As the pandemic increased it reach
and severity, most states went to a "shelter-in-place" order. What are people
doing at home on the weekends during quarantine? Maybe home improvement
projects, hiking, or even binge watching the latest and greatest streaming
series! If you have been considering "cutting the cord" on your cable or dish
provider, now may be a really good time to revisit this during the "stay home"
time. This may allow you a chance to get a better feel for all that is
available and with which providers. Here are just a few examples along with
helpful information about each.
Netflix
Free trial
is 30 days with a price range of $9-$16 per month after depending on the number
of simultaneous streams. One interesting feature, if you use Google Chrome (who
doesn't?), is an extension called Netflix Party which allows you to watch the
same stream while you social distance with friends. Netflix is good for the
binge watcher who would like to catch up on a show before the next season starts.
It is ad-free and allows viewing up to 4 different screens at one time. If you
want an up-to-date library outside of Netflix original content or live in a
region where the selection is not as great (geo-locking) then this may not be
the best provider for you.
Amazon Prime Video
Free trial is 30 days (non-Prime members) followed by a price of $13 per month.
Amazon's watch party product, called Twitch, appears to be in the beta phase
still. With Prime Video not only do you have access to a broad library of
original content and popular movies, but users have the ability to download or
purchase as well. It can be difficult to decipher what content is or is not
included in the subscription cost.
Disney+
Free trial
is only 7 days, unless you have an unlimited data plan with Verizon, then it is
one year. Cost after the trial is $7 per month. Yep you guessed it! Disney+ has
a watch party extension for Google Chrome as well called Disney Plus Party.
Consider looking at the Disney+ bundle as well for Hulu and ESPN! If you have
younger children at home, this streaming service should be higher on your
priority list with favorites from Marvel, Pixar, and other Disney branded
movies. Not ideal for the binge-watcher as original series are released on an
episode basis instead of season.
YouTube TV
Free
trial is 7 days and the price after is $50 per month but one of most robust
lineups of all the providers. Unfortunately, they do not have a watch party
function. Good for the channel surfer who likes to have everything in one place
with high quality streaming of over 70 different channels. The main sticking
point is the hefty price compared to others and they do not offer any sort of
offline viewing.
Whatever you end up
doing, it is important to remember that all providers require a credit card to
start your free trial. This means that once your free trial is over, you will
automatically be charged. Be sure to set a reminder in your calendar or on your
phone so that you are not caught off guard. The list of streaming services and
providers is almost endless and growing all the time. If you are trying to cut
expenses on your bottom line and a cable/dish provider is the next to go, be
sure to spend time evaluating the different offerings and what best suits your
needs. Is it watching live TV programs, movies, or binge watching the latest TV
series?
If you would like to receive more information on making smart money moves for your future, be sure to contact us today!
