How to Save Money on Streaming in Australia

How to Save Money on Streaming in Australia

Let’s be honest — streaming subscriptions have a nasty habit of creeping up on you. One service turns into two, then three, then suddenly you’re paying more per month than the old Foxtel cable package you dumped years ago. It’s the great irony of the streaming revolution: we cut the cord to save money, and now we’re spending just as much (or more) spread across half a dozen apps.

The good news? With a bit of strategy, you can dramatically cut your streaming bill without actually missing out on much. Here’s how.

1. Rotate Your Subscriptions

This is the single most effective money-saving strategy, and it’s simpler than you’d think. Instead of paying for three or four services simultaneously, subscribe to one or two at a time and rotate every month or two.

Here’s how it works in practice:

• Month 1-2: Subscribe to Netflix. Binge all the shows you’ve been wanting to watch. Cancel.
• Month 3-4: Subscribe to Binge. Catch up on HBO content. Cancel.
• Month 5-6: Subscribe to Stan. Watch Yellowstone, The Office, whatever’s new. Cancel.
• Repeat.

Most Australian streaming services have no lock-in contracts and no cancellation fees. You can cancel and resubscribe as often as you like, and your watchlist and preferences are usually preserved.

Potential savings: If you’d normally pay for three services at ~$15-18/month each ($45-$54/month), rotating down to one at a time saves you $30-$36/month — that’s $360-$430/year back in your pocket.

2. Use the Free Services (Seriously)

This bears repeating because too many Australians overlook it: ABC iview and SBS On Demand are genuinely excellent streaming services that cost absolutely nothing.

ABC iview has no ads at all and offers quality Australian drama, comedy, documentaries, and kids content. SBS On Demand has a world-class international catalogue with minimal ad interruptions. Between the two, you’ve got hundreds of hours of quality content for zero dollars.

Add in 7plus, 9Now, and 10 Play for catch-up viewing and reality content, and you’ve got a solid base of free entertainment before you spend a cent on paid services.

3. Choose Ad-Supported Tiers

If the thought of occasional ads doesn’t bother you, the savings are significant:

• Netflix with ads: $7.99/month (vs $18.99 for ad-free Standard) — save $11/month
• Binge Basic: $10/month with ads on select content (vs $18 Standard) — save $8/month

That’s $19/month for both services with ads, versus $36.99 without. The ads are generally less intrusive than free-to-air television, and the content is identical. For most people, this is a perfectly acceptable trade-off.

4. Take Advantage of Free Trials

Most streaming services offer free trials to new subscribers, and some extend offers periodically to lapsed subscribers. Keep an eye out for:

• Apple TV+: Three months free with any new Apple device purchase (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV). Even a refurbished device qualifies.
• Various services periodically offer extended trials around major launch dates or through promotional partnerships.
• Telstra, Optus, and other telcos occasionally bundle streaming subscriptions with phone or internet plans. Check your provider — you might already have access to something you’re paying for separately.

Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder before any free trial ends so you’re not caught out by an unexpected charge.

5. Share Plans Where Allowed

Some services allow multiple screens on higher-tier plans, which can be shared with household members:

• Netflix Standard allows 2 simultaneous streams, Premium allows 4
• Stan Standard allows 3 screens, Premium allows 4
• Disney+ Standard allows 2 screens, Premium allows 4

If you’re in a household with multiple people, a single higher-tier plan shared between everyone is almost always cheaper than individual subscriptions. Note that Netflix has cracked down on password sharing outside households, so keep sharing within your actual home to avoid issues.

6. Check Your Bank Statements

This sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people are paying for services they’ve forgotten about. Do a proper audit:

• Check your credit card and bank statements for recurring streaming charges
• Log into each service and check when you last actually used it
• Cancel anything you haven’t watched in the past month

It’s not uncommon for people to discover they’ve been paying for a service for months without watching a single thing. That’s money you could be spending on, well, anything else.

7. Use Annual Plans Where Available

Some services offer discounts for annual subscriptions:

• Amazon Prime Video: $79/year works out to $6.58/month (vs $9.99/month-to-month) — save $40.88/year

Annual plans only make sense if you’re confident you’ll use the service all year. But for a service like Prime Video, where you also get Amazon delivery benefits, the annual pricing is a no-brainer.

8. Time Your Subscriptions Around Releases

If there’s a specific show you’re waiting for, don’t subscribe until all episodes have dropped (if they release weekly, wait until the finale). Subscribe, binge the whole thing, watch anything else that catches your eye, and cancel before the next billing cycle.

This is particularly effective for services you only want for one or two shows. No point paying $13/month for Apple TV+ for three months while Severance drops weekly when you could subscribe for one month after it’s all out.

The Ideal Budget Setup

Here’s what we’d recommend for most Australian households watching the budget:

• Always on: ABC iview + SBS On Demand (free)
• Primary paid service: Netflix with ads ($7.99/month) OR Binge Basic ($10/month)
• Rotating second service: Alternate between the other major services every 1-2 months ($12-18/month)

Total: roughly $20-28/month for access to a huge range of content, compared to $100+ if you subscribe to everything simultaneously.

The Bottom Line

Streaming doesn’t have to be expensive. The key principles are simple: use the free services (they’re better than you think), rotate paid subscriptions rather than stacking them, choose ad-supported tiers where available, and actually cancel things you’re not watching. A bit of intentionality goes a long way, and your bank account will thank you.