The 15 best early Black Friday 2023 streaming deals

• Current Price: $150
• Original Price: $179

If you’ve cut cable, a streaming device is your best bet to watch your favorite shows or movies. If having all things Apple is your thing, then the Apple TV 4K will connect all of your favorite Apple devices and offer a 4K High Frame Rate HDR visual experience. 
Beyond your favorite streaming services, you can also download games, music, or news channels from the App Store. My favorite thing to do after a long day of work is open my Spotify app (sorry, Apple Music!) on the Apple TV and play my Unwind playlist as I cook and relax for the evening. 
Also: The best streaming devices you can buy

• Current Price: $40
  
• Original Price: $50

Chromecast with Google TV is a great budget-friendly streaming device that helps you turn any TV into a smart TV. Plug the tiny device into your TV’s HDMI port, and get access to Google Assistant and Google Play apps, or watch your favorite movies in 1080p high-definition resolution. 
Ahead of Black Friday, you can find the Chromecast for $40 at select retailers, such as Walmart, Best Buy, or Amazon. When you purchase Chromecast with Google TV in Walmart or Best Buy, you can also get 6 months of Peacock Premium for free. However, if you purchase it at Amazon, you can get a free $10 Gift Card. 

Review: Chromecast with Google TV

• Current Price: $110
  
• Original Price: $140

Amazon is known for its smart home devices, and the Fire TV Cube incorporates smart home features in a top-tier streaming device. Besides giving you access to your favorite streaming services, shows, or movies, you can control your TV, apps, and home devices with voice-control virtual assistant, Alexa, on the Amazon Fire TV Cube. 
The Fire TV Cube supports Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio so that you can get that cinematic experience from the comfort of your own home. Ahead of Black Friday, you can find the Fire TV Cube at a 21% discount. 

Also: The best Fire TV players: Fire TV Stick, Cube, Lite, and more compared

• Current Price: $20
  
• Original Price: $40

The Amazon Fire TV Stick has made headlines ever since its release. Not only is it incredibly affordable, but its slick, thin, and small design hides behind your TV, transforming it into a smart one. 

You can press the microphone button to access Alexa, use your Prime membership for shopping, or simply watch the latest shows or movies on Netflix, Hulu, Max, or Disney+. Right now, you can even find the budget-friendly Amazon Fire TV Stick for an even cheaper price since Amazon has it on sale for $20 ahead of Cyber Week. 

Also: Amazon Fire TV Stick comparison: How they stack up to each other

• Current Price: $10 per month
  
• Original Price: $11.99 per month

As a streaming service from NBCUniversal, Peacock offers everything from live TV and sports to blockbuster movies and award-winning shows. Currently, Peacock offers two monthly plans: a Premium plan for $5.99 and a Premium Plus plan for $11.99. 
However, if you get the Annual Plan Deals, you can save $12 per year on the Premium plan and $24 per year on the Premium Plus. If you are a Spectrum TV customer, you can get Peacock for free, or if you are a student, you can get Peacock Premium for $1.99 per month, saving you $48. There is currently no Peacock TV free trial, but you can cancel the service at any time. 

Also: The best Netflix alternatives: Binge-watch elsewhere

• Current Price: $6.99 per month
• Original Price: $14.99 per month

Prime Video is available as part of the Amazon Prime membership for $14.99, or you can sign up for it on your own for $8.99 per month. If you sign up for the annual Prime membership, you can also save $40 per year. The streaming service offers a wide range of movies, shows, sports, and even Amazon original films and series. 

If you are looking for some deals to save some cash, students can get a Prime monthly membership for $7.49 per month, saving them $90 a year, or $69 per year, saving them $111 a year. Qualified government assistance recipients, including SNAP EBT and Medicaid, can get Prime for $6.99, saving them $96 annually. 

Amazon also offers a 30-day free trial for non-Prime members and a Student 6-month free trial if you want to test the service before committing to it.
Also: The best video streaming services

• Current price: $12.50 per month
  
• Original price: $15.99 per month

HBO first launched its streaming service in 2020 as HBO Max. However, in May of this year, the service rebranded itself as Max to broaden its content offerings. Currently, Max offers two plans: A With Ads plan at $9.99 per month and an Ad-Free plan at $15.99 per month.

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Currently, you can include a Sports Add-On for free for a limited-time promotion. If you sign up for Max’s yearly plans, you can also save up to 20% and get its With Ads plan for $100 per year (saving you $20 per year) or its Ad-Free plan for $150 per year (saving you $42 per year).

If you are a Cricket customer, you can get Max for free in its $60 per month plan. 

• Current Price: $24.99 per month for the trio bundle with no ads
• Original Price: $42.97 per month for all three individually with no ads

Hulu offers several deals, especially when it comes to bundles. Currently, a Basic Hulu account is $7.99 per month with ads and $17.99 without ads and includes a 30-day free trial. If you are a student, you can get Hulu with Ads for $1.99 per month, saving you $6 monthly. 

If you get the Disney Bundle Duo, you can get Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $9.99 per month or without ads for $19.99, saving you 37%. Or if you get the Disney Bundle Trio, which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ you can get all three with ads for $14.99 per month or without ads for $24.99, saving you over 40% on all three services. 

Also: The best live TV streaming services

ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. 

We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. 

When it comes to streaming devices and services, it is honestly up to personal preference and budget. Most, if not all, of the tech giants offer their version of a streaming device that can turn your regular TV into a smart TV (if you don’t already have one). ZDNET’s pick for the best streaming device overall is the Apple TV 4K, which is also the one I own and love. But back when I was a college student, the Amazon Fire TV stick was my favorite due to its incredible value for price.

In terms of the best streaming services, picking a favorite truly depends on the shows and movies you love to watch. That is why we included the best deals available on all of the most popular services. However, if you really want to know my personal favorite, Hulu and Max are a non-negotiable must-have for me.