‘I’m a TV writer and these streaming deals beat April’s price hikes’

Millions of Brits are being stung with higher household bills from today in the start of what’s being dubbed ‘awful April’. As inflation rises, countless companies are upping the prices for everything from electricity and water to broadband and TV, and passing the cost on to consumers.

We’ve already highlighted several ways to save on TV bills and flagged some money-saving tips for broadband providers, but there are also plenty of deals around to help save on streaming subscriptions. One of the good things about most streamers is that they offer commitment-free subscriptions, so you’re not tied in for months at a time.

Plus, while they do sometimes raise their prices, this doesn’t happen every year compared to standard TV firms like Sky. So, with this in mind, we’ve pulled together some of the best deals on streaming platforms, with cheaper ways to watch Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Prime Video.

The world’s biggest streamer doesn’t offer a free trial or any deals as such, but providers like Sky giveaway a free subscription to its customers. The cheapest Sky TV package is the £15 Essential TV bundle, which comes with Netflix Standard with Adverts, plus 100 channels and Discovery+.

However, this is a 24-month contract, so the price is likely to increase in April 2026. A 31-day rolling plan is available at a slightly more expensive £18, but this is completely flexible and can be cancelled at any time.

Virgin Media also offers free Netflix with its Biggest Combo and Mega Volt bundles, however these are far more pricey. The £84.99 Mega Volt bundle is certainly expensive, but it also comes with more than 230 TV channels – including Sky Cinema and Sky Sports – an unlimited 5G O2 SIM and superfast fibre broadband with up to 1,130Mbps download speed, plus a choice of either Disney+ or Amazon Prime free for six months.

Disney+ is the place to be for fans of Marvel and Star Wars, plus critically acclaimed shows like The Bear, Shōgun and Only Murders in the Building. All of this and much more is now available from £4.99 for the Standard with Ads plan, with no long-term commitment required at sign up.

The cheaper rate means putting up with the odd advert, but it is on average less than four minutes of ads per hour of TV – less than on terrestrial channels. There’s no hidden cost with a monthly Disney+ subscription and it can be cancelled at any time, but members can get the equivalent of two months free if they’re willing to lock in a membership for a year.

An annual subscription to the Standard or Premium plans provides 12 months of access for the price of 10 compared to paying monthly. A 12-month subscription to the Premium plan now costs £129.90, which saves £25.98 when compared to paying monthly at £19.99. It also includes higher video quality and the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously.

O2 customers can get Disney+ free for six months with certain pay monthly SIM plans, including Plus Plan SIM-only deals. Options include the £23.99 150GB plan or the £32.99 unlimited data plan

Apple TV+ has had an epic start to 2025 with hit shows Severance and The Studio, plus movies like The Gorge. Apple does offer a free trial to new members, but it’s only for seven days, so you’ll have to be quick to catch up on the latest shows without paying.

However, a paid subscription costs £8.99 and can be cancelled anytime, meaning there’s no long-term commitment needed. Those in the market for a new laptop or smartphone can claim a longer trial of three months when buying an eligible Apple device including iPhones, iPads and MacBooks – regardless of where you buy from.

Sky Mobile lets its customers spread the cost of their gadgets, such as the £17 iPad Air or £22 MacBook Air M4, while those after a new smartphone can pick up the new iPhone 16e for £599 at Amazon.

Amazon’s Prime Video is the only place to watch hit shows like- Clarkson’s Farm, Reacher and The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. Plus, the entire Prime library is available for free with a 30-day free trial – the longest free trial offered by the major streamers.

This can be cancelled before the promotional period ends without paying a penny, or it can be continued at the standard monthly rolling rate of £8.99 and cancelled any time. There is a slight saving to be had by paying for a year upfront at £95, which saves £12.88 compared to paying monthly.

A Prime membership includes other benefits like next day delivery, Amazon Music, Deliveroo Plus and free delivery on HelloFresh orders for a year. Those looking to keep costs may want to consider joining Prime Video without the added Amazon Prime benefits for £5.99.