Netflix, YouTube TV, Fubo, DIRECTV Stream: Who’s Giving Free Trials For Christmas?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, our whole family is here this week for Christmas. Do you know of any streamers that are providing free trials so we can watch TV for free this week? And Merry Christmas!! — Daisy, Plano, Texas.

Daisy, that’s a great question and Merry Christmas to you and all our readers! There are several streaming services that currently have free trials but let me alert you and everyone that they are usually only available to new users. For instance, if you subscribed to a service earlier this year and then cancelled, that service will not allow you to sign up for a free trial. You also need to know that the regular subscriber rate will apply if you don’t cancel prior to the end of the free trial period.

Now that said, let’s look at some of the free trials now available from the nation’s top streaming services.

* DIRECTV Stream, the multi-channel live streaming service and sister service to DIRECTV satellite, currently has a five-day free trial. The service’s base plan starts at $86.99 a month. You can learn more here.

* Fubo, another live streamer, has a seven-day free trial. The base plan, called Essential, costs $79.99 a month. You can learn more here.

* YouTube TV, the largest live streamer by number of subscribers, has a free trial but the length varies; sometimes it’s 10 days while occasionally it’s 21 days. You can find out the current term here. YouTube TV’s base plan costs $82.99 a month.

* Hulu Live, the live streaming companion to Hulu’s less expensive Video on Demand service, has a 3-day trial now. The base plan costs $82.99 a month. You can learn more here.

* Sling TV, the last major live streamer, does not have a free trial.

* Hulu’s Video on Demand plan has been running a 30-day free trial for its ads-supported base plan, which is $9.99 a month. You can learn more here.

* Paramount Plus, which has a base plan starting at $7.99 a month, currently has a seven-day free trial. You can learn more here.

* Apple TV now has a 7-day free trial with its base plan costing $9.99 a month. You can learn more here.

* Max, the streamer formerly known as HBO Max, does not offer a free trial nor does Disney Plus, Peacock or Netflix.

Daisy, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

Have a question about a favorite show or new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch TV. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.