Struggling with finding the perfect present this holiday season? Try giving the gift that keeps on giving: a streaming subscription.
Gifting streaming subscriptions is the perfect way to express your love (or at least like) for someone. You can give someone endless entertainment for a variety of prices. Since most streamers offer the option to purchase a gift card for custom amounts, you won’t feel pressure to spring for a high-priced commitment like a year-long subscription. Plus, streaming subscriptions are a low-effort gift without seeming low-effort. You can be thoughtful and avoid hectic holidays shopping malls all at the same time!
Below, we’ve rounded up how to gift several major streamers. And if you need help deciding which to choose, check out our lists for the Best Streaming Services, Best Streaming Services for Sports and our December Streaming Guide to give you an idea of each streamer’s offerings. Then, scroll through our list below to discover how you can gift major streaming platforms to the TV lovers in your life this holiday season.
WHY WE LOVE IT: BritBox is a great way to access content from “across the pond” without having to sign up for a VPN.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Simply follow the link above, decide an amount you’re comfortable giving between $25 and $250, select an online or physical card option, and give the gift of BritBox!
WHY WE LOVE IT: Disney Plus is a no-brainer when it comes to family-friendly streaming. But what’s surprising about this streamer is it’s also home to tons of Marvel, Star Wars and other programming that adults will want to binge without their kids. The app is easy to use, helping parents easily find and select shows appropriate for children of all ages, from Bluey to Marvel’s Moongirl and Devil Dinosaur. Plus, Disney Plus can be bundled with Hulu and ESPN Plus.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Disney Plus doesn’t offer a gift subscription, but it does sell digital gift cards between $25 and $200 on its own website and at Target. The gift cards can be used to purchase a regular Disney Plus subscription or bundle option — making it the perfect gift for a TV lover in your life.
WHY WE LOVE IT: ESPN Plus offers exclusive content that isn’t on the ESPN networks and allows subscribers to purchase UFC PPV events. Plus, it can be bundled with Disney Plus and Hulu.
HOW TO GIFT IT: If you’re willing to pay a pretty penny, you can gift someone a whole year of ESPN Plus for $119.99. The offer is valid only for new subscribers, so you cannot pay for a subsequent year for someone already streaming ESPN Plus. The only way to gift ESPN Plus is by signing up for the year-long gift subscription — gift cards are not available.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Hulu offers high-quality original TV shows for a reasonable price. The streamer is home to original content like The Bear, Reservation Dogs, Only Murders in the Building, and streams ABC, Fox and FX shows the day after they air. Hulu is a great subscription to gift since it will help someone expand their TV horizons without paying a premium price.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Hulu doesn’t offer gift cards or gift subscriptions directly on its platform. You can, however, buy Hulu gift cards at Target and Best Buy, which can be used toward purchasing new or existing subscriptions.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Netflix is the best streaming service out there because it offers a wide variety of original programming, plus a huge, bingeable TV and movie streaming library. From a technical standpoint, the app is easy to use, offers customized recommendations based on your preferences, and allows users to download titles for on-the-go viewing. And since the streaming giant started cracking down on password sharing, many TV lovers have gone without their beloved Netflix binges.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Netflix gift cards can be purchased for $15 to $200 at online retailers like Amazon and Target. The gift cards can be redeemed toward both new and existing subscriptions, making it an easy, low-fuss present this holiday season.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We know that many CBS shows have cult followings — it’s not called “America’s Most-Watched Network” for nothing — so we Paramount Plus is the perfect gift for CBS superfans. If you know someone who loves the Star Trek universe, Lioness, Survivor, Ghosts, Elsbeth or any other CBS program, this is the gift for them!
HOW TO GIFT IT: Gift cards for Paramount Plus can be purchased online through the streamer’s website for $25, $50 and $100 denominations. And, they never expire! Parmaount Plus gift cards can also be purchased online and in store at Best Buy and other retailers.
WHY WE LOVE IT: While Peacock doesn’t offer as many high-quality, scripted series as other TV streamers on this list, it is home to all things Bravo — including exclusive uncensored reunions. This is a cheap streaming platform, though, with a high-quality viewing experience for popular reality series like the Real Housewives franchise, The Traitors, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck, Southern Charm, Summer House and more. Plus, the premium plan gives you access to NBC, so you can stream Saturday Night Live, Sunday Night Football and more shows live.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Digital Peacock gift cards can be purchased online for $25, $50, $100 or $150. They can delivered via email or text to your receiver.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Prime Video is just one perk of an Amazon Prime Membership. With Prime, you can unlock Prime Video’s original content in addition to exclusive discounts, Prime Day deals, and options for fast and free delivery. But the biggest reason we love Prime Video is you can add nearly all other streaming platforms to your account for an additional monthly fee. This means, the gift of Prime Video is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving. Some major TV channels and streamers you can add to your Prime Video account include Max, Paramount Plus, BET Plus, Shudder, Starz and more.
HOW TO GIFT IT: A simple Amazon e-gift card! Select from several card designs and denominations — and the gift will never expire!
WHY WE LOVE IT: Sling is one of the most affordable and customizable live-TV streaming services. It’s easy to use, requires no commitment and even offers local channels. We love Sling as a replacement for cable, but it’s also great for streaming one-time live-TV events, such as sports and awards, because it’s so affordable and can be cancelled anytime. The only downside? Sling doesn’t offer CBS.
HOW TO GIFT IT: Sling offers digital gift cards for a variety of denominations starting at $35. You can also find Sling gift cards online at Target and other major retailers.
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