*A new survey finds cord cutters trimming paid subscriptions, with 9 percent going fully free on platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel. That group relies entirely on ad-supported services and pays nothing each month to watch.
The survey gathered responses from over 1,200 people who have abandoned traditional cable, per Cord Cutters. Beyond the fully free group, another 21 percent keep just one paid subscription or none. Slightly more than half, 53.1 percent, hold three or fewer.
The numbers climb from there. Four or fewer subscriptions covered 67.4 percent of respondents. Five or fewer covered 78.8 percent.
Disney may soon join the free space. Reports suggest the studio is developing an ad-supported service that would cost viewers nothing. A Disney entry would give the category its biggest brand name yet.
Scroll to continue reading
The free tier of streaming goes by the industry term FAST, short for free, ad-supported streaming television. What began as a supplement to paid apps has grown into a primary destination. Each service carves out its own lane. Tubi is known for the size of its film and TV catalog. Pluto TV programs channels that mimic old-school cable. The Roku Channel is built into the hardware millions already own.
Money explains the shift. Subscription costs kept climbing while households kept adding apps to chase specific shows. Bills stacked up until viewers hit a breaking point. People who already dropped cable to save money proved quickest to trim again.
Analysts see room for more growth as pay television keeps shrinking across American homes. Paid platforms will likely counter with bundles and cheaper ad-backed plans. The fully free viewers of today could signal where the wider audience is headed next.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Streaming Services Most Likely to Shut Down in 2026
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
