Paying a monthly fee for something you never use makes zero financial sense. But subscription overload is real, with dozens of streaming, gaming, dating and even hot-sauce delivery services lining up to take a monthly cut of your paycheck. While it’s tough to keep track of everything you signed up for – especially the ones you don’t use – we’ve come up with a few tricks to help thin the ranks of your recurring charges. We included a list of common subscriptions you may have forgotten about, as well as instructions on how to cancel a few of the most unwanted. And for those who could use a little cancellation help, we tested a couple of finance apps that track and nix stuff on your behalf.

First things first: Find out what subscriptions you have

Before putting this post together, I had no idea how many subscriptions I was paying for. Surprises included a coding game for my kid (that he no longer plays) and a British streaming app I’d gotten for one show (that I finished nearly a year ago). You, too, may not know what subscriptions are quietly subtracting dollars from your accounts. One of the most comprehensive ways to see what you’re paying for is to look at your bank and credit card transactions, performing a search for every transaction in the previous full month. It may be a lot to scroll through, but each monthly subscription will appear at least once in that time frame.

Another approach is to search for welcome and thank you emails, since most services send out an initial message confirming your new subscription. Using the advanced search function in your email, enter the words “welcome” or “thank you” in the subject field, and variations on the words “annual” “subscribing” and “membership” in the general or keyword search fields. You should get a decent idea of the things you’ve signed up for, but may have to wade through lots of promotional emails before you find the services you actually subscribed to. This method isn’t as comprehensive as going through your banking statements, but it could help you find annual subscriptions that won’t show up in a month’s worth of transactions.

Sometimes it’s helpful to simply see a list of common subscriptions people pay for (and often forget about). Here are a few:

Entertainment
• YouTube Premium
• Amazon Prime Video (or Prime in general)
• Netflix
• Disney+
• Pandora Premium
• Twitch Subscriber
• Crunchyroll

Gaming
• PlayStation Plus
• Xbox Game Pass
• Nintendo Switch Online

Work/Productivity
• LinkedIn Premium
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Microsoft 365
• ToDo
• Evernote

Dating
• Tinder
• Grindr
• Bumble
• Hinge
• Raya

Food
• Hello Fresh
• Green Chef
• Blue Apron
• Doordash DashPass
• Uber Eats Uber One
• Monthly coffee, hot sauce and jerky boxes

How to cancel subscriptions

For the most part, if you sign up and pay for a service through an app, you can cancel through the same app. Some app developers will instead direct you to their website to pay for a subscription. A cancellation process will nearly always involve logging in to your account and navigating to your profile or account details to view and cancel your subscription.

Here are steps to cancel a few of the most popular subs.

From the Apple App Store or Google Play Store

When you pay for a subscription through an app store, the transaction will likely be listed as a payment to either Apple or Google, so it’s harder to see what you’re paying for using the banking suggestion above. Here’s how to see what you’ve subscribed to using the two major app marketplaces, plus how to cancel.

How to cancel subscriptions through Apple’s App Store
1. Open the Settings app from your iPhone or iPad’s home page.
2. Tap your profile box at the top.
3. Tap on Media & Purchases.
4. A pop up window will appear; tap on View Account
5. Scroll down and tap on Subscriptions.
6. You’ll see your active and inactive subscriptions listed.
7. Tap the one you want to cancel and follow the prompts.

How to cancel subscriptions through Google’s Play Store
1. Open the Google Play app.
2. Tap your profile circle in the upper right.
3. Tap on Payments & Subscriptions.
4. Tap on Subscriptions.
4. You’ll see your active subscriptions and can decide which ones you no longer want.

How to cancel Amazon Prime

Amazon

Amazon raised the price of a Prime membership last February, bringing it to $15 per month or $139 per year. While a membership gets you things like free shipping and access to Prime Video, if you aren’t shopping online as much as you used to and you’ve already finished The Peripheral, here’s how to cancel.

Through the Amazon app:
1. Tap the person icon at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap on the Your Account button at the top of the screen.
3. Scroll down to and tap Manage Prime Membership under the Account Settings section.
4. You’ll be taken to a Prime page; tap Manage Membership.
5. Select the Manage Membership option and tap End Membership. Here, you can also opt for a reminder to be sent three days before your next renewal if you don’t want to cancel right away.

Via a web browser:
1. Sign in to Amazon.
2. Hover over Accounts & Lists to the right of the search bar up top.
3. Click on Memberships & Subscriptions under Your Account.
4. You’ll see your Prime membership listed; click on the Prime Membership Settings button.
5. Click on Update, Cancel & More under Manage Memberships.
6. In the pop-up menu, click the End Membership button.

How to cancel Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus is one of the cheaper subscriptions out there, going for $5 per month for the ad-supported version, or $10 if you don’t want to see commercials. But if you’re done with Picard, we feel you.

1. Log in to your Paramount Plus account on a web browser.
2. Select the primary profile for the account.
3. Hover over your profile name in the upper right and select Account from the drop down menu.
4. Click on Cancel Subscription in the Subscription and Billing section.

How to cancel Apple TV+

Apple

For just $7 per month, Apple TV+ offers some qualityshows. But if you’re just waiting for Severance to come back, there’s no penalty for canceling the service until the denizens of Lumon Industries return. Since Apple TV+ requires an Apple ID, it’s easiest to cancel through the settings app on your Apple device. If you didn’t sign up through a Mac, iPad or iPhone or don’t have an Apple TV box, follow the PC instructions.

On an iPhone or iPad:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your profile box at the top.
3. Tap on Media & Purchases.
4. A pop-up window will appear; tap View Account.
5. Scroll down to and tap on Subscriptions.
6. Tap either Apple TV+ or Apple One membership, depending on how you first signed up.
7. Select which subscriptions you want to cancel and follow the prompts.

On a Mac:
1. Open the App Store app.
2. Click on your name and profile image at the bottom left.
3. Click on Account Settings at the top of the screen.
4. In the pop-up window, scroll down to the Manage section and click the Manage link to the right of the word Subscriptions.
5. Select the Edit link next to the subscription you want to cancel, then click the Cancel Subscription button.

On an Apple TV box:
Open the Settings app from the home page.
Click on Users & Accounts.
Click on Subscriptions.
Find the subscription you want to cancel and follow the prompts.

On a PC:
1. Open the iTunes app.
2. Click the Account tab at the top of the iTunes window and select View My Account.
3. Scroll down to the Settings section and click the Manage link to the right of the word Subscriptions.
4. Select the Edit link next to the subscription you want to cancel, then click the Cancel Subscription button.

How to cancel an Audible membership

If you downloaded Audible for a 12-hour road trip but haven’t used it much since, here’s how to stop paying $8 per month. If you didn’t sign up via Amazon or Audible and instead went through Apple’s App Store or Google Play, follow the “From an app store” instructions above.

Through Amazon:
1. Sign in to your Amazon account.
2. Hover over Accounts & Lists to the right of the search bar.
3. Click on Memberships & Subscriptions under YourAccount.
4. You’ll see your Audible membership listed; click the Audible Settings button.
5. Scroll down to Membership Options & Help and click on Cancel Membership.

Through Audible:
1. Sign in to your Audible account.
2. Hover over the link that says Hi [your name] and select Account Details from the menu.
3. You’ll see a box with your membership details; click on Cancel Membership.
4. Answer the “reason for canceling” question and follow the prompts.

How to cancel Spotify Premium

Spotify

Spotify finally added a feature that lets you exclude certain playlists so your kids’ tastes don’t influence your recommendations – and that feature is available whether you pay for $10 for Premium or not. If you want to go back to the free version of Spotify, you’ll need to do so on a web browser, as you can’t cancel through the app. Luckily, you can use either a mobile browser or a desktop version.

1. Head to Spotify on a web browser and log in.
2. If you haven’t logged in via the web before, you’ll see a button for Web Player or Account Overview; select Account Overview.
3. If you’re already in the Web Player, click either the gear icon (mobile browser) or your profile image (desktop browser) in the upper right corner.
4. Select Your Account.
5. Your subscription will appear under the Your Plan section; click the Change Plan button.
6. A list of subscription plans will appear; scroll to the bottom and select Cancel Premium under the Spotify Free plan.

How to cancel YouTube TV

YouTube TV happens to be one of the few subscription services that allows you to cancel through the app itself, as long as you’re on an Android device. Non-Android users can cancel through a web browser. If you’re not watching enough live TV to justify the $65 per month, here’s what to do.

On an Android device:
1. Open the YouTube TV app.
2. Tap your profile circle at the top right.
3. Tap on Settings, then tap on Membership.
4. Under your membership details, tap Manage.
5. Click on Cancel Membership and follow the prompts.

Via a web browser:
1. Head to YouTubeTV.
2. Log in and click your profile circle in the top right.
3. Tap on Settings, then tap on Membership.
4. Under your membership details, tap on Manage next to Base Plan.
5. Click on Cancel Membership and follow the prompts.

Apps that can help

Some finance apps will track and manage your subscriptions for you. We researched a bunch and tried out a couple of the best to see how they can help. Note that some of these cost money, and adding another subscription to your life can feel counterproductive when you’re trying to do the opposite.

Rocket Money

Owned by the same company as Rocket Mortgages, Rocket Money is a finance app that connects with your bank account and offers to help you budget and track your overall spending, in addition to managing your subscriptions. You’ll pay for the app using a sliding scale from $3 to $12 per month for the premium version, which includes automated cancellation and other features. To access the free version at sign-up, move the slider to the left until you reach $0.

Once you’ve linked your account, navigating to the Recurring tab gives you an overview of your subscriptions. I liked that you can access this using either the mobile or desktop app. After linking my accounts, it reminded me of an upcoming renewal for a magazine I don’t read and hosting fees for a website I no longer need. Canceling both of those would save me nearly $200 in a year. Unfortunately, my monthly Apple One payment and the HBO Max access that I pay for through my Samsung TV didn’t show up as recurring subscriptions. That could be due to how my bank lists the transaction, but I’d like to have seen those on the list, too.

Next to each transaction is a three dot menu, which includes an option to “cancel this for me” for Premium subscribers. Click and you’ll see contact methods to handle it yourself or a button to have Rocket Money do it. After you provide your username and password for the service, you’ll get an email confirmation that tells you the process could take up to ten days to complete. When I had Rocket Money cancel Paramount Plus for me, I got an email later that night saying the cancellation was complete.

While it’s not a magic program that zaps your subscriptions away, Rocket Money could save you a few steps. Seeing (most of) your recurring charges together is also helpful for staying on top of things. It’s up to you whether the Premium charge (and taking on another subscription) is worth the cancellation service.

Mint

Brought to you by Intuit, whose products include TurboTax and QuickBooks, Mint works a lot like Rocket Money, syncing with your bank accounts and offering to cancel subscriptions on your behalf. Here, though, subscription management is only available on the iOS and Android apps. That’s fine for mobile bankers, but disappointing for those who prefer using a desktop.

When I tried to get a picture of what I’m paying for each month, the app told me no subscriptions were found in my transaction history, despite the fact that I pay for many. We reached out to Mint to find out if this is just a glitch on my end, or if there's something else going on. We'll update when we hear back. 

While it didn't show me any of my subscriptions, it did provide a list of common ones, like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+. Tapping on one prompts an upgrade to premium for $5 per month. After that, the process works similarly to Rocket Money, asking for your login details so the app can cancel what you don’t want.

One thing I did appreciate was the inclusion of a Rent and Mortgage designation within Mint’s regular banking function – categorization that, bizarrely, Rocket Money doesn’t offer.

Reminder apps

There are other apps, like Bobby (iOS) and Tilla (Android), that don’t connect with your bank account. Instead, you enter the details of the subscriptions you already have and add new ones as you go. The apps will remind you about upcoming renewals and let you quickly see what you’re paying for, all in one place. Both are free to use but limit the number of subscriptions you can track until you upgrade, which costs a flat $4 for Bobby and $2 for Tilla. I feel like if you possess the diligence to keep apps like these up to date, you could just as easily use a spreadsheet or native apps like Apple or Google’s Reminders, though these are more colorful.

Streaming promised us a world without cable contracts and the satisfaction of only paying for what we actually wanted to watch. But at what cost? Cutting the cord typically means you don’t get to watch local channels, live sports or certain “cable only” networks. If you want to get back some of what cable has to offer – without the contract or quite so much padding – a live TV streaming service may be what you need. There are a handful of options out there and nearly all of them are worth considering. We tested out six, comparing the features, prices and usability of each to come up with recommendations for different types of TV lovers.

What to look for in a live TV streaming service

What you need to stream live TV

Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on your device.

Price

When I started my research, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard streaming app like Netflix or Peacock. Where the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, many live TV services hit around the $70 mark and can go higher than $100 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. I also learned that when it comes to base plans, higher prices are mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks – particularly sports and local stations.

Local channels

Only two of the services we tried don’t include full local channel coverage and one of those makes no effort at carrying sports. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, it’s the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations, and only in larger markets, but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels.

When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, you’ll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your area’s broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna, you’ll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era.

Sports

One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. Google makes it a little easier by listing out upcoming games: if you click on one, the “TV & streaming” button will tell you which network is covering the event.

That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries that network. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply don’t have certain channels. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations, and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates.

Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Traditional cable networks

Dozens of networks were once only available with cable, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, HBO Max and Netflix, you won’t have access to any of those. All the options we tested deliver sizable lists of cable networks, though only DirecTV gives you all of the top 36 channels ranked by Nielsen as the most watched in 2022.

Media conglomerates continue to merge, rebrand or reenter the streaming market, which means you can find many cable networks on traditional streaming platforms like Peacock. Other channels like AMC+ have their own stand-alone apps. If you’re just interested in live TV for cable-only shows, there are cheaper alternatives. I was particularly delighted by the 20 ad-free channels you get on the Discovery+ app for $7 per month. Paramount+ has shows from multiple brands, including MTV and Comedy Central, while Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows.

There’s even a service called Frndly TV that costs a mere $7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Vice and about 35 others. We didn’t test it for this guide because it doesn’t give you local access, news or sports and most people would be better served by the broader coverage on a cheap option like Philo.

I should also mention free ad-supported TV (FAST) streamers like Tubi, PlutoTV and Sling Freestream that let you drop in and watch a decent selection of live networks at zero cost. Some don’t even require a credit card. And if you have a Roku device or a Samsung TV, you can access hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel or through the Samsung TV Plus app.

Digital video recordings (DVR)

Every option we’ve included offers DVR storage and all content is stored in the cloud, so you don’t need a separate physical device like you often do with traditional cable. You’ll either get an unlimited amount of recordings that expire after nine months or a year, or you’ll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later.

Aside from being able to watch whenever it’s most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you can’t skip them on live TV or video-on-demand (VOD).

Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of VOD content including movies and shows that are currently airing on your subscribed networks. This typically doesn’t cover live events, local shows and news programming. But it does let you watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives or BET’s Sistas. Just search for the program, pick an episode and hit play.

Tiers, packages and add-ons

Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I… made three. The base plans range from $25 to $75 per month. From there, you can add on packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international. Those cost an extra $5 to $20 per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your base-level live TV.

Then there are more premium VOD add-ons, such as HBO Max, AMC+, Starz or Showtime. You may already have these through standalone apps. If you don’t, or if you prefer a combined bill and one access point for your streaming, many live TV subscriptions let you add them.

How we tested

When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For this space, just six services dominate, so I tried them all. After getting them set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of last year's top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons.

I then looked at how the programming was organized in each app’s UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town.

I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks.

Here’s the full list of everything we tried:

• Philo

• Sling

• YouTube TV

• Hulu + Live TV

• DirecTV Stream

• FuboTV

Most well-rounded: YouTube TV

Google’s live TV streaming service has a lot of strengths. Compared to our top pick for sports, YouTube TV covers major and minor teams, regional games and national matchups almost as well. It gives you clear navigation, a great search function, unlimited DVR and broad network coverage. It's not quite as affordable as it once was, as YouTube recently raised the price to $73 per month – and it's even more financially precarious if you're not great at resisting temptation.

Upon signup, you’re presented with nearly 50 different add-ons, including 4K resolution, premium channels and themed packages. Even if you fight the urge to roll HBO Max, Shudder and AcornTV into the mix at signup, the enticement remains as it’s dangerously easy to add more to your subscription. If you search for a program on a network you don’t have, you’re prompted to add it. And of course, you can also rent or buy movies that aren’t currently showing on any channels, just like you can via YouTube. While it’s convenient to be able to order up anything you might want on a whim, I imagine this pushes many users’ bills far above Google’s listed $73 per month.

Still, it’s nice to have all your entertainment in one place. And if you only want the add-ons, you can actually subscribe to most of the standalone networks without paying for the base plan. Either way, you get a familiar user experience, with navigation you’ll recognize if you’ve spent any time on regular ol’ YouTube. Unsurprisingly, Google’s search function was the best of the bunch, finding the shows and games I searched for quickly and giving me clear choices for how to watch and record.

At signup, you’ll also pick the shows, networks and teams you like, which are added to your library. YouTube TV then automatically records them. You get unlimited cloud DVR space (though recordings expire after nine months) and it’s dead simple to add programming to your library. Like a real cable experience, YouTube TV autoplays your last-watched program upon startup by default, but it was the only service that allowed me to turn that feature off by heading to the settings.

Searching for and recording an upcoming game was easy. Once the game was recorded, I had to hunt a little to find it in my library (turns out single games are listed under the Events heading, not Sports). But after that, playback was simple and included a fascinating extra feature: You can either play a recorded game from the beginning or hit Watch Key Plays. The latter gives you between 12 and 20 highlight snippets, each about 10 seconds long. It focuses on the most impressive shots in an NBA bout and includes every goal in an MLS matchup. The feature was available for NCAA basketball and in-season major American leagues (hockey, soccer and basketball at the time of testing). Foreign and more minor games didn’t have the feature.

YouTube TV also gives you the most in-app settings. You can add parental controls to a profile or pull up a stats menu that shows your buffer health and connection speeds. You can lower playback resolution for slow connections and even send feedback to YouTube. It was also the best at integrating VOD and live programming. For example, if you search for a show that happens to be playing live, a red badge in the corner of the show’s image lets you know it’s on right now. Other services didn’t display this info as clearly.

Now that YouTube TV is $73 per month, it's no longer cheaper than Hulu + Live TV, which is $70. And if you already subscribe the regular Hulu app, this is definitely the better better choice. Hulu's option gives you live TV streaming, plus all of Hulu’s content, some of which you can't get elsewhere.  

Hulu + Live TV carries your local affiliates and 32 of the top 36 cable channels, which is the same number as YouTube TV. For sports, you get all available ESPN iterations plus FS1, FS2, TBS, USA, TNT, NBC Golf and the NFL Network. You can also add on premium VOD channels like HBO Max and Showtime, and it’s the only provider that includes Disney+ at no extra cost.

Navigation on Hulu + Live TV isn’t as smooth as most of the other options – it felt like the live component had been shoehorned into the standard Hulu app. But if you’re already comfortable with (and paying for) Hulu, upgrading to the live TV bundle might be worthwhile.

YouTube TV

• Base plan: $73/mo

• Local channels: Yes

• Top cable channels: 32 of 36

• DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration

• Profiles per account: 6

• Simultaneous at-home streams: 3 (unlimited with upgrade)

• Picture in picture mode: Yes

Hulu + Live TV

• Base plan: $70/mo

• Local channels: Yes

• Top cable channels: 32 of 36

• DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration

• Profiles per account: 6

• Simultaneous at-home streams: 2 (unlimited with upgrade)

• Picture in picture mode: No

Best cable without a contract: DirecTV Stream

Canceling cable is no joke – those contracts are binding. But if you enjoy the serendipity of flipping from one channel to the next and having access to as many networks as possible, DirecTV Stream will give you a very similar experience to cable without shackling you to a contract. Like cable, it allows you to jump to the “next” sequential channel (yes, DirecTV Stream numbers its channels) with a single button press, transforming the left and right d-pad buttons of a smart TV remote into the rocker on a standard clicker.

It carries all the top 36 cable networks (though Game Show Network and Animal Planet are only available at the second tier and above) and lets you add multiple packages and premiums like Showtime, Starz, AMC+ and Discovery+. You can also add HBO Max, just like on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, but DirecTV is the only one we tried that lets you add Peacock. Of course, you can always add those apps separately to your smart TV, but for anyone who prefers the all-in-one convenience of cable, it’s a nice perk.

When you fire up DirecTV Stream, whichever network you last watched automatically starts playing. It continues when you switch over to the guide or other menu pages. If you’re used to the quieter experience of traditional streaming apps (after you turn off autoplay), you might find that a little distracting.

The navigation didn’t feel intuitive, partly because the menu options overlay the currently playing show and because there are so many ways to browse, access and control live, recorded and on-demand entertainment. The search function was the least integrated of the services I tested. Instead of live-suggesting as you type, it forces you to enter your full search term on a separate keyboard interface. Even with that limitation, it found the shows and movies I searched for and accurately presented the upcoming games I wanted just from typing in one of the teams.

You can’t add new channels or packages through the app, which might be a relief to anyone worried about succumbing to subscription overload. Everyone else may just find it annoying.

• Base plan: $75/mo

• Local channels: Yes

• Top cable channels: 36 of 36

• DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration (maximum of 30 episodes per series)

• Profiles per account: 1

• Simultaneous at-home streams: Unlimited

• Picture in picture mode: No

Best for live sports: FuboTV

When you first sign up for FuboTV, it asks what teams you follow across all kinds of sports. Pick teams from in-season leagues and you’ll quickly have DVR content to watch. That’s because Fubo records every game your teams play as long as it’s aired on a supported channel – and its sports coverage is vast.

I tested out a premium subscription and the guide said there were 118 sports networks to choose from. In addition to the usual suspects from ESPN, Fox, NBC and CBS, you can watch motorsports, international leagues, adventure sports and even poker. Add-ons give you NBA TV, NHL Network, NFL Red Zone and MLB Network. And if you need access to all one thousand games the NBA plays in a season, you can add the NBA League Pass to your lineup for $15 per month. FuboTV even has its own sports channels.

Yes, the coverage is comprehensive, but FuboTV also made finding and recording specific games very easy. Searching for an upcoming game was simple, as was sifting through the ample amount of recorded games I ended up with. I particularly liked FanView for live games, which inserts the video into a smaller window and surrounds that window with continually updating stats plus a clickable list of other games currently airing.

FuboTV has made an obvious effort to win at sports, but recently it’s tried to deliver on the live TV experience as well. Based on what I've seen so far, it's certainly made strides. The guide was impressive in the number of ways it let you organize live TV, yet everything felt clean and uncluttered. The Home, Sports, Shows and Movies pages were filled with recommendations and many iterations of categories, with almost all suggestions being live TV.

Where FuboTV falls short is in VOD access and DVR playback. It wasn’t the best at finding the shows I searched for, and navigating available VOD content wasn’t as breezy as browsing through live programming. The lack of a pop-up preview window as you fast forward or rewind through recordings makes it tough to gauge where you are in a show. As for price, FuboTV ties with DirecTV Stream for the most expensive base package at $75. But if you need all the sports – and want some nicely organized live TV during the few moments when there’s not a game on – this is the way to go.

• Base plan: $75/mo

• Local channels: Yes

• Top cable channels: 29 of 36

• DVR limits: 1000 hours, no expiration

• Profiles per account: 6

• Simultaneous at-home streams: 10

• Picture in picture mode: Yes (Apple TV only)

Most customizable: Sling TV

To me, the idea of spending time fine-tuning channel choices sounds exhausting. But if you’re the type who wants to get exactly what you want without paying for too much of what you don’t, Sling TV may be your best bet. It breaks its base plan into two packages, Blue and Orange, with different channels on each. Blue, which costs $45 a month, carries a larger number of networks, while Orange seems to have spent its lineup dollars on ESPN and ESPN 2. But at $40 monthly, Sling Orange is the cheapest way to get those two sports outlets.

After picking a plan, you can choose from a stable of add-on packages, with monthly prices ranging from $6 to $11. These include blocks of sports or lifestyle channels, kid-friendly fare, the Discovery+ bundle and a news package. There are 46 individual premium offerings, including Showtime, Starz, MGM+, Shudder and Acorn, which go for between $2 and $10 per month. Sling has pay-per-view movies, too.

As far as local coverage, Sling Blue grants access to ABC, Fox and NBC local affiliates in about 20 of the larger US markets including Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, NYC, Miami and DC. ABC coverage began in March 2023, but unfortunately, that raised the price of Sling Blue in supported markets from $40 to $45. For people not in those areas (or who opt for Orange) Sling is currently running a promotion for a free HD antenna to catch local stations.

Navigation is speedy and the interface is nicely organized, putting an emphasis on what you like to watch, with recommendations that are pretty accurate. The UI also makes the add-ons you’ve chosen easy to find. In my tests, though, the app froze a number of times as I navigated. While most services froze once or twice, it happened enough times with Sling to frustrate me. I had to force quit or back out of the app and start over five or six times during the three weeks of testing. Compared to others, Sling’s DVR allowance is on the stingy side, only giving you 50 hours of recordings, though they won't expire. You can pay for more DVR storage, but that will increase your overall costs.

I tried not to wander too far off-path during testing, but I feel it’s my duty to inform you that Sling has an Elvis channel, a Bob Ross channel and ALF TV (yes, an entire station devoted to the ‘80s sitcom starring a puppet). There’s also a Dog TV network intended to be played for your dogs when you leave the house, which you can add to Sling or get as a standalone app.

• Base plan: Starting at $40/mo

• Local channels: ABC, FOX, NBC in limited markets

• Top cable channels: 22 or 29 of 36

• DVR limits: 50 hours, no expiration

• Profiles per account: 4

• Simultaneous at-home streams: 1 or 3

• Picture in picture mode: Yes

Best budget: Philo

At just $25 per month, Philo is one of the cheapest ways to get a cordless live TV experience. The biggest caveat is that you won’t find any local stations or sports programming on it. If that’s not an issue, Philo is great, with a clean, streamlined interface and generous DVR limits.

I’m a fan of minimalist design, so I appreciated the way Philo presented its menus and guide. There are just four top navigation headings: Home, Guide, Saved and Search. And instead of the usual guide layout that stretches out or shortens a show’s listing to represent its air time, Philo’s guide features monospaced squares in chronological order with the duration of the program inside the square. Another nice touch is when you navigate to a square, it fills with a live video of the show or movie.

Philo doesn’t limit the amount of programming you can DVR and lets you keep recordings for a full year, which is more than the nine months other providers allow. Like all live TV streamers, Philo won’t let you fast forward VOD programming. If skipping commercials is important to you, I recommend taking advantage of that unlimited DVR policy and hitting “Save” on any show or movie you think you may want to watch, then fast forwarding it on playback (you can do this with all the services we tried).

As far as channels, Philo covers 23 of the top 36 cable networks, with notable exceptions including Fox News, CNN, ESPN and MSNBC. Anyone looking for great news coverage should look elsewhere anyway, but the lack of a few must-have entertainment outlets like Bravo and Freeform was a little disappointing.

• Base plan: $25/mo.

• Local channels: No

• Top cable channels: 23 of 36

• DVR limits: Unlimited, one year expiration

• Profiles per account: 10

• Simultaneous streams: 3

• Picture in picture mode: Yes (browser only)

It's Friday, which means today we put together the best deals in tech we saw this week. It's also St. Patrick's day and we could make a dumb joke about "saving some green" — but we won't. Instead, we'll just note that the Apple Watch SE dropped to its lowest price yet and the Beats Fit Pro are getting a steep $55 discount at Woot. Wellbots is also taking $55 off of a pair of earbuds, dropping Google's Pixel Buds Pro down to $145 when you use the Engadget coupon. And speaking of vouchers, the 2022 iPad Air is $99 off at Amazon when you add click on the extra discount at checkout. Meanwhile, the very excellent (and previously tough to find) Steam Deck got its first discount ever, taking 10 percent off the portable gaming system. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today. 

Apple Watch SE

You can snag Apple's most affordable smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE, for its lowest price yet. It's on sale for $219, after a 12 percent discount, which matches the steepest discount we've seen since its debut. We gave it a review score of 89, calling it the best smartwatch $250 can buy. There's no always-on display and it doesn't have blood oxygen sensors, skin temperature readings or ECG monitoring like the Series 8. The screen isn't quite as robust either. But for $219 you'll get a fully featured smartwatch with excellent app integration and plenty of health-tracking features.

Beats Fit Pro

Beats Fit Pro are premium earbuds that usually come at a premium price, but right now Woot has them for 28 percent off. That brings them to $145, which is the lowest we've ever seen them go for. We gave them an 87 in our review, praising the excellent active noise cancellation, powerful sound and punchy bass. They also happen to fit a wide range of ear shapes thanks to the "fit wing" that's comfortable while keeping the buds securely in place. 

The Beats audio brand is owned by Apple, so they take on some of the more helpful iOS compatibility features like good Siri integration and support for spatial audio. Despite that, they'll also pair up with Android devices. Though if you're an Android person, you might check out the deal on Pixel Buds Pro, below.  

Google Pixel Buds Pro

If you use an Android phone, the Pixel Buds Pro are what we recommend. Right now, a discount code at Wellbots will knock $55 off the list price, bringing them down to just $145. Enter ENGTGOOGLE at checkout to get the deal. In our review of the Pixel Buds Pro, we appreciated the responsive touch controls, excellent bass and solid noise cancellation. They've got an excellent 11-hour battery life if you're not using active noise cancellation. Turn the feature off — and drop the buds in the charging case — and you'll get a full 20 hours on a charge. One of our complaints was a lack of quality in handling phone calls, but if you're more of a texter anyway, perhaps that won't matter as much. Our other concern was the price. But with $55 off, that's less of an issue.

The same code will also give you $55 off on the Google Pixel Watch. You can read our review of Google's latest wearable here.

Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch 8 with GPS connectivity in the 41mm size usually goes for $399, but Amazon is selling it for $329 right now, which matches the lowest price we've seen it drop to a few times before. The sale only covers the Product Red and Midnight colorways, and doesn't extend to the larger 45mm case size. Still, it's a nice, $70 savings on a wearable we think is one of best smartwatches on the market right now.

It's got tons of health integrations including blood oxygen sensors, ECG abilities, temperature monitoring, crash detection and of course all of Apple's fitness tracking and coaching. It's only designed to work for iPhone users, so if you're an Android person, you might want to check out our other recommended smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 5, which is on sale for 21 percent off, or just $220.

Steam Deck

To celebrate a the one-year birthday of their very excellent Steam Deck, Valve is knocking ten percent off the list price of all there configurations of the gaming handheld. The sale brings the 64GB model to $359.10, and the 256GB variant to $476.10. The 512GB version, which includes premium anti-glare glass and a carrying case, is selling for $584.10. 

Delivery is expected to take one to two weeks, and in the meantime, you can stock up on games to play on your system once it arrives. Hundreds of titles are discounted, including many of the top 100 most-played. Discounts range from 10 to 75 percent off, making it a very good time to get started with a more portable way of accessing many of the best games in your Steam library.  

SAMSUNG T7 1TB SSD

Can you have too much storage? Probably not. Right now you can get a terabyte of portable SSD storage in Samsung's T7 drive for 20 percent off. That makes the SSD $80 instead of $100, which is its lowest price to date. It's our current pick for best portable SSD thanks to the fast reads speeds of up to 1,050MB/s. For those who need to store even more, the 2TB size is 53 percent off, but only in grey. If you need a red one, you'll save a little less, as that colorway is only 47 percent off.  

Smaller Samsung drives are on sale too, including the 128GB EVO Select card. It's going for the lowest price we've seen yet of just $12.49. 

Blink Video Doorbell

If you want to keep tabs on your front door, here's a chance to do it for an extremely low price. Amazon-owned Blink is already one of the most competitively priced brands in the smart home market, but a sale on some of their more popular devices are making them even more affordable. The Blink Video Doorbell is 30 percent off, or $35 dollars, which matches the product's all-time low price. Of course, you'll have to weigh the benefits of keeping an eye on your doorstep against privacy concerns surrounding these types of products from Amazon. 

You can add cameras to your exterior video coverage with a 43 percent discount on at two-pack of Blink Outdoor cams. If you'd rather go with a smart home brand that's not Amazon, Arlo's Essential Video Doorbell is our pick for best smart doorbell in our guide and it's 51 percent off right now, bringing the usually pricy device down to a more affordable $99. 

Apple 2022 iPad Air

The iPad we recommend for most people is currently $99 off at Amazon — after you apply the coupon at checkout. That makes 2022's M1 iPad Air in the 64GB configuration $500 instead of $599 and the 256GB model $650 instead of $749. The deal applies to the purple, pink and starlight colors — the space gray variants are only getting a standard seven or nine percent discount, depending on the size, and aren't currently offering the coupon.  

We gave the tablet a top-notch score of 90 in our review, calling it a future-proof iPad. The M1 chip makes it speedy enough for content creation and gaming while easily handling more intensive workflows. The battery life is great and the front camera is far improved over the previous model — though it's still on the top of the portrait edge, which can make you seem off-centered in video calls if you have it in landscape orientation. It also doesn't use that great camera to take advantage of Face ID, you'll still need to use a fingerprint on the button or tap in your unlock code. 

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

We keep a close eye on the price for Apple's AirPods Pro. They're undoubtedly great earbuds (I'm wearing some now as I type this) but they're not cheap (I'm indefinitely borrowing my set from my mother). They've once again dropped back to their lowest price, making them $250 instead of $200. We saw the same sale back in February, so if you missed that, now's your chance. 

They're our current favorite option for iPhone users, according to our guide to wireless earbuds. They've got Apple's new H2 chip to deliver better noise cancellation and an impressive transparency mode. The battery life isn't as long as some competitors — you'll only get about six hours on a charge, though the case delivers an extra three charges before you need to plug in again. Check out our full review here. 

JBL Flip 6

A few of our favorite Bluetooth speakers from JBL are up to 38 percent off at Amazon right now. That includes the Flip 6, which $30 off, bringing the waterproof speaker down to $100. We named the Flip 6 one of our favorite portable wireless speakers in our guide. It's got great sound quality for its relatively small size (just over a pound, and only seven inches long) and it's plenty durable. 

The biggest discount goes to the JBL GO2 with a 38 percent discount making it just $25. It's got five hours of battery life, a waterproof rating and is just three inches tall. That one didn't make it into our top picks, but a similarly diminutive speaker that did, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2, is also on sale with a 21 percent discount.  

The Charge 5, which we also recommend in our Bluetooth speaker guide is on sale for 22 percent off. That's not an all-time low, but takes $40 off the usual list price. JBL's Charge 4 is a little cheaper to begin with and has roughly the same specs, including a two-pound size and 20 hour battery life. It's on sale for 25 percent off, bringing it down to $113. And if you'd rather buy direct from JBL, many of the same deals can be found on their site as well. 

Echo Show 15

Falling between a home hub and a smart TV, Amazon's Echo Show 15 can control your smart home and play your favorite shows. It's seeing a $55 discount this week, bringing it down to $195. If you want to include a remote for a more TV-like experience, that bundle is $55 off too, or $225. After we reviewed the 15 when it first came out, Amazon added the Fire TV component, giving a little more utility to what could be seen as a niche display. It's wall-mountable so you could use it in the kitchen as a family bulletin board, one that's also capable of implementing all of your Alexa-based requests and playing a cooking show while you heat up leftovers.  

Fire TV Stick 4K

As part of a larger sale, Amazon is discounting the Fire TV Stick 4K to $30. That's a 40 percent discount and only $5 more than the all-time low it dropped to for the holidays last November. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which supports WiFi 6 and comes with a little more RAM, is 36 percent off, making it $35 instead of $55. If you don't have a TV that'll support 4K images anyway, you may as well save a little money and go with the standard Fire TV Stick. It's down to $27 after taking 33 percent off. All three will turn any set into a smart TV, letting you add and organize apps through Amazon's Fire TV OS, while also giving you control over your Alexa-enabled smart home devices. 

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Mar10 Day is here and to celebrate gaming's favorite mustachioed plumber, Nintendo is offering a Switch bundled with a free Mario game for $300. The Mario Choose One bundle comes with the Switch system, the Switch dock, Joy Cons in Mario Red and a full-game download of either Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. The deal went live today at Nintendo, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. 

Nintendo's super-popular gaming console doesn't go on sale often, and while this isn't a discount on the actual device itself, the inclusion of a free game means you'll save up to $60 — assuming you were thinking about grabbing one of the included titles. You'll also get stickers for the upcoming The Super Mario Bros. Movie which will feature the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi and Jack Black as Bowser.

In anticipation of Mario Day, both Nintendo and Amazon began offering discounts earlier this week on a handful of Mario titles including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for 35 percent off, Super Mario Odyssey for 33 percent off and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope for half price. 

If you like the idea of pairing up real live RC cars with in-game Mario Kart action, you may want to bring home the augmented reality set Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. It's down to $60 from its usual $100 price tag — since you just get one car with each set, maybe now's a good time to grab two for better in-home competition. Just note that the discounts on the above titles are set to expire after March 11th, so if one of them is on your list, you may want to grab it now.

Deals on a few other Switch games will stick around longer, with sale prices extending through March 23rd. Both Nintendo and on Amazon are offering discounts on Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Party Superstars and Luigi's Mansion 3.

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An Arlo doorbell will work with Alexa, the Google Assistant, Siri, Samsung's SmartThings or IFTTT integrations. Unlike some smart home devices, Arlo plays nice. And right now, you can save $100 on the brand's wire-free version of the Essential Video Doorbell at Amazon. That's half off the usual $200, bringing it down to $100 in either the white or black casing. You can also get the same discount through Arlo's site directly. 

The rechargeable battery inside makes the unit easy to install, particularly if your front entry isn't already wired for a doorbell. It connects directly to your WiFi and delivers a wide, head-to-toe view of who or whatever is at your door to your smartphone or smart display. The view goes all the way to the ground so you can see packages and the built-in mic and speaker lets you both hear and talk to visitors. 

If you'd rather go with wires, the wired Essential Video Doorbell is 47 percent off, bringing that unit down to $80. Not only do you save $20 over the sale price of the wire-free unit, you also never have to recharge the battery. Just be sure your doorbell wiring delivers at least 16V. Our senior ran into that snag when he installed a wired Arlo doorbell in his new house. After upgrading his existing transformer, he appreciated the coverage and peace of mind he got from the doorbell along with a few Arlo Pro 3 security cameras.

The latest model of Arlo's outdoor Pro camera, the Pro 4 Spotlight, is only five percent off right now, for a thin, $10 savings. But you can save 27 percent on a two pack of the outdoor Essential Spotlight Camera. Like the Pro 4s, they offer a spotlight, two-way audio, night vision and direct-to-WiFi connectivity, but with a lower resolution at 1080p and a slightly narrower field of view at 130 degrees. 

Arlo's wired indoor cams are also on sale, with a 20 percent discount bringing those down to $80. That's not as great of a deal as we saw on the cameras last month, but still might ease the cost of entry to creating a home with video coverage inside and out. 

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Somehow, it's Friday again (I'm pretty sure someone added an extra Monday to this week) and Friday means it's time for our weekly roundup of the best tech deals we could find. Apple discounts were the most abundant, with sales on the second-gen Apple Pencil, Apple Watch 8 and Apple Watch Ultra, iPad mini, and the MagSafe power bank. All have dropped down to or near their all-time lows. If you're an Android user and considering the latest flagship from Samsung, you may want to check out Amazon's gift card bundle with Galaxy S23 smartphones. Anyone who could use a little help keeping their floors clean might want to take a look at iRobot's Roomba 694. It's our pick for the most affordable ways to enter the robo-vac market and it back down to its lowest price. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

iRobot Roomba 694

We've tested quite a few robot vacuums over the years and our current favorite budget pick is iRobot's Roomba 694. This week, it dropped back to its all-time low price of $179, which is $95 off and a great price for a solidly performing vac that will do a good job of keeping your floors clean without much effort on your part. It's part of a wider sale on Roombas both at Amazon and on iRobot's site, with discounts of up to 35 percent. Also part of the sale is the best premium robot vacuum we've tested, the self-emptying Roomba s9+. Usually $999, the sale knocks $200 off, making it a little more affordable. We also tried and liked the Roomba Combo j7+ which combines mop and vacuum functions. The sale brings that one down to $849, which isn't cheap, but considerably better than its $1,099 list price.

Samsung S23 Ultra and Amazon gift card

Amazon is offering a $100 gift card for those who buy an unlocked Galaxy S23, S23+ or S23 Ultra on their site. It's not the $140 discount we saw last week, but $100 might make a difference to someone who's still on the fence about picking up one of Samsung's latest flagships. We gave the S23 Ultra a review score of 89 and liked the bright display, powerful performance from the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that makes everything smooth and speedy. The massive 200MP sensor camera Samsung added was the big news upon the phone's debut, though it takes some tinkering to get the most out of those extra pixels. The battery lasted an impressive 19 hours and 26 minutes and it's got a great build. One caveat we mention is the high price tag. But perhaps Amazon's gift card offer will ease up on that drawback a little. 

Eargo 7 Micro Hearing Aid

If you're looking for FDA-approved, self-fitting hearing aids that are pretty close to invisible, you may like this deal on the new Eargo 7 hearing aid. They're on sale for $360 off the usual price, bringing the $2,950 devices down to $2,590. When we wrote about Eargo last year, we said the brand acts "more like a technology company instead of a stuffy medical-device provider" and that's partly due to its annual release cycle — like you get with Samsung or Apple — that continually improves upon the technology with each new version of a product. This week, our editor James Trew checked out the latest release from Eargo and called the Eargo 7 the best model to date.

Apart from a few set-up snags within the app and the fact that the case deep sleeps when it needs a charge (even if the hearing aids are full), the experience with the devices was smooth sailing. These are CIC or in-canal hearing aids, which tend to be fairly unobvious when you wear them and they're even rated to handle sweat from workouts or minor splashes in the shower. Trew likes how they adequately amplify sound but don't emphasize sharp noises like keys. The battery lasts all day and the customer service is pretty great — important for a medical device that you buy direct from a company, instead of going through an audiologist.

Apple M2 Mac mini

This week, Apple's new M2 Mac mini dropped to its lowest price since its debut earlier this year with the entry level models for $50 off the list price. B&H Photo is applying the discount to the 256GB mini M2 and the 512GB mini M2, both with 8GB of RAM, bringing the tiny but mighty computers down to $549 and $749, respectively. If you'd rather pick them up from Amazon, both the 256GB model and the larger 512GB configuration are $50 off there too. The Mac minis with the M2 Pro chip aren't seeing the same discount, though Amazon is listing those $10 below Apple's suggested price.

The new Mac mini packs Apple's new M2 chip, which you'll also find in iPad Pros and the latest MacBook Pros. Both discounted models have eight CPU cores, 10 graphics cores, 8GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. As for ports, you get two Thunderbolt 4 UCB-C ports, an HDMI port with 4K output at 240Hz and 8K at 60Hz, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a gigabit Ethernet port.

Apple iPad Mini

The iPad mini is super portable, and now it's a little more affordable with a 20 percent discount on the 64GB model. That brings it down to $400 instead of its usual $499 and matches the lowest price the diminutive slab has ever gone for. If you want the higher capacity 256GB model, that's getting a 15 percent discount, bringing it down to $550, which is also $99 off. The deals apply to the gray, starlight and purple colors, though it looks like pink is only available on the 64GB configuration. We gave the mini an 89 in our review, noting that it received a significant redesign over its predecessors, adding iPad Air-style features like a Liquid Retina all-screen design, USB-C charging, a Touch-ID button and support for the new Apple Pencil. 

Apple Watch Series 8

We think the Apple Watch Series 8 is the best overall smartwatch and right now you can snag the 41mm Product Red version for just $329, which is $70 off the usual price. If you don't mind the color red, you're set. If the hue's not your speed, keep in mind that the bands are swappable, though they're not particularly cheap and the case will remain red. It's still a great watch with excellent health and fitness features, including EKG tests and crash detection. It also has solid GPS tracking and great integration with iPhone apps. Yes, it's only for those who carry iPhones. If you're an Android user, we recommend Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5. The Bluetooth 40mm model is still on sale from last week, down to $220 instead of its usual $280, which is an all-time low for the wearable.  

Apple Watch Ultra

Apple's burliest smartwatch dropped to $749 a couple weeks ago, and now the Apple Watch Ultra is $50 off once again at Amazon. We gave it an 85 on our review, praising the bright screen, extra long, three-day battery life and the impressive array of health tracking, fitness and GPS functions. Even with a $50 discount, it's not a cheap watch, and probably best suited to die-hard adventurers and athletes. 

Apple Pencil (2nd generation)

The second generation Apple Pencil had returned to the all-time low it hit during the shopping holidays at the end of last year. Usually $129, a 31 percent discount brings the stylus down to just $89. It's one of our favorite accessories for iPads and comes with a number of improvements over the first generation, including wireless charging that magnetically attaches to your compatible iPad. The second-gen Pencil only works with newer versions of iPad Air, iPad mini, or iPad Pro — the standard iPad still supports the first-gen stylus. If that's the iPad you have, you can grab the first-gen Pencil from Amazon for a $20 discount today. 

Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack is currently 20 percent off at Amazon, bringing the charge-anywhere power bank down to $79. That's not the lowest it's ever gone, but it's only $8 higher that its all-time low of $71. The power bank is small and compact, firmly attaching to the back of your iPhone (model 12 and newer) as long as your case isn't too thick. In our tests, it delivered a 43 percent charge to an iPhone 14 Plus — you'll get a smaller or larger charge depending on the model and size of your phone. While it didn't win as the best MagSafe charger, it is well designed and remarkably compact. Our top pick for a MagSafe battery pack, Spigen's ArcHybrid goes for $60, but right now Amazon is offering a coupon for 35 percent off. Just check the box on the product page to apply the discount. 

If you want to wirelessly charge your iPhone at your desk or bedside table, you may want the wired, Apple-made MagSafe charger. It's on sale for $31 or 21 percent off.   

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Last week, Apple's new M2 Mac mini saw its first discount on Amazon, but now it's dropped even further, with a full $50 off the list price at B&H Photo. The discount applies to the the 256GB mini M2 and the 512GB mini M2, both with 8GB of RAM, bringing the tiny but mighty computers down to $549 and $749, respectively. It looks like Amazon is matching the price on both the 256GB model and the larger 512GB configuration. The Mac minis with the M2 Pro chip aren't seeing the same discount, though Amazon is listing those $10 below Apple's suggested price. 

If you're looking for a powerful desktop computer you can pair up with any monitor you have on hand, this is a great, low-cost way to get the power of Apple's new M2 chip. In our review, we gave the mini a solid score of 86, praising the excellent performance and the still-great, squat aluminum design that disappears into your desk. Around back, you've got plenty of ports to handle your accessories, including two Thunderbolt 4 UCB-C ports, an HDMI port with 4K output at 240Hz and 8K at 60Hz, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a gigabit Ethernet port, which you can upgrade to a 10 gigabit port, but it'll cost you an extra $150. 

Inside, there's the namesake M2 chip, which Apple first first offered in 2022. The chip combines computing operations, like CPU, GPU, input/output interfaces and certain memory processes into one "system on a chip," allowing for faster processing speeds. Apple has put the chip into new iPad Pros, their latest MacBook Pros and now the Mac mini. The chips in the discounted models have eight CPU cores, 10 graphics cores, 8GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. That 8GB of RAM may strain under heavy browser tab loads, but should be suitable for most people's everyday work flows. The minis also make a good home theater computer, if you want even more customization than you'd get with an Apple TV. 

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Robot vacuums are one of the few sci-fi predictions that more or less delivered — there actually are autonomous machines that can help keep your home clean. We've tested over a dozen robot vacs, and right now our top recommendation for a budget dirt sucker, iRobot's Roomba 694, is $95 off both at Amazon and through iRobot's site. Usually $275, the 694 is just $179 right now, which matches the all time low it dropped to a few times previously. The deal is part of a wider robot vacuum sale with discounts ranging up to $300, depending on which model you pick. If you've been thinking of adding one of these smart devices to your life, this might be a good time to snap one up.  

In our tests, the 694 proved itself by being both a powerful cleaner and offering an app that's easy to use — even for robot vacuum newbies. You can set schedules to have the bot clean on regular intervals and it can handle both tiled or carpeted surfaces. We found that it roved around cleaning for around 45 minutes before returning itself to the dock for a recharge, which was plenty of time to maintain an apartment, but may need to a pit stop before it can cover a larger house. Unless it tries to suck up an errant cord, you'll likely only need to interact with it to empty the dirt collection tray. That's something you may need to do every couple days or more often, depending on whether or not you have pets or a lot of tracked-in dirt. 

If you'd rather not empty your vac quite so often, you can pick up one that empties itself, like the Roomba s9+. We named this the best premium robot vacuum in our guide and were impressed with both its suction power and navigation abilities. It usually comes with a steep $999 price tag but the sale knocks $200 off the list price, which makes it a little more affordable.  

For homes with smooth surfaces that could use a wipe down, a hybrid model could be what you're looking for. The Roomba Combo j7+ combines mop and vacuum functions and is $250 off during the sale, bringing the $1,099 unit down to $849. One of our editors used the j7+ in his home for several weeks, and while the initial mapping runs were a bit of a hassle and the noise of the unit emptying into the clean base was loud, he was impressed with the bot's learning capabilities and the fact that it made a noticeable difference in the general cleanliness of his floors. 

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If you’ve ever been derailed from an on-time departure by a set of lost keys or misplaced wallet, you’ll benefit from a Bluetooth tracker. These small devices attach to your stuff and use your smartphone to keep tabs on where they are. There aren’t a ton of players in the field yet, but we tested out some of the most popular options to see what each tracker does well so you can decide which is the best Bluetooth tracker for you.

What to look for in a Bluetooth tracker

Bluetooth trackers are small discs or cards that rely on short-range, low-energy wireless signals to communicate with your smartphone. Attach one to your stuff and, if it’s in range, your phone can “ring” the tracker so you can find it. These devices offer other features like separation alerts to tell you when you’ve left a tagged item behind, or where a lost item was last detected. Some can even tap into a larger network of smartphones to track down your device when you’re out of range. Depending on what you want the tracker to do, there are a few things to look for when deciding which to get.

Device compatibility

Like most things from the folks in Cupertino, AirTags only work with other Apple products. The company has opened up access to its Find My network to third-party manufacturers, including Chipolo, though. Its One Spot and Card Spot finders work with Apple's large tracking network, but only pair with Apple devices. Chipolo’s classic trackers will work with either Android or Apple devices, as will Tile trackers.

Finding network

Crowd-sourced finding capabilities are what make headlines, with stories about recovering stolen equipment or tracking lost luggage across the globe. Using anonymous signals that ping other people’s devices, Bluetooth trackers can potentially tell you where a tagged item is, even if your smartphone is out of range. Apple’s Find My network is by far the largest, with over a billion iPhones in service all running Apple’s Find My app by default. So unless an iPhone user opts out, their phone silently acts as a location detector for any nearby AirTags.

While Android phones outnumber iPhones globally, they don’t have a similar, unified “find-my”network. (Though, reports that Google may be working on AirTag rival means such a system may be coming.) In the meantime, Tile offers the second-largest finding grid, with every smartphone that runs the Tile app acting as incognito locators. After Life360 acquired Tile, the 47 million users of that app were added to the 50 million existing Tile users, creating a sizable network.

In our tests, AirTags offered nearly real-time location data and were quickest to find items abandoned in spots around Albuquerque, including a bar, bookstore and coffee shop in Nob Hill, along with various outdoor hangouts on UNM’s campus. Tile trackers were able to locate our lost items most of the time, though not with the same pin-point accuracy as AirTags. Chipolo’s Spot trackers operate on the same Find My network and perform on par with the AirTags. Chipolo’s classic trackers, on the other hand, don’t have much of a crowd-sourced network to speak of. Yet as we used the trackers, the size of the finding network started to feel less important in the face of typical, everyday use cases. It was their ability to out-perform in every other way that boosted Chipolo’s classic trackers to the top of our list.

Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Separation alerts

Here’s where a tracker’s day-to-day utility really shines. A separation alert lets you know when you’ve traveled too far from your tagged items, which is useful if you want to make sure your laptop bag, or jacket or umbrella always comes with you when you leave the house.

These notifications work when you’re out and about too. If you’ve got a tracker in your wallet and walk out of a restaurant without it, the separation alert should kick in, resulting in less lost stuff. This feature also tells you where your tagged item and phone were last paired, allowing you to retrace your steps if you happen to miss the alert.

Each tracker handles left-behind items differently. Both AirTags and Chipolo include the feature by default. Tile trackers require a yearly subscription to enable the alerts (currently $30 per year). Both AirTags and Tiles allow you to turn off separation alerts at certain locations, meaning you can set your home as a “safe” place where items can be left behind, but alerts will still trigger elsewhere. Chipolo doesn’t offer safe locations, but you can toggle out-of-range alerts on a per-item basis.

In our tests, the Chipolo sent an alert after we got between 250 and 450 feet away from our tagged item. AirTags alerted us between the 600- and 1,400-foot mark. And Tiles sent a notification after about an average of 1,500 feet. The notifications were not consistent on an iPhone, but worked well when operating with an Android phone.

Connectivity, volume and design

The feature you may use most often is the simple “find my keys” function. If you have your phone, but no idea where your tagged keys are, you can tap a button in the tracker’s app to make the tracker ring. The ability to consistently and quickly connect with your phone is important for making it out the door with less stress. Tile and Chipolo classic trackers will also let you double click the device itself to make your phone ring, but AirTags and Chipolos running on the Find My app don’t offer this feature.

The volume of the tracker may determine whether you can find an item buried in your couch cushions or in a noisy room. AirTags have a reputation for being on the quiet side, and that aligned with what we saw (measuring roughly 65 decibels). Chipolo’s keychain-style tags, both the Apple-only version and the device-agnostic version, and the Tile Slim wallet tracker were the loudest, measuring between 83 and 85 decibels.

Design will determine what you can attach the tracker to. AirTags are small, smooth discs that have no way of securing to anything without accessories, which are numerous, but that is an additional cost to consider. Both Chipolo and Tile offer trackers with holes that easily attach to your key ring, and both companies also offer card-shaped versions designed to fit in your wallet. Batteries are replaceable for AirTags, Chipolo One and Tile Pro. Tile Mate and all card-shaped trackers don’t have replaceable batteries, which means you’ll have to replace the entire unit whenever it dies.

Stalking and stealing

AirTags have recently gotten a lot of attention for bad actors planting them on people in order to stalk them. While this fact may not influence your buying decision, any discussion of Bluetooth trackers should note what steps both Apple and Tile have taken to address the issue. If an AirTag is detected moving with you and apart from its owner, the device will ring to alert you of its presence. If you have an iPhone, as long as you have location services and Bluetooth turned on, you’ll automatically get an alert on your phone, with no further steps required. If you have an Android, you can download a special app that can detect unknown AirTags. Tile offers a similar feature through its standard app, and it doesn’t require a Tile account to search for suspicious nearby trackers.

As far as combating theft goes, a Bluetooth tracker may or may not be a good option. Anecdotal stories abound in which people have recovered stolen goods using a tracker — but other tales are more cautionary. Neither Apple nor Tile promote their trackers or finding networks as a way to deal with theft. GPS trackers, on the other hand, are typically marketed for just that purpose.

How we tested

Before deciding on which trackers to test, we researched the field, looking at user reviews on Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers, along with discussions on sites like Reddit. We also checked out what other publications had to say on the matter before narrowing down our picks to Apple AirTag, Tile and Chipolo trackers.

Here’s the full list of every tracker we tested:

• Apple AirTag

• Tile Mate

• Tile Pro

• Tile Slim

• Chipolo Card Spot

• Chipolo One Spot

• Chipolo One

• Chipolo Card

After acquiring the trackers, I tested each one over the course of a few weeks using both an iPhone 11 and a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. I recreated likely user experiences, such as losing and leaving items behind at home and out in the city. I planted trackers at different spots near downtown Albuquerque, mostly concentrated in and around the University of New Mexico and the surrounding neighborhood of Nob Hill. Each test was performed multiple times, both while walking and driving and I used the measure distance feature on Google Maps to track footage for alerts. I paid attention to how easy the app was to use, how reliable the phone-to-tracker connection was and any other perks and drawbacks that came up during regular use.

Best Overall: Chipolo One

Hands-on testing is great at smashing assumptions, and that’s what happened with the Chipolo One. This tracker’s crowd-sourced finding network cannot compare with AirTag or Tile. In fact, when I left the Chipolo for 24 hours just outside the busy student union at UNM, I was never alerted that a member of the Chipolo community had detected my item. But as I used it and pictured how most people would use a tracker on a daily basis, the device proved its worth and earned its spot on my keyring.

The One is a small and colorful plastic disc with a hole. It works with both Apple and Android devices and requires an app which is simple to use and easily pairs new trackers. The app and tracking experience on an iPhone and a Galaxy phone were nearly identical, working equally well on both platforms. It rang the loudest of all the trackers, so hidden items were quickly found around the house. Unlike other trackers, there was never a delay between pressing the Ring to Find button and hearing the trill. The ring delay for AirTag was never more than a few seconds and Tiles would generally connect and ring after no more than ten seconds. While that’s not a deal-breaking delay, it could add to the stress of rushing out the door.

Where the Chipolo One truly set itself apart was with its separation alerts. I would only get a half to two blocks away (or an average of 350 feet) before getting an alert asking if I’d forgotten an item. Neither AirTag nor Tile ever beat Chipolo to the punch. The alerts were consistent whether I was forgetting an item at home, at a coffee shop, or inside my car.

As far as losing stuff out in the wild, it will get you back to the spot where your phone and tracker were last paired. That means if you miss an alert or don’t have them turned on, Chipolo will give you directions (via your maps app) and take you right to where you left your item. In one test, I had a friend hide the tracker nearby when I wasn't looking. I left the area and returned hours later, using the last location information to lead me within a few feet of the tracker. Ringing the tracker then made it easy to find. Of course, if someone walks off with your tracked item, the Chipolo will be harder pressed to help you out.

If you’re concerned about lost luggage when you travel or if you worry you may lose things on trains or buses, this isn’t the tracker for you because of its much smaller finding network. But if you’re looking for a dead simple way to find your keys and make sure your jacket leaves the bar when you do, the Chipolo One is hard to beat.

Best for iPhones: AirTag

AirTags work with the Find My app, so they don’t require any additional downloads. If you’ve used the Find My app before, you’ll likely understand how this works. These are the quietest of the trackers we tested and each time you press the Play Sound button, the tags only ring for seven seconds. You’ll need to keep pressing if you don’t find your item right away and AirTags can’t be used to ring your phone.

As for separation alerts, AirTags were consistent, always delivering a “left behind” alert when I traveled about 1,200 feet away, or about three square blocks, without an item. You can turn off separation alerts for any given tracker, as well as designate certain locations, such as your home or workplace, as exceptions for the notifications.

One feature that AirTags have that no other tag offers is the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol. This allows you to play a fun game of hot and cold with an item when it’s within about 25 feet of your iPhone. Directional arrows and a diminishing distance meter on your iPhone’s screen point you to an item without having to ring it. This worked reliably about 75 percent of the time in my tests; sometimes it was just easier to ring the item when the directional finding couldn’t keep a lock on the tracker. UWB is supported by iPhone models 11 and later and while newer Galaxy and Pixel phones also support UWB, no Android-compatible tracker has been released, though, Tile has announced one that will.

AirTag’s ability to locate a lost item out in the city is almost eerie. I had someone (who was not carrying an iPhone) take my bike with a tracker hidden under the seat to a location a little over a half mile away. I set out a few minutes later and toggled on Notify When Found in the Find My app. Within three minutes, I received a notification that the bike had been “seen” near an address. Tapping on Directions navigates to Apple Maps, which took me to a spot about 30 feet from the bike. Had it been obscured from view, I could have then used the Find Nearby button to activate the UWB locating features. Ringing the tag was too quiet to hear on the sidewalk.

If you want the same scary-precise community finding features, but with a louder ring and a hole in the tracker, the Chipolo One Spot is a solid option. It doesn’t offer UWB capabilities, however, and the separation alerts are the same as with AirTags (letting you get 1,200 feet away before a ping, versus an average of 350 feet with our top rec, Chipolo One classic).

Best for Android: Tile Pro

Tile will work with either Android or Apple devices, but the experience is much better on Android. Certain connectivity issues and a lack of alerts that plagued the iPhone experience did not show up in tests with the Galaxy phone. One caveat to note is that Tile requires a subscription to enable separation alerts. Tile Premium goes for $3 per month or $30 per year and includes location history and item reimbursement of up to $100 on items that you register with the company, they’ll also send out a fresh battery once a year. Tile stands out as the only tracker company offering reimbursement — even without a subscription, they’ll pay out up to $25 for items that you register with them.

The Tile Pro is a key-fob shaped device with a metal keychain hole that feels sturdy. The Pro’s ring was just a few decibels quieter than the Tile Mate (78 versus 82 decibels), but the connectivity range was better with the Pro, and it was more accurate in finder network tests. On top of that, this is the only current Tile device with a replaceable battery, which lasts about one year.

For the lost-item tests, I had a friend take the Pro to random locations. After turning on the Notify When Found feature, an alert would arrive between five and ten minutes later saying my lost item was “found by the community.” The map details were typically accurate within about 100 feet or so, though it occasionally thought the Tile was at a business next door to where it actually was. Without the UWB feature, precision finding of an item was trickier. In one test, the tracker ended up in a noisy pub. While the directions pointed me to the right location, it would have been difficult to find the item if I hadn’t spotted my friend, as the ring function was useless among the din.

Best wallet tracker: Tile Slim

The Tile Slim is louder than both the Pro and the Mate, and nearly equals the loudest tracker we tested, the Chipolo One. It works with both Android and Apple devices and its thick credit card shape fits in the slots of a typical wallet (though it often won’t connect when inside an RFID-blocking wallet). The separation alerts you’ll get if you pay for a Tile subscription activate at about the same distance as the Tile Pro, letting you get around 1,500 feet away before pinging you about a left-behind item. When using an iPhone with Tile trackers, separation alerts rarely came and connectivity between the phone and tracker was spotty at best, even in close proximity. If you use an iPhone, the Chipolo Card Spot is equally loud, runs on Apple’s vast Find My network and consistently gives you a left-behind alert at around 1,200 feet.

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