With back-to-school season in full swing, your schedule’s probably getting busier — and your screen time shorter. So why keep paying for streaming subscriptions you barely use? Now’s the perfect time to cut down on monthly costs.
In 2025, streaming costs are higher than ever. Americans pay an average of $61 a month for streaming services, according to a Deloitte report — or a hefty $732 a year.
You can trim your streaming bill just by hitting pause on a service or two — it’s simple to jump back in when something worth watching finally lands.
In August 2025, I recommend canceling Disney Plus and Paramount Plus. Both services rank on our list of best streaming services, but this month is light on big premieres and must-see originals. Unless you’re catching up on a franchise rewatch or deep into a specific series, you’re probably safe to let them go for now and resubscribe when there’s something new that actually grabs you.
Here's why I think you should consider canceling Paramount Plus and Disney Plus this month.
Why I'd cancel Disney Plus in August 2025
We know plenty of families count on Disney Plus for its lineup of kid-friendly favorite, but in these final weeks of summer, you might be able to take a break. With back-to-school shopping, last-minute vacations and soaking up the remaining days of freedom, there’s less time (and need) to stream "Cars" the billionth time.
In August, only a few originals are premiering on Disney Plus. The biggest name is "Eyes of Wakanda," a spinoff of "Black Panther." The four-part animated miniseries explores Wakanda’s past through the eyes of its secret warriors, the Hatut Zaraze. The show will feature some surprise Marvel cameos, including Iron Fist.
All four episodes are dropping Aug. 1, which is an unusual release strategy for Marvel shows. That makes it seem like Disney Plus is burning it off quickly. In any case, four episodes are hardly enough to make a month's subscription worthwhile — not when you can just sign up again down the road and binge them all in a day.
The only other noteworthy Disney Plus originals debuting in August are Chris Hemsworth's adventure docuseries "Limitless: Live Better Now" and the animated "LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite." Again, neither of them seems "must see right now."
Why I'd cancel Paramount Plus in August 2025
As for Paramount Plus, its August schedule is bone-dry. The service has no original shows or movies premiering this month.
The only draw is sports, including WNBA matchups like Sky vs. Fever (Aug. 9) and Liberty vs. Lynx (Aug. 16), plus 16 NWSL games. Paramount Plus is also the exclusive U.S. home for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, kicking off Aug. 22 with USA vs. England. Soccer fans can catch the UEFA Super Cup (PSG vs. Tottenham), the start of Serie A, and EFL action with Wrexham vs. Southampton on Aug. 9.
But unless you're a fan of those sports, you won't miss out on much else.
How much you'll save by canceling Disney Plus and Paramount Plus this month
How much you can save by canceling Disney Plus and Paramount Plus depends on which plans you have.
Disney Plus Basic (with ads) is $10 per month and Premium (ad-free) is $16. Meanwhile, Paramount Plus Essential is also $8 per month, and the Premium tier (with limited ads, a live CBS feed and Showtime content) is $13.
Canceling both could free up nearly $29 a month. That might not seem like a lot, but it adds up, especially if you rotate your streaming subscriptions throughout the year. Over time, those savings can total a few hundred bucks. And with the cost of just about everything on the rise, even small cuts make a difference.
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