Subscription services have become big business in the US, with more than 84% of American consumers saying they subscribe to at least one service and more than two-fifths (44%) subscribing to 5 or more services. That’s according to a survey of more than 1,000 US consumers conducted by InMyArea.com.
Five of the top 10 subscriptions services fall under the category of Entertainment, with Netflix leading the way at 71% of respondents. The Shopping category accounts for 2 of the top overall services, with the remainder of services being in Personal Care, Sports & Leisure and Media.
Here’s a closer look at the different types of subscription services:
Streaming Services
Not surprisingly, Netflix is the streaming entertainment service subscribed to most by consumers, with 7 in 10 subscribing to the service. Following in a distant second and third are Amazon Prime Video (48%) and Hulu (43%).
What may come as a surprise is that Disney+ is the fourth most-subscribed streaming service, beating out the likes of YouTube TV (18%), HBO Now/HBO Go (11%) and Apple TV+ (9%). Disney+ has certainly captured the fancy of many viewers: 1 in 7 already consider it their most indispensable network.
Delivery and Other Services
Earlier research shows that, in order to save time, about 7 in 10 (73%) US consumers are willing to pay for a service or subscription, with shopping and delivery subscriptions among the key categories for this group. Indeed, 6 in 10 (58% of) consumers surveyed by InMyArea subscribe to Amazon Prime, with another 3 in 10 (28%) subscribing to a wholesale retailer service – making shopping a leader in non-entertainment subscription services.
Also falling under these delivery or non-entertainment subscription services are magazines or newspapers (17%), meal kits (14%), personal care (13%), clothing (12%) and pet food (12%).
It’s also worth noting that a little more than one-fifth (22%) of consumers say they do not subscribe to any of these types of services.
Membership Services
An even greater percentage (42%) of consumers surveyed say they have not purchased any sort of membership service. But for those who have, the most common memberships are for fitness, with 29% of consumers claiming to have a gym or fitness studio membership.
Although about three-quarters of US households have at least one gamer, only 17% of respondents report having a gaming membership. Other respondents have memberships to paid mobile apps (14%), online learning (10%) and online dating services (10%).
Home Services
Compared to other types of subscription, the percentage of consumers who do not have any sort of home subscription service is relatively low (9%). This area of services is dominated by various types of insurance: home/renter insurance (41%), life insurance (36%), vision insurance (31%), pet insurance (8%), and ID theft insurance.
Separately, 18% have a membership with AAA, while 13% pay for a home security service and 1 in 10 (11%) subscribe to a computer virus protection service.
All in all, 8 in 10 (79%) of those who subscribe to any service say they use all or most of the services they pay for. And, while three-fifths (61%) feel they are spending the right amount for their subscriptions, one-third (22%) feel they are spending too much.
About the Data: Results are based on a survey of more than 1,000 US adult consumers, fielded between March 29-April 4, 2020.