Guides
Annual or monthly: what each annual plan saves
Independent site, not affiliated with any service listed. No affiliate links.
Some services sell a year paid up front for less than twelve monthly payments. This page lists them, the saving, and the number of months after which the annual plan comes out ahead.
Is the annual plan worth it?
Disney+ Disney+ Premium (no ads): annual plan against 12 monthly payments
Annual saves $42.89
| Annual plan | $214.99 |
| 12 months at $21.49 | $257.88 |
| Annual plan pays off from | 11 months |
| Saving over a full year | $42.89 |
List prices before sales tax. An annual plan is paid up front and renews unless canceled.
Of the plans tracked here, 11 can be paid by the year as well as by the month: those of Disney+ Premium, HBO Max, Peacock, YouTube Premium Individual, Amazon Prime and Walmart+. The annual plan usually costs about ten months of the monthly price, so it pays off for anyone who keeps the service for eleven or twelve months. The largest saving in dollars is on Walmart+ Walmart+, $57.40 a year. Netflix, Spotify, Apple's services and Paramount+ have no annual price on the US pages read; Netflix's page says it does not offer annual plans. Costco and Sam's Club are yearly fees only. The catch is flexibility: an annual plan is paid up front, cannot be paused for the months you do not watch, and renews automatically unless canceled. Prices read on November 1, 2026, before sales tax.
What would rotating your services save?
Saving over a year
$360
| 4 services all year | $720 |
| 2 at a time, all year | $360 |
| Months each service gets | 6 a year |
Most monthly plans can be canceled and restarted; an annual plan cannot be rotated.
Prices read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Every annual plan, by saving
| Plan | Monthly | 12 months | Annual plan | Saving | Pays off from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart+, Walmart+ | $12.95 | $155.40 | $98 | $57.40 | 8 months |
| HBO Max, Premium | $22.99 | $275.88 | $229.99 | $45.89 | 11 months |
| Disney+, Disney+ Premium (no ads) | $21.49 | $257.88 | $214.99 | $42.89 | 11 months |
| Amazon Prime, Prime (monthly or annual) | $14.99 | $179.88 | $139 | $40.88 | 10 months |
| Peacock, Premium Plus (no ads) | $19.99 | $239.88 | $199.99 | $39.89 | 11 months |
| HBO Max, Standard | $18.49 | $221.88 | $184.99 | $36.89 | 11 months |
| YouTube Premium, Individual | $15.99 | $191.88 | $159.99 | $31.89 | 11 months |
| Walmart+, Walmart+ Assist or Student | $6.47 | $77.64 | $49 | $28.64 | 8 months |
| Peacock, Premium (with ads) | $12.99 | $155.88 | $129.99 | $25.89 | 11 months |
| HBO Max, Basic with Ads | $10.99 | $131.88 | $109.99 | $21.89 | 11 months |
| Peacock, Select (with ads, no sports or movies) | $8.99 | $107.88 | $89.99 | $17.89 | 11 months |
When monthly billing wins
An annual plan is a bet that you will use the service all year. For services people watch for one series or one sports season, the bet often loses. Peacock's annual Premium plan costs $129.99; someone who subscribes only for four months of football pays $51.96 on the monthly plan. The rotation page works out the saving of keeping only a few services at a time.
A second reason is price changes. An annual plan locks the price for its term, which protected subscribers during the increases of recent years; but it renews at the new price, and it cannot be dropped mid-year if the catalog changes.
Memberships billed by the year
Costco and Sam's Club sell only annual memberships, $65 and $60 for the basic tiers. Amazon Prime and Walmart+ offer both: Prime at $14.99 a month or $139 a year, Walmart+ at $12.95 or $98. For a delivery membership used all year, the annual fee is the cheaper choice by $40.88 at Amazon and $57.40 at Walmart.
What would rotating your services save?
Saving over a year
$360
| 4 services all year | $720 |
| 2 at a time, all year | $360 |
| Months each service gets | 6 a year |
Most monthly plans can be canceled and restarted; an annual plan cannot be rotated.