In fact, there are quite a few services that already offer ad-supported tiers. As the streaming market becomes more and more segmented and the ads abound, some people see very few differences between the internet-age platforms and the old cable networks.

Why Ad-Supported Tiers Are All the Rage

More platforms, including the likes of Netflix and Disney+, are talking about introducing ad-supported tiers.

The main reason for this topic’s increased popularity is that ad-supported tiers are cheaper than regular ones. You watch ads but pay less, while the streaming platform makes a lot more money off of you than it would if you paid for a subscription.

While many prefer to watch their shows and movies without interruptions, others would rather pay less and draw the line at that.

As annoying as ads can be, there are so many streaming platforms nowadays, each offering its own collection of shows and movies that we want to watch. Subscribing to all of them can be quite pricey, so cutting costs whenever possible is the best option for many people.

There are also plenty of free video streaming services that solely rely on advertising to survive. With millions of people using these services, it’s clear that there’s a market.

The Best Streaming Services With Ad-Supported Tiers

A few streaming services nowadays feature ad-supported tiers, but we’ve focused on five of them: Discovery+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and HBO Max. We’re going to take a look into what each of these offers.

1. Discovery+

The reason why this service is at the very top of our list is simple: the only difference between its tiers is that one offers ads and one doesn’t. There are no other differences in the content each subscriber has access to, perks they are allowed to use, and so on.

Discovery+ with ads costs $4.99/month, while the ad-free tier costs $6.99/month. Subscribers can watch content on up to four devices simultaneously, create up to five different profiles, and more.

Content streamed on Discovery+ is either an original show, documentary, or movie or comes from networks that belong to Warner Bros. Discovery: HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, OWN, Discovery, Magnolia Network, A&E, Lifetime, History, Travel Channel, Science Channel, and more.

2. Peacock

Our next entry is Peacock, a streaming platform that comes from NBCUniversal, a Comcast subsidiary. We should start by saying that Peacock offers a free tier, but it only allows people to access about 40,000 hours of movies, TV shows, movies, and over 50 channels Peacock set up. The problem is that Peacock selects which shows are available for free, and most of them are fairly old.

However, the ad-supported tier, Peacock Premium, costs $4.99/month, while ad-free Peacock Plus costs $9.99/month. These plans unlock all the content available on the service, including live sports and events, like Premier League, Sunday Night Football, or WWE, plus next-day access to NBC and Bravo shows. With the ad-free tier, you can also download and watch select titles offline.

Peacock features a lot of great original shows and movies and content from Universal Pictures, Universal Television, NBC, Bravo networks, and others.

3. Paramount+

There are many reasons to subscribe to Paramount+, and its add-supported plan is one of them. The ad-free service costs $4.99/month, while the ad-free one costs $9.99/month. They both provide access to the same content, with the exception of the CBS local live stream that only comes with the ad-free plan. Furthermore, the ad-free tier also permits users to download content to watch offline.

The service comes with a lot of original shows and movies from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Smithsonian Channel. We should also note that Paramount+ subscribers get access to all Paramount titles, even those that have barely left the cinemas.

4. HBO Max

The list continues with HBO Max, a service that has undergone a ton of name changes over the years, going from HBO Go to HBO Now, and finally to HBO Max. HBO Max introduced an ad-supported tier in 2021, pricing it at $9.99/month, down from the regular $14.99/month for the ad-free tier.

While both tiers have access to the same content, those who pay the full price are allowed to download content and watch it offline. Furthermore, they can watch content in 4K UHD when it is available.

HBO Max creates a ton of original shows and movies but also provides content from third-party providers like Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Crunchyroll, The CW, DC Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and loads more.

5. Hulu

Lastly, we have Hulu, a service that has been around for a long time. The ad-supported tier costs $6.99/month, while the ad-free tier goes for $12.99/month. Both tiers get access to the full streaming library, Hulu originals, and two simultaneous streams. Ad-free subscribers can also download Hulu shows to watch offline.

Hulu is owned by The Walt Disney Company and NBCUniversal and provides content from a lot of networks, including ABC, NBC, FX Network, Fox, Adult Swim, IFC, AMC, BBC America, Freeform, TV Land, and others.

Those who want Hulu can also choose the Live TV bundle that includes access to over 75 channels, Hulu’s on-demand library, Disney+, ESPN+, unlimited DVR storage space, and the possibility to add premium networks like Showtime or Starz. You can also pay for unlimited screens, pushing the number from two to as many as you want while at home and three devices when on the go.

Save More Money by Watching Ads

These are just some of the best streaming services you can find online, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Whether or not ad-supported tiers are for you, it’s clear that there’s a growing trend to allow users to watch the content they want at a lower price. If you want to subscribe to as many services as possible, paying less for an ad-supported tier is certainly one way to go.