21% of Viewers Rank Low Prices as Streaming’s Top Value Driver

The share of viewers who value low prices above everything else when it comes to streaming has nearly doubled in a single year. New data from Hub Research shows 21% of U.S. broadband households now call low prices the most important factor in a streaming service’s value, up from 12% in 2025. Just 8% point to an ad-free experience as their deciding factor. Viewers are telling the industry they will take a few commercials in exchange for a smaller bill, and free ad-supported streamers are cashing in on that preference: Tubi, Pluto, and Roku earned three of the four highest “excellent” value scores.

That preference reshapes the opportunity for advertisers. Viewers who pick FAST platforms for their value show up already engaged, not resigned to the ads that come with that deal. Premium subscription services feel the pressure in the same report, with value scores dipping across the major players, like Prime Video and HBO Max. For marketers, the signal is hard to miss. Price-sensitive viewers are choosing ad-supported streaming on their own, and the brands that bring strong creative and smart frequency will win their attention.

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