Cheapest Streaming Service Options for Free and Paid Viewing

Pick one, watch everything for a month, cancel, pick another. 

Don't pay for audible. Get the libby app and and a library card.

I'm currently with Comcast and I am done with their horrible service and pricing. Starlink is my only other option where I live and I have a dish I picked up on sale, ready to go. The problem is TV service. i can't use an antenna here as the signal isn't very good so I would like to find a streaming service that is compatible with the GetChannels DVR, but doesn't cost a ton. I only need local channels so I can watch the local news and NFL games. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

I'm just curious on how many streaming services the average person keeps at once and how much they pay? We have YTTV ($84.99 per month), Netflix/HBO Max through Verizon for $10 per month (ads), Paramount Plus with our Walmart+ plan, and Amazon Prime.

I'm trying to determine the most cost efficient way to get all of the streaming services that my family currently uses. They would be live tv, Netflix, Disney+, HBO, Apple TV, Prime, Paramount+, and possibly Peacock. I really only need the live tv service for sports (Phillies, Flyers, Eagles). I'm also currently getting Netflix and Apple TV through my internet provider, T-Mobile.

I'm in Houston and my grandmother only watches local channels (2,11,13 and 26) which she is paying $90 to YouTube TV for and being on a fixed income I don't think she can afford it especially only to watch a few channels. I tried an OTA antenna that picked up the channels she wanted but the signal would go in and out sometimes which she didn't like (old people being stubborn) so I'm back to looking for a cheap streaming service with mainly local TV, any cheap recommendations with the channels I mentioned?

I live in an apartment and my antennae just doesn't work well

All I need are my local channels(ABC,NBC,CBS,FOX) so I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction for the cheapest service...

I looked at Sling TV which has a good promo right now and a pretty cheap regular price but I'm not sure if they have CBS local.

The only real advice here is to work on a rotation system:

- Keep a list of different shows and movies you are interested in, and note where they can be streamed

- Keep only 1 active subscription each month. Watch from your list of media you want from that service, and then end the service to utilize a different one next month. Repeat

We really don't need so many streaming services at the same time, it just leads to decision paralysis. Keep one, and rotate.

Get a better antenna or higher location, as you're on the cusp of success. 

With Netflix Premium pushing $27, Max at $23, and Amazon charging an extra $5 just to strip out ads and keep 4K, the math on cord-cutting has officially broken.

When we all left cable, the promise was a la carte choice for a fraction of the price. Now, juggling 3 or 4 premium, ad-free services costs as much as an old Comcast bundle.

What is the maximum amount you are willing to pay for one service before you either drop down to the ad tier, start churning subscriptions monthly, or just head back to physical media / the high seas?

Where do you draw the line?

I've noticed many posts commenting that streaming is a similar price to cable, which usually involve persons favoring the cable model of purchasing live channels, rather than the Netflix model of purchasing a library of on-demand shows/movies. The latter can be far less expensive. This made me curious about the distribution of how much people spend per month.

How much do you spend per month on streaming, satellite, cable, or similar for home entertainment?

My current totals are below. I rotate through different streaming services and usually average ~$5/month. During most of last year, I had Netflix and Hulu. Now that I am caught up on Netflix/Hulu, I switched to other streaming services.

• HBO Max -- $3/month (Black Friday deal for 6 months)
• Paramount+ -- $1/month (2 month deal)
• Apple+ -- Free (3 month trial)
• Peacock -- Free (3 month Instacart trial, includes Peacock)

Depends a lot on what channels you actually watch. Philo is the cheapest real option at around $25/mo if you don't need sports or local news, and Frndly is even cheaper (around $8) but the lineup is very specific. If you want ESPN or local stations you're basically looking at Sling Orange+Blue or YouTube TV, and neither is really cheap anymore. I'd write down the 5 channels you actually open in a week and work backwards from there. Most people find they really only care about 2-3.

Tubi is free. PBS app is $5/mo. Spotify for singles is $10/mo for single users I think? A lot of free movies on YouTube.

Get a consultation with a professional OTA antenna installer. Not sure what you have tried, but different antenna, amp, placement, etc could help. One time cost vs recurring cost.

Black Friday or cyber Monday deals. 

I read on here that if you don’t qualify as a new customer to open a new email account each year and use that to qualify. 

Last year on Black Friday Walmart plus was $30 for the year and it comes with paramount plus. 

Thats the neat part, you don’t.

Its just modern cable.

DirecTV MyNews at $40/month is the cheapest way to get all 4 locals.

Im currently making a subscription budget.

Notion - 20$ ( 240$ up front )

Audible - 9$

Privacy- 13$

- Proton Unlimited ($13/mo) plus free plans to cover all privacy needs

I know Notion is the culprit but I've been using it for awhile and it's how I stay on tasks. I believe you should invest in things you like and im still researching all that premium offer. But honestly after typing this post I think it's off the list. The free version is amazing and I can get closer to my 40$/month goal and probably get more helpful subscriptions like Grammarly ( im a college student ).

Im already at 42$ ( not getting notion anymore ). And thats cutting a lot out. I cancelled amazon and Walmart+ ( was getting groceries delivered cause I didn't have a license ). And im shopping at Aldi now. Im using my grandma's gym subscription as she has a family plan. My grandma also has a Sams club subscription. if I ever want to get anything in bulk, which is rare, I'll just go with her. So I need 1 max 2 services. I'll probably be on the ads version...

I know that there are min maxing strategies where you stack free trials and cancel but i've been burned by a free trials before and don't want to rely on that.. Maybe once or twice a year but I do not want to worry about that.

I know Netflix has recently added more anime and Disney has well.. Disney. But a majority of Netflix is a flop. And Disney while there old stuff is good they only come out with bangers every other millennia it seems. Though Disney would be good for my baby brother. He likes the lion king.

I'll obviously going to use the free stuff, like tubi, and I'll check out my local library ( heard they might have free streaming services with a library card), but what paid options do y'all recommend?

I prefer to watch animated stuff, especially anime ( though I get that content through... other means ). Shows with actors I tend to like order stuff, like my favorite movie is legally blonde, my guilty pleasure is the walking dead, and I would literally buy a subscription just to see the office again.

I'll try to editing my budget again, but any recommendations? Just trying to find the best bang for my buck.

Thank you!

Streaming Options

• Paramount+ w/CBS - $13/mth
• Fox One w/Fox - $20
• Peacock - $12/mth if you just need NBC Sports, $17/mth if you need your local NBC channel
• ABC - content spread across Hulu, ESPN app for sports stuff

Cheapest cable like option for just local channels is DirecTV MyNews.

My opinion: get Paramount+ and/or Fox One for NFL. Most if not all local channels offer their news for free streaming live on an app

I’m a big movie person and I usually rent movies but those prices have definitely stacked up since I’ve been watching a new movie everyday. I’m wondering what’s the best streaming services for someone on a budget? Preferably less than maybe $30 a month? Also if it’s ad-supported that’s fine as long as there is not an ad every 10 minutes! Hulu and Max seem very high and I’m hearing they have an insane amount of ads. I am a huge marvel fan but I don’t want Disney+ as I haven’t watched much after endgame. I would love to hear advice on this!

Every year on black Friday, I cancel all of my subscriptions and sign up again with a new email address. I got the hulu/HBO/Disney bundle for $5 a month, got peacock for 0.99, paramount for 2.99, and apple tv plus for I think 4.99. my Netflix I get through my cell plan for about half price. I use the library for audio and ebooks. I think the only thing I really pay full price for is Amazon prime.

I don't even know what some of the ones you listed are.

My phone company pays for Hulu and Netflix (ad supported, but I actually enjoy that- helps my kids deal with instant gratification), my internet provider pays for paramount+.

I had Comcast cable and still use them for internet. If you keep their internet, you can get NOW TV for $20/month. Over 100 channels, some DVR, and free Peacock.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to optimize my monthly spending on streaming services (specifically Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, etc.), with a focus on Family Plans.

I’ve seen a lot of people mentioning things like regional hopping, using VPNs, buying shared accounts, or paying through different countries where it's cheaper, but I’m not sure which options are actually safe and sustainable in the long run.

What I want to avoid:

• Scams or "cracked" accounts that stop working after a few days.
• Methods that could cause me to lose access to my account suddenly.
• Payment issues or regional blocks.

What I’m looking for:

• The lowest monthly cost possible.
• Methods that are relatively stable/long-term.

If you have real-world experience using cheaper methods (regional pricing, family groups, intermediary platforms, etc.), what do you recommend and what should I stay away from?

Thanks in advance!