tv on a stand sowing Disney+ on screen,
Koozai > Blog > Subscription fatigue is showing up in search data

Subscription fatigue is showing up in search data

| 2 minutes to read

At Koozai, we keep a close eye on search behaviour because it’s often the earliest signal that people are changing what they buy, cancel, or avoid. One trend that’s becoming hard to ignore is the growing interest in cancelling major subscription and streaming services.

Using Google Trends, we reviewed UK search interest over time for cancellation-related terms across five big services: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, NOW TV and Sky. Google Trends doesn’t give absolute search volumes, but it does show relative interest (indexed from 0 to 100), which is ideal for spotting shifts in consumer intent.

Bar chart showing UK Google Trends interest in searches for cancelling streaming subscriptions. Amazon Prime and Netflix show consistently high interest, while Disney+, NOW TV and Sky have much higher recent peaks compared with lower typical interest levels.
Searches for cancelling streaming services surge for some platforms

What the Google Trends screenshots show

Two services show consistently high cancellation interest over time: Amazon Prime and Netflix. That’s not necessarily a sign of mass cancellations on its own. Bigger customer bases tend to create more “how do I cancel?” searches simply because more people have the service in the first place.

The more interesting pattern appears with Disney+, NOW TV and Sky, where the trend shows sharp spikes after long periods of relatively stable interest. Search behaviour like this usually suggests intent: people don’t tend to Google “cancel” unless they’re seriously considering it.

Cancel Amazon Prime

Google Trends screenshot showing UK search interest for 'cancel Amazon Prime' over time
Google Trends: UK search interest for “cancel Amazon Prime” (relative index).

Cancel Netflix

Google Trends screenshot showing UK search interest for 'cancel Netflix' over time
Google Trends: UK search interest for “cancel Netflix” (relative index).

Cancel Disney+

Google Trends screenshot showing UK search interest for 'cancel Disney+' over time
Google Trends: UK search interest for “cancel Disney+” (relative index).

Cancel NOW TV

Google Trends screenshot showing UK search interest for 'cancel NOW TV' over time
Google Trends: UK search interest for “cancel NOW TV” (relative index).

Cancel Sky

Google Trends screenshot showing UK search interest for 'cancel Sky' over time
Google Trends: UK search interest for “cancel Sky” (relative index).

The simple takeaway

Streaming isn’t disappearing. What’s changing is the tolerance for “subscription stacking” — paying for multiple services at once and not thinking too hard about it. These search patterns suggest people are becoming more selective about what stays and what goes.

That’s useful for marketers because search data doesn’t just reflect demand; it also reveals friction and value reassessment. Cancellation interest rising can be an early indicator that retention and perceived value are under pressure.

The table below summarises what the Trends screenshots show.

ServiceTypical interest (2021–2023)Recent peak interest (2025)Trend direction
Amazon PrimeHigh and steady (40–60)High (60–70)Steady, elevated
NetflixHigh and steady (50–70)High (70–80)Steady, elevated
Disney+Low to moderate (20–30)Sharp spike (90–100)Rising sharply
NOW TVLow (15–25)Sharp spike (90–100)Rising sharply
SkyModerate (30–45)Sharp spike (90–100)Rising sharply

What this means for digital and subscription brands

  • Intent is shifting: rising cancellation searches suggest people are actively reviewing what they’re paying for, not just grumbling about it.
  • Retention can’t rely on habit: “set and forget” is becoming “set and regularly audit”.
  • Value messaging matters: brands need to justify the monthly cost consistently, not only at sign-up.
  • Search is the early warning system: when people start searching for exits, it’s time to review onboarding, communications, and retention journeys.

Methodology

We reviewed Google Trends data for the United Kingdom using cancellation-related search terms for Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, NOW TV and Sky. Google Trends reports relative interest on a 0–100 index rather than absolute search volumes, which makes it useful for identifying changes in intent over time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sophie Roberts

Managing Director

Sophie Roberts is Managing Director and owner of Koozai, one of the UK’s longest-established digital marketing agencies. Having joined the business in 2016, she became Managing Director in February 2018 before leading a successful management buyout in 2021.

With more than 30 years of marketing experience, Sophie specialises in AI Search, Digital PR, marketing strategy, agency leadership and helping businesses adapt to the changing search landscape. She works closely with clients and Koozai’s specialist teams to develop commercially focused digital strategies that improve visibility, strengthen brand authority and deliver measurable business growth.

Over the course of her career, Sophie has worked with more than 200 organisations, ranging from ambitious SMEs to household brands including Golden Wonder, Airfix & Humbrol and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. Since joining Koozai she has helped shape digital strategies for clients including Travelbag, Trevor Sorbie, Red Funnel and Côte Brasserie, building long-term partnerships that often span many years.

Although clients often approach Koozai for Technical SEO, PPC, Digital PR or AI Search support, Sophie’s approach has always been to understand the wider business challenge rather than simply deliver a marketing service. She believes the best client relationships come from treating every client’s business as if it were your own, combining commercial thinking with honest advice and a genuine investment in long-term success.

Sophie’s career began in public relations, where she led award-winning campaigns before moving into digital marketing. One of her earliest successes was the BBC’s Service! campaign, which won the Catey Award for Best Independent Marketing Campaign and helped raise the profile of front-of-house hospitality careers across the UK.

Since then, she has developed marketing strategies for organisations across hospitality, construction, travel, tourism, healthcare, education, retail, ecommerce, finance, automotive and manufacturing, giving her broad commercial experience across both B2B and B2C sectors.

More recently, Sophie has become one of Koozai’s leading voices on AI Search and the impact of generative AI on marketing. She has developed the agency’s AI prompt library, built custom GPTs and AI agents to improve internal efficiency, and created Koozai’s AI usage policy to help the business adopt AI responsibly and effectively. She is particularly interested in how AI is changing the way people discover brands, products and services, and what businesses need to do to remain visible as search continues to change.

Sophie regularly writes about AI Search, Digital PR, organic growth, marketing strategy, leadership and the practical application of AI in marketing. She also reviews and fact-checks Koozai’s AI Search and digital strategy content before publication, ensuring it is accurate, practical and reflects current best practice.

Alongside her agency work, Sophie has delivered webinars on SEO for the construction industry, spoken at digital marketing events across Hampshire, featured in Search With Sean Live and supported the hospitality industry through judging and organising prestigious awards, including the UK Sommelier of the Year and UK Restaurant Manager of the Year. She also served on the organising committee for the National Restaurateurs Dinner.

Her work has been recognised through both personal and agency awards, including the Catey Award for Best Independent Marketing Campaign and the Construction Marketing Award for Best Small Agency.

Sophie holds a BA (Hons) in Marketing & PR together with Google and HubSpot marketing certifications. She continues to explore how emerging technologies can improve marketing effectiveness while keeping people, creativity and commercial thinking at the heart of every strategy.

Her insights and commentary have been featured by publications including Moz, Sitebulb, Yahoo News, The Business Magazine, Hampshire Business News, Portsmouth News, The Daily Echo, Professional Electrician, The Caterer, Restaurant Online, HVP Magazine and many other industry publications.

Away from work, Sophie is a self-confessed foodie, proud geek and lifelong learner who believes every day should be a school day. She is passionate about creating positive workplace cultures, supporting work-life balance and helping people build careers they genuinely enjoy.

aspect-ratio
ChatGPT AI Search
Kelly-Anne Crean

Your Competitors Are Showing Up in AI Search. Are You?

Kelly-Anne Crean
10th Sep 2026
SEO Blog
aspect-ratio
TV Interview
Isobel Walster

Koozai Couch: Interview with Matt Seabridge

Isobel Walster

aspect-ratio
Sophie Roberts

GEO, AEO Or AI Search Optimisation?

Sophie Roberts
@hospitalitysoph
3rd Sep 2026
Digital PR Blog
aspect-ratio
local seo agency
Sophie Roberts

Should You Let AI Manage Your Google Business Profile?

Sophie Roberts
@hospitalitysoph
2nd Sep 2026
SEO Blog

Digital Ideas Monthly

Sign up now and get our free monthly email. It’s filled with our favourite pieces of the news from the industry, SEO, PPC, Social Media and more. And, don’t forget – it’s free, so why haven’t you signed up already?