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Once upon a time (in 2019), Disney+ offered a seven-day free trial. Cut to 2020, just ahead of Hamilton‘s premiere, the platform eliminated its short-lived trial period. And while Disney+ still doesn’t offer a trial directly through its site, deal-savvy streamers can instead take advantage of free or discounted access through partner subscriptions, namely DirecTV (which comes bundled with Disney+ and has a five-day free trial), Verizon and Hulu, ESPN and/or HBO Max.

More on each option below.

Starting with the standout promotion: Get free Disney+ access through any of DirecTV’s four Signature packages — Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier — since they all include the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN bundle and offer a five-day free trial. This means new subscribers can watch at absolutely no cost for five days, and following the trial, Disney+ will remain included in the selected live TV streaming package at no extra charge.

Another lesser-known tip: Select Verizon unlimited plans, namely the 5G Do More and 5G Start plans, include six free months of Disney+ Premium (the streamer’s ad-free version) just by signing up. After the trial period, the subscription auto-renews through your mobile service at $18.99 per account; learn more at Verizon here.

While Disney+ on its own starts at $11.99 per month, it’s a no-brainer to opt instead for the Disney+, Hulu bundle for the same $11.99 per month for the first six months (then just $12.99 monthly thereafter). Other cost-cutting bundles include the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max trio starting at $19.99 per month (a savings of 42 percent), and the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN trio starting at $35.99 per month (a savings of 33 percent).

Alternatively, while Hulu eliminated its standalone free trial period in June 2026, the company retained its three-day free trial for Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+. Following the trial period, plans start at $89.99 per month.

Unlike Hulu, which offers one of the most generous student discounts on the market, Disney+ does not currently offer a special deal for students.

Related: The Best Peacock Subscription Deals and Free Trial Hacks