Peacock raises prices on all three plans: what changes and when it hits existing subscribers

The latest Peacock price increase took effect across all three of NBCUniversal's US plans on August 18, 2026. New and returning subscribers paid the new rates immediately, and existing subscribers moved to them from their first billing date on or after September 17, 2026.

Old and new prices

The figures below are from 9to5Mac's report on the day of the change:

The largest increase is $3 a month on Premium Plus. 9to5Mac noted that the monthly price of Premium has gone up by $5 in a little over two years.

How much more you will pay over a year

Monthly increases of one to three dollars can look small. Annualized, the difference is clearer. Using the prices reported by 9to5Mac:

The annual plan also stays cheaper per month than monthly billing. On Premium, $129.99 a year works out to about $10.83 a month, compared with $12.99 on monthly billing. That saving only applies if you would keep Peacock for the whole year.

What each tier generally means

Peacock's tiers differ mainly in advertising and features. In broad terms:

• Select is the entry-level tier, positioned around a narrower library.
• Premium is the main ad-supported plan, with the broader library, including the sports and live programming Peacock promotes.
• Premium Plus removes most ads and adds features such as downloads.

The exact line-up, including which live channels and events are covered by which tier, changes over time and differs by region. Check Peacock's help center for the current comparison before you choose. Don't rely on an older summary, including this one.

When the change applies to you

• New and returning subscribers: from August 18, 2026.
• Existing monthly subscribers: from the first billing date on or after September 17, 2026.
• Existing annual plans and active promotions: the current price continues until the plan or promotion ends, according to 9to5Mac.

Peacock's own help page on price changes is the authoritative source for your account. Availability of that page varies by region.

If you want to switch plans or cancel

Price changes are a natural point to reconsider your plan. A few practical points:

• Moving down a tier usually takes effect at your next billing date. You keep your current tier until then.
• Cancelling a monthly plan generally means access continues until the end of the period you have paid for.
• Subscriptions billed through someone else, such as an app store, a TV provider or a mobile carrier, are usually managed and cancelled through that company, not through Peacock directly.
• Resubscribing later may mean paying the new rate, even if you were on an older price before.

If you are unsure how you are billed, the account or subscription page in the Peacock app or website shows who manages your plan.

Bundles

At the time of 9to5Mac's report, Apple was still advertising its Apple TV and Peacock bundle at earlier prices. If you get Peacock through a bundle, a mobile carrier or a TV provider, the price you pay depends on that partner's terms. Check your bill rather than assuming the standalone price applies.

How to manage the cost

• Pick the right tier. If you mainly watch on-demand shows and don't mind ads, a lower tier may be enough. Our explainer on ad-supported tiers covers the trade-offs.
• Subscribe around the content you want. Many households now subscribe for a season or a live event and cancel afterwards.
• Compare annual and monthly pricing. An annual plan is cheaper per month if you will keep the service all year.
• Look at bundles carefully. Bundles can save money, but only if you would pay for every service in them anyway.

Why the Peacock price increase is happening now

Peacock didn't give a detailed public explanation in the coverage we reviewed, so the following is analysis rather than reporting. Price increases across streaming in recent years have generally been driven by:

• The cost of live sport. Peacock has invested heavily in live sports rights, and major sports packages are among the most expensive content any service can buy. See our analysis of sports streaming fragmentation.
• The push for profitability. Streaming divisions across the media industry have moved from prioritizing growth to prioritizing profit.
• Pricing power after subscriber growth. Services that have built a large subscriber base tend to test how much they can raise prices without losing too many customers.

Is Peacock still good value?

That depends entirely on what you watch. For viewers who rely on it for particular live sports or a few flagship shows, the increase may be worth absorbing, especially on an annual plan. Others may find that subscribing only during the months they actually use it saves more than any plan change. A household that watches mostly library content may find comparable free options in FAST channels and free ad-supported services.

Common questions about the increase

I'm on an annual plan. When will I pay more?

According to 9to5Mac's report, current annual plans keep their existing price until they end. At renewal, the new annual price applies unless you change plans or cancel before the renewal date. Check the renewal date in your account settings and note it in your calendar if you want to reconsider before then.

I have a promotional price. Does the increase apply?

The same report says active promotions keep their price until they expire. After that, billing moves to the standard rate for your plan, which is now the higher price.

Do I need to do anything to accept the new price?

Generally no. Monthly subscriptions move to the new price automatically from the relevant billing date. If you don't want to pay the new price, you need to downgrade or cancel before that date.

Will the price go up again?

We can't predict future changes, and Peacock hadn't announced any in the coverage we reviewed. History across the industry suggests that regular increases are now normal for major streaming services. We cover the reasons in our streamflation analysis.

Does the increase apply outside the United States?

This report covers US pricing. Peacock's availability, plans and prices differ by country, and some international viewers access Peacock content through partner services. Check the local service's pricing where you live.

How to check exactly what you pay

Price changes are a good moment to look at the actual charge rather than the advertised one:

1. Open your account page on the Peacock website and look at the plan name and next billing date.
2. Check who bills you. If the page says your subscription is managed by an app store, a TV provider or a mobile carrier, look at that company's billing page instead.
3. Compare with your bank or card statement. Taxes can make the charged amount differ slightly from the list price.
4. Look for duplicates. It's surprisingly common to pay for the same service twice, for example once directly and once through a bundle.

Peacock's place in the streaming market

Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service. It combines on-demand series and films with live programming and sport. Like several services owned by traditional media companies, it has positioned live sport and events as a key reason to subscribe, alongside its library of NBCUniversal content. That positioning helps explain the pricing strategy. Live rights are expensive, and services that rely on them tend to pass rising costs on to subscribers. For households comparing services, the useful question isn't whether Peacock is cheap or expensive in general, but whether the specific programming you watch on it justifies the new price compared with the alternatives.

Key points

• Peacock raised prices on all three US plans on August 18, 2026.
• Select rose to $8.99 a month, Premium to $12.99 and Premium Plus to $19.99, according to 9to5Mac.
• Existing monthly subscribers move to the new prices from their first billing date on or after September 17, 2026.
• Annual plans and active promotions keep their current prices until they end.
• Bundles and partner subscriptions follow their own pricing. Check your bill.
• Reviewing your tier, billing period and actual usage is the most effective way to manage the increase.

How we reported this story

This article is based on 9to5Mac's report published on the day of the change, which listed old and new prices and the effective dates for new and existing subscribers. We've linked Peacock's own help pages for account-specific details, since only Peacock can confirm what applies to an individual subscription. Prices and plan features change, so we will update this article if Peacock announces further changes or if any figures here are corrected.

The wider trend

Peacock's increase is one of many across the industry. We look at the causes, from sports rights to the push for profitability, in our analysis of why streaming prices keep rising.

Sources and further reading

• 9to5Mac: Peacock is the latest streaming service to increase prices (August 18, 2026)
• Peacock Help Center: Price increase