Do You Have to Get Espn With Disney Plus
Running out of movies and TV shows to watch? Itching for some original content to stream on your brand-new smart TV? Is your basic channel lineup no longer cutting it? Maybe it's time to subscribe to a new streaming service.
Many of these services, includingDisney Plus,Hulu,Paramount Plus,Netflix,HBO Max andPeacock, are running deals. Some home internet or phone service bundles can get you a free subscription to Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Paramount Plus or Peacock Premium. Meanwhile, students get cheap Hulu and people who buy the new Chromecast with Google TV get six months of Netflix. Depending on the streaming platform you're eyeing, there could be a good deal out there.
Let's break down the best streaming service deals that are available.
Get one month free of Paramount Plus
Save up to $10
Sarah Tew/CNET
New subscribers to Paramount Plus can get one month free on either the $5 a month Essential Plan or the $10 Premium Plan if they sign up before Jan. 3, 2022.
Both plans offer full access to Paramount Plus's library of content, including the NFL on CBS Live, top soccer content like Champion's League Live and 24/7 live news with CBSN. The Essential Plan comes with limited ads, while the Premium subscription offers your local live CBS station, even more sports content, the ability to download shows for later viewer and fewer ads.
While we thought that Paramount Plus offered a wide catalog of familiar shows and movies, we found that there weren't a lot of must-see properties and were disappointed in the lack of 4K HDR content. However, kids and other Nickelodeon lovers could find a lot to like on the streaming home SpongeBob SquarePants.
Read our review of Paramount Plus.
Free Netflix on some T-Mobile Unlimited plans
Save $14 a month
Angela Lang/CNET
T-Mobile, through its Netflix on Us perk, has long offered free Netflix on some of its unlimited plans, including Magenta, Magenta Plus and its new Magenta Max option. Older plans, called One and One Plus, also have Netflix included, though exactly which version of Netflix will vary.
Higher-end options such as Magenta Plus, Max and One Plus likely have Netflix Standard (the most popular version of Netflix that runs $14 a month and streams in HD) included so long as you have multiple lines. If you have one line of Max or the base Magenta plan, you'll get Netflix Basic included (that's the non-HD $9 a month version of Netflix). Full details, including what you'd need to pay if you wanted to upgrade to a higher plan like the 4K-capable Netflix Premium, can be found on T-Mobile's website.
Note: It's one Netflix subscription per T-Mobile account, not per individual line.
Free HBO Max on some AT&T Unlimited plans
Save $15 a month
Angela Lang/CNET
AT&T, which owns HBO Max, bundles in the ad-free version of the WarnerMedia streaming service with a number of its wireless, TV and home internet plans -- though it's likely only on the priciest options. Today, that means you can get a free HBO Max subscription with its Unlimited Elite wireless plan or the fastest 1Gbps internet plans. AT&T is also offering one-year subscriptions with its Choice or Ultimate AT&T TV packages.
Beyond its existing offers, the telecom giant also includes HBO Max with some legacy wireless offers. Older plans with HBO Max bundled in include Unlimited Choice, Unlimited Choice II, Unlimited Enhanced Choice, Unlimited Plus, Unlimited Enhanced Plus and Unlimited & More. Full details for activating HBO Max can be found on AT&T's website.
Note: It's one HBO Max subscription per AT&T account, not per individual line.
If you don't have AT&T, you can save $30 by prepaying for a year of HBO Max. This will make the ad-free option $150 for the year or the ad-supported option $100.
Free Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus with some Verizon Unlimited plans
Save $14 a month
Angela Lang/CNET
Whereas T-Mobile has Netflix and AT&T has HBO Max, the nation's largest carrier has Disney.
On its recent wireless plans, the carrier includes the Disney Bundle -- subscriptions to Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus that run a combined $14 a month -- with its Play More and Get More unlimited plans. Other plans, such as its most affordable Start and Do More plans, have six months of Disney Plus included, but not the bundle.
Verizon allows mixing and matching unlimited plans, so as long as one line on your account has a Play More or Get More plan you will be able to get the perk. Note that it is only one Disney subscription per Verizon account, not per individual line.
The deal works for both new and existing Disney Plus subscribers, so if you already have a subscription you can either cancel or, if you have the six-month trial, have the Verizon subscription run first and then have your regular subscription continue after.
Those with a Play More Unlimited or Get More Unlimited plan from before August 2020 have been able to get Disney Plus for one year, though if you haven't activated it yet you'd only get six months of Disney Plus. If you switch to the updated version of either plan you'll be able to get the Disney Bundle.
Free year of Apple TV Plus on T-Mobile Magenta, Magenta Max plans
Save $5 a month
Sarah Tew/CNET
In addition to offering free Netflix, T-Mobile has added a new perk for some of its plans: a free 12-month subscription to Apple TV Plus. Normally $5 a month, the deal will be available to new and existing T-Mobile customers who have one of a variety of plans.
This includes the company's more well-known Magenta and Magenta Max offerings as well as some specialized plans like Magenta 55 Plus, Magenta Military, Magenta First Responders and small business customers with T-Mobile for Business accounts. Those with a Sprint Unlimited Plus or Sprint Premium plan can also get a free year of Apple's streaming service.
The deal is available until July 31, 2022.
Free year of Paramount Plus with T-Mobile or Sprint plans
Save $50
Sarah Tew/CNET
T-Mobile is giving new and existing customers -- including ones with older T-Mobile or Sprint plans or T-Mobile Home Internet -- a free year of Paramount Plus Essentials on the carrier. Normally $5 per month (or $50 if paid annually), this version of the streaming service includes access to live games from the NFL and Champions League as well as "tens of thousands of episodes and movies."
It's worth noting that the Essentials plan has ads when watching on-demand content. It also lacks the ability to watch your local CBS station live as well as the option to download shows and movies to watch offline.
Six months of Uber Eats Pass if you have Hulu
Save $10 per month
Angela Lang/CNET
Hulu has a new offer for its users, a free six-month trial of Uber's Eats Pass. Normally $10 per month, Uber Eats Pass has unlimited free delivery on orders over $15, 5% off "eligible" orders and 10% off "your first three eligible rides each month."
Hulu's new deal, which ends Jan. 10, 2022, is available to current Hulu users who "have not taken a free trial of Uber Eats Pass" in the past. After the six-month promotion is up you will be charged $10 per month unless you cancel your Eats Pass subscription.
2 months of Sling TV Orange or Blue with Verizon
Save $35 a month (new Sling TV users only)
Sarah Tew/CNET
Verizon and Sling have teamed up to offer new and existing Verizon wireless, Fios and 5G Home users the option to get free Sling TV for two months. Normally $35 a month, the two packages offer live TV, including TBS, TNT and CNN, with the Blue package also including the NFL Network, Fox News, MSNBC and (in some markets) the local feeds of NBC and Fox. The Orange package lacks those latter channels but does offer ESPN.
Sling is also offering the option of two free months for either its International package (up to $35 a month) or its Latino package (up to $15 a month) instead. Existing Sling TV users aren't eligible for the deal, and full details can be found on Verizon's site.
Bundle a Chromecast with Google TV and 6 months of Netflix
Save $44
If you're not on T-Mobile or don't want to switch your plans, look at Google and Netflix's bundling of six months of a Standard subscription with a Chromecast with Google TV. First introduced last year, the offer combines Google's excellent streaming dongle with Netflix Standard for $90. A six-month Netflix subscription on its own would be nearly $84, while Google's device normally runs $50.
The deal is capped at three purchases per customer but you can add the Netflix credit even if you already have an account (so long as that account isn't through a third party such as T-Mobile). If you decide to return the Chromecast and keep the Netflix, $50 would be refunded, making the six months of Netflix only $40, a savings of $44 over what you'd regularly pay.
This deal will be available through the end of 2021.
Hulu, Spotify and Showtime bundle for students
Save $22 a month
Spotify
Beyond getting Hulu in the Verizon bundle, there are a few ways to save on Disney's other streaming service.
Students will want to check out Spotify's Premium Student offer which combines Spotify Premium, Hulu's ad-supported plan and Showtime for $5 per month. All told, the bundle would save nearly $22 a month. You need to be a student above the age of 18 who is "enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university" to qualify, and Spotify works with a third party called SheerID to verify that you're eligible.
You will need to verify eligibility every 12 months, with the offer available for a total of four years. Full details can be found at Spotify's site.
Free Discovery Plus with certain Verizon Unlimited and home broadband plans
Save $5 a month
Discovery Plus
Another recent entrant, Discovery's streaming service runs $5 a month for its ad-supported option and $7 for the ad-free plan. As with Disney Plus, the best way to get this for free is through Verizon.
The telecom giant is offering a year of Discovery Plus' ad-free tier for free with certain unlimited wireless plans as well as new subscribers to its Fios and 5G Home internet plans.
Wireless users will need to have either a Play More or Get More plan to get the deal, while other unlimited plans, including its Verizon Unlimited plan, Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, Above Unlimited, Do More Unlimited and Start Unlimited, can get a free six months. Full details can be found on Verizon's website.
Free Peacock Premium with certain Comcast or Cox cable subscriptions
Save $5 a month
Sarah Tew/CNET
Comcast, which owns Peacock and its parent NBCUniversal, includes a subscription to the $5-a-month Peacock Premium for all Xfinity Flex users as well as its Xfinity X1 and video customers who subscribe to at least the Xfinity Internet or Digital Starter TV internet and TV packages. More details can be found on Peacock's site.
Cable company Cox is also giving away the $5-a-month Peacock Premium subscription to those who have Cox Internet with a Contour TV Essential or higher plan. Those with Cox Internet and a subscription to Contour Stream Player or Contour TV Starter can "enjoy a limited-time preview" of Peacock Premium "at no additional cost." Full details can be found on Cox's site.
If you don't have Cox or Comcast, you can get an annual Peacock subscription for either $50 a year for ad-supported Premium or $100 a year for ad-free Premium Plus.
Free year of Peacock Premium with 'most' Spectrum TV plans
Save $5 per month
Just like Comcast and Cox, Charter is giving some of its home TV users up to a year of free Peacock Premium. The cable company, which owns Spectrum, now includes the free year of service with "most" of its cable TV plans. (It says, "Offer availability and content availability may vary by region.") Cord-cutters who only have Spectrum Internet will be able to get a free 90 days of Peacock Premium.
If you're already paying for Peacock Premium you'll need to cancel the billing on your account and sign back up by linking your Spectrum account. It's also worth noting that after these 12 months are up, or 90 days for home internet users, you'll be automatically billed the streaming service's regular $5 per month rate unless you cancel.
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Do You Have to Get Espn With Disney Plus
Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/best-streaming-service-deals/