1. Home
  2. Deals

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Best cheap streaming deals for April 2021

By

Looking for the best and most cost-effective way to cut the cord and join the streaming revolution, or just want to add another service to your already active streaming lineup? There is a large (and growing) field of streaming apps and platforms to choose from today and there are almost always cheap streaming deals on tap, but if you’re having trouble finding the right bargain, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up the best streaming deals for Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, and Peacock right here, along with a short guide to help you figure out which of these is right for your viewing habits.

Disney+ Bundle

Ivan Marc/Shutterstock

Disney+ is the digital platform for all things belonging to the House of Mouse, and in 2021, that covers a lot more than the company’s catalog of animated films (although that alone is pretty exhaustive). The Disney+ streaming stable contains all that plus everything else from Disney subsidiaries including Pixel, Marvel, and Star Wars, which includes a ton of movies as well as exclusive shows like The Mandalorian. Disney+ is also airing exclusive new National Geographic productions and has been adding new content to its library regularly. It recently added the entire 30-season catalog of The Simpsons, for example.

If you’re curious about how to get Disney+, then you should start by signing up for the free 7-day trial first. That’s arguably better than looking through the best streaming deals right off the bat, as you can give it a spin first with no commitment. After that, it costs $8 per month; however, the best streaming deal here is the Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+ along with basic Hulu and ESPN+ for $13 per month. That’s a 25% savings on what you’d pay for each service separately (and if you already have any of them, you can still upgrade to the Disney Bundle and get the discount).

Sign Up Now

Peacock Premium

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Like Disney+, Peacock is a newer streaming platform that’s already taken off in a big way — and it also happens to be the cheapest one on our list. Named after the network’s iconic multi-colored logo, Peacock is home to classic and current NBC shows from The Office and Saturday Night Live to exclusive productions like Psych 2 and the new Saved By The Bell reboot. Peacock is also the best choice on this list if you like news and sports, two things NBC has always been good for and that are notably lacking from services like Netflix. Of all the best streaming deals, Peacock Premium is the most affordable as well.

There are three different Peacock plans, including a free one that gives you access to a limited selection of ad-supported content in lieu of a free trial period. That’s a great way to give it a try and see if you like it; after that, Peacock Premium rings in at just $5 per month which gets you the entire library of content with ads, or you can upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus for $10 per month and get rid of the ads entirely. Right now, you can grab your first four months of Peacock Premium for just $10 — a nice 50% discount — which comes to $2.50 a month, making this our favorite cheap streaming deal.

Sign Up Now

HBO Max

Taylor Frint/Digital Trends Graphic

HBO, true to its moniker (an acronym for “Home Box Office,” in case you were unaware), has been a staple for film enthusiasts for decades and it wasn’t exactly a shock when the premium subscription service jumped onto the streaming bandwagon with HBO Max. HBO was always a premium channel and HBO Max isn’t really any different: For $15 per month, you get full on-demand access to a huge and growing selection of movies as well as HBO original productions like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, and Chernobyl, among many others. HBO Max also airs new releases for Warner Bros. films as soon as they hit theaters.

HBO Max is the most expensive one on this roundup, and it’s similar to Netflix in that the best place to find cheap streaming deals for this service is by bundling it with other subscriptions. Look to your current TV, internet, or mobile service provider and see if they have any HBO Max discount offers — even free trials — on tap for new or existing customers right now. Many streaming packages offer HBO Max as a premium add-on and let you save some cash by bundling. Hulu also has a free HBO Max trial offer going right now. Otherwise, you’ll have to pony up the $15 per month, but given the great selection of content you get with HBO Max (including many new movie releases that are otherwise available only in theaters), it’s worth it.

Sign Up Now

Netflix

Chris DeGraw/Digital Trends

You certainly already know about Netflix — its name is practically synonymous with streaming, although you probably remember the days when this streaming giant was mailing out physical DVD rentals. It was as a few years before this movie-by-mail service got into streaming, but as one of the leaders of that digital revolution, it still stands among the biggest platforms out there for shows, films, documentaries, and more, and has one of the best libraries out there. Netflix has also been cranking out some fantastic in-house productions which include new seasons of Black Mirror, Arrested Development, and Trailer Park Boys, Stranger Things, and Peaky Blinders, to name just a small handful of what’s on tap.

Netflix has different plans ranging from $9 to $18 per month (the upgraded packages including things like 4K streaming and letting you watch Netflix on multiple screens simultaneously), placing it on the pricier end of the streaming spectrum. But being such a popular service, it’s often bundled with other subscriptions that are a good way to save if you’re looking for cheap streaming deals. Check and see if your current TV, internet, or phone provider has a bundle offer that includes Netflix — don’t be shy about contacting them and asking — and sometimes, new smart TVs and streaming sticks will include several months of Netflix as well. That’s a good way to stack savings if you’re also in the market for 4K TV deals.

Sign Up Now

Which streaming services should I get?

Skynesher/Getty Images

New to all this and having decision paralysis right about now? That’s normal when shopping for the best streaming deals, especially in 2021 when you have a veritable buffet of platforms to pick through. The good news is that having so many choices is actually a blessing. Unlike cable and satellite packages where you typically end up paying for a bunch of stuff you don’t really watch, these individual streaming services let you shop “a la carte” so you get what you want without the fluff. You can just get one, such as Netflix, if you’re a casual TV and movie watcher, or you can stack two or more services together to enjoy a more complete array of content (and you’ll probably still end up paying less than you would for cable or satellite TV).

Netflix is a very good all-around option for watching TV shows and movies, but it lacks comprehensive news and sports coverage. For those, you’ll want to consider adding another cheap streaming deal like a Peacock Premium subscription to your lineup. Or, if you mostly just watch news or sports but also like to enjoy some comedy shows or movies here and there, maybe Peacock alone is sufficient for your needs. If you’re a die-hard film buff, then HBO Max is an obvious must-have for your streaming arsenal, while Disney+ is essential if you can’t get enough of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and/or Star Wars.

Naturally, there will be a little overlap between these streaming services, but not as much as you might think as they have diverged more and more in recent years. Most platforms now have a lot of exclusive content as companies like Netflix are producing their own films and shows along with offering their massive library of third-party entertainment. NBC and HBO were producing their own shows and movies long before streaming was even a thing, and it goes without saying that Disney+ is the only place you’re going to find content from Disney and its numerous subsidiaries.

When shopping for the best streaming deals, you’ll want to tailor your lineup to your viewing habits — but with numerous choices available to you, that’s actually pretty easy once you know what each platform provides. Also know that all of these streaming platforms work with pretty much any streaming-capable device, from computer web browsers and mobile devices to smart TVs and gaming consoles, so you’ve got plenty of viewing options and that alone isn’t likely to limit your choices too much.

More Unmissable Deals

Topics
Lucas Coll
Deals and News Writer
Lucas Coll has been a freelance writer for almost a decade and has penned articles on tech, video games, travel, cars, and…
Best RAM deals: Discounted 16GB and 32GB from Corsair, Crucial

While a lot of focus tends to be put on things like the GPU and CPU, the truth is that the RAM is also quite important for performance, especially if you want to have a smooth day-to-day experience where opening several tabs doesn't crash everything. Of course, if you aren't very sure what sort of RAM to get, then it's worth checking out our guide on how to choose the best RAM for your PC as well as our guide on knowing how much RAM you need for a laptop, gaming PC, or tablet, both of which will give you a good sense of how much you should be spending.

To that end, if you're thinking of upgrading, we've collected some of our favorite RAM deals below, both for DDR4 and DDR5, so you can pick the RAM that best fits your needs.
Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 16GB (2x8GB) --  $56, was $65

Read more
Best gaming headset deals: PS5, Xbox and PC

If you want to go online and do a serious bit of gaming, especially in a multiplayer game, then grabbing yourself one of the best gaming headsets out there is probably the way to go. Of course, going for a high-end gaming headset can be expensive, but there are some great options in the mid and budget-range that you could grab instead. That will help you save a little extra while still getting a relatively good experience, which is why we've gone out and found our favorite gaming headset deals to save you a bit of trouble. Also, while you're here, you may want to check out these great video game deals to stock up on some games.
Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50 wired gaming headset — $25, was $36

The Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50 wired gaming headset is one of the most affordable options in the market right now, but it has most of what you would need from a gaming headset. It’s equipped with high-quality 40mm speakers and an adjustable high-sensitivity microphone that will make your voice loud and clear when you talk. You can also remove the microphone when you’re not using it, and there are in-line controls in the Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50’s cable for volume and muting the microphone.

Read more
Best PS5 deals: Console bundles, top games, and accessories

The PlayStation 5 is probably one of the most popular gaming consoles right now, especially with the recent PS5 Slim release. It has a lot of great exclusive games to play, including some of the best games on the market, such as Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and  Elden Ring, so its no surprise that folks are looking to get their hands on the console. To that end, we've gone out and found some of our favorite gaming deals, and that includes everything from the PS5 console itself, to games and peripherals, so be sure to check out all our suggestions below.
Best PS5 deals

The PlayStation 5 has recently seen a great revision with it now slightly slimmer than before and also offering more storage space with 1TB of internal space resulting in 842GB of it being usable. You still get the impressive DualSense controller along with all the benefits that the PS5 offers. With the arrival of the new revision, there are some great bundles around, including a free digital copy of Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

Read more