The Best Cell Phone Plans for Streaming: How to Get Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max for Free

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The streaming wars have found a new battleground: your phone bill.

As subscription prices continue to climb, wireless carriers have begun using entertainment bundles to win over customers, offering everything from complimentary Netflix and Hulu subscriptions to discounted Disney+, HBO Max and Apple TV memberships.

T-Mobile has emerged as one of the more aggressive players in the space, bundling multiple streaming services into its higher-tier wireless plans. Their new T-Mix service service also allows subscribers to use “Picks” to customize a curated array of perks, from streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV and Paramount+ to Xbox Game Pass, DoorDash and even Delta SkyMiles. Plus, customers can swap out their selections every three months without changing their plans.

Verizon has also taken a customizable approach, allowing subscribers to build their own entertainment packages at discounted rates. Even lower-cost prepaid carriers are getting into the business, with HBO Max and Prime Video among the services available through select plans.

Here’s a breakdown of the best cell phone plans for streaming, including how much they cost, which services they include and where the biggest savings can be found.

BEST OVERALL FOR STREAMING

T-Mobile

T-Mobile makes perhaps the strongest case for consolidating your phone and streaming bills, offering Netflix and Hulu at no additional cost on its top-tier Experience Beyond 2.0 plan, along with discounted access to Apple TV.

The carrier’s Netflix On Us benefit includes Netflix Standard with ads, giving subscribers access to the platform’s catalog of original series, films and licensed programming. Customers on Experience Beyond 2.0 also receive Hulu With Ads, which includes next-day programming from ABC and FX, Hulu originals and an extensive library of television and movies.

Apple TV is available for an additional $3 per month on both Experience Beyond 2.0 and Experience More 2.0, with access to hits such as “Severance,” “Ted Lasso” and “The Morning Show.”

Experience Beyond 2.0 starts at $100 per month for one line with AutoPay, before taxes and fees, and includes unlimited talk, text and 5G data, along with 250GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data. The cheaper Experience More 2.0 plan starts at $85 per month with AutoPay and includes Netflix Standard with ads and the discounted Apple TV offer, but not complimentary Hulu.

Best of all, the carrier’s T-Mobile Tuesdays program regularly offers discounts on movie tickets, dining and other entertainment, while certain legacy plans remain eligible for streaming benefits of their own.

Starting price: $85/month for Experience More 2.0; $100/month for Experience Beyond 2.0, with AutoPay, for one line

BEST FOR DISNEY+, HULU, ESPN

Verizon

Verizon is taking a different approach to streaming perks, allowing customers curate their own streaming bundles.

Its most appealing option for Disney fans is the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle, available as a $12-per-month perk on eligible wireless plans. The ad-supported package combines Disney’s films, Marvel and Star Wars franchises, Hulu’s television library and ESPN+ sports programming.
Verizon also offers a Netflix and HBO Max bundle for $13 per month, combining the ad-supported versions of both platforms. Customers interested in Apple’s entertainment ecosystem can opt for Apple One at $15 per month, which brings together Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade and iCloud+ storage.

These discounts are available through Verizon’s eligible unlimited plans, including its myPlan lineup and newer Simplicity plan. Unlike T-Mobile’s complimentary subscriptions, the services generally require an additional monthly payment, though the savings can be significant compared with subscribing to each platform individually.

Streaming perks: Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12/month; Netflix and HBO Max for $13/month; Apple One for $15/month. Charges are additional to the wireless plan.

BEST BUDGET PLAN

Cricket Wireless

For subscribers primarily interested in HBO Max, Cricket Wireless offers a less expensive alternative to the major carriers’ premium wireless plans.

The AT&T-owned prepaid provider includes HBO Max Basic with Ads with its Supreme Unlimited plan, allowing customers to stream the platform’s original programming, Warner Bros. films and HBO series without paying separately for a subscription. The service’s catalog includes everything from “The White Lotus” and “House of the Dragon” to “The Last of Us,” alongside a rotating selection of Hollywood releases.

Cricket’s Supreme Unlimited plan costs $55 per month with AutoPay for one line, with taxes included. It also provides unlimited talk, text and data, 50GB of mobile hotspot data and 150GB of cloud storage.

Starting price: $55/month with AutoPay for Supreme Unlimited.

BEST FOR PRIME VIDEO

Metro by T-Mobile

Amazon Prime Video is another service available through select wireless plans, courtesy of Metro by T-Mobile.

The prepaid carrier includes a full Amazon Prime membership with its $60-per-month unlimited plan, giving customers access to Prime Video alongside the retailer’s free shipping benefits and other membership perks. That means subscribers can watch Amazon originals including “Fallout,” “The Boys” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” as well as the platform’s growing lineup of live sports programming, without purchasing Prime separately.

The plan also includes unlimited premium 5G data, 25GB of mobile hotspot data, HD video streaming capabilities and 100GB of Google One storage. Customers can access weekly entertainment and retail offers through T-Mobile Tuesdays, which is available to eligible Metro subscribers.

At $60 per month with AutoPay, Metro’s premium offering is cheaper than many of the larger carriers’ flagship plans, while including a subscription that extends well beyond movies and television. For consumers who regularly shop on Amazon and already use Prime Video, the combined benefits make it a particularly practical option.

Starting price: $60/month with AutoPay, or $65 for the first month, for one line.