Over the past five years, the number of streaming services has exploded. On the upside, that growth has meant more and more options for people who want to watch (or binge) programming on demand. It has also brought a wealth of new content, from The Mandalorian to Fallout.
However, this embarrassment of televised riches hasn’t come cheap.
Streaming started as an inexpensive way to bypass big cable bills, but as companies shift from customer acquisition to profit mode, prices are escalating fast. That has prompted a growing number of subscribers to rethink the necessity of these entertainment options.
User retention is at the heart of this bundling movement. Churn is a problem, as people cancel subscriptions, perhaps resubscribe for a month when the latest season of the show they follow comes out, then cancel again. Unreliable subscriber numbers give investors heartburn, but by having several services under one (ultimately lower) bill, streaming services are betting people will just stick around.
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery were the first to offer a discounted package—and since then, several others have followed suit (and even more are on the way). Ironically, that has somehow managed to make it even harder to figure out where the best deals are—and where to find the program or movie you were hoping to watch.
Just because multiple services are offered for a lower price doesn’t mean a bundle is necessarily a bargain. Many are included free with other bills (i.e. Paramount+ with a Walmart+ subscription), so before you lock into a contract, do the math.
That said, if you’re thinking of exploring one of these bundles, but aren’t sure which make the most sense and/or save you the most money, here’s a guide to help you navigate the ever-increasing number of choices.
Disney trio bundle
What’s included? Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+
What will it cost? $15 per month
Who’s it for? Fans of the Disney ecosystem
This is the OG of streaming bundles. Disney has offered a tie-up of its three distinct services for some time now, representing a savings of about $12 per month (for the ad-supported versions). It’s for households that have members who want to watch Disney films and TV shows, catch up on classic TV (and recently aired shows) and all manner of sports programming. In other words, it’s a lot like a cable service, but a very Disney-centric one.
Disney/Warner Bros. bundle
What’s included? Disney+, Hulu and Max
What will it cost? TBD
Who’s it for? Hardcore couch potatoes
This upcoming combination, which will be offered with both ad-supported and ad-free plans, breaks the mold of traditional streaming, bringing together two services that have been fierce competitors up until this point. For consumers, it represents an even-more-enormous catalog of content, with three film libraries and programming from ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, and Warner Bros. (among others).
Comcast bundle
What’s included? Apple TV+, Netflix (with ads), Peacock
What will it cost? $15/$30 per month
Who’s it for? Binge viewers who aren’t ready to give up their cable service just yet
This collection of services, called StreamSaver, will save subscribers nearly $100 per year, while offering a wide variety of options, from Bridgerton and (starting next year) WWE programming on Netflix to AppleTV+’s sports exclusives and Ted Lasso reruns, along with Peacock’s early window of certain films as well as the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Current and new Xfinity Internet or TV customers can add the bundle for $15 per month, with no annual contracts. Or customers can combine the bundled apps with NOW TV for an all-in-monthly price of $30.
Paramount+/Showtime bundle
What’s included? Paramount+, Showtime
What will it cost? $12 per month
Who’s it for? Fans of Star Trek and The Chi
Paramount’s stand-alone streaming service is still a relatively small player in the overall space, so adding the cable network’s programming to the package made some sense. The company did leave a lower-cost option for people who aren’t into Dexter and Penny Dreadful, with prices locked at $6 per month. The big question on this combination is whether it will remain as a stand-alone option should Paramount Global be sold.
Paramount+/Peacock and/or Paramount+/Apple TV+ bundle
What’s included? Officially, that’s unclear. Both Peacock and Apple TV are talking with Paramount about a bundle.
What will it cost? TBD
Who’s it for? TBD
As Paramount Global looks to boost its streaming service, it has reportedly held talks with Comcast about joining forces with Peacock and discussed a collaboration with Apple. So far, there have been no formal announcements from any of the parties, but with the growing number of other bundles, it could be just a matter of time before some sort of deal is announced.
Disney/Fox/Warner Bros. sports bundle
What’s included? Pretty much any sport you can imagine. The joint venture, which launches this fall, will give subscribers access to all of the sports networks owned by Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as ESPN+.
What will it cost? The monthly price hasn’t yet been announced, but CNBC reports it will likely be in the $45 to $50 per month range.
Who’s it for? Sports lovers, obviously
Live sports are the biggest draw of traditional cable and satellite services right now, but if this bundle does price out as expected, it will cost notably less than the average cable bill or the $73 monthly rate of YouTube TV, which many sports lovers have been flocking to in recent years.
Not all sports will be broadcast via the service, though. NBC and CBS, which carry the NFL and other big events, aren’t part of it. Nor is Apple TV+, which has rights to MLS and some Major League Baseball games.
Verizon bundle
What’s included? Ad-supported versions of Netflix and Max
What will it cost? $10 per month (a $7 monthly savings)
Who’s it for? Fans of both Stranger Things and House of the Dragon, who also happen to be Verizon customers that subscribe to one of the company’s Unlimited data plans
Verizon is, of course, just one of many companies offering streaming services as an incentive to woo customers. (Walmart, as mentioned, offers a free Paramount+ membership to members of its Walmart+ loyalty program, and some Comcast Xfinity customers can watch Peacock for free.) What makes this offer unique is it bundles two competing services at a discount.
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