Around 50% of Australians admit to paying for unused subscriptions, with Compare the Market data revealing consumers could be wasting more than $1,700 annually on streaming services and the gym.
The nationally representative survey found, of the Australians who were unnecessarily paying for subscriptions, almost six-in-10 pointed their Netflix video streaming subscription. This equates to a loss of at least $119 per year.
However, it was unused gym memberships that were burning the biggest financial hole. Those surveyed who were not actively using their gym pass were spending around $93 per month on average, resulting in a cost of $1,116 per year.
Based on the top five reported unused subscriptions and their base monthly plans, Compare the Market uncovered Australians could be wasting up to $1,739 per year.
That’s equal to around 579 litres of diesel even at a record-high $3.00 per litre, 289 cups of coffee at $6.00 each, or a return flight to Paris with extra travel money.
| Top five unused subscriptions | Proportion of responses | Starting monthly cost | Annual cost |
| Netflix | 57% | $9.99 | $119 |
| Gym membership | 27% | $93.00 (average)* | $1,116 |
| Disney+ | 24% | $15.99 | $191 |
| Amazon Prime | 22% | $9.99 | $119 |
| Spotify | 21% | $15.99 | $191 |
| Totals | $144 | $1,739 |
Source: Compare the Market
Other reported unused subscriptions included Stan (from $12/month), Amazon Prime Video (from $9.99/month), and Paramount+ (from $7.99/month).
Compare the Market’s Economic Director David Koch said Australians should plug any “financial leaks”.
“Record high fuel prices, the rising cash rate, and mounting supermarket costs. It feels like Australians are being hit at every cost-of-living corner again,” Mr Koch said.
“With around half of those surveyed admitting they’re still paying for unused subscriptions, it’s about time to scrutinise your expenses.
“If you don’t regularly go into the gym anymore or haven’t logged into Netflix in a while, it’s worth cutting ties and plugging these financial leaks.
“It’s usually easy to cancel a subscription and may only take a few minutes, but it could save you hundreds down the drain every year in total.
“Don’t set-and-forget on your other household bills either. For example, the Compare the Market experts often find that people pay for private health insurance inclusions they don’t need anymore, such as pregnancy cover, so it’s worth reviewing your bills.
“This is an easy cost-of-living win amid an uncertain economic period.”
When referencing this research, please attribute: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/
Disclaimers
Compare the Market commissioned Pureprofile to survey a nationally representative sample of 1,015 Australians in March 2026.
*Average reported monthly subscription cost, based on Australians surveyed who said they were currently paying for an unused gym membership.
Base monthly subscription plans were selected from each type to gauge a starting figure, then multiplied to result in an annual cost.
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