Streaming Platforms on a College Budget: Choose Your Fighter.
In the age of overwhelming content options, it can be nearly impossible to choose a streaming platform to subscribe to. Oh, to pick between Hulu’s Handmaid’s Tale or Amazon Prime’s The Boys? Paramount Plus’s iCarly reboot or Discovery Plus’s 90 Day Fiance? Even more, subscription fees appear to be constantly on the rise as platforms grow larger. As a college student myself, I can barely cover my rent, let alone pay $18.99 a month just to watch my favorite K-Drama. Luckily for me and you, many of these platforms offer discounted rates specifically for college students. So, if you’re struggling to financially commit to a platform, here are some college student deals that won’t wreck your wallet.
Amazon Prime Student Membership ($6.49/month)
With the Amazon Prime Student membership, you’ll not only get all the perks of a Prime membership (free shipping, discounted rates on your favorite products), you’ll also get access to Amazon Prime’s massive library of shows and movies. Students receive their first six months free, after which the subscription fee becomes $6.49 a month, which is just half of the regular Prime membership. You’ve fooled me once again, Bezos, but I’ll get you next time.
Bonus: If you’re not interested in paying $6.49/month, you can actually share the deals of a regular Prime membership with multiple accounts. So, if your family or friends have a Prime membership, they can share the perks with your personal Amazon account without you having to mooch directly off of their account (no scrambled “Recently Viewed” lists, if you know what I mean).
Hulu Student Membership ($1.99/month)
Sounds too good to be true, right? The student discount gives you access to all Hulu shows, with the stipulation of ads (oh, the horror!). I can watch Hulu’s Handmaid’s Tale or my latest obsession, The Great, for half the price of a Starbucks coffee every month.
Hulu also collaborates with Spotify and Showtime to bring you the Spotify Student Membership with Hulu and Showtime for only $4.99/month. If you’re looking for a catch-all membership as a college student, this is your best bet.
Get 3 months free: Premium Student with Hulu and SHOWTIME
Paramount+ Student Discount (25% off all plans)
Paramount has entered the fighting ring with 25% off all of their subscriptions for college students, with their cheapest subscription plan being $4.99/month ($3.75 with the discount). If you’re a die-hard iCarly fan or love watching Drag Queens fight on reality TV, this is the place for you.
Student Discount for Paramount Plus Live TV & On Demand Streaming Service
Discovery+ (1.99/Month)
While it’s not yet one of the larger contenders like Amazon or Hulu, Discovery+ features my two favorite brothers (The Property Brothers, that is). Discovery+ also offers one of the cheaper student memberships. If you’re like me and just want a Discovery+ account for Jonathan and Drew Scott, consider splitting the monthly fee with a parent or relative who also consumes a lot of HGTV and/or TLC (which are just two of the many major channels the network owns).
A note to Discovery+ from the writer: I’ll be waiting for the What Not to Wear Reboot. Thanks <3
https://get.discoveryplus.com/studentoffer/
Don’t want to pay for a streaming subscription? No worries, Florida State University actually offers access to streaming services for FSU students. From popular TV to indie movies to educational content, FSU’s free streaming platforms have something for everybody. To find out more about streaming platforms offered by FSU (like Films on Demand, Kanopy, or Swank), check out their webpage on streaming media at https://guides.lib.fsu.edu/streamingmedia/streamingatfsu.
Another option for avid movie watchers at FSU is our very own Student Life Cinema which plays a number of blockbusters, indie flix, and classic films every week. The cinema features a state-of-the-art movie theater with concessions. Movies are free for FSU students with a valid FSUCard, $6 for non-students, and $3 for faculty/staff/alumni. Check out upcoming movies and events here: https://movies.fsu.edu
All in all, if you can spare a cup of coffee a month, many of these streaming platforms will fit in your budget. If you’re not looking to subscribe to multiple platforms, look for the platform that matches your interests and has the most content for your taste and budget. Still not sure which streaming site to choose? Most of these platforms also offer free trials before you commit to a subscription, so feel free to peruse each platform's options before deciding. However, make sure to take note of the length of each company’s free trial, as they’re likely to begin billing you after a certain number of days. Between Amazon Prime Student, Hulu, Paramount+, and Discovery+, there are plenty of affordable options for the average college student. And if you’re trying to curb your spending, try Florida State University’s Student Life Center, which offers free movies as well as other cool activities and events perfect for filling time between and after classes.
Written by: Mia Hernandez
Art by: Mikael Byrd | Instagram
