The data: The global subscription economy is forecast to reach $1.2 trillion in 2030, per Juniper Research, a massive jump from $722 billion in 2025. That growth spans nearly every category with products that used to be a one-time purchase: media, software, games, and now hardware.

Most recently, Apple expanded its device leasing program beyond iPhones to Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches with Apple Upgrade, essentially giving it an endless stream of devices to refurbish and sell.

Zooming in: Amazon set the subscription template with Prime in 2005. Two decades later, most consumers rent access to their media, software, and games rather than own them outright.

• Adobe and Microsoft moved their core software to Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
• Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora replaced album purchases with all-access catalogs.
• Sony said it will end disc production for new PS5 games in January 2028, switching to digital formats for all games. It’s also removing more than 550 previously purchased movies from PlayStation users’ libraries over licensing disputes, making digital content ownership questionable.

Music streaming demonstrates how the subscription industry is playing out. US revenues surpassed $9.47 billion, in 2025, a 3.1% increase YoY, per the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while physical formats brought in just $1.38 billion. Globally, music streaming app revenues reached $63 billion in 2025, up 18.2% YoY, and subscriptions hit 856 million, up 11.17%, per Business of Apps.

But that growth is running into a ceiling. In the US, subscription burnout is pushing Gen Z into physical media, per Fortune, as they trade numerous digital products and fees for analog alternatives and IRL experiences. More than one-third (37%) of young US subscribers have canceled streaming services over subscription fatigue, per Civic Science.

Recommendations for brands: Segment which products should remain one-time purchases, like high-dollar items, and offer subscriptions for lower-cost, frequently replenished items (subscription boxes, add-ons, streaming tiers).

• Targeting buyers: Brands should wait to release upgraded tech until there’s a real “wow” factor. Three-quarters (76%) of US consumers won’t upgrade until they feel new features are worth the cost, per a CNET survey.
• Targeting subscribers: Brands should build retention into the product from the start with transparent pricing and licensing terms, easy tier-change processes, and benefits distinct enough that the subscription retains its initial value.

Brands entering the subscription space should offer flexible options such as simple cancellations, loyalty perks, or ad-supported and freemium tiers that give users a sense of control.