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Streaming services are a pillar of modern entertainment, and nearly all of them require some form of subscription to either access content or have an enjoyable watching or listening experience. According to Deloitte’s 2026 Digital Media Trends report, 90% of US households have a paid subscription to a video-on-demand service, paying an average of $71 for four services.
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If you’re not careful, it’s easy to rack up a hefty monthly subscription tab that equals the average cable subscription, which is $122 per month, according to a 2024 Allconnect report. I manage to keep my music and TV subscription bill under $50 per month. I’ve tried several services and canceled most after my free trial period ended. These four made the cut. Here’s why.
1. Apple Music
Price: $10.99 per month
A music streaming subscription is a must-have for me, as I listen to music while working, driving, cooking, and doing all kinds of things in between. I can usually handle a few ads here and there when watching a YouTube video or a TV show, but there’s nothing more irritating to me than a 30-second ad interrupting my living room concert.
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An $11-per-month subscription awards me streaming in hi-res lossless and Dolby Atmos, access to the platform’s several radio shows and artist interviews, local and international radio broadcasts, and curated playlists for music discovery.
Apple Music’s catalog is slightly more expansive and discovery-focused than services like Tidal and Qobuz, and it offers Dolby Atmos streaming (unlike Qobuz), while still offering several tracks in up to 24-bit/192kHz.
2. YouTube Premium Lite
Price: $8.99 per month
I watch a lot of YouTube. It’s the platform I spend the most time watching. Despite my YouTube obsession,…