How to Work Out the Real Monthly Cost of Yearly and Weekly Subscriptions
Short answer: for a yearly plan, divide the price by 12. For a weekly plan, multiply by 52 and divide by 12, not by 4, because a month averages about 4.33 weeks. A plan that costs 45 a week is 195 a month, not 180. For a daily average, take the yearly total and divide by 365.
The formulas
- Monthly: the price is already the monthly cost.
- Yearly: price ÷ 12. A plan at 60 a year is 5 a month.
- Weekly: price × 52 ÷ 12. A plan at 3 a week is 156 a year, or 13 a month.
- Every N months: price ÷ N. A plan at 15 every 3 months is 5 a month.
- Every N weeks: price × 52 ÷ N ÷ 12. A plan at 6 every 2 weeks is 156 a year, or 13 a month.
- Daily average: yearly total ÷ 365.
Why weekly × 4 is wrong
A year has 52 weeks but only 48 of them fit into "4 weeks × 12 months". The other 4 weeks are still charged. That is why months with five billing days appear on your statement every so often. Using × 4 makes a weekly plan look about 8% cheaper than it is. At 45 a week: 45 × 4 = 180, but 45 × 52 ÷ 12 = 195. Over a year, that is 180 you didn't plan for.
A worked example
| Plan | Price | Per year | Per month | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video streaming | 10 a month | 120 | 10 | 0.33 |
| Cloud storage | 60 a year | 60 | 5 | 0.16 |
| Fitness app | 3 a week | 156 | 13 | 0.43 |
| Music | 15 every 3 months | 60 | 5 | 0.16 |
| Meal kit | 6 every 2 weeks | 156 | 13 | 0.43 |
| Total | 552 | 46 | 1.51 |
Notice that the two small weekly plans cost more over a year than the monthly video plan. Weekly prices look small, which is exactly why they are worth converting.
Tips
- Convert everything to one period before you compare. Mixing weekly and yearly prices in your head is where mistakes happen.
- Keep currencies separate. If you pay in more than one currency, total each one on its own or convert at a rate you choose.
- Look at yearly totals when deciding what to cancel. 13 a month sounds small; 156 a year may not.
How Dueberry handles it
Dueberry uses these same formulas: yearly ÷ 12 and weekly × 52 ÷ 12. It shows your totals per week, month and year and a daily average, plus stats by label and a list of your biggest monthly costs. Each subscription can have its own currency, but there are no live exchange rates, so currencies are not converted. Paused or cancelled subscriptions stay in the list but are not counted, and the stats show how much they save you in a year. A home screen widget shows your next payment and what is left to pay this month. You enter each subscription yourself; there is no bank or card link and no automatic detection, and the data stays on your phone. Dueberry is supported by ads.
These are averages. Your actual charge dates and amounts are set by each service.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't a weekly price × 4 the monthly cost?
Because a month is longer than 4 weeks. A year has 52 weeks and 12 months, so a month averages 52 ÷ 12 ≈ 4.33 weeks. Multiplying by 4 leaves out about 4 extra weeks a year: 45 a week is 195 a month, not 180.
How do I compare a yearly plan with a monthly plan?
Divide the yearly price by 12 and compare it with the monthly price, or multiply the monthly price by 12 and compare it with the yearly price. Remember that a yearly plan is paid all at once and is usually not refunded if you stop early.
How does Dueberry calculate monthly totals?
Dueberry converts each subscription with the same formulas: yearly ÷ 12 and weekly × 52 ÷ 12. It shows totals per week, month and year and a daily average. It does not convert between currencies.
Related guides
Get Dueberry: weekly, monthly and yearly subscription totals in one place (Google Play)
← See Dueberry: track subscriptions by hand, data stays on your phone