Subscriptions have become the default business model across media, retail, fitness, and even social platforms. North American households now stack more than 10 video services, per TiVo, while retailers add lifestyle perks to memberships and Meta sells paid tiers to superfans. This FAQ covers how much consumers spend on subscriptions, where fatigue is emerging, and how brands keep recurring revenue durable.

What is subscription commerce?

Subscription commerce is the sale of products, services, or access through recurring payments rather than one-time purchases. The model now spans entertainment (streaming video and music), retail memberships (Walmart+, Amazon Prime), fitness and wellness apps, and social platforms. Its appeal to companies is predictable recurring revenue and direct customer relationships; its appeal to consumers is convenience and ongoing value. The scale is substantial: adults in the US and Canada now subscribe to more than 10 video streaming services on average, with seven paid and four non-paid, per TiVo's Q4 2025 video trends report. Subscriptions have shifted from a media pricing tactic to the organizing model of consumer commerce.

How much do consumers spend on subscriptions?

Subscription spending is rising despite inflation. Monthly video entertainment spending hit $161.17 in Q4 2025, reversing previous declines, per TiVo data. Engagement rose alongside spending: daily viewing exceeded 5 hours, up 0.7 hours year over year, and viewing time, service subscriptions, and monthly spend all posted their strongest numbers since the pandemic era. This indicates consumers are consolidating entertainment budgets into subscriptions rather than cutting them, even under economic pressure. For subscription businesses, the willingness to pay is intact; the battle is over which services earn a place in the stack.

How are ad-supported tiers changing subscription economics?

Ad-supported options now anchor the subscription stack rather than serving as a budget fallback. Seven in 10 consumers use ad-supported or free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services, accounting for 13% of total viewing time, per TiVo. FAST viewers watch 7.5 channels on average, up two channels year over year, and 66% of FAST users say those channels are their primary way of watching live TV. Top platforms include Pluto TV, Tubi, Roku Channel, and Amazon Prime Video. The hybrid model lets consumers balance paid premium services with free ad-supported ones, which is how households sustain 10-service stacks without runaway costs.

Why are social platforms and fitness brands adopting subscriptions?

Subscriptions are spreading well beyond video:

• Social platforms. Meta added paid tiers to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to lift revenues beyond ads, aiming to turn superfans into subscribers with added features and analytics for power users.
• Fitness and wellness. The health and fitness industry's future is subscription-first rather than hardware-led, as AI coaching and community features make subscriptions stickier than fitness gadgets while device sales stall.
• Retail memberships. Walmart+ and Lowe's are adding experiential and lifestyle perks to their programs to stay top of mind.

The common thread: recurring engagement and personalization sustain the relationship after the initial sale.

What is subscription fatigue and how serious is it?

Fatigue is real but uneven. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of consumers say their current number of streaming services feels "just right," but the share who think they have "way too many services" increased 7% year over year, per TiVo. The bigger friction is discovery across a fragmented stack: 40% of viewers check two or three apps before choosing what to watch, 49% rely on word of mouth as their top discovery method, and 69% of sports fans say watching sports has become harder, with 36% skipping an event if it is not on their existing services. This suggests churn risk concentrates where content is hard to find or requires yet another subscription, not in the model itself.

How should brands approach subscription commerce in 2026?

Win the stack by reducing friction and proving ongoing value. Priorities supported by EMARKETER analysis:

• Cut discovery friction. Short-form trailers, clear categories, and "more like this" prompts keep subscribers engaged, and device makers should optimize home screens.
• Offer a hybrid ladder. Pair premium ad-free tiers with ad-supported entry points so price-sensitive customers downgrade instead of canceling.
• Make perks experiential. Lifestyle benefits like those Walmart+ and Lowe's added keep memberships salient between transactions.
• Build for retention, not acquisition. AI personalization, community features, and continuous content sustain the recurring relationship that hardware or one-time sales cannot.
• Watch fatigue signals. With "too many services" sentiment rising, every renewal needs a visible answer to "what did I get this month?"

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.