Subscription Cost Analyzer
Catalogs all active subscriptions, calculates the true annual cost, detects service overlaps, and estimates potential savings from consolidation or cancellation. Highlights the cumulative cost of subscription creep.
Personal - Subscription Cost Analyzer.xlsx
Excel (.xlsx) — No macros — Works in Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice
What This Spreadsheet Solves
- Total subscription spending is unknown because charges are spread across cards and accounts
- Overlapping services provide duplicate functionality at double the cost
- Free trials convert to paid subscriptions unnoticed
- Annual cost of all subscriptions is surprisingly high when aggregated
- No systematic review process for subscription value
Who This Is For
- Individuals auditing their recurring digital and physical subscriptions
- Households with multiple streaming, software, and service memberships
- Budget-conscious consumers optimizing recurring costs
- Financial advisors helping clients reduce fixed monthly obligations
Inputs
- textSubscription Name
- $Monthly Cost
- textBilling Frequency (Monthly/Annual)
- textCategory (Streaming/Software/Fitness/News/Other)
- textUsage Frequency (Daily/Weekly/Rarely/Never)
Outputs
- Total monthly subscription cost
- Total annual subscription cost
- Cost per category breakdown
- Overlap detection (duplicate category services)
- Potential savings from canceling rarely/never used subscriptions
How Calculations Work
Each subscription is normalized to monthly and annual amounts. Subscriptions are grouped by category to identify overlaps (multiple services in the same category). Usage frequency flags items rated 'rarely' or 'never' as cancellation candidates. Potential savings are calculated by summing the annual cost of all flagged items. The model also compares the cost of monthly vs annual billing for each subscription to identify plan optimization opportunities.
Example Use Case
Scenario: 14 active subscriptions across streaming (4), software (3), fitness (2), news (3), and other (2). Total monthly: $187. Three subscriptions marked 'rarely' used, two marked 'never.' Two streaming services in the same category have overlapping content.
Result: Annual cost: $2,244. 'Never' used subscriptions: $38/month ($456/year). 'Rarely' used: $29/month ($348/year). Overlap savings (one streaming redundancy): $16/month ($192/year). Total potential savings: $996/year (44% of subscription spending).
What You Get — 5 Sheets
Technical Details
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find subscriptions I forgot about?
Search bank and credit card statements for recurring charges. Check app store subscription settings on your phone. Look for email receipts with 'renewal' or 'subscription' in the subject.
What counts as an overlap?
Two or more active subscriptions in the same category providing similar functionality. Examples: multiple music streaming services, two cloud storage plans, or duplicate news subscriptions.
Should I always switch to annual billing?
Only if you are confident you will keep the subscription for the full year. Annual plans typically save 15-20% but lock you in. For subscriptions you might cancel, monthly billing preserves flexibility.
How do I handle family or shared plans?
Enter your share of the cost. If you pay for a family plan, enter the full amount since it comes from your budget. Note sharing details in the subscription name for reference.
Does this track price increases?
Update the cost field when a subscription price changes. Comparing snapshots over time in the OUTPUT sheet will show how subscription creep affects your annual total.
Download Subscription Cost Analyzer
Ready to use immediately. Enter your data in the INPUT sheet, see results in OUTPUT.