If you’ve been shocked by how much you spend on streaming services lately, you’re not alone. Companies like Netflix, Disney, Max and others have been consistently raising prices to the point where you may question if streaming is even worth it anymore. We at Engadget still think it is, but we also think you should be smart with your money — and that’s where streaming deals come in.
Yes, it is possible to get discounts on services like Peacock and Paramount+, even if those deals aren’t as common as a sale on AirPods. If you’re looking to save money and still stream all of the content you want, Engadget can help by laying out the best streaming deals you can get right now, how you can save with bundles and everything you should know before paying for yet another streaming service.
Best streaming deals
True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, they’ll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, we’ll see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while you’ll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing.
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If you’re able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. You’ll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate. Maybe you find you like the service so much that you’re fine paying full price for it — that’s the ideal situation. But if you’re not compelled to keep that app on rotation in your smart TV, most streaming services make it easy for you to cancel at any time. With that said, these are the best streaming deals you can snag right now.
ESPN ESPN Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu bundle $30/month $36/month Save $6 Paid for by ESPN ESPN’s new streaming service is officially available now, and new subscribers can get Disney+ and Hulu included for one year when they sign up. The regular price of the new ESPN Unlimited plan is $30 per month, but this bundle offer throws in Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) for one year at no extra cost. If you want to break it down, you’re essentially getting each of the three services for $10 monthly with this offer. For the uninitiated, the new ESPN streaming service has two plans. The base level is ESPN Select, which is essentially just ESPN+ under a new name. It includes more than 32,000 live sports events, a library of studio shows, on-demand replays and more for $12 per month. The premium tier, ESPN Unlimited, ups the ante by providing access to all of ESPN’s linear networks including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes and others, plus programming on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX. It includes 47,000 live sports events throughout the year, on-demand replays, original programming and more. You can think of it as everything you’d want from cable ESPN, just via streaming now. $30/month at ESPN
DirecTV starting at $50/month for one month ($35 off): All of DirecTV's signature packages are $35 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base "Entertainment" package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app.
DashPass Annual + HBO Max (with ads) for $96/year ($144 off): This offer includes access to HBO Max with ads for no extra cost when you sign up for a DashPass Annual plan. You can then decide to upgrade to Max Standard, which removes ads, for a discounted rate of $11 monthly if you want. Aside from the obvious streaming benefits, this deal gives you $0 deliver fees and lower service fees on some restaurant DoorDash orders, five percent DoorDash credits on pickup orders, on-demand grocery delivery and other members-only exclusives.
Spotify Premium Individual (3 month) for $0 ($36 off): This is our favorite music streaming service for podcasts and social features. Right now, users who have not signed up for Spotify's Premium service before are eligible to get three months for free. The Premium Individual plan lets you listen ad-free and skip songs at will. You can also organize your listening queue and download content for offline listening. Just be aware, your subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial period. So if you don't want to be on the hook for the $12 monthly fee, set a reminder to cancel and go back to the free version.
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