The best streaming service deals available right now

Now that winter’s cold weather is upon us, a lot of us are spending more time indoors and bingeing movies and shows like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Wednesday, and House of the Dragon. And while it’s true that most streaming services don’t cost very much, we all know that those monthly subscription fees have a way of adding up in the long run. Before you know it, you’re spending as much on streaming as you would on cable.

However, if you’re trying to cut down on your expenses (and who isn’t these days?), you don’t necessarily need to unsubscribe from everything. In fact, we’ve found a few ways for you to save on your monthly subscriptions. It turns out a variety of platforms are offering deals right now, some of which are even available to new and returning subscribers alike. Below, we’ve curated some of the best deals going on right now so you can enjoy streaming your favorite show or movie without worrying about breaking the bank.

YouTube TV grants subscribers access to live sports and a number of major news and entertainment channels, including PBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, and more. It also comes with unlimited recording for a maximum of six accounts, all for $64.99 per month. The service also offers a separate Spanish-only plan that’s $24.99 a month for the first six months and then $34.99 once the discount period ends. You can buy optional add-ons as well, like a 4K Plus add-on that’s $19.99 a month and makes it possible to watch select content on YouTube TV in 4K. Other add-ons range between $2 and $65 a month and include access to services like HBO Max, Starz, and NBA League Pass.

For a limited time, new subscribers can opt to pay just $54.99 a month instead of $64.99 for their first three months of the base plan, which lowers the total price of the three-month subscription from $195 to $165. In addition, all T-Mobile customers can currently get $10 off their monthly bill for up to a year, as well as three months of YouTube Premium at no additional cost. Those on prepaid, mobile internet or businesses / government accounts are not eligible for the deal, however.

Apple TV Plus is a service owned by Apple that streams original shows and movies in 4K HDR, including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Coda, Severance, Finch, and For All Mankind. The platform also currently allows you to watch Friday Night Baseball games (which are free to all for a limited time) and will soon be the streaming home to Major League Soccer. The service costs $6.99 a month.

There are a couple of promos to make note of when it comes to Apple TV Plus. For instance, right now, new and returning subscribers can get three months of Apple TV Plus for free from Best BuyYou can also get a free three-month subscription when you buy a select new Apple device, though you’ll have to redeem the offer within 90 days.

Apple TV Plus is also included in Apple One, which lets you bundle up to four other Apple services and pay a single monthly subscription starting at $16.95. You’ll also get a free month of Apple TV Plus if you buy it as a part of Apple One. In addition, eligible individuals who sign up for the student Apple Music subscription, which starts at $5.99 per month, can get Apple Music for 50 percent off with a free Apple TV Plus subscription.

As far as carrier deals go, T-Mobile offers various discounts to all of its customers, with those on the Magenta and Magenta Max plans eligible for the largest discounts. The company is currently offering Magenta customers six months of Apple TV Plus for free, while Magenta Max plan subscribers get the service for free. T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta Max plans start at $70 and $85, respectively.

The recently combined Paramount Plus and Showtime streaming app grants you access to live sports and a wide range of movies and shows from both platforms, including Halo, 1923, and Yellowjackets. Right now, you have two options: you can subscribe to either the ad-supported Essential plan for TK or the Premium plan for TK (which is ad-free except when it comes to live content). The latter also offers more live sports, local CBS programming, and the ability to download content for offline viewing.

If you want to subscribe to both Paramount Plus and Showtime, you can buy it as a package. The ad-supported subscription costs $11.99 a month, while the ad-free tier runs $14.99 a month. While there are no current deals available on the bundle, you could save some money if you opt for the annual subscription. The ad-supported streaming bundle will cost you $119.99, while the ad-free tier costs $149.99.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus or Showtime as a standalone service. Paramount Plus’ ad-supported Essential plan goes for $4.99 per month while the ad-free is $9.99 per month. You can also buy the ad-supported annual plan for $49.99 or the ad-free annual plan for $99.99. However, right now if you subscribe to T-Mobile’s unlimited mobile plans — which start at $60 per month — you can save even more. The wireless carrier is currently offering customers complimentary access to Paramount Plus for a year. Additionally, Walmart Plus subscribers can get the Essential plan for free alongside a handful of other perks.

You can also save when you buy Showtime as a standalone service. Regularly $10.99 per month, new and returning subscribers can buy the plan, which is ad-free (Showtime doesn’t sell an ad-supported tier), for $3.99 per month for six months with the first 30 days free. In addition, eligible students can also get Showtime by itself for free if they’re subscribed to the Spotify Premium for Students plan.

Hulu offers both ad-supported and ad-free plans. No matter which you buy, you’ll be able to access all of Hulu’s TV shows and movies on multiple devices, including originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and Pam & Tommy as well as non-Hulu content like Parasite and Akira. The service also allows two people to stream simultaneously, and you can have up to six user profiles. However, subscribing to ad-free plan means you won’t have to deal with commercials, and you can also download content so you can stream it later offline. Right now, the ad-supported plan goes for $7.99 per month, while the ad-free plan costs $14.99 a month. If you’re a student, however, you can subscribe to the ad-supported version for $1.99 a month or a bundle that combines Spotify Premium, Showtime, and ad-supported Hulu for $4.99 a month.

Hulu also sells ad-free and ad-supported bundles that include Disney Plus and / or ESPN Plus and are cheaper than subscribing to each service individually. With the Hulu with Live TV, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus bundle, you’ll be able to access over 75 live sports, news, and entertainment channels as well as Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Disney Plus content. You can also record live shows with unlimited DVR and take advantage of the same features the standard, ad-free, and ad-supported Hulu plans offer. The ad-supported Hulu with Live TV subscription is $69.99 a month, while the ad-free tier is $82.99 a month. However, if you just want Hulu and don’t need the live TV version, you can buy the Disney Plus bundle, which also comes with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, for $12.99 a month with ads or $19.99 a month without ads.

A number of wireless carriers are offering customers discounts when they buy premium phone plans. For instance, you can get the Disney Plus bundle — which includes both Hulu and ESPN Plus — for free when you opt for Verizon’s “Get More” plan (which starts at $76.11 for one line a month) or its “Play More” plan (which starts at $66.11 for one line a month). In addition, those on the Sprint One and Max plans (which start at $70 and $85 a month, respectively) can also get free access to Hulu’s ad-supported tier.

Sling TV is a streaming service that functions as a more affordable alternative to YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV. With it, you can watch a range of live and on-demand channels —including ESPN, CNN, Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network — on multiple devices. There are three plans available, all of which come with 50 hours of DVR storage: Sling Blue ($40 a month); Sling Orange ($40 a month); and Sling Orange and Blue ($55 a month).

If you’re into sports, you may want to opt for Sling Orange over Blue as it grants access to ESPN channels — but only on one device. Sling Blue, however, offers a number of channels Sling Orange lacks, including Fox News, MSNBC, E!, Discovery, Bravo, and local NBC or Fox affiliates. You can also subscribe to a bundle that includes both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, which offers all of the channels the first two plans feature.

Now through the end of January, Sling is taking 50 percent off your first month if you’re a new subscriber. As a result, you can subscribe to either the Blue or Orange package starting at $20 a month instead of $40 or both packages for $27.50 a month instead of $55.

There are other offers available for new subscribers, too. Right now, for instance, you can get $10 off your first month of Sling Blue, Sling Orange, or Sling Orange and Blue and a free Fire TV Stick. You can also get access to even more sports channels when you subscribe to the Sling Orange package with Sports Extra, which is discounted to $31 for the first month. Sling currently offers a premium package that includes a free month of Showtime, too, along with Starz and Epix. Lastly, you can get either a free AirTV Mini 2 streaming device or an HD antenna when you subscribe to two months of Sling in advance. If you buy three months ahead of time, you can get both.

With Disney Plus, you can stream popular Marvel films and shows like Thor: Love and Thunder and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, along with Pixar’s full catalog and Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian and Andor. A monthly Disney Plus subscription currently costs $7.99 a month with ads or $10.99 a month without (or $109.99 annually).

As far as bundles go, Disney currently offers an ad-supported, $9.99-a-month subscription that brings together Disney Plus and Hulu; there’s also a $12.99-a-month package that comes with ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus (paying an extra $7 a month nets you the ad-free version of Hulu). That’s cheaper than subscribing to all three streaming services separately and is the wisest route to take if you plan on subscribing to all three.

HBO Max is home to Game of Thrones and its spinoff, House of the Dragon, along with shows and movies like The Batman, Succession, Harley Quinn, and more. The platform offers both an ad-supported and ad-free plan, which run for $9.99 a month and $15.99 a month, respectively. Unlike the ad-supported plans, however, the ad-free tier also lets you download content and stream in 4K UHD. This spring, you’ll also be able to access HBO Max and Discovery Plus content via a single app tentatively called Max, though the price for that package is currently unknown.

If you’re looking for ways to save money, HBO Max offers an annual subscription that drops the price. The ad-supported plan goes for $99.99 a year, which saves you a modest $20 over a monthly subscription for twelve months. You can also save a whopping $170 subscribing to the annual ad-free plan for $149.99 instead of a monthly plan over the course of a year. Just be mindful of the ongoing Warner Bros. megamerger, which has led to the cancellation of a lot of shows and movies, like Batgirl, and could lead to more.

In addition, wireless carrier Cricket is offering some customers complimentary access to HBO Max. Specifically, those who opt for the Unlimited Plus 15GB Mobile Hotspot phone plan, which starts at $60 a month, will be able to get the ad-supported version of HBO Max for free. AT&T also includes complimentary access to HBO Max when you’re subscribed to a select AT&T Unlimited Choice or Plus plan, which starts at $60 per month. Finally, you can get two months of HBO Max free with DirectTV Stream or Satellite TV services.

A Netflix subscription grants you access to thousands of movies and TV shows as well as a limited number of mobile games. Notable shows and movies include Wednesday, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Stranger Things, The Crown, The Sandman, The Witcher, Don’t Look Up, and many more. The well-known streaming service currently offers four plans: Basic with ads ($6.99 per month), Basic without ads ($9.99 per month), Standard ($15.49 per month), and Premium ($19.99 per month). The more premium tiers allow for higher resolution and allow multiple users to watch content on a variety of devices at the same time, with only the Premium plan supporting Ultra HD content.

Netflix itself isn’t currently offering a discount, but T-Mobile is offering a deal to those on its Magenta unlimited plans. Those on the Magenta plan, which starts at $70 per month, can subscribe to the Basic plan for free, as can go those with a single line on the Magenta Max plan ($80 per month). Meanwhile, those with two or more lines of data on a Magenta Max plan (which starts at $140 a month) are eligible for the Standard plan.

With Starz, you can stream a variety of shows and movies, including Gaslit and Spider-Man: Homecoming, as well as originals like Outlander. The platform only offers a single ad-free plan that runs $8.99 a month, and you can stream on up to four devices at a time and download content for offline viewing. Right now, however, new subscribers can get 10 months of Starz for $20. Returning subscribers, meanwhile, can get their first month back for just $5.

Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service, one that offers next-day programming from NBC (and Bravo). The platform also provides access to live sports programming, including WWE, as well as movies like Jurassic World: Dominion and shows such as Yellowstone, The Office, Saturday Night Live, and Rian Johnson’s upcoming series Poker Face.

You can stream about 10,000 hours worth of shows and films for free with the base version, but be aware the selection is limited and there are ads. If you want more options, Peacock offers an ad-supported tier, Peacock Premium, for $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year), as well as an ad-free Peacock Plus tier for $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year). Only the latter lets you download content for offline viewing, however.

In terms of discounts, you can get a free year of Peacock Premium if you’re an Xfinity Flex owner (free with Xfinity Internet) or Xfinity X1 customer — or if you’re a video customer subscribed to Xfinity Internet (which starts at $50) or have a Digital Starter TV package (which starts at $60 per month). Meanwhile, cable company Charter, which owns Spectrum, is currently giving Spectrum TV customers a free year of Peacock Premium, while Spectrum Internet customers get 90 days free. Both plans start at $49.99 a month.

Amazon Prime Video is an on-demand streaming service owned by Amazon. Its library includes a range of movies, some live content, and shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. You can also watch certain titles in 4K and take advantage of deals on rentals and purchases not included in the subscription. There’s also an option to add extra channels with Prime Video channels. 

Amazon Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership, though you can sign up for the service for $8.99 a month without one. Right now, customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan (which starts at $60 per month) can also get a free Amazon Prime membership, which provides access to Prime Video and other benefits, for free.

Discovery Plus is a streaming owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The platform grants members access to content from a variety of networks, including Discovery, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet, History, Travel, Science Channel, and more. Some of its more popular programs include 90 Day Fiance, House Hunters, and annual programming like Shark Week. The platform currently offers two monthly plans: an ad-supported base tier that costs $4.99 a month and an ad-free plan that runs $6.99 per month. As mentioned previously, you’ll also soon be able to stream HBO Max and Discovery content within a single app, though the price for that new package — reportedly called “Max” — is currently unknown.

Right now, Verizon is offering six months of Discovery Plus for free as part of Verizon’s unlimited “Get More,” “Play More,” and “Do More” phone plans. The first plan starts at $76.11, while the other two are both $66.11 for one line per month. In addition, the platform offers student and military discount discounts, wherein you can pay $2.99 per month for the plan with ads.

Philo is a live and on-demand TV service that grants access to content from more than 60, channels including AMC, Comedy Central, Paramount, Discovery, Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1, BBC World News, IFC, Lifetime, and more. However, it lacks local channels and comes with limited sports content, so you won’t be able to stream networks like ESPN. It costs $25 per month and includes unlimited DVR, though it’s not commercial-free. You can also subscribe to premium add-ons like Starz and Epix for $8.99 and $5.99 a month, respectively.

At the moment, all T-Mobile customers can get $10 off their monthly Philo TV bill for a year. However, subscribers on prepaid, mobile internet or businesses / government accounts can’t take advantage of this deal.