If you haven’t noticed, you may be paying a little more for some of your subscription and membership services.
From streaming platforms to shopping memberships, having access to all these services isn’t cheap. It’s even more of a blow to your bank account when those services increase their prices.
Whether you’ve been a long-time subscriber or are wondering if it’s even worth becoming a member, here’s a helpful roundup of subscription and membership accounts that have seen price hikes this year.
Andy.LIU/Shutterstock
For the first time in years, Costco hiked its annual membership fees. The increase, which applies to members in the US and Canada, came into effect on September 1, 2024.
The Gold Star membership increased from $60 to $65 per year, and the higher-tier Executive Membership has jumped from $120 to $130 annually.
The maximum annual 2% reward for the Executive Membership also increased from $1,000 to $1,250.
The change impacts 52 million memberships, “a little over half of which are Executive.” There are currently 108 locations in Canada.
This was the first membership price hike Costco has implemented since June 2017.
If you’ve been thinking of getting a Costco membership, the big box store is offering a sweet membership deal after the price hike.
You might want to take advantage of the deal soon because it ends on December 22.
Primakov/Shutterstock
Some Canadians took to X earlier this month to express their thoughts about Spotify emails notifying them of price increases on Premium and Individual plans.
According to the screenshots, Spotify Premium Family subscription prices will change from $16.99 to $20.99 a month, plus applicable tax, starting in December.
Another Canadian listener shared a screenshot of the price hike for the Premium Individual subscription.
It will increase from $10.99 a month to $12.69 a month, plus taxes, starting in December.
“The fact that Spotify is going up by $1.70 when it just went up by $1 LAST YEAR is f**king insane,” reads the post.
The music streamer’s website is currently listing each plan for the following prices:
- Individual – $12.69
- Student – $6.39
- Duo – $17.89
- Family – $20.99
The Bold Bureau/Shutterstock
Disney+ subscriptions are about to get more expensive in Canada.
On Tuesday, the streaming giant began emailing users to notify them of incoming price hikes.
“We are updating our prices so we can keep bringing you brand-new Originals, the latest blockbuster movies and most loved binge-worthy series,” reads the email.
Disney+ has also updated the pricing on its site.
According to the streamer, the Standard plan will change from $11.99 to $12.99 a month and from $119.99 to $129.99 a year.
The Disney+ Premium plan will go from $14.99 to $15.99 a month and from $149.99 to $159.99 a year.
The price increase will be implemented depending on your renewal date.
Vantage_DS/Shutterstock
While Netflix didn’t increase its prices this year, it officially axed its cheapest ad-free plan in Canada.
In April, the streaming giant notified Canadian users that the Basic plan would be removed, sparking backlash from many subscribers.
At that time, Netflix said the process would occur on a rolling basis depending on a person’s billing cycle, with members being notified of dates and deadlines over email or on the service itself.
Some users began receiving on-screen notifications on their devices telling them to choose a different plan option to continue watching in July.
Canadian users impacted by this move have the option to subscribe to Netflix’s other three monthly subscription options:
- Standard with ads $5.99: This is now the cheapest tier that includes ads and allows users to watch on two supported devices in full HD.
- Standard $16.49: Includes better video quality (1080p vs. 720p for the Basic), ad-free viewing, and the ability to download the app on two devices. It also allows adding one extra member who doesn’t live with you.
- Premium $20.99: This includes unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games. Users can watch on four supported devices at a time in Ultra HD. The plan also allows downloads on six supported devices and the option to add two members who don’t live with you.
With files from Simran Singh and Irish Mae Silvestre