If you're stuck inside during the COVID-19 outbreak, watching streaming video is an excellent way to pass the time. There's always something new to watch, and if you're looking to add a new service to your collection, we can help you make a choice that's right for your budget.

But the cost of those video-streaming services adds up. Many offer seven-day free trials, but with so many of us stuck at home, a number of more niche services are hoping to attract new eyeballs with extended trials and free content. Read on for those you can sample right now; we'll update this story if more services do the same.


Acorn TV Acorn TV offers US audiences access to programming from England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, you can now turn your 7-day free trial into a 30-day trial with the promo code FREE30 on the Acorn TV website. The service costs $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) after the 30 days are up.

Amazon Video In an effort to help parents entertain their children while stuck inside, Amazon Video is making its entire library of kids programming free. Even if you don't have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can stream the platform's collection of originals, PBS Kids, and IMDb TV family movies.

Apple TV+ Apple has made some of its original programming from Apple TV+ available for free. You can now watch Little America, Servant, For All Mankind, Dickinson, Snoopy in Space, Helpsters, Ghostwriter, and The Elephant Queen without a subscription. In order to access this free content, you first need an Apple ID to sign into the Apple TV app.

CBS All Access Here's some good news for Star Trek fans. With the Star Trek: Picard season finale nearly here, CBS All Access has decided to make the service free for one month instead of just a week. Sign up with the promo code GIFT before April 24 to get the expanded access.

Dox Channel Documentary streaming platform Dox Channel is doing things a little differently. Instead of expanding its 7-day free trial, the service is cutting its price in half for new subscribers. While the annual subscription price is $29.99, anyone who signs up at doxchannel.com will only pay $14.99 for a limited time.

Eros Now Are you a fan of Bollywood? Eros Now is currently giving fans a free, two-month trial if you sign up with the promo code STAYSAFE.

HBO HBO has made dozens of TV shows, movies, and documentaries available for free for the month of April. Just visit HBONow.com or HBOGo.com, or use the HBO Now or HBO GO apps. You can watch original HBO shows like Barry, Silicon Valley, The Sopranos, True Blood, Veep, The Wire, and more—including this year's Golden Globe winner for Best TV Drama Series, Succession. Original documentaries (like McMillion$) and some Warner Bros. theatrical releases have also been made available. No Game of Thrones, Westworld, or Big Little Lies but the full list is pretty good considering it's free.

Mubi Three months of Mubi, a subscription service offering a curated selection of films, is normally available for $1. But thanks to a partnership with the We Are Parable exhibition company, Mubi is now offering three months for free; sign up here.

Plex TV Plex has made its live TV feature free for all users until June 30. However, to take advantage of this deal, you must own an HD antenna and tuner. If you don't have these items already, Plex has worked with its partners to offer them at a discount for a limited time. More advanced Plex TV functionality, like DVR capabilities, still require a Plex Pass subscription.

PokerGO Fans of poker can get a free, one-month trial of PokerGO by using the promo code WATCHPARTY when signing up. This service offers streams of the biggest poker tournaments in the world and even has some original programming.

Showtime Showtime is offering an extended 30-day trial period to all new subscribers who sign up before May 3.

Shudder 3.5 Horror streaming service Shudder is also expanding its 7-day free trial to 30 days with promo code SHUTIN. Shudder offers access to plenty of horror films and series, including exclusive content, and a 24/7 television feed. After your trial is up, the service will cost $4.75 a month. $4.75/Month at Shudder

Sling TV 3.5 For a limited time, live TV streaming service Sling TV is offering a selection of free content at watch.sling.com for those stuck inside during the COVID-19 outbreak. That includes ABC News Live, FOX News, and local FOX affiliates in 18 markets. Watch on the web or download the Sling TV app on a Roku, Amazon, or Android (no iOS for now). Then click "Browse as Guest" or "Try SLING Free" to begin watching. If you like what you see, Sling is also offering $10 off your first month of service, making it just $20. Subscribers can also get free extended previews of select networks: Cheddar News (until April 18) CNBC (through April 20) DOGTV (no expiration date listed) Fox Movie Channel (April 17) Fox News (April 17) FX Movie Channel (April 17) Game Show Network (April 30) Hallmark, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (May 13) Nat Geo Wild (April 17) Oxygen (no expiration date listed) Showtime (March 30) Sundance TV (April 20).

Stingray (Karaoke, Qello, and Classica) Stingray is offering a few different deals for its collection of streaming services. Stingray Karaoke is making its entire catalog free until April 18. Stingray Qello has made a selection of performances available for for free until April 18. You can get a free month of Stingray Classic by entering promo code freeview here.

Sundance Now Sundance Now, the video streaming arm of Sundance TV, is now offering a 30-day free trial, up from the usual 7-day offering. Use the promo code SUNDANCENOW30 at sundancenow.com. The service costs $4.99 a month after the trial ends.

Urban Movie Channel UMC is a dedicated streaming service for black television and film, offering stand-up specials from black comedians, classic programming, and original series. The service costs $4.99 a month ($49.99 for the year) but new subscribers can sign up for an extended 30-day free trial with promo code UMCFREE30.

WWE Network Wrestling fans are in luck because WWE Network is offering free content for a limited time. While fans will still need to be subscribers to watch WrestleMania 36, the platform's library of classic matches, past Pay-Per-View events, and recent RAW and Smackdown episodes will be available for free.

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