These days, a subscription to a TV streaming service is viewed as essential for many Brits. This results in households paying for several platforms each month, on top of their broadband, mobile phone and other utilities.
But there is a way to get free Netflix access by rolling several subscriptions into one, meaning customers can stream the likes of Stranger Things, Bridgerton and Wednesday while cutting costs. The opportunity comes from Sky, which gives away a free Netflix plan to Brits signing up for its TV packages that start at £15.
The most affordable option is the Essential TV bundle, which comes with free Netflix access, more than 100 channels, such as Sky Atlantic and a Discovery+ subscription. When breaking it down, this £15 package works out at 50p per day over a 30-day month.
It comes with Netflix Standard with Adverts, which Netflix increased from £4.99 to £5.99 earlier this year for customers paying the streamer directly. This means those signed up to Sky’s Essential TV bundle essentially pay £9.01 for 100 TV channels and Discovery+.
As Sky’s TV packages come with a 24-month minimum term, customers signing up will secure a Netflix subscription for two years. Sky also lets existing Netflix subscribers keep their account so they won’t pay twice, with the option to upgrade to Netflix Standard or Premium for an extra £6 or £11 respectively.
However, this is still cheaper than Netflix’s own prices, with the same subscription tiers now priced at £12.99 and £18.99. Virgin Media also gives away a free Netflix subscription with its own rival deal, but at a more expensive cost.
Virgin justifies its higher price tags by including more with the most budget-friendly option with Netflix included being the £64.99 Biggest Combo bundle. Typically costing £78.99, this comes with more than 200 TV channels, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and 516Mbps fibre broadband.
There is one downside to both Sky and Virgin’s plans, though, as customers can expect to see their bills increase every April in an inflation-linked rise. This means Brits signing up for Sky or Virgin’s 24-month deals will likely see their bills go up twice during the life of the plan.
Sky hasn’t yet confirmed how much its prices will rise in April 2026, but this year saw a 6.2% increase, suggesting we could see a similar change next year. Virgin has already confirmed its planned increase, with the £64.99 plan rising to £68.49 from April 2026.
Despite the increases, both Sky and Virgin provide much value with their packages, including complete access to Netflix’s ever-expanding library that will soon include Stranger Things season five. Netflix has finally unveiled the first trailer for the hit sci-fi’s final chapter, set to land on November 27.
Before that, fans can look forward to Wednesday season two (August 6), and the feature-length adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club (August 28).
