14 Best Streaming Services for Seniors

Streaming services have become so popular that even seniors are cutting the cord. They've proven to be a worthy replacement for cable TV, not least because they're cheaper and easier to cancel. There's plenty to choose from at the moment, from on-demand services like Netflix to live TV services like YouTube TV, so to help simplify your options, we thought of listing down the best streaming services for the elderly. 

The services below will vary in affordability and content, but for the most part, these are the easiest to use and the most varied in terms of programming. Although if you are a fan of classics, we made sure to include platforms that exclusively stream just that. Read on to learn more about these senior-friendly services. 

Our recommended three best streaming services for seniors:
Sling Orange $40 Watch
Sling Blue $40 Watch
Sling Orange + Blue $60 Watch

Sling Orange is for all cord-cutters who wish to save money, but it's especially for sports fans who watch ESPN channels as well as households that watch the Disney Channel.

Price: $40/month

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Xbox One

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Disney Channel, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, Freeform, Fuse, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MotorTrend, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, Vice

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Sling Blue has one of the best price-quality ratios for cord-cutters. For only $40, you get access to big networks like AMC, Bravo, TBS, National Geographic, and NBC. This package from sling makes the most sense for cord-cutters who don't watch ESPN or the Disney Channel, which are included in the "Sling Orange" offer.

Price: $40/month

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Discovery Channel, E!, EPIX Drive-In, Food Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MSNBC, National Geographic, NFL Network, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, SYFY, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, USA Network, Vice

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With over 100 live TV channels, including ESPN and BeIN, Fubo TV is first and foremost for sports fans. But as it expands, it's including channels and movies that appeal to a wider audience.

Price: $79.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Roku, Xfinity Flex, Xumo

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Bein Sports, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Estrella TV, FETV, FMC, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, Intravel, Local Now, MASN, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Tastemade, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WGN America, Willow, YES Network

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Netflix is an ad-free streaming platform that operates on a monthly, or annual, subscription. There are three pricing plans – Basic, Standard and Premium – and the one you choose will determine the number of devices that you can simultaneously use to watch Netflix, in case you want to share the account with someone else. There are three plans, though pricing differs from region to region. First up is the Basic plan, which allows you to watch on one device at a time. Upgrading to the Standard plan allows you to watch shows and movies, and download them for offline viewing, on up to 2 different devices at a time. The top-tier Premium plan lets you watch and download on up to 4 different devices, and comes with the options to watch videos in HD and Ultra HD. Once subscribed, you can watch movies and TV shows directly on your browser via Netflix.com. You also have the option of downloading the app on pretty much any mobile device, including iOS, Android, or Windows. The app also works on computers using Windows XP or later and Macs with OS X Tiger or later.

Price: $6.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Changhong, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, Haier, Hisense, iOS, LG TV, Nvidia SHIELD, Panasonic, Philips, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung, Samsung TV, Sharp, Skyworth, Sony, TiVo, Vestel, Vizio, Wii, Xbox

Hulu with Live TV is an obvious choice if you already have Hulu On-Demand, as you'll get to keep all your payment information and history, interact with a similar interface, and get a Live TV service without much effort.

Price: $76.99/month

Free Trial: 3 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC Localish, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS News, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN College Extra, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FS1, FS2, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, Hallmark, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, History, HLN, ID, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Localish, Military History Channel, Motor Trend, MSNBC, MTV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBCLX, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, Telemundo, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, TVLand, Universal Kids, USA Network, VH1, Vice, Weather Channel

Amazon's premium membership program is an all-in-one bundle that includes access to the streaming platform Prime Video, more commonly referred to in this publication as “Amazon Prime.” A subscription entitles you not only to Amazon Prime's thousands of films and TV shows, but also to Amazon's delivery benefits, which include discounted fees, free shipping, and same-day delivery on select items. The membership bundle costs $14.99/month, but you can access the streaming service as a standalone for just $8.99.

Depending on where you live, access to Amazon Prime might differ. If you live in the US, UK, or Germany, you have the option of paying a yearly or monthly subscription fee for an Amazon Prime account. Users from the US, UK, France, and Brazil likewise have access to Amazon Prime's sports content which, depending on the season, may include live and on-demand coverage of basketball, football, and baseball events. Meanwhile, people in countries where Amazon is not operating may only be able to access it from a browser.  

In addition to on-demand streaming, you can rent or buy titles that are not on the service or purchase add-on channels like HBO, Starz, and MLB.TV to watch on the Amazon Prime platform. And apart from Amazon devices, the app is available on any mobile device, including iOS, Android, or Windows. The app also works on Apple and Windows computers, a wide range of TVs, mobile devices, and gaming consoles.

Price: $8.99/month

Free Trial: 30 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Changhong, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, Haier, Hisense, iOS, LG, Nvidia SHIELD, Panasonic, Philips, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung, Sharp, Skyworth, Sony, TiVo, Vestel, Vizio, Wii, Xbox

Paramount Plus Essential is a video-on-demand service that replaces its predecessor, CBS All Access, and is currently available in the US, Canada, and parts of Latin America. This ad-supported tier costs $5.99, while Paramount's premium, ad-free tier costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year, with an optional 7-day free trial. Essential subscribers used to have the option to bundle the service with Showtime, but ever since the Paramount-Showtime merger in June 2023, the latter is now only available to Premium subscribers. But to its credit, Essential still has 40,000 episodes and movies to its name, plus live feeds on NFL on CBS and the UEFA Champions League. You can access Paramount Plus Essential via web browser, while the app is supported on a wide range of TV and mobile devices.

Price: $5.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense Android TV, iOS, LG TV, Playsation, Roku, Samsung TV, Sony Bravia Android TVs, TCL 3-Series Smart TV, Visio TV, Vizio TV, Xbox

Dubbed "The Free Netflix," Tubi is one of the best options for streaming quality movies and TV shows online. The completely free, ad-supported service has one of the most extensive title lineups, plus it's compatible with most devices, making it an extremely popular option for cord-cutters. Though it has been noted to have a less than stellar resolution, most viewers don't mind due to its easy interface, constantly updated library, and of course free titles. Parents will also be glad to know that the service has parental control features.

Price: free for 78 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sony, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox One

Channel lineup: 21 Jump Street, ABC Localish, ABC News, ACC Digital Network, AFV Family, All Real, Baywatch, Bein Sports XTRA, bein Sports Xtra en Espanol, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Quicktake, Bounce XL, Brat TV, BUZZR, Caught in Providence, CBC News, Cheddar, CINEVAULT: 80's, CINEVAULT: Classics, CINEVAULT: Westerns, Circle, Comedy Dynamics, Cosmos, Deal or No Deal, Dove Channel, El Rey, Estrella News, EuroNews English, Fear Factor, FilmRise Classic TV, FilmRise Westerns, Forensic Files, FOX, Fox Deportes, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, fubo Sports Network, Game Show Central, Gordon Ramsay, Heartland, Johnny Carson TV, live now from Fox, LOL-Network, Lone Star, Masked Singer Channel, Maverick Black Cinema, MLB, Moviesphere Free, My Time Movie Network, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Nash Bridges, NBC News Now, Newsy, NFL Channel, NHRA TV, Nosey, Pac-12 Insider, Pattrn, People TV, Real Madrid TV, REELZ, Revolt Mixtape, So Real, Sports Wire, Stadium, Supermarket Sweep, The Biggest Loser, The Bob Ross Channel, The Carol Burnett Show, The Conners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Grio, the NFL Channel, The Only Way is Essex, TMZ, TODAY All Day, Tubi Originals, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, Vice, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Weather Nation, Wipeout Xtra

Formerly HBO Max, Max is a subscription-based on-demand platform that is only available in the US. New subscribers can choose from three monthly tiers ranging from $9.99 (with ads) to $16.99 (no ads) to $20.99 (no ads, plus more concurrent streams, downloads, and 4K streaming). An annual subscription option is also available. When you subscribe, you'll get HBO’s world-class exclusives, such as The Wire and Game of Thrones but Max also functions as a bundle: you'll get content from Discovery, DC, Criterion Collection, Looney Tunes, Studio Ghibli, Turner Classic Movies, and Crunchyroll. And as of September 2023, you will also get a live stream of CNN. Most mobile devices that can stream video support Max, although there is yet no app for Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.

Price: $9.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Pluto TV is a modern take on traditional cable: it has hundreds of channels streaming live, a huge library of on demand content, and it’s supported by ads. But the key difference from the competition? It’s totally free.

Price: $free/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Virgin Media, Vizio SmartCast, webOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Channel lineup: 60 minutes Pluto, BBC Food, BBC Home, Bein Sports XTRA, Bloomberg Television, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, Check with Pluto TV for the full channel lineup, Cheddar News, CNN, CNN Originals, ET Live, Food TV, Fox Sports, Hallmark En Espanol, Hip Hop Family, Hip Hop Family VH1, La Familia del Barrio, Love & Hip-Hop VH1, Major League Soccer, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, MLB, MotorTrend FAST TV, NBC News Now, Newsmax, NFL Channel, NFL Super Bowl Classics, Nosey, People TV, PGA Tour, Pluto Channels, Queens of Reality, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sky News, Smithsonian Channel, Stories AMC, TBN, Today, TV Land Drama, WeatherNation, WOW – Women Of Wrestling, WPT

Originally founded in 2002, Shout Factory is a long-standing leader in independent film and television distribution. They have recently started a streaming service called ShoutFactory that streams their content as well as some "live channels" - for the most part lineups of their series that play on repeat.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Website

As the name suggests, Classix is the ultimate repository of vintage titles; from film noir and screwball comedies to westerns and cartoons, it's all here. The service is completely free of charge, a true haven for classic fans, but for a one-time charge of $3.99 (no renewal fee) users can get access to even more titles, including full seasons of shows like Bonanza and The Pink Panther. The streamer works well on most major devices, and even though the films don't have the crisp, restored resolution of their more popular contemporaries, they're still a ball to watch.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Android, Apple TV, iOS, Website

While programming depends on your geographical location, Acorn TV in the US focuses on TV shows from dozens of international networks in countries of the Commonwealth, from British channels like the BBC and ITV as well as Oceanic shows from Australia and New Zealand. 

Aside from British shows, there’s also a solid selection of content from other major European networks from France, Italy and Ireland. 

Price: $5.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku

What are the best streaming services for seniors?

You can get streaming services for seniors with Sling Orange, Sling Blue, Fubo, Netflix, Hulu with Live TV, Amazon Prime, Paramount+ Essential, Tubi, Max, Pluto TV Live, Shout! Factory TV, Classix, or Acorn TV.

Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 14 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.

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The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.