Today, we live in a financial nightmare. Inflation, rising costs of living, and rising energy bills all mean we have to be more careful about how we spend our money, and considering seemingly every company under the sun offers a subscription service, the number of monthly or annual bills we pay has skyrocketed. With such a plethora of services to choose from, each opening the door to a different entertainment favorite, should you spend your money these days? After much deliberation, we’ve rounded up the best subscription services out there.
entertainment
Netflix： It seems like a no-brainer to make this suggestion, and it almost is. While we won’t tell you that Netflix is the place to go for a consistent stream of premium content, the streamer does overwhelm users with a plethora of movies, TV shows, and video games, many of which are original. So if you’re looking for a service to keep you entertained after a busy day, Netflix is always a good place to start.
Now TV/HBO Max： We’re combining the two because depending on where you live will depend on which one to choose. If you live in an area that has HBO Max, then that’s the area to grab, but if you don’t, Now TV is your best friend. If you want premium and often critically acclaimed TV and movies, no one does it better than HBO/Now. Be it House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession, Peacemaker, the list goes on. It’s sure to be an expensive service, but you get the best that the silver screen has to offer.
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Apple TV+： It was a very, very niche option two years ago, but Apple has since worked on its streaming offerings, and it’s now delivering tons of new, often very high-quality content every week. Between top series and original movies, the biggest stars in the world also tend to flock to Apple as we see work from the biggest A-listers here, which all means you won’t find yourself feeling overwhelmed by Apple’s portfolio Get bored quickly.
gamble
Game Pass Ultimate： If you have an Xbox or PC, this is without a doubt the best deal you can get. Not only does access to the wider Game Pass library, but also access to Xbox Live Gold means you can enjoy maximum multiplayer gaming, Game Pass offers hundreds of titles and is the best way to experience the latest titles from Xbox Game Studios family, as a first-party game developed by Xbox, landed on the service on the day of release. With cloud gaming support, this is indeed a key service to enjoy the best games.
PlayStation Plus Extra： PlayStation Plus can be tricky to figure out, since Sony has divided the service into three similar but distinct tiers. We recommend using the middle of the pack, as you get the monthly free games that come with the basic Essential tier, but then also gain access to the wider game library that exists in the Extra category. Similar to Game Pass Ultimate, PS Plus Extra also opens the door to PlayStation Network, which means you can also enjoy multiplayer games with friends.
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For Retro Lovers – Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack: We won’t tell you that Nintendo Switch Online is a must-have service because it really isn’t, but having said that, if you love a good retro game and have been wanting to find some time to play the original The Legend of Zelda, Metroid , Mario, Star Fox, and so on, then the Expansion Pack – and its access to NES, SNES, and Game Boy emulation systems – is a good choice.
lifestyle
Amazon Prime： There is a whole set of ethical decisions to do with buying an Amazon Prime subscription as there have been countless in the past about the conditions a worker had to endure to ensure that Amazon could provide such a great service for such a cheap price, but if you just look at the service from a consumer perspective , then you have little reason not to consider this service, as it opens up access to the benefits of Prime Video, Prime Gaming, and of course, free premium shipping on anything you buy from Amazon.
Apple Music/Spotify： While these are two competing services, their offerings are so similar that it doesn’t matter which one you choose. While we recommend Apple Music if you’re using an iOS device and Spotify for Android folks, both services work like a charm and are a great way to enjoy the latest music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Save some space and less plastic, and start building digital libraries of audio content using these services.
sports
Now TV Sport/Sky Sports： Again, this is one of those things that depends on where you live, but according to that, the Now TV and Sky’s Sport package is the best way to enjoy the best live sports. Bringing you the greatest collection of live football, rugby, golf, Formula 1, NFL, NBA, horse racing and more, no other package offers so many sports at once. It’s a very expensive service, but if you live and breathe movement, it’s the best way to enjoy it.
