Americans are currently seeing rising everyday costs, and the internet is one of the many commodities that have become more expensive. Two-thirds consumers say they’re one hidden fee away from switching providers amid rising costs and a growing sense of being misled.
Reviews.Org’s 2026 Consumer Trust Survey indicates that 71% of Americans report that the price of their home services has increased over the last 12 months. 73% of consumers saw their internet bills rise this year (up from 43% last year), with 30% of those affected seeing monthly increases of $10–20. 67% have switched or considered switching providers because of hidden or unexpected charges (up from 56% last year). 30% reported they’ve either canceled or downgraded their home internet service in the past 12 months due to cost.
A few different factors contributed to this rise in prices. Over the last few years, several major telecom companies have consolidated, including AT&T’s acquisition of Lumen’s consumer fiber business, which included Quantum Fiber, and Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier. Because of this, consumers feel like they have fewer providers to choose from and less competitive pressure to keep prices low.
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Consumers are reportedly feeling pressure from all directions at the moment. Reviews.org’s 2026 Consumer Trust Survey found that 90% of Americans reported higher electricity or gas bills, and 53% said streaming or TV subscription costs had gone up. So, internet price hikes are landing at a time when households are already re-evaluating all of their monthly expenses.
Consumers are frustrated not just by higher base prices, but by hidden fees, equipment charges, and promotional pricing that expires and causes bills to rise unexpectedly. In fact, hidden fees were the top frustration consumers reported with their internet provider (49%), followed by price hikes after promotional periods ended (39%).
30% respondents of the Review.Org survey say they’ve canceled or downgraded their home internet this year, with 39% saying they’ve downgraded their internet speed or bandwidth to help manage monthly costs, meaning they’re willing to do with less to make their money work.
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Among those who cancelled or downgraded their subscriptions, 49% cut their streaming subscriptions (up 46% percent last year), while cable or satellite TV cancellations were at 31%.
The most important aspect of pricing for consumers is knowing their total price rather than an advertised price that comes with hidden fees. 88% of respondents believe all fees should be included in advertised pricing.
For 53% respondents, the top complaint was being surprised by the price increases after a promotional period. 52% mentioned “service fees” with unclear descriptions, and a slightly smaller 50% mentioned taxes and regulatory fees. Hidden fees seem to outweigh all other complaints for users.