From TV and film to music and radio, we’re always streaming something these days - but how much are you spending per month and are there better deals out there?
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite across the country, Newstalk is here to help with a new online series highlighting the best ways to save on your bills.
Cut-the-Cost offers tips and advice on how to save on everything from bin collection to your phone bill, energy costs and broadband.
This week we're taking a deep dive into the world of streaming services to see how much you could save.
Netflix
Basic Plan
- €8.99 per month
- Devices: One
- Streaming quality: SD
Standard Plan
- €14.99 per month
- Devices: Two
- Streaming quality: HD
Premium Plan
- €20.99 per month
- Devices: Four
- Streaming quality: 4K and HDR
- Free trial: No
What do I get? Netflix has said it doesn't publish or provide numbers relating to the amount of content on the service, as the catalogue changes all the time.
What else should I know? Netflix has also started a crackdown on password sharing, to prevent people from accessing each other's accounts who don't live at the same address.
Prime Video
- Price: €5.99 per month
- Devices: Three concurrent streams within the same Amazon account, and up to two simultaneous streams of the same content
- Streaming quality: HD (some newer titles are in 4K Ultra HD)
- Free trial: Seven days
What do I get? Estimates have put the number of films on Prime Video at 9,000 plus 1,500 TV shows.
What else should I know? You can get Amazon Prime which includes unlimited free delivery and Prime Video for stg£8.99 (€10.40) a month or stg£95.00 (€109) a year.
Now
- Price: From €11.99 per month
- Devices: One
- Streaming quality: HD
- Free trial: No
What do I get? Now offers Over 1,000 films to watch on demand.
What else should I know? Subscribers can choose from a range of 'memberships' - such as Entertainment, which offers live television with 17 channels - for €11.99 each
Disney+
- Price: €8.99 per month. Rising to €10.99 per month from November
- Devices: Four, with up to seven different profiles on one account
- Streaming quality: 4K UHD
- Free trial: No
What do I get? Estimates have put the Disney+ catalogue at some 500 films, 350 series, 26 Disney Plus Originals and over 700 episodes of The Simpsons.
What else should I know? Disney+ is also rolling out a cheaper, ad-supported service for select countries, but this won’t be available to Irish viewers for some time.
Paramount+
- Price: €7.99 per month
- Devices: Three devices
- Streaming quality: HD
- Free trial: Seven days
What do I get? Paramount+ has 12,000 hours of content.
What else should I know? Paramount+ is being touted as 'The Home of Star Trek' and includes all its TV series and feature films.
Apple TV+
- Price: €6.99 per month
- Devices: Six
- Streaming quality: HD
- Free trial: Seven days
What do I get? It's hard to put a number on this, but estimates have put the AppleTV+ catalogue at more than 60 TV shows and 24 films, along with almost 40 documentaries.
What else should I know? Apple TV+ is included for three months when you purchase an Apple device and redeem the offer within 90 days.
Hayu
- Price: €5.99 per month
- Devices: One
- Streaming quality: HD
- Free trial: Seven days
What do you get? Hayu has over 150 box sets of reality TV.
What else should I know? Users can currently get 12 months for the price of nine, at €52.99 per year.
Netflix and Apple TV video streaming icons on a mobile phone display. Image: imageBROKER.com GmbH & Co. KG / Alamy Stock PhotoIt's hard to know exactly how much content is on each service, but Netflix seems to come out on top with over 40,000 hours of content. Prime Video comes in second with around 26,500 hours.
Newstalk Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly has said people should double-check exactly what they are using.
"The key advice for people who are looking to save money when it comes to their streaming services is to do a bit of an audit," she said.
"See what you actually use; and don't forget a lot of these services are 30-day rolling contracts.
"So, if you know that you're going to be away for a period of time or you've a lot going on - or maybe you're binge-watching something on Netflix - cancel all the other subscriptions that you have.
"You don't need to be loyal to them, you don't need to have them on the go the entire time."
'Right for your pocket'
Jess said some services are now looking to roll out cheaper options that include adverts.
"If you're someone who doesn't mind sitting through the ads, then absolutely it's worth it," she said.
"Personally speaking I'm too impatient, so that's why I wouldn't go for that.
"It's all about doing what's right for you and indeed your pocket."
Jess added: "The big thing with the streaming platforms is you need to make sure you're getting value for your money.
"If you're not using a particular service, cancel it.
"Don't be signed up to the default plan if you're not going to make the most of it."
