Choosing a Streaming Service: Why Should You Try It Before You Buy?

Over the last decades, people have always loved watching television, see movies and consume all types of content: news, sports, music, dramas, comedies, entertainment shows, documentaries, children’s programs and so much more.

However, the traditional media landscape is rapidly changing, and many cord-cutters feel that cable TV seems to be on a slow but steady course towards its unavoidable fate.
More households are ditching their old-school cable company for what they see as a better or cheaper internet-based replacement that offers many key benefits.

Users enjoy the ability to watch live TV channels, either at home or on the go, through their desired digital device.
They also get access to a large library that enables them to flexibly consume massive amounts of original, award-winning, popular programming on demand – whenever they want.
This is a big advantage in the age of instant gratification, the binge-watching world we live in, and where subscribers frequently complete full seasons of a given series in a single sitting.

Additionally, there are no long-term contracts, no overly expensive cable package bills and the services are easy to join and easy to cancel.
Some platforms provide a comprehensive cable-TV alternative solution and offer an extensive collection of TV channels alongside video content in every imaginable category.
Other providers focus on specific niches and deliver specialty content, which in most cases cannot be obtained on the major platforms.

There are many competing streaming TV and video providers on the market, and each media brand offers its unique mix of channels, content options, features, free trial terms and rates coupled with their own set of pros and cons.

Using free trials is a great way to test the waters and obtain independent insights on which streaming media website deserves your hard-earned money, before purchasing a subscription.

How to Make the Most of a Streaming Video Site Trial Offer?

Using an initial trial period allows you to try out a premium streaming service for free before spending a penny.

It’s a great way to verify that the provider you consider delivers on everything you’re looking for before actually putting money down.
Research, reviews, and customer recommendations are extremely useful, but it’s not the same as actually taking a platform for a test drive.

This time window enables you to fully explore the platform’s features, evaluate its ease of use, assess its value for money, use the smartphone app, and experience the provider’s customer service and support departments.

After starting your free trial, play around for a little bit with the system, understand how the interface works and get acquainted with all the features.
Explore all the available content options on the platform (live TV and on-demand video programming), see how much of it is appealing to you and your family and check if your favorite ‘must-have’ channels are included.

Try out the interface’s functionality. Is it user-friendly? For example, can you easily pause, rewind or fast-forward?
Test the cloud DVR, check out its time and storage limits and see how easy it is to record and playback programs while skipping commercials.

Check how many simultaneous streams are supported per account (and if more can be purchased), which devices are compatible with the platform and whether there are any parental controls to keep the kids safe.

Towards the end of the free trial, ask yourself: do you like using this platform? How is the stream quality? Do you like the channel and on-demand video selection? How does it fit into your day-to-day life?

If you’re happy with what you saw and experienced in during the trial phase, then consider joining the service as a paid subscriber.
However, if the trial period did not leave you impressed or if the service did not meet your expectations or needs, simply cancel the trial and try alternative streaming platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Since everyone expects different things, trying out several subscription video on-demand (SVOD) providers for free is a smart step before choosing one for a paid streaming service subscription.
Here’s a list of common questions (and answers) that often come up during this process.

• Why Should You Sign Up? Benefits of Using Free Trials before Choosing Any Paid Service
  
• “Credit Card Required”: Why Do Some Free Trial Offers Require Users to Enter-In Their Credit Card Information?
  
• Risk-Free Offer Models: What’s the Difference Between Free Trials, Freemium and Money-Back Guarantee?
  
• Common Free Trial Scams: How Do They Work and What Can You Do To Avoid Them?
  
• Tips: How Do You Cancel a Free Trial You Signed Up For?