Subscription Creep: Are You Paying for Subscriptions You Don’t Need?

(5/22/25)  From Netflix and Amazon Prime to Spotify and DoorDash, Americans are paying for subscription services they don’t use and may not need.

According to CNET’s second annual subscription survey, nearly two-thirds (61%) of subscribers are second-guessing their subscriptions due to the current state of the economy, and 26% have already canceled at least one.

According to the survey, among those who pay for subscriptions (of any type), the average total amount spent in the past year was $90 per month, or $1,080 per year. That’s down $1 a month, or $12 a year from CNET’s findings in 2024.

The survey found that subscribers report spending $17 a month for subscriptions they don’t use, meaning that they are wasting over $200 a year.

The most popular subscriptions are for streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Hulu, followed by e-commerce subscriptions, like Amazon Prime and music sites.

So, what can you do to find and cancel subscriptions you no longer want or need?

"Start by looking at your bank or credit card statements,” said Dashia Milden, CNET’s consumer insights editor. “That's likely the fastest way to find any recurring charges and subscriptions you're regularly paying for.” Review bank statements (or your online account transactions) and flag any familiar subscription names or just search for the word “subscription.”

Milden also recommends using a subscription management or budgeting app, like Rocket Money. She said the app works by scanning your transactions, flagging subscriptions you may not recognize and, if you use Rocket Money's paid version, canceling them automatically.  

A more tedious way to check for subscriptions is simply to log onto your account for each one to determine what exactly you signed up for, when the subscription ends (if it does) and whether you have a credit card on file. Then, just manually cancel each service and delete the card on file.

Don’t forget about free trials. If you forget to cancel at the end of the trial, it will roll over into a paid account, and you may not even realize it. Flag trials on your calendar, and cancel prior to the rollover to a paid account if you no longer want it.