Netflix keeps increasing its prices. Live TV cord-cutting services cost almost as much as cable. It's all getting kind of out of hand.
The cheapest on-demand streaming services are the ad-supported ones like Tubi and Vudu, which are completely free. Then, there are services that cost around $5: Apple TV+, Hulu with ads, Funimation, Topic, and a few others. In this list, we count down the cheapest on-demand streaming services.
Sundance costs $6.99 per month, with an annual subscription that goes for $59.99.
In addition to watching Sundance Now on the web, you can stream from the service’s apps for mobile, (Android and iOS) and media streaming (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku).
Sundance Now does not offer any apps on game consoles, such as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4.
If you're a college student looking to save up on some funds, you're in luck: you can slash up to $20 in entertainment costs when you get the Spotify Premium + Hulu + Showtime bundle. For just $4.99, students above 18 years old enrolled at any US Title IV accredited college or university can access Spotify songs, Hulu originals, and Showtime films and live channels, with just one bill. That's the best of music, streaming, and TV rolled into one.
To be sure, it's a steal of a deal, but there are some caveats. For one, you can't have any network add-ons on your Hulu account, and you have to be okay with everything being billing to Spotify. Spotify also uses a third-party service called SheerID to vet applications. But if all of that sounds okay to you, then you should have no trouble accessing this premium bundle.
Price: $4.99/month
SportsLive is a streaming platform that covers both pro and amateur sporting events. This means you're able to stay updated on your favorite teams whether they're from the big leagues or high school. And aside from featuring nearly 20,000 live events, it also boasts a catalog of exclusive programming, interviews, and press conferences. This platform, powered by CBS Sports Digital, comes at a reasonable price and will surely satisfy even the most niche sports fan.
Price: $9.95/month
Device availability: Android, iOS, Website
Channel lineup: CBS Sports Network
Spectrum TV Choice allows you to completely curate your live TV package. For around $30 a month, you trim the fat and select your 15 channels of choice — no distractions, no cable box, and no annual contract. The catch: it’s only available to Spectrum internet customers.
Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.
Shudder is an on-demand streaming service dedicated to niche horror movies.
In the US, a monthly subscription currently runs at $5.99 per month, or $56.99 per year. In 2020, Shudder extended its operations to Australia and New Zealand, where pricing differs. You can also sign up to Shudder via your Amazon Prime account.
Shudder can be accessed via a full range of services including Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One and is compatible across Apple and PC computers, and Android and iOS phones and tablets.
Streaming services do not come cheap. But what if you can access live TV streaming services for free? Enter Pluto TV Live, a free live TV streaming service that lets you watch around 250 different live TV channels without even needing you to sign up. This Viacom-owned live TV service may not have as nearly as the popular cables you’re used to, but it’s enough to serve as a supplement to your needs for news, sports, and entertainment without spending a dime.
Price: free for 29 channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Virgin Media, Vizio SmartCast, webOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Channel lineup: BBC Food, BBC Home, Bein Sports XTRA, Bloomberg Television, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, Check with Pluto TV for the full channel lineup, Cheddar News, CNN, ET Live, Food TV, Fox Sports, Major League Soccer, MLB, NBC News Now, Newsmax, NFL Channel, Nosey, People TV, PGA Tour, Pluto Channels, Sky News, Smithsonian Channel, Stories AMC, TBN, Today, TV Land Drama, WeatherNation, WPT
Ovid.tv is an on-demand streaming platform dedicated to independent movies, and is currently available in the US and Canada.
In the US, Ovid.tv costs $6.99 per month or $69 per year.
You can access Ovid.tv via mobile platforms including Android and iOS, as well as media streaming devices including Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku. However, Ovid.tv does not offer any apps for game consoles at the moment.
Price: $6.99/month
Free Trial: 14 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku
If you lived through the '80s, you may have heard of Night Flight, the nighttime cable channel that aired punk rock music videos, low-budget monster flicks, psychedelic documentaries, and adult cartoons, among many others. It went under at the turn of the '90s but has recently returned to join the streaming wars, seemingly bigger and better than ever. As a subscription-based streaming service, Night Flight Plus gives you access to classic gems, plus new content from partner studio companies. It's basically a time capsule with extra room for all the new niche movies it could've aired during its prime. If you're looking for carefully curated nostalgic picks, Night Flight Plus is a great choice to consider.
Price: $4.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
MotorTrend OnDemand is a subscription service that specializes in motorsports and automotive content. It has 2,000 hours' worth of titles, which include historical archives, information programs, and reality shows. Roadkill and Ignition, original series that found their start on YouTube, have since been moved to the MotorTrend OnDemand platform, where they can be streamed exclusively. The auto-specific streamer also covers live racing events from all around the world, among them the Pirelli World Challenge and Blancpain GT Series.
Lifetime Movie Club is a subscription video service that gives you access to thousands of original titles, many of which can also be found on its cable counterpart the Lifetime Channel. Lifetime movies are known for being unapologetically dramatic and occasionally sinister, so if you're one to indulge in such content, then this might be for you. Lifetime Movie Club also welcomes new movies to its library every Friday, as well as hosts a handful of syndicated shows, including the much-beloved Grey's Anatomy.
Price: $3.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.