It’s now more expensive to binge The Office on Peacock

Three years after launching, NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock is finally getting its first price hike. As of Monday, new subscribers will pay $5.99 a month for the Premium plan (up from $4.99) and $11.99 a month for the Premium Plus plan (up from $9.99). Existing subscribers will see the higher prices reflected on their first bill after August 17.

The fact that NBCUniversal waited three full years to raise the price of Peacock subscriptions is far more surprising than the price increase itself. In the three years since the streamer launched, nearly all of Peacock’s competitors have raised their prices at least once, including Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Paramount Plus.

Even with higher prices, Peacock is still among the cheapest streaming services on the market. Other than Apple TV Plus, which charges $6.99 for its ad-free (and only) plan, $11.99 is actually on the lower end of the spectrum. Netflix’s most affordable ad-free plan is $15.49 a month, Max charges $15.99 a month, and Hulu (No Ads) costs $14.99 a month.

The timing of the price hike is more than a little suspicious, as The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be streaming exclusively on Peacock starting August 3. According to Box Office Mojo, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the biggest movie of 2023 by a wide margin, generating $500 million more than Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which ranks second.

Mario aside, Peacock is more than just the only service with The Office in 2023. Original series such as Poker Face, Mrs. Davis, Bupkis, and Based on a True Story have all made waves this year, giving the streamer some cachet in a wildly competitive market.

Unfortunately, whether you have Peacock to put The Office on in a loop in the background, to watch new movies shortly after they leave theaters, or to check out interesting originals, you’re going to be paying more for the privilege as of next month.