50 Streaming Services That Still Offer Free Trial in 2025

More than 60 live channels, unlimited DVR storage, and streaming on multiple devices for $28 a month? It’s hard to find a sweeter cord-cutting deal. As good as it is, you do go without some cable mainstays: Philo doesn’t carry any sports channels. But if you get that content elsewhere and you’re fine without it, Philo’s deal is unbeatable.

If you want the feel of cable with the ease of cord-cutting, your best bet is DirecTV Stream. The live TV streaming service has hundreds of channels (including RSNs and local networks), unlimited cloud DVR, and simultaneous streams, and it's all formatted in a way that makes it look almost exactly like traditional TV. The prices of its plans range, but if you want to give a subscription a think, then you can try any of its plans free for 5 days. Simply go to their website, pick a plan you’re interested in, and input your payment details. You’ll have to do the last step because if you don’t cancel before the trial period ends, you’ll automatically be charged the full price of the monthly plan. The free trial lets you test all features of the plan, including the simultaneous screams and DVR, so make sure you test the platform thoroughly before the trial is up.

Though largely known as the sports-centered service, Fubo has a lot of other things going for it. The live TV streaming platform has local channels, live events, unlimited DVR, and unlimited screens it offers through plans that range from $80 to $100 per month. It also has a Latino package it offers at nearly half the price of its other plans. The only downside to Fubo is that it recently dropped Warner Bros. and Turner channels because of a dispute. Another possible disadvantage is the ambiguity of its free trial periods. To be sure, Fubo does have a free trial, which is already more than what competing streaming services offer, but it can last two to seven days, depending on when you claim it. The standard should be seven, so you can file a complaint if it ends before then, but Fubo has noticeably erased nearly all mentions of the 7-day-free trial, so be wary of that. Otherwise, Fubo is an enjoyable cable alternative that you can cancel anytime.

Hulu with Live TV offers 95 live channels, as well as countless on-demand content from Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, from $83/month. It does have a free trial, but it might be the shortest offer yet with a duration of just 3 days. It’s shorter than YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, but it might be enough for you to decide whether the channel lineup, which includes local, sports, and entertainment networks like Bravo, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Discovery, FS1, NFL Network, and ABC News are to your liking. To be eligible for the free trial, you have to either be new to Hulu or a returning customer who canceled a Hulu subscription over a year ago. You can test all of the streaming service’s features, like cloud DVR and device compatibility, during the free trial. Just remember to cancel before the period ends, otherwise, you’ll be charged the regular monthly fee.

In addition to all the on-demand content under the Paramount umbrella, Paramount+ Premium customers get multiple live sports broadcasts, live local CBS, and the ability to download shows to watch them later. For $9.99 a month, it’s a low-cost option that keeps viewers current without taking away the freedom to watch what you want, when you want.

If you're a fan of TV shows, then Hulu has a lot to offer, with a pretty comprehensive list of popular shows from major networks, including classic sitcoms, as well as children's programs like Sesame Street. Hulu is also acclaimed for its ace original programming, with hit shows from comedies like The Mindy Project to dystopian dramas like Handmaid's Tale.

Frndly TV just might be the most affordable live TV streaming service, but if you’re not sure if it’s you, you can try it free for 7 days if you’re a new customer. You’ll be able to access all of its 50 channels, which sadly excludes sports and major local networks, but includes other popular options like Hallmark, Lifetime, A&E, Grit, and ION. Local news may also be accessed via the channel LocalNow. If you’re not a new customer, no sweat: you can try their many add-on packs, also free for 7 days. Other noteworthy features include unlimited DVR, on-the-go streaming, up to 4 simultaneous streams, and 72-hour lookback, which lets you watch whatever’s been on the last 3 days.

Apple TV+’s catalog has almost exclusively original shows and movies, so the catalog is small, with launch titles so far including Dickinson, The Elephant Queen, The Morning Show, Ted Lasso and Oprah's Book Club. It’s also growing: they have promised to release new content while they try to acquire more shows from other networks.

You'll find all the classics and big block-busters. When it comes to on-demand streaming services, Amazon Prime probably has the largest catalog, with more than 12,000 movies alone. Amazon is also producing more of its own TV shows, which range from hits like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to irreverent comedies like Fleabag.

With approximately 800 feature films, documentaries, and shorts available on the Library at one time, and a very consistent refreshing of the library in the Now Showing section, Mubi is one of the go-to services for dedicated film buffs who want to be surprised.

Paramount+ is an easy sell for its on-demand programming, but if you're a sports fan or if you watch local CBS channels, it's also a good option to consider. The platform offers over 1000 sporting events live, like the NFL, Champion's League, The Masters, PGA Tours, and more.

YouTube TV is one of the few comprehensive, all-in-one live TV packages that still offers a weeklong free trial. In the past, it’s even offered a 60-day free trial during special occasions. The streaming service has everything you could want: local channels, live sports (including the coveted NFL Sunday Ticket), and cable networks, though you’d still have to pay extra for premium channels like HBO and Starz. It has other add-ons, too, if you’re more into Spanish-language channels for instance or even more sports coverage. Additionally, it has unlimited DVR storage. The only potential downside is picture quality, a common problem among users more used to satellite-grade crispness. You can discover for yourself whether the picture quality, channel lineup, and DVR storage, among others, are worth its $73/month price tag when you sign up for the 7-da7 free trial.

With over 500 horror, thriller and supernatural fiction titles, Shudder is one for real horror fans. The platform curators offer categories like "Urban Decay", "Slashics", and "Not Your Ordinary Bloodsucker," among many others. 

Rather than horror blockbusters, you’ll rather find rarer movies new and old, including exclusives like The Devils (1971) and originals like Mayhem starring Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving, as well as horror shows and podcasts.

If you’re a huge fan of anime, then Crunchyroll is the streaming platform for you. Over 1,200 series and 200 dramas are available on the anime-focused platform, with many series made available immediately after Japanese broadcast for premium-tier subscribers. 

In the Crunchyroll library, you’ll find every genre of anime you can think of, including drama, fantasy, music, romance, and sci-fi, to name a few. That said, Crunchyroll focuses heavily on subtitled rather than dubbed animations.

Without about 2,000 films in its collection going as far back as the 1900s, the Criterion Channel is definitely one for the fans of classic and art-house cinema in general. The collection reportedly features movies from 55 different countries, across six continents. Each month, the on-demand library is reorganised with a freshly handpicked set of films becoming available on rotation.

If you’re a fan of the many great AMC series, you’ll find them all here, as well as additional library content from sister networks BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV, and the complete collections of fellow AMC Networks streaming services including Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited. So it’s safe to say that if you like independent film and award-winning shows, you won’t be disappointed with this bundle.

Fubo Elite costs $10 more than Fubo’s basic $75/month plan, but this additional charge gives you access to 245 channels (that’s 77 more than the basic plan) and 4K viewing. Like all of Fubo’s plans, you can try Fubo Elite for up to seven days free. In those standard (and quite reasonable) seven days, you can try all of the plan’s features, including its 1,000-hour DVR storage, 10 simultaneous streams, and of course the aforementioned 4K viewing. If you don’t cancel the trial after seven days, Fubo will assume you’ll want to push through with the subscription and charge you $85/month.

DirecTV Stream Ultimate is one of the meatier live TV packages offered by DirecTV Stream. It includes unlimited streams, cloud DVR, and over 140 channels, many of which are entertainment and regional sports networks, making it quite the bundle for families with a variety of needs. Its $109.99/month subscription is no joke, however, so it’s great that the platform offers a handy 5-day free trial. You can see for yourself if the features all work, if the package is worth the price, and if it’s an overall good fit for your household. Just remember to cancel the trial before it ends if you don’t want DirecTV to automatically charge your card and renew the subscription monthly.

Like its namesake festival, Sundance Now focuses on indie movies and documentaries. You’ll find a fair share of less-represented shows, so it’s a go-to if you’re seeking to discover new content that is a little out of the mainstream.

Britbox is for you if you enjoy British-made shows like The -original- Office or films like Pride and Prejudice.

It may be a newcomer in this part of the Atlantic, but the Sweden-based Viaplay has been streaming films and TV shows in Europe for years. Its main attraction is Nordic noir, that distinctly cold and shocking version of the mystery genre. Apart from mysteries and thrillers, it also carries internationally known films like Another Round (starring Mads Mikkelsen) and A Somewhat Gentle Man (starring Stellan Skarsgård). Nordic Americans will find much to enjoy here, but Viaplay also serves as a convenient and affordable option for viewers wanting to dip their toes deeper into European thrillers. Viaplay used to be available as a standalone streaming service, but currently, you can only stream it as a channel or add-on to either Amazon Prime, Sling, Xfinity, Xumo, or Roku.

Strong Voices TV (SVTV) Network is a subscription-based internet streamer specifically catered to and created by members and allies of the LGBTQI+ community. Not only does it offer inclusive films and TV shows, but it also provides exclusive access to podcasts, music, sporting events, and video games. If you're looking for a queer community-based streamer and would love to expand your entertainment horizons by adding unique elements into the mix, then you may want to consider subscribing. The website invites you to “join the movement” for just $5.99/month. SVTV was founded in 2016.

StackTV is a streaming channel available to either Amazon Prime subscribers or Rogers customers. It's one of the rare Canadian services that hosts premium broadcast networks, including Global, Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, History, Adult Swim, National Geographic, and Lifetime, among others. It's a bit steep at $12.99 a month, but its wide availability via Amazon and its exclusive access to notable American networks is worth considering.

Spectrum TV Choice is a live tv streaming service only available to Spectrum customers in serviceable areas. Its advertised price is $30/month, but you also have to pay an unavoidable broadcast fee for local channels, which makes the total cost about $53/month. If you think that’s steep, the good news is that Spectrum TV choice does offer a free trial so you can try out its channels (15 of which, you get to pick yourself from a wide array that includes ESPN and TNT) and different features. As for the length of that trial, the standard is 7 days, but that could change depending on your account history and area.

Unlike other streaming services, Sling doesn't have just one but six Spanish-language plans that you can choose from. The base Sling Latino plan costs $10/month and includes more than 20 channels, including BeinSports, so you can tune into live soccer games. You can subscribe to this without signing up for Sling's Orange and/or Blue plans. When you combine the Sling Latino plan with another regional Latino plan, like Sling Mexico (11 channels), Sling Sudamérica (11 channels), Sling Caribe (9 channels), Sling España (4 channels), or Sling Centroamérica (3 channels), you only have to pay $5 more on top of your existing plan. On their own, however, they also cost $10/month each. Following the same logic, combining any of these Latino plans with either Sling Orange (which has the Disney networks) or Blue (which has more news and sports channels) will cost you anywhere from $56-$76/month. That's one thing about Sling: the options may get overwhelming, but at least you know you can customize your plan to your specific liking. Needless to say, every single one of these plans comes with the usual Sling TV features like 50 hours of cloud DVR (which you can upgrade for a fee) and three simultaneous streams.

Screambox as its name would indicate is a horror-themed streaming service that offers up a selection of chilling titles to keep you entertained through the darkest nights. They try to offer a mix of indie and classic movies and shows.

If you’re partial to indie and art-house titles, Ovid.tv has an exceptional collection of little-known gems, including high-quality documentary programming as well as some terrific foreign and arthouse features. The service includes titles from 30 different film distribution companies including Bullfrog Films, The dGenerate Films Collection, Distrib Films US, and lots more.

OutTV is one of the earliest LGBTQ+ oriented streaming services, dating back to a channel by the same name that was launched in 2001. OutTV offers a wide range of programming, from original series and movies to licensed content from other networks. Some of their most popular titles include "Canada's Drag Race" and "Call Me Mother".

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.

NFL+ is the league's official streaming service that gives you access to live and local regular season and postseason games, on-demand programs, and even tools for your next fantasy football game. As of 2023, NFL+ also offers the NFL Network and NFL Redzone channels in its plans, making it a solid option for true-blue football fans hoping to finally cut the cord. A regular subscription costs $6.99/month and includes everything in the above, except for NFL Redzone and replays of full games, highlights, and all-22 coaches films, which are only available in NFL+'s premium subscription, priced at $14.99/month. Both plans offer free trials and are available on most major streaming devices, with the exception of live local and primetime regular season and postseason games, which can only be viewed on phones and tables.