The best value TV streaming services – and where you can still share passwords
Keeping up with the latest films and TV shows everyone’s talking about can be both exhausting and competitive; there’s no longer one streaming service in town, but signing up to all of them could set you back almost £50 a month.
Even though many services have easily cancellable subscriptions, it can still be all too easy to get trapped into paying for more streaming services than you need, especially as the likes of Netflix crack down on password sharing.
Around 13.2 million households were subscribed to at least two streaming services last year, according to figures from Ofcom. Looking at the most popular streaming options of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+, around 5.2 million households were signed up to all three.
Here, Telegraph Money takes a look at what each of the major TV streaming platforms offer, along with tips on how you can cut costs without sacrificing the films and TV shows you want to watch.
Netflix
Netflix, which began as a DVD postal service, launched its groundbreaking streaming service in 2007 and by 2010 it was available on most devices.
It now creates enormous amounts of original content, such as the shows Bridgerton, Never Have I Ever and The Witcher, and films including Extraction and Oscar-challenger All Quiet On The Western Front.
The TV giant’s most popular original show is Squid Game, which has been viewed by more than 111 million accounts for a total of more than 1.65 billion hours.
Previously the streaming service had a large library of older content, although this has been eroded by other content producers launching their own platforms.
Subscription numbers dropped after its 2022 announcement that it would be cracking down on password sharing, but the platform also added a cheaper membership option – which comes with ad breaks. Its viewing figures have since recovered, and its latest count of paying viewers topped 247 million globally.
UK customers now have to pay an extra £4.99 per month on top of their existing subscription to share their account outside their home.
How much does it cost? £4.99 for a standard account with adverts for two devices; £10.99 for standard account for two devices (extra member slots outside your household can be added for £4.99); £15.99 for premium account for four devices (extra member slots can be added for £4.99). All charges are monthly.
Can you share your password? Not any more. Netflix wrote to users back in May to inform them they could no longer share accounts with people outside of their household. However, those signed up for a standard or premium account can purchase extra member slots for people who don’t live with them for £4.99 a month.
Amazon Prime
The Amazon Prime Video platform is just one part of the Prime subscription, which also offers services like Prime Reading and free delivery on qualifying Amazon orders. Like Netflix, it has a number of original films and TV shows, with big hitters including Daisy Jones & The Six, The Grand Tour and The Man in the High Castle.
Football fans can also watch a number of exclusive Premier League fixtures, with 20 matches due to be shown during the 2023-24 season.
Customers can get a one-month free trial before the paid subscription kicks in, while students can get a free six-month trial.
If you don’t want free delivery or any of the other Prime services, you can get a cheaper Prime Video subscription, which is just for the streaming service.
Note that you can end up paying extra to rent or buy titles that aren’t part of the free Prime viewing offer. Look out for the Amazon Prime banner, which indicates the free things you can watch, or check out the “Free to me” section. Some shows are free with adverts on Amazon’s Freevee service.
It is possible to link Amazon accounts with another adult in your household and up to two children in order to share Prime benefits, including Prime Video, meaning only one subscription per household is needed.
Amazon has not announced a password crackdown, so even if you don’t link accounts, you should be able to share the Prime Video benefits with friends and family.
How much does it cost? £5.99 per month for Prime Video only; £8.99 per month or £95 per year (£12.88 cheaper); for students it’s £4.49 per month or £47.49 per year (£6.39 cheaper).
Can you share your password? You can share your Prime membership with someone else in your household, meaning you can both also get perks like free deliveries. There’s no mechanism in place to strictly prohibit password sharing with other people, but be aware they may be able to access the rest of your Amazon account.
Disney+
With more than 150 million subscribers as of June 2023, Disney+ has caused a real stir in the streaming market since it launched in the UK in March 2020.
Originally designed to be the home of all much-loved children’s Disney content, the platform has expanded with its Star Wars content, as well as a number of other films and drama series which are focused more at adults.
New Marvel TV series, including Wandavision, Moon Knight and She Hulk: Attorney At Law are proving a hit with Disney fans. It’s this mix of shows that has seen the service’s subscription increase despite many households tightening their belts due to the cost of living crisis.
The service also has exclusive streaming of new Disney films, such as Mulan and Cruella – though if you want these new films early it can cost around £19.99 extra, on top of your subscription.
How much does it cost? £7.99 a month; £79.90 a year (£15.98 cheaper). In November, it set to launched additional packages, at £4.99 a month with adverts, and £10.99 a month for a premium service. If you were an existing customer signed up to the standard tier, note that you will have been automatically moved to the premium tier unless you have already switched or specified otherwise.
Can you share your password? There’s nothing strictly prohibiting password sharing with people outside of your household. You can create up to seven different user profiles on your account, where everyone has their own viewing histories and suggested watch lists. However, it may soon become more difficult to share passwords, with reports suggesting a crackdown is set for 2024.
NOW TV
Launched in 2012, NOW is Sky’s on-demand streaming service, and is the place to go for many blockbusters and fan-favourite shows such as Game Of Thrones and Succession.
Arguably the most customisable service out there, you can get “passes” for the specific kinds of things you want to watch – the Entertainment Pass covers Sky TV series and box sets, as well as children’s shows, and a Sport Pass lets you watch everything on Sky Sports, while a Hayu Pass allows you watch reality TV at the same time it’s released in the US, putting an end to spoilers.
In addition, you can choose how long you want to sign up for. Most passes come with a rolling monthly option, but the Sports Pass, for example, has a day pass option where you spend £11.98 for 24-hour access to Sky Sports – ideal if there’s just one particular match you want to watch.
However, it can get expensive if you want access to all of the channels.
How much does it cost? £9.99 a month for Entertainment Pass or Cinema Pass; £34.99 a month for Sport Pass; £4.99 a month for Hayu Pass (for reality TV).
Can you share your password? There’s nothing strictly prohibiting password sharing, but you may come a cropper as only a limited number of streams can take place at the same time. To get three simultaneous streams, you need to sign up to the Boost service, which costs an extra £6 a month after an initial free period.
Apple TV+
While Apple TV+ was once one of the best value streaming services on the market, its £6.99 monthly price has since risen to £8.99, putting it broadly in-line with several other services.
The streaming service, which is free for three months to those who buy new Apple products, has however received criticism for its relatively small library, but the shows are Apple TV+ originals.
Among its big hitters are football-comedy-with-feelings Ted Lasso, and The Morning Show, which stars Jennifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon.
In an Oscars upset, the streaming service became the first to win a Best Picture award for CODA, a heartwarming indie drama, beating offerings from the likes of Netflix.
Up to six family members can be added to the subscription and the main account holder can stop others from making extra purchases via your Apple account – perfect for stopping small children overspending on your card.
How much does it cost? £8.99 a month.
Can you share your password? You’re encouraged to share your Apple TV+ account with up to six family members in your household. It’s possible to share with people outside of your household, but you’ll want to be extra careful about making sure the extra purchase option is turned off.
Free options and other ways to save
If you want to maintain access to the various streaming services, there are a few ways you can cut your costs.
Consider rotating your subscriptions
If you’re paying monthly, it can make sense to pause or cancel your account whenever you’re not using it. For example, if you’re signed up to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+, you could pause two accounts while you focus on watching things on Netflix, the next month pause Netflix and focus on Disney+, and so on.
Share whenever you can
Even if you can’t share your passwords – or don’t want to – at least make sure there aren’t multiple accounts being paid for within your household. Each service usually comes with more than enough available profiles for everyone to maintain their own list of things they’re watching, and recommendations for further viewing. It’s also possible to add parental controls to children’s profiles, ensuring they can only view age-appropriate content.
Use free trials
Most streaming services offer free trials, of varying lengths. Getting three months of free Apple TV+, for example, is more than enough time to get through a couple of its best series – after which time you can simply cancel your subscription.
Check for bundles
In some cases, you can get a streaming service thrown in with certain mobile phone bundles – so make sure you’re not paying for something you could be getting for free.
For example, Vodafone phone and SIM only customers can get its entertainment plan, which includes membership to Spotify, YouTube and Amazon Prime. Some Sky packages also come with Netflix thrown in; currently, you can get Sky Stream, Netflix and superfast broadband for £39 a month (£13 for the first month).
Opt for free streaming
While you will need a TV licence to watch BBC iPlayer and any live shows on other catch-up services, viewers can stream ITV X, My 5, and Channel 4 for free.
Alternatively, Internet Archive, a free digital library, offers a large collection of films that are in the public domain – but don’t expect to find the latest blockbusters. Top Documentary Films is a site perfect for when you want to learn something, offering thousands of insightful documentaries.
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This article is kept updated with the latest information.
