Average Brit spends £1,852 on subscriptions each year

Subscription services can provide us with easy access to just about anything, from streaming services and meal kits to wellness plans and music.

But these subscription services add up quickly and can end up costing you thousands each year. It’s easy to lose track of all the subscription services you’re signed up for and end up paying for platforms you don’t even use. It’s important to keep on top of which services you’re paying for and how much you really use them. 

Credit card brand Aqua has looked into the most popular streaming, food, wellness, and music subscription services to determine which subscriptions are the most expensive, and used its cardholder spending data to get insight into which services have seen the biggest user increase or decrease, year-on-year. 

Disney Plus sees the biggest increase in streaming subscribers

Streaming services are a popular way to watch the latest shows and films, with new services being launched frequently. Whilst Netflix is still the most popular streaming service, with 223.09 million users worldwide, it’s Disney Plus that has seen the biggest growth amongst Aqua cardholders, with an 18.64% increase in subscribers from 2021-2022.

Jane Plan named the most expensive food subscription service

Food subscriptions are a fun, easy, and quick way to make tasty dinners, but they can come at a hefty price. Jane Plan, a weight loss meal plan service that delivers meals to your door, has the highest monthly subscription cost at £299 per month, that’s £74.75 a week. Hello Fresh is the most popular food subscription service with 7.51 million global users, and saw a 12.63% increase in the last year amongst Aqua cardholders. Hello Fresh is the cheapest, costing just £28.49 per week for 3 meals for 2 people. 

Wellness subscriptions found to be costing up to £1,788 per year

Fitness apps, diet trackers and meditation apps are all designed to help with mental or physical fitness, but Aqua’s research found that wellness subscriptions cost more than any other types of subscriptions they looked at. The most expensive app within this category was found to be Class Pass (a monthly membership that gives you access to thousands of studios, spas, gyms and salons), with the top tier subscription costing £149 per month. On the other end of the scale, the cheapest subscription in this category is on Yoga Go, with a £4.49 monthly cost for its app-based Yoga workouts.

Music giant Spotify sees 9.49% growth 

When it comes to music subscriptions, Spotify proves to be the most popular, with a total of 195 million users globally and saw a 9.49% increase in Aqua’s customers in the last year. At the time of writing, Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited all cost £9.99 a month for an individual plan. Amazon Prime members can use Amazon Music for £1 cheaper per month at £8.99. Apple Music costs the most for an individual plan with a £10.99 monthly subscription cost, in comparison to SoundCloud which comes in at the cheapest with a £5.99 monthly cost. 

Top tips to help you save money on subscriptions

To make sure you’re getting the most out of your subscriptions, Aqua experts have put together four simple tips you can follow to help you save money each month on your subscription services. 

1. Know your budget 

Being aware of how much money you can comfortably spend on subscription services will keep you from spending too much. Set a budget for your subscriptions for the year and make sure you stick to it. 

2. Make sure you use them 

Countless people might be guilty of signing up for a service and then forgetting about it, but this could be making an avoidable dent in your income. Take some time to assess all the services you’re signed up for and be sure to cancel any you don’t use. 

3. Swap to a cheaper plan 

Do your research on different plans and services to see if you can switch to a cheaper one. Many services, such as Spotify and Apple Music offer family plans that allow you to split the cost between loved ones. If you’re paying for a premium service, determine whether you need this. On platforms like Netflix, switching to the basic plan rather than the premium can save you £9 a month, totaling £108 a year. 

4. Switch to yearly plans

If you can afford to pay a sum upfront, switching to yearly plans instead of monthly subscriptions can save you money. For example, Amazon Prime’s monthly subscription costs £7.99 per month, but if you switch to a yearly plan, it’s £79, which could save you over £16. Apple Fitness costs £9.99 a month but switching to an annual plan will save you almost £40 a year. 

Says Sharvan Selvam, Commercial Director, at Aqua:

“Subscription services can be great value for money if you’re using them frequently. However, if you’re feeling the cost-of-living pressure, now is a great time to assess your monthly outgoings on these services and cancel the ones you can do without. You may find you have some that you haven’t used for months.”

“If you find yourself tempted to sign up for a new service, make the most of the free trials to see if they’re worth it, and be sure to set a reminder on your phone to cancel it before you’re charged.”