month - the actual likelihood of everyone quitting at the same time would be very low. Even so, it's a number that's sure to make more than a few streaming company executives wince.