Today, it’s easy to rack up numerous paid subscriptions that quickly drain your finances. From streaming services to learning platforms, the monthly costs accumulate rapidly. Luckily, there are many free alternatives that provide similar content and features without the high price tag. With a few simple swaps, you can easily prune your monthly budgets.
Downgrading Your Streaming Services
Streaming entertainment subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV+ have become major expenses for many households. While these services provide unlimited on-demand shows and movies, the monthly fees aren’t always justified, especially if you don’t use them often. Thankfully, you can still get your entertainment fix without handing over your hard-earned cash.
Ad-Supported Streamers
- Crackle: Owned by Sony, Crackle offers an extensive library of movies and TV shows, including some originals like Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. It’s completely free and supported by advertisements.
- Pluto TV: This free streaming service operates like traditional cable, offering live channels in categories like news, sports, comedy, and more. It also has thousands of on-demand titles available.
- Tubi: Tubi has over 20,000 movies and shows available on-demand, including cult classics, award-winning indies, and popular network series. The ads are present but not overbearing.
- The Roku Channel: If you own a Roku device, you already have access to this free streaming channel. It provides both live channels and a robust collection of movies to choose from.
Free Network Apps
Many TV networks like ABC, NBC, and Fox offer free apps where you can watch new episodes shortly after they air live. While the selection is limited compared to paid streamers, you can keep up with your favorite shows.
Note: There are many third-party unofficial apps that offer free streaming of movies and series from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and many other streaming services in one place. These platforms are illegal, and you will not find them at Google Play Store or Apple App Store as they do not comply with copyrights and privacy policies globally.
Such apps can have malware or adware, so you must avoid them at all costs.
Free Music Streaming Alternatives to Apple Music
Paid music subscriptions like Spotify Premium and Apple Music quickly accumulate monthly fees. But you can still access expansive libraries of songs, stations, playlists, and podcasts without shelling out recurring costs.
Ad-Supported Music Apps
- Spotify: Spotify’s free tier provides full access to its catalog of over 80 million tracks and 3 million podcasts. You’ll hear ads and can’t download songs, but it’s a great alternative.
- Pandora: Build customized radio stations based on your favorite artists, songs, or genres. Pandora’s free version plays occasional audio ads.
- YouTube Music: In addition to hosting videos, YouTube allows you to stream music for free with ads. You can play specific songs or let auto-generated playlists run.
- Amazon Music: If you have an Amazon account, you can stream a limited selection of playlists and stations for free. Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks the full library.
Accessing Free Education Opportunities
Online learning allows you to gain new skills from anywhere, but classes and tuition can hit your wallet hard. Avoid the steep fees by using these free resources instead.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
- Coursera: Take your pick from over 3,000 courses on business, tech, and more topics offered by leading universities and companies. All content is free, but specializations cost money.
- Khan Academy: This non-profit has thousands of free classes on math, science, computing, grammar, and even SAT prep. Videos are concise and easy to follow.
- edX: Created by Harvard and MIT, edX provides free online courses on an array of subjects from top global institutions. Many offer certificates upon completion for a small fee.
Career Training Programs
- FutureLearn: This British platform partners with schools like Cambridge to deliver short courses focused on enhancing workplace skills like leadership, coding, and data analysis.
- Udemy: Browse free classes on programming languages, design tools, and other technical skills to boost your career prospects. Paid options with certification are also available.
With some simple swaps, you can easily replace expensive subscriptions with money-saving free alternatives for streaming media, music, and online learning. Cutting down on monthly bills has never been easier.
