There's no shortage of options for streaming services these days. If you have varying interests, you might find that being subscribed to only one just won't do. Many streaming services offer TV shows, films and special programming, but others are a bit more niche and might focus on documentaries and sports, especially with March Madness kicking off. Having many streaming service subscriptions can quickly add up, so it's essential to research potential deals or bundles that can help you save a few dollars. We at CNET have combed through multiple streaming services to see if there's any way you can save, and we've rounded up our findings below.
With over five years of experience covering services and tech, Eli Blumenthal is one of CNET's resident streaming experts. Along with members of CNET's dedicated deals team, he's searched the web to bring you the best offers out there and help you make the most of your streaming budget. Below, we've rounded up the best bargains, including monthly discounts, bundle offers and price cuts for students. We'll continue to update this page as offers come and go, so be sure to check back often.
Best streaming service deals
New and returning customers who sign up for Starz right now will get their first three months for just $3 a month. A subscription is usually $11 a month, which means you're getting a temporary 73% discount. Stream shows like Outlander, Minx or Power Book II: Ghost, as well as hit movies like Jordan Peele's Nope.
You can also prepay for a six-month subscription at $18 upfront, which also reduces the price to just $3 per month for half a year.
Even with the price hike, YouTube TV is still one of the best live TV streaming services, thanks to its wide selection of channels. If you're looking to try it out, you can get signed up for less right now. New subscribers can get their first six months for just $70 a month, which saves you $13 a month or $78 total.
Sling TV is one of our favorite live TV streaming services, and now you can get signed up for less. Sling offers two subscriptions, which typically cost $46 a month. Orange is focused on sports and family channels, whereas Blue is more news and entertainment oriented. When you sign up, you can save 50% on your first month, which drops the price down to just $23. Or you can try both for just $31, which is also a 50% discount.
You can also prepay for three months at $100. You can also try out add-on subscriptions free for one month, including services like AMC Plus, Paramount Plus with Showtime, Starz and MGM Plus. After the first month, your add-on subscriptions will be billed at their usual price.
Fubo is another live TV streaming service, and though our reviewers found it to be a little lacking in the entertainment department, it is a pretty great value for sports fans. A few plans are available, with its main memberships usually starting at $85 per month for the Essential plan. But when you sign up now, you can save as much as $30 on your first month, dropping the price to $55. You can also get a free trial when you sign up for a plan.
Disney now offers two bundles that can save you monthly if you're paying separately for Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu subscriptions. The $17-a-month Trio Basic subscription provides access to the ad-supported versions of all three streaming services and saves you $14 a month compared to subscribing separately. The Trio Premium plan costs $27 a month and gets you ESPN Plus with ads and ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu, which saves you $20 compared to separate subscriptions.
Sign up on the Disney Plus website. If you've already got a Hulu or ESPN account, you must combine your accounts on your desktop.
If you prefer fantasy over football, there is also a three-service Disney Plus and Hulu bundle that includes a Max subscription instead of ESPN Plus. There are two versions of this bundle, starting at $17 a month for the ad-supported subscriptions, which saves you $13 a month compared to subscribing separately. If you want the ad-free experience, the price increases to $30 a month, a $22 monthly discount.
Paramount Plus offers two subscriptions. The basic Paramount Plus Essential plan is ad-supported, gives you access to NFL games on CBS and costs $8 a month. There's also the ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription, which allows you to stream CBS live, download shows and movies and get access to the Showtime library for $13 a month. You can save $3 a month on both plans when you opt for an annual subscription, which costs $60 for the Essential plan and $120 for the Showtime bundle.
You'll also get a 25% discount on the monthly plan if you're a student, which drops the Essential subscription to just $6 a month. Also, note that the option to prepay for a year and save isn't exclusive to Paramount Plus -- streaming services such as Max and Hulu also offer discounts if you pay annually.
MagellanTV has a huge collection of documentaries, featuring more than 3,000 curated titles ready for your next movie marathon. Sign up through StackSocial and you can score a two-year subscription for just $60 or a three-year subscription for $72, which saves you up to 59% and drops the cost down to as little as $2 a month. You can also ditch the annual fees and opt for the $200 lifetime subscription instead.
Students will want to check out Spotify's Premium Student offer, which combines a $12 monthly Spotify Premium membership with Hulu's $10 a month ad-supported plan. At just $6 a month, this bundle would save $16 each month, and it comes with a one-month free trial. You need to be a student above the age of 18 who is enrolled at a US Title IV-accredited college or university to qualify, and Spotify works with a third party called SheerID to verify that you're eligible. You can even get the first month for free.
You will need to verify eligibility every 12 months, with the offer available for a total of four years. Full details can be found on Spotify's site.
Peacock offers two subscription tiers. The ad-supported Premium plan is $8 per month, and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 per month. But when you sign up for a one-year membership, you'll save around 17% compared with paying monthly. That saves you $16 on a Premium membership and $28 on a Premium Plus membership.
You can get a Peacock Premium subscription for just $4 per month if you're a teacher, which is a 50% monthly discount. And if you're a student, you can score the subscription for $3 per month for the first year.
College students who don't want the Spotify bundle can get ad-supported Hulu for $2 a month. Hulu similarly uses SheerID to verify eligibility, with more details available on Hulu's site.
A Basic-tier Disney Plus subscription is available at no additional cost for Spectrum customers with select Spectrum TV packages. To qualify for this perk, you'll need to subscribe to a TV Select package or higher. More details can be found at Spectrum's site.
Comcast, which owns Peacock and its parent NBCUniversal, includes a free two-year Peacock Premium subscription for all Xfinity internet customers who subscribe to gigabit or higher speed service. This offer is also open to Diamond- and Platinum-tier Xfinity Rewards members and those with a Now TV subscription. More details can be found on Xfinity's site.
Peacock is also now available to Instacart Plus members. Users in the US can receive a free Peacock Premium subscription as a membership perk. Instacart Plus costs $10 a month -- or $100 a year -- and grants members unlimited fast, free delivery on orders over $35. Sign up for Peacock via the Instacart app.
What is the best streaming service deal right now?
Ultimately, the best streaming service deal will depend on the content you want. The Trio Basic subscription -- which bundles Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus -- is an excellent value. Combining three services for as little as $17 a month, you're getting a wide variety of shows, movies and sports and saving $14 a month compared with the cost of subscribing to each service separately.
How we choose streaming service deals at CNET
This list features several straightforward streaming deals that include temporary discounts for new or returning subscribers. These offers aren't the only way to score some savings. We've also included plenty of other ways to stretch your streaming budget, including discounted student subscriptions, annual plan savings and bundle offers that combine multiple services. Some of these offers may not technically qualify as a "deal," but they're among the most consistent ways to get a streaming subscription for less.