When Netflix increased prices this week, Christopher Duggan was annoyed.
The 59-year-old communications professional in the St. Louis area is sticking with Netflix and two other streaming services but said he’s tired of constant price increases and haggling with his cable and internet provider over escalating bills.
Streaming companies are “now following the same mode as cable,” Duggan said. Their attitude is, “Now that we’ve got you, you’re going to see these year-upon-year price increases.”
Netflix didn’t comment about the response from customers. The company told investors that it occasionally raises prices to reinvest and improve Netflix.
As streaming nudges aside cable in America’s living rooms, the new reality is hitting us squarely in the wallet: The golden age of all-you-can-watch streaming for $10 a month and no commercials is dead.
This week was the fourth time in three years that Netflix has raised at least some prices or removed a more affordable subscription option in the United States. Other major streaming services have also gone up in the past year. Streaming can still be great, but there’s no letup to higher bills, more ads and cablelike confusing bundles.
But there are steps you can take to enjoy streaming without winning the lottery.
Try free or cheaper streaming substitutes
There is no (legal) alternative to watch that one show you love that’s exclusive to a streaming service.
But if you can do without the freshest episodes of “Squid Game” or “Hacks,” there are mammoth programming options on free streaming services such as Tubi, Pluto TV and the Roku Channel. They have commercials.
If you’re logged into a YouTube account, you’ll see free movies and TV shows, typically with ads. You can watch some programming on Amazon’s Prime Video without being a Prime member.
(Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)
Some local public libraries also provide free access to streaming services such as Kanopy or Hoopla.
You probably won’t find Marvel movies, but there’s lots of good entertainment and educational programming. I’ve been watching the fun British sitcom “Gavin & Stacey” on Hoopla.
Smaller, specialty streaming subscriptions can be more affordable, including BritBox ($8.99 a month), Hallmark Plus ($7.99) and PBS Passport, which typically comes with a $5-and-up monthly donation to a PBS station. For comparison, Netflix’s monthly subscription without ads now starts at $17.99.
Don’t forget about free TV. You can watch this weekend’s NFL playoff games and the Super Bowl next month from free local TV channels. You might need an antenna to plug into your set.
Check for less expensive viewing alternatives
If you’re looking for a particular show or movie, search for it on justwatch.com before you splurge on a streaming subscription. Your choice might be available to stream free or for less than you think from digital storefronts such as Apple, YouTube, Amazon or Fandango.
For example, JustWatch shows that you can stream the original “Twin Peaks” TV series with a Paramount Plus subscription ($12.99 a month with no commercials), watch it free with commercials on Pluto or buy the 30 episodes for download from Fandango for about $30.
For your Friday movie night, embrace the spirit of Blockbuster. To watch Pixar’s terrific “Coco,” you’d pay about $4 to rent the movie from a digital download service.
Rotate through the priciest services
Keep a list of what you’re interested in watching on major streaming services. You can subscribe for a couple of months to each one in rotation, watch what you’ve earmarked, and quit.
The data seem to show people pause and return a lot.
Don’t forget to cancel, though. As soon as you sign up, set a reminder on your phone for a monthly check-in on whether you still really want that service.
Look for bundled subscriptions with your mobile carrier
Some phone companies offer customers streaming subscriptions at no added cost.
Streaming services love these add-ons because you’re less likely to quit. That’s not always good for you.
Most streaming services also have periodic sales, including around Black Friday.
Some services still let you share passwords
Netflix and Disney are among the streaming companies that have cracked down on subscriptions shared among three cousins and the UPS delivery driver. But sharing still works sometimes.
Apple TV Plus, for example, lets you share a subscription among six people in what the company calls a “family sharing” group. Each person logs in with their own Apple account information.
Hear me out: How about commercials?
Most of the bigger streaming services, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock and Max sell lower-priced subscriptions with ads.
With Netflix’s latest price hikes, its commercial-free subscription starts at $17.99 a month, up from $15.49. The option with commercials also increased, from $6.99 to $7.99 but remains a relative bargain.
To switch to a cheaper plan, log into your Netflix account on its website > Account > Manage membership > Change plan.