Which Streaming Services Give You the Most for Your Money?

In the past, if you wanted to watch television, you needed a cable TV subscription — but things have changed. These days, there’s no shortage of available streaming services, allowing you to personalize your watch options while saving money.

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The average American household spends $110 per month on cable and internet, according to the 2020 U.S. Bill Pay Market Size & Category Breakout released by doxo, a web and mobile bill pay service. However, it’s easy to reduce this cost by choosing streaming services that offer the most value.

Different people certainly have different tastes in television programming, but the best streaming services offer a wide variety of content. This allows several people from the same household to benefit from the account, instead of having to invest in memberships to many different platforms.

If you’re in the market for a new streaming service, shopping around can feel a bit overwhelming. Here’s a look at the platforms that offer the most for your money to help you make a well-informed decision.

Netflix

One of the biggest names in streaming, Netflix offers plans ranging in price from $8.99 to $17.99 per month. There are no extra fees and you can cancel anytime, so there’s no obligation to continue your subscription if you find you’re not getting much from it.

As a Netflix member, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to a vast array of content, including feature films, documentaries and television shows. Netflix also has a ton of popular original programming you can’t find anywhere else — i.e., “Bridgerton,” “The Crown” and “Ozark.”

Beyond convenient, you’re able to watch Netflix on an unlimited number of internet-connected devices. You can also download content to watch on the Netflix app when you’re without an internet connection.

See: What These 32 Netflix Stars Did Before They Were Famous

Hulu

Another hugely popular streaming service, Hulu offers a variety of subscription options, starting with the basic plan which costs $5.99 per month — or $59.99 per year. You can also upgrade to an ad-free version, which costs $11.99 per month, add live TV for $64.99 per month or bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $12.99 per month.

Content-wise, a Hulu membership grants you access to thousands of television shows and movies. The platform also features Hulu originals you won’t find elsewhere, such as “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Little Fires Everywhere” and “The Act.”

All Hulu plans allow you to watch on your TV, laptop, phone or tablet and view on two different screens at once. The ad-free plan also allows you to download content and watch it later.

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Amazon Prime Video

Available as part of an Amazon Prime membership — which costs $12.99 per month or $119 per year — or as a standalone subscription for $8.99 per month, Amazon Prime Video has a lot to offer. You can also opt to subscribe to more than 100 premium channels for an added fee.

Amazon Prime Video includes a huge selection of movies and television shows across a broad spectrum of categories. Membership also includes access to Prime Originals such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Bosch” and “One Night in Miami.”

You’re able to stream content from the Prime Video app on your smartphone, tablet, game console, smart TV and more, leaving plenty of ways to watch. You can also download titles for offline viewing.

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YouTube TV

A live TV streaming service, YouTube TV offers more than 85 channels of entertainment, news, sports and more. Priced at $64.99 per month, there’s no cable box, contracts or hidden fees.

YouTube TV subscribers enjoy unlimited DVR storage space, along with rewind, fast forward and pause capability. There’s no installation fee, and you can watch your favorite shows from anywhere on mobile devices, computers, streaming media players, smart TVs and game consoles.

It’s available nationwide in more than 99.5% of U.S. households, but channel listings vary by area. You can enter your ZIP code on the YouTube TV website to see your local offerings.

Read: 33 Popular TV Shows With the Highest-Paid Casts

Disney+

Launched in 2019, Disney+ is a family-friendly streaming platform available for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. Stream content on your television, computer, mobile and tablet devices and game consoles, or download it for offline viewing.

In its first year alone, Disney+ included access to more than 7,500 television episodes and 500 films. Subscriptions also include Disney+ originals, like “The Mandalorian,” “High School Musical” and “Elephant.”

Starting March 5, you’ll also be able to get premier access to films the same day they hit theaters — and watch as many times as you like — for an extra $29.99.

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Prices and program availability are accurate as of Feb. 12, 2021.

About the Author

Laura Woods

Laura Woods is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience. She specializes in a variety of topics, including marketing, personal finance, entertainment and lifestyle.

Her work has been featured on dozens of sites, including HuffPost, CNBC, Business Insider, Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo, Fortune, Inc., Entrepreneur and POPSUGAR. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Robert Morris University.

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