People are watching a lot of streaming TV—the average person subscribes to five streaming services—but more and more of us are also becoming “hit and run” subscribers, cancelling at least one service in the last six months, according to Deloitte. Part of this is cost-related—all those monthly fees and up. Plus, why pay for content when you get a free trial elsewhere? Here’s a look at the current status of free trial offers from the major streaming services.
Services offering a free trial standard
Amazon Prime Video
Cost: $8.99 per month or free with Amazon Prime subscription ($12.99 per month).Free trial: If you haven’t been an Amazon Prime member in the last 12 months, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial.Apple TV+
AT&T TV
Cost: $69.99 per month.Free trial: You can cancel before 14 days have elapsed.G/O Media may get a commission
CBS All Access
Cost: Starts at $5.99 per month.Free trial: CBS All Access offers a free 7-day trial.Discovery+
Cost: Plans start at $4.99.Free trial: The service offers a 7-day trial.FuboTV
Hulu + Live TV
Cost: Starts at $64.99.Free trial: 7 days.Sling TV
Cost: $35 per month for the Blue (News and Entertainment) or Orange (the Sports and Families) plans. You can bundle both plans for $50.Free trial: The live TV service offers a limited free trial—just 3 days.YouTube TV
Cost: Starts at $64.99 per month.Free trial: YouTube TV offers a seven-day free trial, meaning you’ll be able to watch Super Bowl 2021 without spending a cent.Services you can get for free—with a catch
Disney+
Cost: $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year.Free trial: Disney’s longstanding free trial no longer applies. Per Tom’s Guide, the only way to get a free trial right now is through an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which offers 30 days for free to new customers only (although you can just use a different email if you’ve already bounced from this service before).HBO Max
Cost: $14.99 per month.Free Trial: As of December, HBO Max no longer offers a free trial, although you can get a 20% discount if you pay for six months upfront. However, it’s possible for Hulu subscribers to get a 7-day trial if they add HBO Max as an add-on to their subscription. Also, you can also get a year’s worth of HBO Max for free if you sign up for AT&T’s $85-a-month Choice upgrade (just remember that you’ll be charged an extra $14.99 each month once the yearlong term ends).Services no longer offering a free trial
Netflix
Cost: Starts at $8.99 per month.Free trial: There are currently no free trials for Netflix. Be careful if you’re offered one via email or text, as it might be a scam.Don’t forget about free services
There is a wide selection of free TV and movie streaming options available, as outlined in this Lifehacker post. Crackle and NBC’s recently launched Peacock are notable options.
