Billing platforms surge as payments, laws, and markets evolve

Welcome back to Subscriptions Weekly! Black Friday is here, and subscriptions are taking center stage. Streaming platforms are rolling out aggressive holiday bundles, SaaS brands are driving annual upgrades, and retailers are leaning on memberships to capture early demand. With payments volume set to peak on Cyber Monday and live-sports streaming reshaping the market, this week shows just how much subscriptions influence the biggest shopping days of the year. Let’s dive in:

Software subscriptions see higher upgrade conversions

In SaaS, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are becoming the moment to secure 2026 revenue. Brands are seeing stronger upgrade performance as users move from monthly to discounted annual plans, driven by widespread 20–50% off promotions. Read now

Streaming platforms push aggressive holiday bundles

Across streaming, platforms are rolling out deep holiday bundles to stand out. Services are offering steep limited-time discounts and multi-service packages, especially ad-supported bundles, to capture new and returning subscribers during peak shopping days. Read now

Prime Video becomes a Black Friday hub for streaming deals

In marketplaces, subscription aggregation is doing heavy lifting for growth. Prime Video rolled out Black Friday offers with up to 75 percent off two-month subscriptions to add-on channels like Apple TV Plus, Starz, AMC Plus, BritBox, Crunchyroll and more. Amazon is positioning itself as a central gateway for trying and switching between streaming subscriptions. Read now

HBO Max runs a deep Black Friday promo for ad tier

In premium streaming, aggressive discounts are focused on ad-supported plans. HBO Max launched a Black Friday 2025 deal that prices its Basic with Ads plan at 2.99 dollars a month for a limited time through Prime Video, nearly 100 dollars in annual savings. It is a clear example of platforms using discounted ad tiers to drive acquisition during peak demand. Read now

Retail memberships surge during Black Friday

In retail, brands are prioritizing customer experience this Black Friday, leaning on memberships as the key value driver. Early access, free shipping, exclusive perks, and extended returns are driving a noticeable lift in sign-ups as shoppers seek more value and convenience. Read now

Payments volume hits record highs on Cyber Monday

In payments, Cyber Monday is set to push systems to their peak. With early Black Friday activity already climbing, subscription brands are preparing for heavy transaction volume, making optimized billing flows, retry logic, and strong authorization rates essential as the biggest online shopping day approaches. Read now

Sports streaming subscriptions enter a new phase

In streaming, live sports is accelerating the shift to direct-to-consumer subscriptions. New data from Antenna previews how services like ESPN and FOX are reshaping sports with standalone streaming offerings that used to live mostly on linear TV. This is changing how fans subscribe and how bundles are built. Read now

Streaming prices rise, but consumers keep paying

Across entertainment, households are still absorbing higher subscription prices. A new analysis finds US consumers now spend about 70 dollars a month on streaming video subscriptions, up from 48 dollars a year ago, even as multiple platforms increase rates. It is a clear signal that content value still outweighs price fatigue for many viewers. Read now

Coffee chain pulls subscription program amid operational strain

In food and beverage, not all subscription bets paid off. UK café chain Leon is discontinuing its coffee subscription and rewards program, citing operational strain and unsustainable perks as demand surged. Read now

New from Recurly

Now on-demand

In this session, Recurly and PayPal go beyond holiday strategy to explore what subscriber expectations will look like in 2026. Watch the full conversation