Give the gift of streaming to all your favorite people, and save yourself the hassle of last-minute shopping this holiday season.
The countdown to Christmas has begun, and that means it’s crunch time for holiday shopping. If you still haven’t found the perfect gift for everyone on your list, there’s no need to panic. You can avoid all the stress that comes with last-minute shopping by giving them the gift of streaming. Whether they’re a fan of movies, TV or even Broadway shows, you can give a subscription to Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Disney Plus and other streaming services to the binge-watcher in your life. Gifting a streaming service will keep your loved one up to date on all the best shows and movies at home, and it’s a gift that never grows old.
Choosing a gift card (whether in-store or online) is an easy process. Almost every popular streaming service has a section on its website or app where your gift recipient can activate their subscription. Once that’s done, they can watch any number of shows or revisit a favorite film all from the comfort of their couch. Sounds like a great time, if you ask us.
Netflix? Disney Plus? Streaming services make quick and easy gifts.
Before you buy a streaming gift card, there are a few things to consider. Your giftee will need a streaming device or smart TV to enjoy the service. (If they don’t have one, congratulations! You’ve stumbled onto another gift idea. CNET can help you navigate affordable, quality streaming devices and smart TVs.) In addition, once the gift card or gift subscription runs out, access to the service does too. If the recipient wants to keep using the service, they’ll need to add a credit card for payments.
Here’s a list of some of the best streaming service gift subscriptions you can give to family and friends this year, from popular choices to more niche products for people with particular viewing sensibilities.Netflix
Streaming veteran Netflix — like Hulu — offers gift cards online or in-store through retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Kroger. Netflix offers three subscription tiers: Standard ad-supported ($7 per month), Standard ($15.49 per month) and Premium ($23 per month), although you’ll need to pay extra to share your password.
Netflix is packed with movies, shows, documentaries and original content. With a subscription, you can also check out mobile games on the Netflix app for no extra charge. Disney Plus
Disney Plus is the only streaming platform where you can find the majority of Pixar and Marvel releases, Star Wars and Marvel movies, as well as Disney Vault movies, fun documentaries and plenty of TV shows. Gift your loved one a Disney Plus gift card, which they can put towards a subscription to the service. Disney Plus gift cards can be purchased online at various retailers.
A Disney Plus subscription costs $8 per month for the ad-based plan. The ad-free version costs $14 a month. Disney also offers two bundles. Trio Basic combines Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus with ads for $15 monthly.
