How to Save Almost $450 This Year on Your Streaming Services

As streamer subscription prices continue to rise, use this guide to understand how you can save money on what you want to watch

Donna Freydkin,

Updated April 03, 2026

AARP

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Published January 24, 2024

/ Updated April 03, 2026

Photo Illustration Paul Spella; (Source: Getty Images (3))

Key takeaways

Switching from ad‑free to ad‑supported plans across major streaming services can cut costs dramatically, saving you up to $436 a year while keeping most popular shows.
Bundles such as Disney+ and Hulu, or Apple TV with Peacock, often deliver the best value, lowering monthly bills more than standalone subscriptions.
Premium tiers only make sense for viewers who truly need features like 4K, multiple simultaneous streams or live sports. Most households will save by downgrading.

March brought Netflix's second rate hike in little over a year. The streamer's Standard With Ads plan now runs $8.99 a month, while the ad-free version costs $19.99. (Premium is now $26.99.) New members will pay the new prices immediately. Existing subscribers get one month's notice by email before the increase hits.

The good news: Switching to a lower-priced tier on streaming platforms can save considerable money, up to $436 a year, without surrendering the libraries that hooked you in the first place. (Note that annual plans are cheaper when a service offers them, because they lock in a lower monthly rate. But monthly plans are easier to start, pause or cancel as your viewing habits change. Annual plans make more sense only if you know you will keep the service long enough for the discount to matter.)

Ready to save? Here's how to navigate the offerings for every major streamer, including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, HBO Max, Disney+/Hulu and more.

Netflix

Save $132 per year by switching to the ad-supported plan

As announced in March, Netflix's Standard With Ads plan is now $8.99 a month, while the ad-free Standard is $19.99. Premium, which is ad-free and allows streaming on up to four devices at once, is $26.99. Switching from ad-free Standard to the version with ads can save $132 a year.

One wrinkle for shared households: Adding an extra member to an ad-supported plan now costs $6.99 a month per additional user, up from $5.99. Adding someone to an ad-free plan costs $9.99 a month, up from $8.99. If you share your account with an adult child or a caregiver outside your home, this will affect your overall costs.

The bottom line: If you mostly watch on one or two devices and can live with the interruption, Standard with ads at $8.99 is the obvious choice. Standard at $19.99 allows a third member in a different location. Premium at $26.99 is only worth it if you use 4K and routinely have several people watching at once.

Disney+

Save $84 per year by switching to the ad-supported plan

Disney+'s Basic (ad-supported) plan is $11.99 a month. The Premium ad-free plan is $18.99 a month. This means the move from ad-free to ad-supported can save $84 a year.

If you also watch Hulu, bundling may be a money saver. Without ads, Disney+ and Hulu bundled run $19.99; with ads, the monthly price is $12.99. Switching from the no-ads bundle to the with-ads version also saves $84 a year. For streaming fans, a triple bundle with HBO Max is the best per-dollar deal available: Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max together with ads runs $19.99 a month; without ads, $32.99. Switching from the no-ads triple bundle to the with-ads version saves $156 a year.

Note: Disney plans to fold the standalone Hulu app into Disney+ in 2026. Standalone Hulu pricing may shift as that process concludes.

The bottom line: If you mainly want Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Star Wars movies and shows, the $11.99 ad-supported Disney+ tier is enough. If you also watch Hulu shows like Only Murders in the Building regularly, the $12.99 Disney+/Hulu bundle with ads is the better buy.

HBO Max

Save $90 per year by switching to the ad-supported plan

HBO Max has three plans: Basic With Ads at $10.99 a month, Standard at $18.49 and Premium at $22.99. Moving from Standard to Basic saves $7.50 a month, or $90 a year.

There is one caveat. Live sports are included with Standard and Premium, not with Basic With Ads. If sports are the reason you subscribe, do not downgrade blindly. If you are there for HBO dramas like The Pitt and comedies like Hacks plus movies, Basic gives you the flagship library for much less money.

The bottom line: Basic With Ads at $10.99 is the right choice for viewers who subscribe for HBO originals and movies and do not care about live sports. Standard is the middle ground for sports and downloads. Premium is for people with a 4K setup and multiple viewers using the account at once.

Paramount+

Save $60 per year by switching to the ad-supported plan

As of January 15, Paramount+ Essential with ads is $8.99 a month, and Paramount+ Premium without ads is $13.99 a month. This means switching to an ad-based package can save $60 a year.

One thing that genuinely changes the math for sports fans: All live UFC events are now included with both the Essential and Premium plans at no additional pay-per-view cost. Previously, major UFC events cost $79.99 each on top of any subscription. For combat sports fans, that change alone can justify the subscription.

Bear in mind that Paramount is awaiting regulatory approval to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The company plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming platform once the deal closes, likely later in 2026. (No news yet on pricing if that happens.)

The bottom line: At $8.99, Essential is enough for most people who want Taylor Sheridan shows, CBS programming and the sports offering. Premium at $13.99 may be worth it if you want Showtime, live CBS, downloads and fewer ads.

Peacock

Save around $70 per year, depending on which tier you choose

Peacock’s Select, an ad-supported tier, is the streamer’s cheapest option, costing $7.99 a month. The added value of Premium ($10.99 per month) is live sports, films and Peacock originals in addition to the basic menu of TV shows from Bravo and NBC. Premium Plus ($16.99 per month) offers fewer ads, offline downloads and watching your local NBC station live. A downshift from Premium Plus to Premium can save $72 annually.

The most practical Peacock deal right now is a bundle with Apple TV, which costs $14.99 a month. (Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus costs $19.99.) Since Apple TV alone is $12.99, canceling the standalone subscription and bundling with Peacock Premium adds a small incremental cost.

The bottom line: If you’re a classic TV viewer who loves some NBC and Bravo shows, the cheapest option may be plenty. But if you’re a fan of The Traitors, you’ll need Peacock Premium to stay up to date on that Peacock original.

Apple TV

Save money by bundling with Peacock

Apple TV costs $12.99 a month after a seven-day free trial. There is no ad-supported version and no budget tier. (You can also subscribe through Apple One bundles, which can improve the math if you already pay for several Apple services.)

The bottom line: Apple TV has one plan. At $12.99 with no ads and six simultaneous streams, it’s a good value if you watch its award-winning originals regularly (including The Studio and Severance). If you are curious, start with the free seven-day trial before committing. The Peacock bundle is worth it the moment you want NBC, Bravo or live sports alongside Apple's originals.

Prime Video

Save money by realizing it comes free with your Amazon Prime membership

Amazon Prime membership costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year, which includes access to Prime Video (with ads). Starting April 10, an ad-free add-on, Prime Video Ultra, will cost an extra $4.99 a month. In addition to no ads, Ultra includes up to five concurrent streams, with up to 100 monthly downloads at a time, plus exclusive access to 4K and UHD streaming.

The bottom line: If you are a Prime member primarily for free shipping, do nothing. You already have Prime Video with ads included. Want to watch Reacher and Fallout without interruption and in 4K or UHD? It may be time for Ultra.

Note: The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

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Donna Freydkin has spent 10-plus years interviewing celebrities for major publications, and has written for a variety of outlets such as USA Today, Allure, Yahoo! and CNN covering topics such as films, family and favorite meals.