Best Streaming Services for Your Budget

Nothing beats kicking back on the couch and getting lost in your favorite show or movie. And today, it’s more convenient than ever to watch what you want when you want with streaming services.

But with so many options out there, it’s hard to know which is the best streaming service for your budget . . .

Until you read this list, that is. Then you’ll be ready for budget-friendly binging. (Just don’t forget to take breaks for fresh air and Vitamin D, okay?)

The Best Streaming Services for Your Budget

Netflix
Disney+
Peacock
Paramount+
Max
Discovery+
Amazon Prime Video
Hulu
Apple TV+
Criterion Channel

Let’s start with the granddaddy of all streaming services. Netflix is where the binge-watching phenomenon got its start, and it’s no wonder why. While Netflix’s inventory of shows and movies from other studios changes a lot, you can always find their acclaimed (and bingeable) originals like Wednesday, Cobra Kai and The Crown. They also have a selection of free mobile games.

The pricing starts with a super affordable Standard with ads plan, which gets you access to most movies and TV shows on the platform and all the mobile games. The regular Standard plan (with no ads) has access to everything for about double the cost with ads. But if you want to stream Stranger Things in 4K Ultra HD, you’ll have to fork over three times as much cash for the Premium plan.

You can’t mention the best streaming services without the “wonderful world” of Disney+. Watch original shows and films along with well-known (and some not-so-well-known) classics from Disney’s catalog spanning over 100 years—titles like Big Hero 6, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Dumbo and everything in between.

Oh, and we do mean everything. Let’s not forget all the Marvel, Star Wars, Muppets, Pixar, 20th Century Studios and National Geographic movies and shows you can handle (because Disney rules the world and owns all those things). Heck, even The Simpsons is on Disney+!

The bare-bones Basic plan is a little more than Netflix, but it has unlimited access to everything and the video quality includes 4K UHD. Premium has no ads but is a little more expensive than Basic. So if you can stomach a few ads, you can save yourself a little money.

Like Disney+, Peacock offers content from a major studio’s huge film and TV library—only here it’s from NBCUniversal. You’ll find classics like The Office and Shrek right next to newer releases like Twisters and The Fall Guy. Sports fans will love that Peacock is also the official streaming service for the Olympics (both winter and summer) through 2032—as well as Sunday Night Football and tons of other live games. And it also includes sections for content from other NBCUniversal-owned television brands like Telemundo and Bravo.

Peacock has two tiers of pricing. Premium provides access to all the content, live sports and current NBC shows, but it has ads. Premium Plus has no ads and also includes a live feed of your local NBC station. But we should tell you that even though it says no ads, some shows and live events will still have ads (oh those pesky streaming contracts!).

Sure, you’ve probably guessed that Paramount+ is home to the movie and TV releases of Paramount Pictures. But just like all those other mega studio streaming services, you’ll also get access to content from brands under the Paramount Global umbrella: CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and more.

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With the basic Essential plan, you can get your SpongeBob SquarePants fix and fly with Top Gun: Maverick, as well as watch original hits like the Yellowstone family of shows and Sylvester Stallone’s Tulsa King. You can also watch live NFL games and CBS News. And for a little more money, you can get the Paramount+ with Showtime package with your local CBS station’s live feed, even more live sports, and Showtime content on demand.

Max: the name of your neighbor’s dog—or one of the best streaming services out there? Max is actually the streaming service formally known as HBO Max, and it’s where you go for everything Warner Bros. as well as Cartoon Network, HBO, TCM, DC Comics and original content.

There’s a ton of stuff here you won’t find anywhere else. New and classic favorites like Friends, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Looney Tunes, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air call Max home. And your kids will be excited to know that episodes of Sesame Street air on Max before they go to PBS (got to keep ‘em entertained, right?).

Next to Disney+, Max probably has the biggest lineup of content in terms of value. You can also add Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports to your subscription for an additional monthly fee and upgrade to get ad-free streaming, 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos sound. And if that wasn’t enough, because WarnerMedia and Discovery merged into Warner Bros. Discovery back in 2022, Max also offers highlights from Discovery’s lineup of popular programming. You want more Discovery? Read on!

Max isn’t the only streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Watch out, Disney . . . WBD is gunning for the title of Owner of Everything!

Discovery+ prides itself on being the home of “real-life entertainment” and has you covered with nature documentaries, food competitions and a whole lot of other reality-based educational stuff. We’re talking HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Travel Channel, History Channel, Animal Planet, Science Channel, A&E, Lifetime, Magnolia Network, Discovery Channel (obviously) and more.

So, depending on your budget and interests, you can choose to go with Max (which has a little Discovery content), Discovery+ (which has all the Discovery content) or both.

Amazon—it’s not just for shopping. It’s also a major player in our list of the best streaming services. A membership to Amazon Prime Video gives you access to a huge selection of popular movies and TV series, plus a bunch of Prime Original series and films.

If Prime streaming doesn’t include the show or movie you want to watch, you can usually buy or rent digitally. For a few extra bucks, you can stream content from individual cable channels like Showtime and Starz. Prime is also a content hub, which means you can tack on subscriptions to other streaming services like Paramount+, MGM+, AMC+ or Hallmark+.

Amazon offers Prime Video as a stand-alone service for $9 per month. But if you can fit it into your budget and you’re a frequent Amazon shopper anyway, an even more cost-effective option is to go for the full Amazon Prime subscription for $15 a month or $139 a year. You’ll get access to all the other Amazon Prime perks, like free two-day shipping, Prime Gaming and Prime Reading. Can’t beat that!

Hulu is one of the oldest streaming services—it launched way back in 2007 as a possible cable alternative. Even though it’s technically owned by Disney (because, like we said, Disney owns everything), most of the content isn’t Disney branded or Disney owned.

Hulu’s a great option if you want to watch current shows the day after they air on TV along with on-demand streaming. It also has lots of original content, as well as movies and shows from third-party studios. There are two tiers to choose from—with or without ads (though, like Peacock, there are ads for certain shows and live events no matter what). And like Amazon, Hulu is a content hub that offers add-ons for both cable channels and other streaming services like Max, Starz and Showtime (all for an extra fee, of course).

Just like its powerhouse rivals Netflix and Amazon, Apple TV+ puts its own original television series and movies front and center—Ted Lasso, Shrinking, The Morning Show and more. But there are lots of random movies and shows from other studios too (studios like money, especially Apple money). Apple TV+ is the exclusive streaming home of the classic Peanuts TV specials. Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang also have all new adventures on the platform.

Here’s a bonus: If you buy an Apple device, you’ll get the streaming service for free for three months. So, if you’re already saving up for a new gadget, they just sweetened the deal. But look out—your subscription will auto-renew after those 90 days are up unless you cancel it.

Attention, film snobs! Tired of all the other streaming services not supplying enough content to suit your fancy taste in cinema? Look no further than the Criterion Channel to scratch that itch.

The Criterion Collection is known by hardcore movie fans for releasing quality DVDs and Blu-rays of both classic and current films with amazing bonus features. And since 2019, Criterion has had a streaming service with an ever-growing and ever-changing library of titles from around the world—from small art-house flicks to underappreciated classics and foreign gems. They’ve got something to keep even the pickiest people happy.

Comparing Streaming Service Prices

Streaming Service	Monthly Fee Range	Annual Fee Range
Netflix	$7–23	N/A
Disney+	$10–16	$160
Peacock	$8–14	$80–140
Paramount+	$8–13	$60–120
Max	$10–21	$100–210
Discovery+	$5–9	N/A
Amazon Prime Video	$9–15	$139
Hulu	$10–19	$100
Apple TV+	$10	N/A
Criterion Channel	$11	$100

Live Streaming TV Services

Let’s say you want that pre-binge-era feeling of watching your favorite shows in real time or checking out some live sports games. Here are a few streaming options that’ll give you the full old-school experience. Some of the services we’ve already mentioned have live TV options.

But watch out . . . These live TV services can get pretty pricey. They can even get close to equaling the cost of cable when combined with other services and all the bells and whistles. So do your research and make sure you’re actually saving money with these options.

ESPN+
FuboTV
YouTube TV
Sling TV
Philo
Hulu Live TV

Got a sports nut in your house? This might be the streaming TV service for you. ESPN+ has lots of live sports going on all the time from professional and amateur leagues across the country and around the world—football, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer, golf and more. ESPN+ is also the streaming home of UFC fights (but you’ve got to pay extra for that) and original programming like documentary films and series. So it’s really the best of both (sports) worlds.

Now, you might be thinking, Wait, what about the actual ESPN TV channel? Well, ESPN+ was actually created to work together with the ESPN cable network (we love a good teamwork story). But that means you won’t find any games offered on the ESPN cable channels on ESPN+.

FuboTV lets you stream hundreds of local sports, entertainment and news channels in your area. Even though it replicates the feeling of old-school TV watching and channel surfing, it’s not completely back to the Stone Age. Each of Fubo’s plans comes with unlimited DVR so you can watch your shows some other time if you want.

Speaking of plans, Fubo has three, plus a Spanish language option. Let’s look at the two ends of the spectrum. The starter plan (Essential) covers over 200 channels, while the Elite plan has over 280 channels, along with regional NBA, NHL and MLB games.

Not to be confused with the free viral video app where everyone watches cute cat videos, YouTube TV actually lets you stream your favorite channels—more than 100 of them. That means access to local TV channels, plus 24-hour news networks like CNBC, Fox News and CNN. You can even add on NFL Sunday Ticket (for an extra fee) and get every Sunday football game (including out-of-market games).

Speaking of sports, YouTube TV boasts a pretty good lineup of sports programming outside of Sunday Ticket like ESPN and CBS Sports. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention all the add-ons that give you more sports options like NFL RedZone. You can even add other services like Max and Paramount+.

You could call Sling TV the ultimate custom TV experience. Their base package is split into two main choices—Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Each has different channels (though most overlap) with different audiences in mind.

If you want ESPN or stuff for your kids like the Disney Channel, go Orange (34 channels). If it’s news and NFL action you’re after, go Blue (43 channels). Or you can choose to get both (and all 46 channels).

Philo is a live TV alternative that’s even more bare bones than Sling—and cheaper. You can get over 70 popular cable channels like Nickelodeon, AMC, TLC and yep, even Hallmark. There are also add-on options for more movie channels (for an extra $4–11 a month) as well as limited on-demand streaming.

But here’s the catch: Philo doesn’t carry your local network channels (so you’ll need to get an antenna for those) or any major sports or news networks.

Hulu does have a live TV only option (though it doesn’t come with Hulu itself—ironic, ain’t it?). It has over 90 of the most popular channels to choose from, as well as add-ons for things like movies and sports. Hulu Live TV can also record shows so you can watch them later. But if you want actual Hulu streaming content library with live TV, you’ll have to get the Disney Bundle with Hulu Live TV for $83–96 a month, which is actually a better deal (three streaming services and live TV for a buck more a month!). More on streaming bundles below.

Compare Live TV Streaming Prices

Streaming Service	Monthly Fee Range	Annual Fee Range
ESPN+	$12	$120
Fubo TV	$80–90	N/A
YouTube TV	$73	N/A
Sling TV	$40–55	N/A
Philo	$28	N/A
Hulu Live TV	$82	N/A

Streaming Deals

These are already the best streaming services for your budget. But when you pair them with these deals, you’ll get even more entertainment bang for your buck.

Streaming Bundles

As you know, Disney owns all the things—and in the streaming world, they’ve got three of the biggest players: Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. The good news is that Disney’s domination of entertainment might actually work in your favor . . . a little bit. They’re offering all three services in streaming bundles for a reduced price. There’s no annual plan for any of them, though.

• Disney Bundle Duo Basic: Disney+ (with ads) and Hulu (with ads) for $11 a month

• Disney Bundle Duo Premium: Disney+ (no ads) and Hulu (no ads) for $20 a month

• Disney Bundle Trio Basic: Disney+ (with ads), Hulu (with ads), and ESPN+ (with ads) for $17 a month

• Disney Bundle Trio Premium: Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (no ads), and ESPN+ (with ads) for $27 a month

Disney isn’t just bundling with itself. They’ve partnered with one of their competitors, Warner Bros. Discovery, to offer a Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle for $17 a month with ads and $30 a month without ads. But there are no annual plans for this one either—and no live TV options. So keep that in mind.

The streaming bundle options go on and on, and some are even tied to certain cable and internet providers like DirecTV and Xfinity. For example, Xfinity customers can get Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV+ for $15 a month. But you need to be both an Xfinity cable and internet customer. So just make sure you aren’t bundling with something you won’t even use. That won’t save you money. At all. 

Streaming Giveaways

Believe it or not, there are streaming deals out there with companies you’re probably already using. Check out the deals these companies are offering to help you get some extra money back in your pocket (and never be afraid to ask about new promos):

• T-Mobile: free Netflix (with ads), Apple TV+ and Hulu (with ads) with a Go5G Next plan

• Walmart+: free Paramount+ (Essential plan only)

• Verizon: free Disney bundle (Disney+ no ads, Hulu with ads, and ESPN+ with ads) for 5G Get More and 5G Play More plans (existing customers only)

College Student Discounts

Are you a college student (hopefully with no student loans) and looking to fill your free time with movies and TV shows? A few of the streaming services provide huge discounts for students:

• Hulu (with ads) for $2 a month

• Max (with ads) for $5 a month

• Amazon Prime for $7.49 a month or $69 a year

• Free Apple TV+ if you’re on the Apple Music Student Plan

These aren’t the only streaming services that offer lower rates for students, so make sure you’re reading all the details and plan options before you set up your account.

Password Sharing

Some folks have taken the idea of saving money on streaming to a not-so-great extreme and are getting their Netflix fix from a friend or family member by sharing account passwords. While it may seem harmless to them, they’re technically getting access to something they didn’t pay for.

For years, streaming services have done very little to crack down on password sharing . . . until now. The big players like Netflix, Disney+ and Max have all begun punishing customers who share their account with people outside their immediate household. These companies track the IP addresses of users to see if they match geographically. So if you live in Nashville but your cousin in Des Moines is using your account, they can see it. If you’re caught breaking the rules, they could tack on additional fees to your bill, slow down your service, or even cancel your account entirely (even if you’ve prepaid for the year!).

But all that doesn’t mean you can’t share a streaming service with people outside your home—you just have to pay for it. Netflix allows Standard customers one extra slot and Premium customers two extra slots for $8 per month each. Standalone Disney+ subscribers (sorry, no Hulu or ESPN+) can share their account with one outside person for $7 (Basic) or $10 (Premium) a month. It’s a great way to save a few bucks if you attach yourself to an account and pay the reduced cost.

Streaming on a Budget

We definitely didn’t cover every option out there, but these are some of the best streaming services for your budget. If you still aren’t sure what to try, most services offer a trial—be it a week, a month or even three months. That way, you can dip your toe in the water before you add a new budget line to pay for one of these plans.

And speaking of the budget, if you don’t have one yet, check out our personal favorite: EveryDollar. While this app won’t stream The Mandalorian, it will help you save more and spend less each month. Yep, when it comes to the best budgeting tools, “this is the way.”

And best of all, there’s a free version to get you started. So, get started! Sign up for a budget-friendly streaming service and your new favorite budgeting app, EveryDollar.