Global Subscription Economy Projected to Reach $859 Billion in 2026

Published 2026-03-18 · TrimWell Media News

New market-sizing data underscores how large the subscription economy has become. According to figures from Fortune Business Insights, cited by Subvisory, the global subscription economy was valued at approximately $536 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $859 billion in 2026.

The same analysis notes the average consumer holds 5.6 active subscriptions across all categories, rising to 8.2 when every recurring charge — including software, gaming, fitness, and delivery — is counted rather than just headline streaming and media subscriptions.

Notably, growth in subscription count itself appears to be leveling off: 77% of consumers surveyed for Recurly's State of Subscriptions report say they plan to hold their subscription count steady in 2026, suggesting the 'subscribe to everything' growth phase is maturing even as per-subscription prices continue climbing.

That shift matters for household budgets: even flat subscription counts can still produce rising bills purely through price increases on existing services, rather than new sign-ups.

Run your own subscription list against these benchmarks with the free TrimWell Score tool.

Sources: Subvisory (citing Fortune Business Insights, Recurly).