Reducing Streaming Service Costs in 2025: Tips and Strategies

To cut the cord and embrace streaming, one must adapt to constant change as shows move from platform to platform and services become bundled together. However, one thing that remains consistent is the continuous increase in prices. If your monthly bills are causing you to search for your old DVD player in the attic, consider these four tips for reducing expenses without sacrificing your favorite shows.

Here's how you can save money on streaming services

1. Condense and consolidate

Analyzing your subscription usage across multiple platforms may reveal opportunities to reduce your budget by cutting one service. Perhaps you subscribed to a new series that gained popularity but haven't been watching it regularly since the finale. It's acceptable to cancel your subscription while waiting for the show to return with new episodes, and some streaming services allow you to pause the service temporarily.

2. Share subscriptions with friends and family

Several subscription services allow users to add multiple individuals to a single account, often making it more economical to share a plan rather than subscribing individually.

Netflix's Premium plan currently costs $22.99 per month, but allows you to add up to two additional users (who don't live with you) for an extra $7.99 per month per person. By splitting the Premium plan with two other people, the effective cost is $12.99 per person per month. This is less than the $15.49 Netflix charges each month for its cheapest, ad-free plan.

3. Consider switching cell phone providers

Discounts on streaming platforms are available from several cell phone providers, depending on the plan you select.

Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+ Premium (ad-free), Hulu (with ads) and ESPN+ (with ads), will be available to Verizon subscribers for an additional $10 per month. This package is a better deal than subscribing to each service individually, as it would cost much more than $10, and even getting a bundle directly from Disney would run you at least $16.99 a month (for the Trio Basic plan, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ all with ads).

T-Mobile's Go5GNext plan includes Apple TV+, Netflix (Standard plan with ads), and Hulu (with ads). If you're getting a great deal on your cell phone bill, it may not be worth switching just for the streaming services. However, if you're looking to make a change, consider the perks offered by cell phone providers to consolidate your streaming and cell phone bill in one easy move.

4. Consider a credit card with rewards for streaming service purchases

Earning points for free travel or cash back on monthly streaming bills is possible with the right credit card.

Here are some of our favorite cards for streaming services:

The Blue Cash Preferred card from Amex is a great option if you are a subscriber to multiple streaming services. With this card, you can earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions as well as 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more, and 1% cash back on other purchases. Terms apply.

A comprehensive list of streaming services that offer 6% cash-back rewards can be found in our article on maximizing credit card rewards for new subscriptions.

The introductory annual fee for the first year is $0, followed by $95 in subsequent years. (See rates and fees for details.)

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is another excellent cash-back card that offers 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other eligible purchases.

The card doesn't have an annual fee.

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card is a great choice for earning points for travel.

You can earn 4 times the points at gas stations and EV charging stations, 4 times the points at travel, 2 times the points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services, and 1 times the points on all other eligible purchases.

The card has a $0 annual fee.

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For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred card, click here