this post was submitted on 28 Mar 2026
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Streaming prices are out of hand. What are cheaper alternatives?

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[–] jtrek@startrek.website 26 points 3 days ago

Piracy.

Your public library.

Consume less media in general.

Buy stuff once (eg: DVDs, drm free music)

[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)
[–] SuspciousCarrot78@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Here I was giving them training wheels, and you said, "Nah, here's how you take a hairpin turn with a stick shift." 😅

[–] SuspciousCarrot78@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Don't make me tell them about them about the *arrs, usenet and jellyfin. Minds will be blown :)

The *arrs + JF + sabnzdb + torrents = complete and total replacement.

That exact stack has been the ruin of many a poor boy.

Just a hop, step and a leap from there to Proxmox and complete ungovernablity (host ALL your own replacements - Immich, Syncthing, Lemmy instance, Pi Hole, Paperless, Calibre, Navidrome...all the black magics)

DANGER. HERE THERE BE DRAGONS. (Expensive ones)

Good sir, Tim Curry would greet you as a member of Flint's own crew.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 22 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Take what you can. Give nothing back!

[–] BrazenSigilos@ttrpg.network 4 points 2 days ago

But all jokes aside, do give back by seeding your torrents. Some stuff is hard to get complete copies because of leechers.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 5 points 3 days ago

I never stopped. Welcome back, the waters fine.

[–] TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone 109 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Just steal everything. The powers that be rob you blind every day in a death by a thousand cuts kinda way.

They don't give a fuck about you, don't pay them any courtesies in return.

[–] Paranoidfactoid@lemmy.world 64 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

👉 Your local public library. You can borrow movies and books. Return them so someone else can use them too. Not run afoul of the law. Libraries are great!

[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Your library probably even has digital access to thousands of movies, books, and songs, so you don’t even have to leave the house!

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[–] SpiceDealer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago

Jump aboard, matey! The seas are always open and full of joyous plunder.

[–] SuspciousCarrot78@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)
[–] GreenBeanMachine@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

And piracy is still free, just as it has been my whole life.

[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

yo ho, all hands, hoist the colors high

heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die

I know this isn't the point, but has Spotify ever been good, as in a well designed UI? I feel like every time I've used it, there's been some bizarre design choice.

[–] Chivera@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I'm on Android and using ArchiveTunes to stream free music. No more Spotify.

[–] Acid_Burn@lemmy.dbzer0.com 35 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

fmhy.net is a constantly updated directory of streaming piracy sites. Make sure you have an ad blocker and enjoy any show from any service instantly with no sign up.

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[–] citizensongbird@lemmy.world 20 points 3 days ago (4 children)

How is this a surprise to anyone? They came to replace cable.

No, you still don't get it.

THEY CAME TO REPLACE CABLE.

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[–] apftwb@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Jackhammer_Joe@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

This. This has always been the better alternative and this always will be the better alternative!

[–] reddit_sux@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Download it. If caught just say you are training AGI (Actual Genuine Intelligence) of your own.

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[–] LordCrom@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Theoretically speaking...if someone wanted to search for torrents, where would one visit? Afaik, piratebay is long gone.

[–] GreenBeanMachine@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Pirate bay is alive and well, it's unkillable, never really has been gone, even if they manage to knock it down occasionally. Get VPN.

thepiratebay.org

There's also 1337.to

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Bold of you to assume that they can sink our beloved ship!

[–] Techlos@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

Torrents-csv.com is pretty nice too.

[–] orioler25@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

People still pay for this shit?

Jesus dude, buy an android TV and use Cloudstream or Stremio and the cost will just be the device itself. If you have decent internet but your ISP blocks that kind of streaming traffic, use DNS over HTTPS

[–] BurgerBaron@piefed.social 12 points 3 days ago (5 children)

For streaming, Debrid and Stremio!

Your local public library!

Buying physical media.

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[–] lithiumground@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

dont use imperialist american services

you can watch movies for free https://fmhy.net/video

[–] Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Spotify specific:

Use the free service to listen to new stuff in order to find groups you like. For the sub cost you can buy an album per month and have it forever. I work in areas that don't have great data connections, so having a local copy keeps the jams going without interruption or ads.

[–] bizarroland@lemmy.world 25 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Soma.fm and radio.garden are two streaming music service replacers. I have not used Soma, but Radio Garden is interesting because it gives you a map of every single participating radio station on the planet and lets you just scroll around the entire globe and pick a radio station.

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[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 5 points 3 days ago

My VPN is as cheap as ever.

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