# Subscription Waste Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/finance/subscription-waste/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The subscription waste calculator adds up your monthly subscriptions – streaming, music, gym, apps, news, gaming, delivery and more – to show what they cost per year, the share you don't really use, and what that money would grow to if invested instead.

## Inputs

- Video streaming
- Music and podcasts
- Gym and fitness apps
- Software and cloud storage
- News and magazines
- Gaming
- Delivery and shopping memberships
- Other subscriptions
- Share you rarely use (%)
- Investment return (%)
- Years

## Results

- Monthly subscriptions
- Yearly cost
- Wasted per year
- Wasted money invested over the period
- All subscriptions invested over the period

## Formula

```
Monthly total = Σ subscriptions
Yearly cost = monthly × 12
Wasted = cost of subscriptions you rarely use
Invested instead: FV = monthly waste × ((1 + i)^n − 1) ÷ i
```

## Explanation

Surveys regularly find people underestimate subscription spending by $100+ a month. Review your bank statement, cancel what you don't use and rotate streaming services instead of keeping them all.

### How to use the Subscription Waste Calculator

- **Video streaming**
- **Music and podcasts**
- **Gym and fitness apps**
- **Software and cloud storage**
- **News and magazines**
- **Gaming**
- **Delivery and shopping memberships**
- **Other subscriptions**
- **Share you rarely use**
- **Investment return**
- **Years**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Enter what you pay each month for each type of subscription, the share you hardly use, and the return you could earn by investing the difference.

### Tips

- Use your real spending from bank statements rather than guesses.
- Automate savings so they happen before you spend.
- Revisit your plan once a year or after any big life change.
- Keep an emergency fund before investing for long-term goals.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Underestimating irregular expenses such as car repairs, gifts and annual bills.
- Ignoring inflation for long-term goals.
- Taking on high-interest debt to fund wants.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterVideo streamingAmount in your currencyMusic and podcastsAmount in your currencyGym and fitness appsAmount in your currencySoftware and cloud storageAmount in your currencyNews and magazinesAmount in your currencyGamingAmount in your currencyDelivery and shopping membershipsAmount in your currencyOther subscriptionsAmount in your currencyShare you rarely useIn %Investment returnIn %YearsA number

### What each result means

- **Monthly subscriptions** = [Video streaming] + [Music and podcasts] + [Gym and fitness apps] + [Software and cloud storage] + [News and magazines] + [Gaming] + [Delivery and shopping memberships] + [Other subscriptions]
- **Yearly cost** = [Monthly subscriptions]×12
- **Wasted per year** = [Monthly subscriptions]×12×[Share you rarely use]÷100
- **Wasted money invested over the period** = fvc([Investment return]÷1200, [Years]×12, 0, [Monthly subscriptions]×[Share you rarely use]÷100)
- **All subscriptions invested over the period** = fvc([Investment return]÷1200, [Years]×12, 0, [Monthly subscriptions])

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Video streaming** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Video streamingYearly cost22.51,67433.751,809451,94456.252,07967.52,214902,484

## Worked example

Inputs — Video streaming: $45; Music and podcasts: $12; Gym and fitness apps: $40; Software and cloud storage: $15; News and magazines: $10; Gaming: $15; Delivery and shopping memberships: $15; Other subscriptions: $10; Share you rarely use: 30 %; Investment return: 7 %; Years: 10.

Results — Monthly subscriptions = $162.00; **Yearly cost = $1,944.00**; Wasted per year = $583.20; Wasted money invested over the period = $8,411.92; All subscriptions invested over the period = $28,039.74.

## FAQ

**How much does the average person spend on subscriptions?**
Often $100–$250 a month in the U.S.

**How do I find all my subscriptions?**
Check bank and card statements and your app store subscriptions list.

**Is it worth cancelling small subscriptions?**
Yes – $15 a month invested at 7% grows to about $2,600 in 10 years.

**What formula does the Subscription Waste Calculator use?**
Monthly total = Σ subscriptions.