Gifting a streaming subscription can be a nice way to help you and your loved ones stay on top of the rapidly growing library of content — especially when you find yourself in need of an easy-to-deliver, practical, or last-minute Christmas present. But figuring out how exactly to do that can be confusing. How do you even gift a subscription? Which ones do gift cards? Are there bundles? Which service has Yellowstone? Don’t sweat. We originally published this piece on December 4, 2020 and have kept up to date with streaming gift options ever since. Let’s go service by service to understand how to shop for them if you need a last-minute gift for your loved ones.
The gist: If Netflix’s algorithm hasn’t already suggested a show (or five) that piques your interest, you might just be impossible to please. The streamer is constantly churning out content ranging from prestige cinema to group-chat-consuming reality shows, as well as both Nobody Wants This and a new season of Squid Game (out on Christmas) The Crown and The Witcher (now with Liam Hemsworth!), so why not get your uninitiated loved ones acquainted — or reacquainted — with what the streaming service has to offer.
How to gift it: A gift card! To give Netflix, you can buy $15 to $200 worth of gift cards, either online or in stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target, or Best Buy. And unlike some other services’ gift subscriptions, a Netflix gift card can apply to new and existing subscribers. They can redeem those cards on Netflix’s website and go to town.
The gist: An easy hit with parents, let your giftee take advantage of family-friendly Disney and Pixar movies like Moana or Inside Out 2 Encanto or Turning Red, get sucked into Marvel and Star Wars with Andor or Deadpool & Wolverine, or chill to nature docs. It can keep kids happy and adults buzzing about laser swords and African lions.
How to gift it: First things first: Disney+ has gotten rid of its option to gift new subscribers a yearly subscription, switching over to gift cards only from now on. Gifting is now more flexible since you can gift new and old subscribers anywhere from $25–$200 for their subscriptions. (Originally, Disney only offered yearly gift subscriptions.) All you have to do to redeem is head over to the website, fill out your card information, and then, boom, you’ll be blessed with the gift of seeing Baby Yoda in beautiful 4K. Gift cards even apply to those who have a Disney bundle with Hulu and ESPN+, so it’s basically triple the gifting.
The gist: Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service has had a confusing run (and if you’re still figuring it out, fret not! We’ve broken down everything you need to know about Max, formerly known as HBO Go/Now/Max), but it boasts an impressive library of movies and television that anyone would appreciate. From classics like Singin’ in the Rain and The Red Shoes, to DC Universe content like The Penguin and Discovery+ additions like Trixie Motel, to — of course — HBO shows like The Last of Us and Succession (with our No. 1 boy, Jeremy Strong!), Max has something for everyone.
How to gift it: You can’t. But nothing says “I love you†more than surprising someone with your log-in info, right?
The gist: If they don’t have a Prime membership yet (an impressive feat in the year of our Lord 2024!), it can turn out to be a great multipurpose gift. Where else can you simultaneously buy a value pack of air fresheners for the car and stare at Walton Goggins in Fallout?
How to gift it: You just can’t gift Amazon Prime Video anymore, you gotta get an Amazon Prime gift card, which the giftee can then use to their heart’s content. Log in and fill out the usual details: your recipient’s email address, when you want it delivered, and a special little message. Gift cards start at $25.
The gist: If you miss flipping through channels or crave that cable-TV experience without actually paying the price for it, Hulu’s your best bet. The streaming service offers a Live TV tier of their subscription services, plus they drop prime-time shows from ABC, Freeform, and other TV networks the day after they air, so you can still have your date night with a new episode of Abbott Elementary. Or you can watch FX on Hulu, which gives FX shows like Atlanta, Reservation Dogs, and The Bear exclusive runs on the service. Hulu has its fair share of original movies and shows, including Palm Springs, The Dropout, and Only Murders in the Building.
How to gift it: For Hulu, you can gift digital or physical gift cards to new or existing subscribers, which you can buy at retailers like Best Buy or Target for $25, $50, or $100.
The gist: The streaming service for old souls, cinephiles, and anyone who insists on calling movies “pictures,†the Criterion Channel boasts a library of over 2,000 titles to get lost in. Discover the entrancing work of French New Wave filmmakers like Agnès Varda and Jean-Luc Godard, and dive into the indie works that probably inspired a lot of your current favorite directors.
How to gift it: The Criterion Channel offers a surprisingly easy gifting process. On the Criterion website, all you have to do is click “Gift Subscription†and pick however many months you’d like to give, from one month for $10.99 up to a one-year subscription for $99.99. Just note that you can only buy a subscription for new users.
The gist: While other new streaming services shot onto the scene with a bang, Apple TV+ was more of the introverted friend who quietly cheers from the sidelines. But never underestimate an introvert! Apple TV+ may have mostly original film and television, but much of that is surprisingly good original film and television. The heartwarming CODA was the first streaming movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars. And It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Rob McElhenney has his workplace comedy Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet on this service — plus, we can’t forget the additive absurdity of The Morning Show. We also think Severance rules and you might as well prep for the long-awaited season two.
How to gift it: Apple TV+ is one of the cheaper subscriptions on the market, going for $9.99 per month. Giving a subscription is as simple as buying an Apple gift card, which are available basically anywhere. Then there’s Apple One, where you can bundle Apple Music, Apple TV+, and more for as low as $19.95 per month.
The gist: Paramount+ has grown a lot since rebranding away from the CBS All Access name, with new originals, to “thousands†of shows and movies from BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures’ back catalogues, and now, integrating Showtime into its streaming service. So you’ll have access to Yellowjackets, a handful of A24 films, and shows like The Curse, and, of course, as much Star Trek and Taylor Sheridan content as you could ever possibly need.
How to gift it: The best way to gift a subscription to Paramount+ is by buying a digital gift card. A month’s Premium subscription with Showtime to the streaming service costs $12.99 per month. (A $7.99-per-month tier is available — but you’ll lose live TV and gain limited commercials.) Gift cards come in $25, $50, or $100 amounts.
The gist: For the horror fans in your life, Shudder is the most obvious, yet underrated, choice of a streaming service to gift. From innovative horrors like a Zoom séance gone wrong (at this point, do they ever go right?) in Host to unique horror documentaries like Xavier Burgin’s Horror Noire, Shudder is dedicated exclusively to the kinds of films that get your heart racing, with a library full of horror, thriller, and suspense titles.
How to gift it: There are unfortunately no gifting options, but you could always just buy your horror-loving BFF a Visa gift card and provide explicit instructions that it absolutely must be used for a Shudder subscription, or else.
The gist: Peacock is a streaming service dedicated to content from NBC and other entities from the NBCUniversal family, like Paramount, Bravo and E!. The service is similar to Hulu, using a next-day release schedule for its prime-time NBC shows, and Peacock offers a “Channels†feature that can get you scrolling through a program guide. And while Peacock’s original streaming is still growing, Traitors and Poker Face are a great start.
How to gift it: Again, you can’t. But you could always offer your friends and neighbors an official open-door policy to come watch Peacock at your house whenever they want.
The gist: Starz has a more modest selection of originals than its fellow premium-cable subscriptions Showtime and HBO, but it does have its share of buzzy, breakout hits like Outlander and Sweetpea, plus a decent vault of Sony titles like the Venom and Planet of the Apes franchises and Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.
How to gift it: Starz claims to have gift cards in $25 and $50 increments, but only physical ones, according to its FAQ pages. No digital options in this economy is certainly a choice! But if you’re out and about, you can try your luck browsing the shelves at your local retailers. If all else fails, a regular subscription to Starz goes for $9.99 per month, and discounts pop up every once in a while. (Right now, you can get a subscription for $7 per month for three months.)
The gist: It’s the go-to network for lifestyle-brand reality TV with a huge library of content that spans Discovery’s portfolio. Along with archives of Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Food Network, TLC, and HGTV shows like Property Brothers; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives; Planet Earth; and Say Yes to the Dress, Discovery+ is home to new and upcoming original programming including three new 90 Day Fiancé spinoffs, a nature documentary narrated by David Schwimmer, and a partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines’s Magnolia Network.
How to gift it: Discovery+ no longer offers a gift subscription, though if you still need to redeem a past one, you still can. As of now, you can either offer to pay for someone’s subscription — as low as $4.99 per month with limited ads — or give them your password.
The gist: A streamer specifically focused on anime, Crunchyroll is another niche service perfect for gifting to a certain category of fan. From shows like My Hero Academia to Naruto and Attack on Titan, Crunchyroll is one of the few comprehensive anime hubs, period. Plus, its different tiered subscriptions — Premium Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan — allow for access to Crunchyroll events and discounts at their store. It’s one of the few subscriptions on this list to give extra perks.
How to gift it: If you want to give a Premium Fan Crunchyroll subscription, thankfully they have digital gift cards to easily send to your friends and family. The cards are available in one-, three-, and 12-month increments ranging from $7.99 to $79.99. (Buying a yearlong subscription saves you around $16.) Once you buy the digital gift card online, you can choose to email the redeemable card to whomever you plan to gift it to. Easy peasy.
The gist: Mubi is the place for absolute cinephile diehards. A cross between a streaming service, a curated platform, and a place to just discuss movies, Mubi lets you watch and talk about your favorite art-house and indie films with an online community. It’s basically the service to get your friend whose first move after watching a movie is immediately logging it on Letterboxd.
How to gift it: Mubi easily lets you send gift subscriptions. It has two options: You can either gift three months for $39.99 or you can gift a whole year for $109.99. Seeing as how a regular monthly subscription to the service is $14.99, you do save on the yearly gift, but either way, the option is yours.
The gist: ESPN+ is where you can get all of (okay, more like some of) the ESPN programming that you and the sports fans you know love. The app doesn’t duplicate or replace the programming that already goes on ESPN or its various subsidiary channels, so fans of leagues like the NFL, MLB, and the NBA will still probably need cable or another sports streaming service to enjoy those massively popular, appointment-TV games. What it does offer is exclusive coverage of UFC; live coverage of boxing, soccer, and big tennis tournaments; and an on-demand library that includes the acclaimed 30 for 30 series.
How to gift it: In full-year commitments at $109.99 a pop and, for new users only, through ESPN+’s gifting portal.
The gist: Hoops fans, rejoice. Gifting an NBA subscription online is much simpler than some of the other marquee sports options out there. League Pass gets you marquee access too — live and on-demand games, access to out-of-market games, select NBA TV Show archives, and even special feeds and additional camera angles, depending on availability. Note that you won’t get around location restrictions like blackouts, but it’s still an easy way to watch the NBA without cable. There are lower and higher subscription tiers, like NBA TV for live coverage, Team Pass to follow just one team, and League Pass Premium to kill commercials and add devices. League Pass is the so-called “fan-favorite†tier.
How to gift it: No specific gift card or purchase option, so the easiest way is to enter the recipient’s email and log-in info on the site and make an account for them while you foot the bill for an annual subscription: $49.99 for NBA TV and $99.99–$149.99 for League Pass plans.
The gist: Sling TV is a live-television streaming service owned by Dish Network. The deal is simple: For one of their subscriptions, users can access live programming without having to deal with a traditional cable or satellite subscription. Sling is a great inexpensive option for live-TV sports fans who love their ESPN or Fox Sports, but don’t need access to every game.
How to gift it: Sling gift cards in a bunch of cash denominations are widely available at brick-and-mortar retailers, and you can buy one through Sling’s website starting at $35.
The gist: For the person in your life who’s more into the BBC than ABC, there’s BritBox, a streaming service dedicated to everything and anything British TV. From Downton Abbey to a whole slew of Agatha Christie films and comedies, there’s plenty to get lost in — and plenty of familiar faces. A quick scroll through the titles, and we already found Olivia Colman, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Daniel Kaluuya.
How to gift it: Gifting a BritBox subscription isn’t too hard because the company makes it very accessible, so thank you, BritBox. All you have to do is fill out a form that includes an optional note space for you to write a little something for your giftee friend or family member. The only catch is that BritBox only lets you give a yearlong subscription, which costs $89.99. But BritBox does shave off the cost of two months if you buy a whole year, so not too bad.
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