One of the most frustrating choices facing many people each day is trying to decide what to watch. While this may seem like an insignificant problem to many, for those who are just trying to relax after a long day of work, you want to pick the right show or movie. If you don’t, you’re wasting precious minutes during some of the only downtime you’ll get all week. Choosing the new movie onNetflixor the latest show on AmazonPrime Videocan be good options. But if they don’t hit you, you’re likely to go to bed frustrated.
That same frustration can be felt by people who are paying too much forstreaming services. Not getting a solid return on your investment is why so many people have canceled cable in the first place and switched to using streaming services. Of course, if you’re someone who pays for cable and also pays for streaming services, you REALLY want to ensure that you’re getting the best bang for your buck. Oftentimes, finding the right streaming service for you depends on personal preference and what each one has to offer in terms of content.
But when it comes to money, some are much more expensive than others. So, if you’re just looking for some options to watch after work and don’t really need to have every single option available to you, it makes sense to understand which streaming services are the cheapest. We will go through the cheapest streaming services, most of which have ad-supported plans as their base packages. These are streaming services you pay for, not free offerings anyone can get. Here is our list.
Are free streaming services any good in 2024?
A look at all free streaming services, their libraries and if they’re worth it.
Get some of the most recognizable shows of the past two decades
AMC became one of the premiere networks for drama television over the past two decades. Shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and more have captivated audiences and critics, winning numerous Emmy Awards. AMC+ allows you to stream all of the classic AMC shows like those mentioned above as well as newer exclusives like Interview With the Vampire, Orphan Black: Echoes, and more. An AMC+ subscription only costs $4.99 per month if you choose the package with ads.
9 AMC+ shows you can watch for free on Pluto TV
Get some of AMC’s best for free.
2Discovery+
Ideal for reality TV fans
Discovery Plus
Discovery+ has content from so many different cable networks, some of which are likely your favorites. If you’re a fan of Food Network, HGTV, TLC, OWN, ID, Animal Planet, A&E, Magnolia Network, Lifetime, History Channel, or like things such as CNN Originals, it is a streaming service for you. A lot of this content is available on Max. But if you’re not interested in paying Max prices, you can pay just $4.99 per month for an ad-supported subscription and enjoy Discovery+.
The cheapest standalone package for Max costs $10 per month.
There is a seven-day free trial that you can try as well to see if you like it. You can upgrade to an ad-free plan for $8.99 per month. Shows like 90 Day Fiance, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, and Food Network’s Tournament of Champions are all available. Discovery+ also has originals such as House of Hammer, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, and more.
Sky adds Discovery+ for free, including Australian Open coverage
Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers get the paid sports and entertainment service at no extra cost indefinitely.
3Thirteen Passport (PBS)
Get all of your favorite PBS programs in one place
Thirteen Pasport
Thirteen Passport is PBS Passport, which is offered for only $5 per month and gives you access to all current and previous PBS programming. This allows you access to a massive on-demand library to stream on any device. You can either pay $5 per month or pay $60 a year up front to be covered for this content.
Programs that you can enjoy include Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Nova, American Masters, Antique Roadshow, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, and others. Users can also stream PBS live from select markets with this service.
Freeview Play brings PBS America player to the UK, a new free on demand service
The PBS America player is now available in the UK, as part of the Freeview Play line-up of free on demand TV services.
4Paramount+
This offers plenty for a low price
Paramount Plus
Giving Paramount+ a free trial allows you to see all that it offers. There is a ton of content to stream, including live sports, series, films, and originals. You can choose from Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Your Honor, Dexter, The Offer, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, Mean Girls, A Quiet Place: Day One, and more. Star Trek: Discovery is also one of the most popular series on the streamer.
You’re able to pay $8 per month for a subscription with limited ads. It’s known as Paramount+ Essential and it gives you the NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League coverage, as well as live news with CBS News. But you can also choose an annual plan that is $60 per year, making the cost per month drop to $5 per month. That’s worth the price for many people but you can also upgrade to an ad-free plan for $13 per month or $10 per month with an annual subscription and be able to download shows to your devices.
It’s game over for Halo on Paramount+ after just two seasons
Spartans never die, but they can be canceled. After just two seasons, Halo has been put on ice at Paramount +.
Another great price if you choose an annual subscription
For fans of MGM Studios and those looking for some of the best movies of the year, MGM+ is the streaming service for them. It offers the first place to stream MGM Studios films, such as Challengers and Mean Girls, and offers MGM+ Originals that fans can only watch on the service. Those programs include Hotel Cocaine,Billy the Kid, Godfather of Harlem, and more.
Amazon’s MGM buyout completed, now owns Bond films and more
Amazon has successfully acquired MGM in an $8.45 billion (£5.98b) deal. That includes the entire Bond franchise.
6What about free streaming services?
While all of the ones that we’ve mentioned are cheap streaming services, there are plenty of free streaming services that are available. These can be downloaded to your smart TV or your streaming device, such as a Roku or Apple TV 4K. While the free content may not be the most current content, you still will have thousands of hours of entertainment at your fingertips.
Each one of them offers something different and many of them offer adult and kid-friendly programming. Some of our favorites include:
Many of these have both TV series and films for you to watch, so you should be covered when looking for something to watch. None of them allow you to download content though, so you’ll have to use a Wi-Fi connection to stream it.
