For all the benefits that streaming brings, there are issues, and the rising cost of streaming is one of the worst. However, you can greatly lower the cost of streaming by making some changes, and most of them won’t require you to sacrifice the number of subscriptions.
After working and writing about streaming for more than 10 years now, I think I’ve got a grip on the best ways to save, and here are the seven tips I always recommend to friends and family.
The following tips are also ones I regularly use to save on my own streaming bills, and will continue to in the future.
- Stop Paying for Services You Can Get for Free
- Bundle Services and Save
- Downgrade to Ads (It’s Worth It)
- You Really Don’t Need 4K
- Subscribe to Annual Plans
- Regularly Rotate Subscriptions
- Embrace Free Services
Stop Paying For Services You Can Get For Free
While it is possible to reduce the price of a subscription, it is also possible to completely remove the cost of some.
Exactly which services you can save on will depend on your existing services and products so I can’t specifically tell you which ones to take advantage of.
However, checking what you are eligible for can greatly help you save on the cost of streaming.
One of the best examples of this is T-Mobile, as the self proclaimed uncarrier offers major savings on a number of streaming services.
For example, just by having a T-Mobile wireless mobile plan, a home could completely save on the cost of Hulu and/or Netflix, and save significantly on an Apple TV subscription.
Another example, and one which isn’t reliant on a mobile or home internet plan is Walmart, as the major retailer now gifts either Paramount+ or Peacock to its Walmart Plus customers.
In fact, if you wait for one of the many times each year when Walmart drops the price of its Walmart+ annual plan, you can actually get Walmart+ and either Paramount+ or Peacock for less than the cost of a standalone Paramount+ or Peacock subscription.
Then there’s Apple TV. Apple tends to gift Apple TV subscriptions to those that own an Apple device.
The exact length of the gifted subscription typically depends on the device, and when it was purchased, but taking advantage of this perk can further help to drive down the cost of streaming Apple Originals.
Bundle Services and Save
While the first tip focused on which services you can bundle with third-party services you already pay for, you can also proactively bundle subscriptions together to help lower the cost before signing up.
A really good example here is the Disney Bundle. Instead of paying just for Disney+, HBO Max, or basic Hulu, you can save on the overall cost by bundling all three together.
To put these savings into perspective, with a Disney+ subscription starting at $11.99/mo, Hulu starting at $11.99/mo and HBO Max starting at $10.99/mo, subscribing to all three would set you back $34.97 each month.
In comparison, bundling all three costs just $19.99/mo, resulting in a saving of around $15 each month.
If you’re already paying for a live TV subscription, then it might also be worth considering switching your TV package over to Hulu.
For a price similar to YouTube TV, Fubo and DirecTV, Hulu Live TV subscribers not only get access to more than 100 live TV channels, but also basic Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN Select as well.
Another example is the Apple TV and Peacock Premium bundle.
Subscribing to these services separately costs a minimum of $23.98/mo. However, bundle subscribers pay just $14.99 a month for access to both services, unlocking access to a library of Apple Originals, Peacock Originals, NBC shows, live sports, and much more.
Apple TV and Peacock Premium
Bundle both from $19.99/mo
While it is not possible to bundle every subscription out there, you might be surprised at how many bundles are available, and how much those savings can help to lower your monthly spend on streaming.
Downgrade to Ads (It’s Worth It)
No one likes ads. No one. However, they are a great way to lower the cost of streaming. If only paying for one subscription each month then it might not matter that you’re paying for an ad-free plan.
However, if paying for five or more subscriptions each month, the cost of those ad-free plans quickly adds up, and almost all of the main streaming services now offer an ad-supported tier
Opting to change from ad-free to ad-supported generally won’t result in losing access to any content, and will make watching shows and movies a little longer, but it can lower the monthly cost of each subscription, sometimes significantly.
As an example, subscribers can save as much as $7.50/mo on HBO Max, $5 on Paramount+, and $6 on Peacock. just by switching from the standard plan to an ad-supported plan.
All in all, that’s a saving of $18.50/mo, and more than $200 over the course of an entire year.
Netflix is arguably one of the best services to downgrade, as the ‘with ads’ plan is a whole $11/mo cheaper than the very cheapest ad-free plan.
That’s a saving of $132 over a full year.
You Really Don’t Need 4K
Ad-free is not the only benefit that a home can pass on to keep costs low, with 4K another great example.
In fact, many homes might not even realize that they are already paying more for 4K, or that they might not be getting the improved picture quality as often as they think they are.
Either way, cutting out 4K can be a great way to save on the cost.
Considering not all streaming services offer 4K, this saving won’t be as widely available as some of the others. However, that in itself is an example of how unnecessary the higher resolution is.
Netflix is another great example here, as its 4K plan significantly increases the price. While the Standard plan costs $19.99/mo, the Premium plan costs $26.99/mo.
Yes, the more expensive plan also allows for streaming on more devices at the same time, but if you don’t need those extra streams, then you’re primarily only paying for top-tier features like 4K.
| Netflix | Standard with ads | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (p/m) | $8.99 | $19.99 | $26.99 |
| Ads | ✔ | X | X |
| HD | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| UHD | X | X | ✔ |
| Streams | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Downloads (devices) | 2 | 2 | 4 |
If you don’t need 4K, or the ability to watch on up to 4 devices at the same time, there’s no reason to pay for the most expensive Netflix plan.
This also goes for any other streaming services that are charging extra each month or year for premium features like 4K.
Subscribe to Annual Plans
Another surefire way to save on the cost of streaming over a 12-month period is to sign up to an annual plan.
Any time a consumer commits to a much longer subscription, streaming services tend to be more generous in the discounts they offer. All of which means even more savings.
For example, services like HBO Max and Paramount+ offer as much as 16% off the cost when paying annually.
Of course, not all streaming services offer an annual subscription, so this one will suit some homes better than others, depending on which services they are signed up to.
Not to mention, subscribers should be sure that they are willing to remain subscribed for an entire year before committing and paying for the annual plan.
This is especially important considering the yearly fee has to be paid in advance and no streaming service that I am aware of will give you a refund for unused time if you cancel early.
Still, for those all-year, must-have subscriptions, an annual plan is one of the easiest ways to save on the the cost of streaming.
Regularly Rotate Subscriptions
Right now, there are simply too many streaming services for you to watch each month, so it is worth limiting how many you are signed up to at the same time, and then switching as and when needed.
While this approach requires more management, it is a great way to save on the amount spent on streaming each year.
When a new show or movie hits that particular streaming service, signing back up won’t require much more than logging in to the account and restarting the subscription.
Then, when the show or movie has finished, simply cancel the subscription again. As you’ll retain access for the remainder of the billing cycle, so there’s no need to wait until the very last minute to hit the cancel button.
The act of rotating streaming services will ensure you only pay for the services you are currently watching. Not to mention, cancelling a streaming service is super easy and reactivating it again at a later time can be done in seconds.
If you’re considering my previous tip (taking advantage of annual plans), rotating can still help to keep costs low and manageable.
For example, instead of signing up to every annual plan this month, sign up to one, and then sign up to another next month or the month after.
By spreading the annual subscriptions out over the year, you help to ensure you aren’t paying more than you need to this month.
It will also help to ensure you don’t end up with a bunch of annual subscription all renewing at the same time next year.
Embrace Free Services
The rise of the free streaming services has been one of the real major developments in recent years.
Although these services heavily rely on the use of ads to generate revenue, you don’t have to worry about paying for a monthly or annual subscription to access them.
All of which makes these services an incredibly useful way to save on the cost of streaming, and you might be surprised at how good some of the best free streaming services now are
Pluto TV and Tubi are two very popular examples, and both not only feature easy-to-use apps, but they also offer access to an extensive catalog of movies and series to watch.
Both also offer a live TV experience as well, albeit one that’s more of a curated experience than what you probably expect form a traditional live TV service.
Not only has the last few years seen the overall number of free services grow, but it has also seen existing services begin to offer free tiers.
As an example, DirecTV, Fubo, Philo TV, and Sling TV, all now offer a free tier. While an account is usually required, there is no monthly payment to make, and users get access to a wide variety of FAST channels.
Make Changes and Reap The Rewards
There are plenty of ways to save on the cost of streaming each month and most won’t actually require you to sacrifice the content you have access to.
Although you will be making compromises in many cases, such as sitting through ads, lowering the resolution quality, or paying more upfront, these changes help to ensure you can continue to access all of the services and content you want.
What’s more, most of these tips are not either-or situations. Instead, many of them can be used in conjunction with each other to further increase the savings.
Whether that money is then used to pay for other streaming services, bills, or just stays in the bank is up to you. Either way, it is money back in your pocket.
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