Our Top Streaming Services For Families on a Budget
If you have a family of TV fanatics, you know all too well that the price of streaming services can add up. When every member of the family has a show that they can’t miss out on, you need to get savvy with your streaming to fulfill everyone’s needs.
If you’re looking to entertain a family on a budget, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve provided our top picks for affordable, family-friendly streaming platforms. Whether you’re looking to replace your family’s cable with streaming, ramp up your family movie nights, or find a subscription with bundled benefits, these top-notch platforms will get the job done right.
Best Free Streaming Platforms: Crackle and PBS Kids
To kick off our budget-friendly streaming countdown, let’s talk about two platforms that you can access without paying a dime:
Crackle
Crackle is a free online streaming platform featuring top TV shows, movies, and sports content. This platform’s content library includes hundreds of movies from leading studios, with plenty of family-friendly options available to stream immediately.
PBS Kids
When you need kid-friendly content in a snap, PBS Kids is an awesome choice. This free platform features a wide span of entertaining and educational content for young children, along with a bright, easy-to-use menu that kids can use themselves.
Best To Replace Cable: YouTube TV
YouTube TV is designed to completely replace your household’s cable subscription. But, with a monthly subscription price of $49.99, it may not seem like the most budget-friendly option around. However, cable subscriptions typically cost $85 to $100 per month. So, if you’re looking to switch over from cable to a single streaming platform that will satisfy your live TV and DVR needs, YouTube TV is the most cost-effective choice.
The monthly price of YouTube TV includes:
- 6 separate accounts for a single household (big families rejoice)
- 3 simultaneous streams
- Unlimited DVR storage space
- Live streaming from 70+ cable channels
- Local sports and news access
Honorable Mention: Sling TV
Sling TV offers live TV streaming and DVR capacity for $30 to $45 per month. You can select from their two main packages, Blue and Orange, or choose the combination package to get every available channel. Families can select the right package for their needs and enjoy local news and sports. Premium channels like Showtime and STARZ are also available on Sling TV for an added monthly charge.
Best For Family Movie Night: Disney+
For just $6.99 per month, Disney+ subscribers gain access to hundreds of movie titles and thousands of TV episodes. Disney+ is also the exclusive home for all Disney titles, current and future. So, families with kids of all ages can find an appropriate movie to watch altogether.
On Disney+, you’ll find family favorites including Star Wars, Marvel movies, and the complete collection of Pixar movies. So, from The Empire Strikes Back to Iron Man to Monsters, Inc., there’s plenty of content for your family to enjoy on this streaming platform.
Honorable Mention: Netflix
Netflix is one of the largest streaming platforms around and, when it comes to movie options, this platform delivers. With more than 4,000 movie titles available to stream, Netflix has something for every member of the family to enjoy. Plus, new content comes to Netflix every single month, giving you the opportunity to always find fresh titles. A Netflix subscription costs just $12.99 per month.
Best For Bundled Benefits: Amazon Prime Video
We recommend that families join Amazon Prime to reap the many benefits of its membership, which includes Amazon Prime Video. A full Amazon Prime membership costs $12.99 per month; on its own, Amazon Prime Video costs $8.99 per month. At a difference of just $4 per month, families have much to gain with a full Amazon Prime account.
With Prime Video, Amazon Prime members have access to more than 18,400 movies and nearly 2,000 TV shows. You can also download 15 to 25 TV shows or movies at once onto your mobile device, giving your family the freedom to enjoy entertainment on the go.
Wrap-Up
Rest assured: your family doesn’t need to subscribe to every streaming platform under the sun to access high-quality movies and TV. The platforms listed above can fulfill a range of specific needs to that your family’s appetite for entertainment is satiated.