Peacock Hikes Prices Right After Its First Profit

Peacock raised every subscription tier by $1 to $3 starting August 18, 2026, pushing its ad-free Premium Plus plan to $19.99 a month just weeks after the service posted its first quarterly profit. New and returning customers pay the higher rates immediately; existing ones see them on the next bill on or after September 17.

The move marks the fourth increase in four years for NBCUniversal’s streamer, which now counts 48 million paid subscribers after adding 2 million in the second quarter.

The new monthly and annual rates

Select, the limited ad-supported tier focused on NBC and Bravo current seasons plus library titles, rises from $7.99 to $8.99 monthly. Premium, the full ad-supported plan with movies, originals and live sports, moves from $10.99 to $12.99. Premium Plus, the ad-free version of that full catalog, jumps from $16.99 to $19.99.

Annual plans still deliver 12 months for the price of 10. Current annual subscribers and anyone on a promotional rate keep the old price until the term or offer ends, then renew at the new figure. Peacock is emailing account holders about the change.

Four straight years of higher bills

Peacock launched in 2020 with Premium at $4.99 and Premium Plus at $9.99. The first hike arrived in August 2023. Another followed in July 2024. July 2025 brought a $3 jump that introduced the Select tier at $7.99 while lifting Premium to $10.99 and Premium Plus to $16.99. This August round continues the annual cadence.

1. August 2023: Premium to $5.99, Premium Plus to $11.99
2. July 2024: Premium to $7.99, Premium Plus to $13.99
3. July 2025: Select debuts at $7.99; Premium to $10.99; Premium Plus to $16.99
4. August 2026: Select $8.99; Premium $12.99; Premium Plus $19.99

A full multi-year Peacock pricing history shows the service has outpaced simple inflation adjustments since the early hikes, even after Select stripped sports, movies and originals from the cheapest option.

Profit arrived, then the next climb

In its July earnings, Comcast reported that Peacock delivered a first-ever quarterly profit of $189 million in adjusted EBITDA on $1.9 billion of revenue for the second quarter of 2026. That flipped a $101 million loss from the year-earlier period. Paid subscribers reached 48 million after 2 million net additions, helped by NBA playoffs, the FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA. Subscription revenue rose more than 50 percent and advertising nearly 70 percent.

• $189 million adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2026
• 48 million paid subscribers at quarter end
• +2 million net additions in the quarter
• $1.9 billion Peacock revenue

Comcast co-CEO Michael Cavanagh told investors profitability will vary quarter to quarter with sports and content timing, even as the annual trend improves. The company has also announced plans to spin NBCUniversal (and Sky) into a separate public company. Higher recurring revenue from existing customers strengthens the balance sheet for that separation.

Sports rights keep the catalog expensive

Peacock’s full tiers carry NFL Sunday Night Football, exclusive NBA games under an 11-year deal worth roughly $2.5 billion a year across NBCU platforms, Premier League matches, college sports, WNBA and major events. Originals such as The Traitors and Love Island USA, plus recent theatrical titles like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, sit alongside decades of NBC and Bravo library series.

• NFL Sunday Night Football
• NBA exclusive packages and playoffs
• Premier League and other soccer
• College football and basketball
• Unscripted hits and select new movies

Select deliberately omits those sports, movies and Peacock originals, leaving mostly linear NBC/Bravo fare. The company says the price changes help it “create the best experience for its viewers,” stay competitive and “deliver unique content across all genres.”

Subscribers weigh the sting against the sports

On X and in comment threads, many users announced they would cancel once the higher bill hits, citing cumulative increases and uneven original output. Others noted that sports-heavy households already treat Peacock as a required add-on and that cheaper YouTube TV sports packages can sometimes substitute. Days of Our Lives fans argued higher fees would feel fairer if production values rose. Free ad-supported services drew wry comparisons in high-engagement replies.

create the best experience for its viewers

That is the phrasing Peacock used on its support page when explaining the hike. Whether the added dollars buy visibly better shows or simply cover the sports rights already locked in remains the open question for many households.

For international soccer fans the service has expanded Spanish-language coverage of major leagues, a detail that some see as genuine added value even as English-language options multiply elsewhere. Viewers tracking how language options split World Cup rights already treat Peacock as one of several overlapping sources rather than a standalone library.

Where Peacock sits against the rest of the market

Netflix’s cheapest ad-supported plan now matches Peacock Select at Netflix Standard with ads at $8.99, while its standard and premium tiers run higher. Max’s ad-supported entry sits near $11 and its top tiers exceed $20. Paramount+ and Disney+ have also moved prices upward in the last two years. Peacock’s Premium Plus at $19.99 therefore lands in the same neighborhood as other ad-free flagships, even if its original scripted volume remains lighter than Netflix or Max for many viewers.

Content calendars still matter. Series such as The Capture Season 3 arrival on Peacock and new unscripted orders give some households a reason to stay through the next billing cycle, while pure sports users calculate the cost against single-game or bundle alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the new Peacock prices in August 2026?

Select is $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year, Premium is $12.99 a month or $129.99 a year, and Premium Plus is $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year. Those figures apply to new and returning subscribers immediately and to existing ones on the next bill on or after September 17, 2026.

When do existing Peacock subscribers start paying more?

Existing monthly subscribers see the increase on their next billing date that falls on or after September 17, 2026. Annual subscribers and those on active promotions keep the prior rate until the current term or offer ends, then renew at the new price.

What does Peacock Select include compared with Premium?

Select carries current and library NBC and Bravo shows with ads but excludes Peacock originals, the movie catalog and live sports. Premium and Premium Plus unlock the full library, sports and originals; Premium Plus removes most ads.

How many times has Peacock raised prices since launch?

Four times in four years: August 2023, July 2024, July 2025 and August 2026. The service launched in 2020 at $4.99 and $9.99 for its two original paid tiers.

Did Peacock make a profit before this price increase?

Yes. In the second quarter of 2026 Peacock recorded $189 million in adjusted EBITDA, its first profitable quarter, on $1.9 billion of revenue and 48 million paid subscribers after adding 2 million net.

The higher rates are now the baseline for anyone who wants Peacock’s sports and full catalog heading into the fall slate and the next rights cycle.