Free Streaming Service Trials to Distract You During Coronavirus Quarantine

From TV to audiobooks, binge your favorite SFF stories for free.

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  • Photo Credit: CBS

Escapism can be a lifesaver during coronavirus quarantine, whether your refuge of choice is the final frontier or an alternate version of present-day America. Thankfully, many streaming services have free trials or other free offers for fans to explore during social isolation and self-distancing. If you've already exhausted your options on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, there are other offers out there — you just need to know where to look. 

From anime-only services, to audiobook options, to the latest Star Trek series, here are streaming services with free trials to offer you a little bit of escape and reprieve during coronavirus. 

RELATED: Comforting SFF to Read When You're Sick or Self-Isolating 

CBS All-Access

CBS All-Access' month-long free trial offers viewers the chance to watch all Star Trek series, including the new CBS All Access-exclusive releases Star Trek: Discovery and Picard. The free trial also allows you to enjoy the entirety of the All-Access library, including The Twilight Zone and Twin Peaks

From now until April 23rd, new subscribers can get a month-long free trial if they sign up with the offer code GIFT.

Disney+

It might go without saying, but Disney's new streaming service is positively brimming with streaming options. From The Mandalorian, to new episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, to Disney princess classics like Mulan, a free trial with Disney+ gets you access to a wealth of new releases as well as nostalgic classics.  

After the week-long free trial, Disney+ access is $6.99 per month, or $69.99 annually.

RELATED: 20 New Sci-Fi Shows to Watch Right Now 

Shudder

Fans of of eerie sci-fi and fantasy should check out the horror streaming service Shudder, which has extended its free trial period from one week to one month. 

Standout titles available on the platform include the series adaptation of Joe Hill’s book NOS4A2; zombie movie Train to Busan; and Iranian vampire film A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

To get the free month trial, create a Shudder account at the link below and use the promo code SHUTIN

Audible

The 30-day Audible trial is perfect for cooped-up audiobook addicts. The trial offers readers one free book and two free Audible originals, plus 30% off all other Audible purchases. You can cancel your trial at anytime, and a monthly subscription is $14.95. For recommendations, make sure to explore our favorite sci-fi and fantasy audiobooks.

Crunchyroll

Anime streaming service Crunchyroll offers a 14-day free trial period. Premium subscriptions cost just $7.99, and give subscribers access to subtitled new episodes hours after they air in Japan. 

SerialBox

SerialBox offers bite-sized serial original fiction that can be enjoyed chapter-by-chapter, or binged all at once. 

Standout serials include Orphan Black: the Next Chapter, a continuation of the beloved BBC clone series; cyberpunk detective serial Ninth Step Station; and four seasons of the queer fantasy saga Tremontaine

Featuring fiction by beloved authors like Catherynne M. Valente and Ken Liu, as well as serials based on iconic properties like Marvel, a SerialBox subscription offers access to a treasure trove of geek goodies. 

Signing up for an account is free, and you can read or listen to the audiobook version of the first chapter of each serial at no price. Explore freely until you find a serial that hooks you, then get a season pass or purchase subsequent episodes individually.

Starz

If you are already subscribed to Amazon Prime, you can easily add a 7-day-free Starz trial to your existing subscription. Even without signing up for the free trial, the first episode of many Starz shows, such as Outlander and American Gods, are now available to watch for free.