Looking for something to watch on TV and not break the bank
With most of us at home practicing social distancing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, TV viewing has increased.
So how do we stay entertained without breaking the bank?
To help provide some expanded entertainment options during this time, some networks have opened up their channels for all viewers, while others are offering extended free-trail periods. Keep in mind, some of these you’ll need to remember to cancel before the trial ends so you don’t get charged:)
Enjoy!
- Acorn TV has extended its usual seven-day free trial to 30 days for new subscribers with the promo code FREE30. The streamer features British, Australian and Canadian television shows, foreign-language thrillers and more. After the trial, it’s $5.99 a month or $59.99 for the year.
- Sundance Now is extending its seven-day free trial to 30 days for new customers with the promo code SUNDANCENOW30. The streamer features true-crime series, original dramas and exclusive thrillers. After the trial, it’s $6.99 monthly or $4.99 a month with an annual membership.
- Shudder is extending its normal seven-day free trial to 30 days with the promo code SHUTIN. The streamer features horror movies and shows, plus thrillers and suspense. After the trial, it’s $4.99 a month or $47.88 a year.
- CW Seed, a partnership between CBS and Warner Bros., offers free, ad-supported access to shows that often aren’t available elsewhere. It has original content too, such as the animated series “Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons,” and shows that originally aired elsewhere, such as James Corden’s sitcom “Gavin & Stacey.”
- UP Faith & Family is a family- and faith-friendly streamer that offers a 14-day free trial. After that, it’s $5.99 a month or $53.99 a year. “Heartland,” Christian movies and wedding shows are among its ad-free offerings.
- IMDb TV is Amazon’s free, ad-supported streaming service that offers thousands of movies and TV shows including “Legally Blonde,” “Shrek Forever After,” “The Social Network,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Friday Night Lights.” No subscription required.
- PBS is streaming Ken Burns’ four-part film “Baseball” for free on pbs.org and all PBS streaming services. It’s more than 18 hours of sports-related content, folks.
- Amazon Prime Video offers a free 30-day trial, then charges $13 a month or $119 per year once the trial is over. Amazon has also made a number of kids and family titles available for free to all.
- Hulu offers a 30-day free trial, then charges anywhere from $5.99 a month for Hulu with ads to $60.99 a month for ad-free Hulu + Live TV.
- Netflix is offering a 30-day trial, then after that, it’s $9-$16 a month.
- VidAngel is a faith-based service offering free content until March 30th.
- Hallmark Channel is giving users a free 30-day trial to Hallmark Movies now.
- CBS All Access, which usually has a seven-day free trial, is offering one month free until April 23 with the promo code GIFT. After that the price is either $5.99 or $9.99 monthly, depending on whether there are commercials. Take about 15% off the price with an annual plan.
- STARZ has a deal for new customers: $24.99 for 6 months or $4.99/month for 3 months.
- HBO offers a limited number of free pilots and series on its website. The HBO Now streaming service offers a seven-day free trial, then it’s $14.99 a month.
- Showtime is offering a 30-day free trial to new subscribers who sign up before May 3. After the trial, it’s $10.99 a month or $109.90 per year.
- Disney+ offers a seven-day free trial, which should allow plenty of time to watch “Frozen 2.” If you stick around for the rest of the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, “Star Wars,” National Geographic and 20th Century Fox content, it is $6.99 a month or $69.99 for a year.
- Apple TV+ offers a free one-year subscription with the purchase of an Apple product or a seven-day free trial without purchase. After that, it’s $4.99 a month.
- Networks offering free viewing if you subscribe to a television subscription-like EZVideo through PEAK
- Available Until April 17th
- Fox News
- CNN
- Available Until April 29th
- The Sportsman Channel
- The Outdoor Channel
- Available Until May 12th
- Hallmark Channel
- Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
- Hallmark Drama
- Available Until May 22nd
- Cooking Channel
- Travel
- DIY
- Great American Country
- Science
- American Heroes Channel
- Destination America
- Discovery Family Channel
- Discovery Life Channel
- Discovery en Espanol
- Available Until April 17th
All information current at the time of publication and is subject to change.