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Peacock streaming service news

Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.

The gist

Peacock raised all plan prices, with Select up to $8.99 and Premium Plus to $19.99. This fourth annual hike follows its first profitable quarter, signaling industry-wide price pressure.

Background

Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service launched in 2020, has been raising prices annually. The latest increase, effective August 18 for new subscribers and September 17 for existing ones, marks the fourth consecutive annual hike. The company recently posted its first profitable quarter, and executives caution that profitability will vary quarter to quarter due to sports scheduling.

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 17, 2026Peacock announced a beta test of a new membership rewards program for select Premium and Premium Plus subscribers, including perks like a free Instacart+ membership.
  2. Aug 18, 2026New price hikes took effect for new and returning subscribers: Select $8.99, Premium $12.99, Premium Plus $19.99 per month. Annual plans also increased.
  3. Sep 17, 2026Existing subscribers will see the new prices on or after this date.

Who’s saying what

Official
Peacock stated the price changes allow it to continue creating the best experience, remain competitive, and deliver unique content.
Public
One subscriber complained about excessive ad breaks even on the Premium plan, saying they get multiple minutes of ads when watching old shows.

Sources

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