Observed Signal · Aug 18, 2026 · Price Increase · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Peacock raises prices across all streaming plans
Peacock announced price increases across its tiers: the ad-supported Select plan rises from $7.99 to $8.99/month, the ad-supported Premium plan from $10.99 to $12.99/month, and the ad-free Premium Plus plan from $16.99 to $19.99/month. The changes take effect August 18 for new and returning subscribers; current subscribers will see the higher price on their next billing date after September 17. Peacock said the changes will help fund its viewer experience and content. The streamer recently added AI-driven features such as an AI-powered "Bravoverse" vertical-video feed and live-game vertical streaming with real-time AI cropping, and reported its first profitable quarter with 48 million subscribers. NBCUniversal has also struck a deal to bring Peacock’s Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. starting in early 2027.
Price changes at a major streaming platform affect subscriber monetization, potential churn, and bundling/partnership strategies, with modest industry impact on ad inventory and competitive pricing.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Peacock is raising prices: Select (ad-supported) from $7.99 to $8.99/month, Premium (ad-supported) from $10.99 to $12.99/month, and Premium Plus (ad-free) from $16.99 to $19.99/month.
- Price increases take effect August 18 for new and returning subscribers; current subscribers will see increases on their next billing date after September 17.
- Current annual subscribers and users with active promotional offers retain existing rates until their plans or promotions expire.
- Peacock reported its first-ever profitable quarter and grew subscribers to 48 million, per a cited Hollywood Reporter story.
- NBCUniversal announced a partnership to bring Peacock’s Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. starting in early 2027.
Connected Companies & Entities
8 Entities mapped“Peacock is the latest streaming service to raise prices, with its cheapest ad-supported “Select” plan increasing from $7.99 to $8.99 per mon...”
“Last month, NBCUniversal announced a partnership to bring Peacock’s Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. starting in earl...”
“NBCUniversal announced a partnership to bring Peacock’s Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. starting in early 2027....”
“Peacock, like other streaming services including Netflix and HBO Max, has been steadily raising its prices in recent years....”
“Peacock, like other streaming services including Netflix and HBO Max, has been steadily raising its prices in recent years....”
“Launched in 2020, the streaming service reported its first-ever profitable quarter last month, as subscribers grew to 48 million, driven by ...”
“This article was published on TechCrunch and written by Aisha Malik....”
“Peacock, like other streaming services including Netflix and HBO Max, has been steadily raising its prices in recent years....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Peacock Raises Prices to Fund Live Sports Strategy
NBCUniversal is increasing Peacock subscription prices by $3 monthly — the third consecutive annual hike — to help cover escalating costs from exclusive live sports rights. Beginning July 23 new customers will pay $11/month for the ad-supported Premium plan and $17/month for the mostly ad-free Premium Plus; existing subscribers will see the change on their first billing cycle after August 22. Peacock is also trialing an $8 “Select” tier that excludes live sports, originals and major movies. The price move follows Peacock’s recent acquisition of NBA rights and complements its existing NFL, Premier League and Olympics coverage. Peacock reports roughly 41 million subscribers and is positioning exclusive sports and original content to justify higher pricing versus competitors.
Peacock Premium Plus Lands on YouTube Primetime Channels
Peacock’s Premium Plus tier is now available to subscribe through YouTube Primetime Channels, giving viewers an additional storefront to purchase NBCUniversal’s streaming offering. The move follows the recent addition of FOX One to YouTube’s subscription marketplace. Peacock Premium Plus includes live sports (Sunday Night Football, NBA, MLB, Premier League, WNBA, college football) as well as hit series and Universal films, and Peacock is promoting forthcoming originals such as The Five Star Weekend, Dig, and Crystal Lake. The article notes YouTube’s storefront also lists other add-on subscriptions including NFL Sunday Ticket, HBO Max, and Paramount+. The story was published by Cord Cutters News on 2026-06-29.
Peacock's Sixth Anniversary: NBCUniversal’s Streaming Push
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service owned by Comcast, launched nationally on July 15, 2020 after a soft launch for Comcast Xfinity customers on April 15, 2020. The service entered the market with a hybrid tiered model including a free ad-supported option and premium subscriptions, and debuted with a catalog of more than 600 movies and 400 series drawn from NBCUniversal networks. Peacock has pursued sports and live-event rights (including NFL Wild Card games and WWE events) and expanded originals and Spanish-language programming via Telemundo. The platform has iterated pricing and ad-supported offerings while emphasizing live events and broad accessibility as it competes with incumbent streamers. The article is a six-year retrospective on Peacock’s launch, evolution, and positioning amid industry consolidation and changing viewer habits.
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