3 Major Streaming Services That Cost Less Than $10

Streaming subscriptions continue to get expensive, with the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV+, and AMC+ announcing a price hike over the last several months. This, combined with the fragmentation of content availability, can quickly make it costly to get a steady flow of good content to watch in your free time. This means you can either switch to free streaming services and watch whatever you get on them, or opt for something like Kanopy, which leverages your local library subscription to give you a cheap subscription alternative. Notably, there is a third option, which involves carefully choosing a selection of streaming services and their plans to pick the most affordable options that suit your needs.

While many major streaming services have crossed the $10 threshold for their monthly subscriptions, you can still find some notable options under $10, albeit with some caveats. Specific plans from popular streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, and Paramount+ can help you save a decent chunk of change if the recent price hikes are impacting your budget.

Although Netflix announces a subscription price increase almost every year, the streaming giant has managed to offer at least one of its plans for under $10. This plan is ideal for folks who want access to Netflix's massive content portfolio, including the originals, but don't want to shell out a ton in monthly subscription fees. As the name suggests, the Standard with ads plan includes advertisements, something that you'll have to deal with to get Netflix this cheap. Keep in mind that a small selection of titles may not be available as part of this plan due to licensing restrictions.

The plan also limits content resolution to 1080p, which isn't super bad and allows you to stream on up to two devices simultaneously. More importantly, you can install and sign into Netflix on as many devices as you want, and the simultaneous device restriction will only come into effect when you actually start to stream something. You can also make up to five profiles to ensure different household members can maintain their separate watch history and recommendations. The Netflix Standard with Ads plan costs $9 a month.

Paramount+ is one of the more affordable premium streaming services, with its ad-supported "Essential" plan costing only $9 a month. You can save further by opting for the annual plan at $90. This plan gives you access to over 40,000 movies and TV shows, including popular originals like "Dutton Ranch," "The Madison," "Landman," and episodes of several Showtime originals. Additionally, you get movies like "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning," "Sonic 3," and "The Running Man." Some of its movie content comes via its deal with MGM+. You can also watch full episodes of many CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon shows. Moreover, you can stream the NFL, UEFA Champions League, and live UFC fights.

The Paramount+ Essential plan allows streaming the service on up to three devices simultaneously, and the streaming resolution varies by content, with the maximum being 1080p for select content. The downside of this plan is that you miss out on higher-resolution streaming, the ability to download movies and TV shows for offline viewing, and live streaming of CBS and some of the sports content.

Although Peacock is quickly becoming pricier, it has a "Select" plan that you can get for just $8 a month or $80 annually. However, this is a pretty restricted plan that's not only ad-supported but also limits the content catalog to TV shows from NBC, Bravo, and more. Fortunately, the TV show selection has several popular titles, including but not limited to "Yellowstone," "Law & Order," and "The Office."  Episodes of the TV series currently airing on NBC also appear the next day for Peacock Select subscribers.

Unfortunately, you miss out completely on movies, Peacock Originals, sports, live events, and your local NBC affiliate. Therefore, the Select tier only really makes sense for folks who primarily watch TV content or are fans of legacy NBC shows. Peacock, which is one of the top 10 streaming services, says the Select plan is currently being tested, making it unclear whether it'll remain a permanent fixture of the service.