If you’ve been thinking of cutting the cord on your TV subscription, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans are shifting to subscription and streaming-only services in the place of television, and are saving tens or even hundreds a month. We’ve rounded up some of the top streaming services, from the usual suspects, to some you might not have considered.
Disney Plus
For $6.99 a month or $69 a year, this is Disney’s new entrant into the streaming market. Nowhere else will you find The Lion King, Snow White, Pinocchio, or any of a number of other Disney Classics. It is also the only place to find Disney’s most recent release with Pixar, Soul, which we can personally attest is an excellent movie for the whole family (especially adults).
Netflix
The standard bearer for streaming remains Netflix, which has its own arsenal of original content now, in addition to a number of your favorite blockbusters and classics. Standard Netflix is $8.99 a month and includes one screen at a time streaming. For more screens at once and HD streaming, you can select the Premium plan, which is $13.99 a month.
Hulu
Hulu has a lot of your network television favorites available to stream online, from Fox, ABC, CBS, and more. You can also add Showtime shows, including some of the best thrillers like Dexter, for $4.99 a month right now. Hulu is $5.99 a month with ads, or $11.99 a month without. There is also a plan that includes live TV, but it is a bit cost prohibitive at $64.99 a month.
Peacock (NBC)
On Peacok’s Premium, which costs $4.99 a month, you can stream NBC’s suite of shows, as well as live television and live sports. NBC also has free streaming options, which includes 2 seasons of The Office, so if you want free TV, this might be a good first stop. There is also a Premium Plus plan which removes ads.
Discover Plus
A recent entrant to the streaming space, this puts a lot of educational and entertaining programming at your finger tips. For just $4.99 a month, get access to Discovery programs, in addition to HGTV, TLC, and Food Network. For two dollars a month more you can go ad-free. Be sure to catch Undercover Billionaire, a show that uncovers the magic of the American Dream in 2020.
HBO Max
One of the pricier streaming services at $14.99 a month, HBO Max (formerly HBO Go) has all your HBO favorites, from The Sopranos to The Wire, as well as some shows you might not have guessed (they have the streaming rights to South Park, for example). PBS’s Sesame Street also migrated over to HBO recently, so if you want your kids to be able to see recent episodes of Big Bird and Snuffleupagus, this is the place to do it.
In Conclusion
Cutting the cord can be a great way to save a few bucks. If you still rely on the cable company for internet, you may not be able to escape the clutches of Spectrum or Comcast, but you can definitely cut down on your bill if you remove television and phone services if you have them. You can also be sure to check if you are available for FM-airwave internet, which is now coming available in a number of large cities in the US.