Survey: Bundling delivering much needed simplicity to consumers

May 20, 2026

Bundling has become more valuable than ever as consumers feel the pressure from rising streaming costs, with many premium plans now exceeding $20 per month in the US. In response, cable and satellite providers are now offering ‘skinny bundles’ that package streaming services and broadband at lower prices. As further industry consolidation continues to reshape the market, consumers continue to ask the same question: what’s the smartest way to get the most value from the content they actually want to watch?

Hub Entertainment Research’s annual Best Bundle study reveals that new bundles stacking multiple services are not just delivering more bang for the buck but are also delivering much needed simplicity by integrating fragmented services.

Key findings from the report include:

Streaming prices are rising and consumers are feeling the pinch. Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max have all raised their prices $1-$2/month since 2025, focusing consumers to be more budget-conscious.

· Half of consumers ‘strongly agree’ that budget is the main factor they consider when buying entertainment services, up significantly from 41 per cent last year.

· More consumers believe that streamers are raising their prices more often compared to last year (49 per cent vs 44 per cent).

Streaming bundles are not just about saving money.

· Nearly half of consumers (44 per cent) cite the simplicity of having one bill for multiple subscriptions as a top value driver for bundles.

· Being able to ‘try more services’ (32 per cent) and bringing together ‘popular & niche services in one plan’ (20 per cent) are key value drivers.

Bundle awareness has room to grow.

At most, only half of consumers have heard of the major streaming bundles, led by the Disney and HBO Max bundle variations. Second-tier streamer and sports bundles are recognised by just 1 out of 5 consumers.

Consumers are split on how they might buy a Paramount+ and HBO Max bundle in the future.

· A third (32 per cent) say they would subscribe to both services separately if offered together as a discounted bundle

· One-in-five (19 per cent) say they would subscribe to a single, combined service that had HBO Max and Paramount+ content in one app.

“Studios know that bundles deliver stronger retention and reduce churn, giving them huge incentives to get consumers to sign on to these stickier bundles,” commented Jason Platt Zolov, Senior Consultant at Hub. “While saving money is the key driver, reminding consumers of the expanded content options and simplified billing can help to grow these bundles into the ideal TV packages of tomorrow.”

These findings are from Hub’s 2026 Best Bundle report, based on a survey conducted among 1,600 US consumers ages 16-74 with broadband access.

Survey: Bundling delivering much needed simplicity to consumers

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