LOS ANGELES — Last week, HBO Max announced it raised its standard subscription by $1.50 to $18.49 a month — up 23 percent from when the streaming service launched five years ago amid the pandemic.

Such announcements have become almost routine in the TV business as inflation hits streaming platforms that are under growing pressure to turn a profit and pay for higher programming costs.

Once seen as a cheaper alternative to cable, the cost of a streaming subscription for the top platforms continues to rise, much like higher prices for groceries, gasoline and housing.

In fact, the average price for subscriptions to the top 10 paid subscription streaming services in the U.S. increased 12 percent this year, following double-digit percentage increases per year since 2022, according to Victoria

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