Why You Can Trust CNET Best Streaming Service Deals for Peacock, Hulu, Starz and More
Though some platforms are raising prices, these deals can help you save some cash.
- Though Kourtnee hasn't won any journalism awards yet, she's been a Netflix streaming subscriber since 2012 and knows the magic of its hidden codes.
Trying to line up your streaming services for the fall? Locking in the best monthly price on your favorite subscriptions can ease the pain when you can't have them all. Whether it's Peacock, Sling TV, Hulu or another platform, you'll want to grab a deal to make streaming worthwhile.
Though Disney Plus, Paramount Plus and Hulu cost more now, you can still snag a bundle offer, and you can save on Paramount Plus by prepaying for a year. It's the perfect time to try out a new service. Or if you've been thinking of dropping a streaming subscription to save some cash, some of these deals may offer a way to fit a streaming TV platform into your budget after all.
Here's a look at the best streaming service deals you can get right now.
For a limited time, you can sign up for Starz for just $3 per month for three months ($9 total). The service now costs $10 a month after a new price hike, you can save a total of $21 during that period. Stream shows like Outlander, Minx or Power Book II: Ghost, and wait for the arrival of John Wick 4. New or returning customers are eligible.
Disney now offers two bundles that can save you $13 or more a month if you're paying for separate Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu subscriptions. The $13-a-month Disney Bundle Trio Basic subscription gives you access to the ad-supported versions of all three streaming services. The Trio Premium plan costs $20 per month and gets you ESPN Plus with ads, and ad-free Disney Plus and Hulu.
Sign up on the Disney Plus website. If you've already got a Hulu or ESPN account, you'll need to combine your accounts on your desktop.
Paramount Plus normally runs $12 a month for its commercial-free (and live-CBS-included) offering, while its Essential plan costs $6 a month. Prepaying for a year of either can effectively net you two months free, with the ad-free version running $120 for the year (a $24 savings) and the ad-supported tier running $60 (a $12 savings).
A note: 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.
Paramount Plus provides a 25% student discount on its $6 per month Essential Plan that is good for four years, regardless of whether you graduate early. The offer cannot be applied to its Premium Plan or for subscribers who were grandfathered in on the now-discontinued Limited Commercials plan.
The catch? You must be enrolled in an accredited, Title IV higher education institution. To sign up, Paramount Plus will verify your student credentials through a third party. The discount is good for eligible students with new accounts. Those with existing Premium Plan subscriptions have the option to cancel and switch to the Essential plan to receive the special deal.
If you have a Hulu plan that doesn't include the Disney Bundle, you may be eligible to get Disney Plus with Ads for $2 per month. Hulu-billed subscribers can select Disney Plus as an add-on for the reduced rate by visiting their account page.
This discount applies to the basic, ad-supported $8 Hulu plan and for the $15 ad-free version. Verify your account details to determine whether you already have access to Disney Plus and to check if you're being billed via a third party. Go to the Manage Add-ons section of your account page and select Disney Plus. Currently, there's no expiration date for this offer.
Beyond getting Hulu in the Verizon bundle, there are a few ways to save on Disney's other streaming service.
Students will want to check out Spotify's Premium Student offer which combines Spotify Premium, Hulu's ad-supported plan and Showtime for $5 per month. All told, the bundle would save $24 a month. 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 will need to verify eligibility every 12 months, with the offer available for a total of four years. Full details can be found at Spotify's site.
Get access to Peacock's ad-supported tier for just $2 per month for 12 months with a student discount. Peacock Premium typically costs $5 per month. The offer is available to students 18 years or older enrolled in an undergraduate or advanced degree program at a Title IV-accredited school in the US.
Eligibility is verified through Sheer ID, and the deal can be renewed annually if students meet the criteria. New or existing Peacock subscribers can redeem the offer.
College students who don't want the Spotify and Showtime bundle can get the ad-supported Hulu for $2 a month. Hulu similarly uses SheerID to verify eligibility, with more details available on Hulu's site.
Comcast, which owns Peacock and its parent NBCUniversal, includes a subscription to the $5-a-month Peacock Premium for all Xfinity Internet users who subscribe to its NOW TV streaming service. NOW costs $20 per month and includes over 40 live TV and on-demand channels. More details can be found on Xfinity's site.
Eligible Spectrum customers can receive free access to Peacock Premium. Cable subscribers can get 12 months of Peacock Premium and qualified Spectrum Internet customers can receive 90 days of Peacock Premium. The offer ends on Dec. 7, 2023. Full details can be found here.
If you're already paying for Peacock Premium you'll need to cancel the billing on your account and sign back up by linking your Spectrum account. It's also worth noting that after these 12 months are up, or 90 days for home internet users, you'll be automatically billed the streaming service's regular $5 per month rate unless you cancel.
If you don't have Spectrum or Comcast, you can get an annual Peacock subscription for either $50 a year for ad-supported Premium or $100 a year for ad-free Premium Plus.