You pay ₹299/month for Hotstar. Or you watch on illegal sites and risk your phone.
But Hotstar has hidden features. Free matches. Shareable accounts. Student discounts.
I've used Hotstar for 3 years. Watched every IPL match. Here are 5 features you're not using.
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Read and save money today.
My neighbour pays ₹299 every month for Hotstar. Just for cricket. He watches 10 matches per month. That's ₹30 per match.
I watch the same matches for free. Same HD quality. Same commentary.
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How? Hotstar has a free tier. Most people don't know.
Let me show you.
1. Free Tier – Watch Selected Matches Without Subscription
Hotstar (now Disney+ Hotstar) has free content. Including some cricket matches.
Which matches are free?
Highlights of all matches (free forever)
Select IPL matches (usually Sunday matches or opening ceremony)
Select international matches (India vs England, Australia sometimes)
How to access: Download Hotstar app. Don't log in. Click on "Free" section.
What you should do: Before every match, check if it's in the free section. If yes, watch free. If no, use one of the other methods below.
2. Share One Subscription with 4 Family Members – ₹60/month Each
Hotstar allows 4 simultaneous streams on the premium plan (₹299/month).
That means 4 people can watch different content at the same time.
Share with 4 family members or friends. Each pays ₹75/month (₹299/4).
What you should do: Create a WhatsApp group with 3 friends. Collect ₹75 each monthly. One person pays Hotstar. Everyone gets login.
3. Student Discount – 50% Off for College Students
Hotstar offers 50% discount for students. ₹149/month instead of ₹299.
Eligibility: Valid college ID. .edu email address.
How to get: Go to Hotstar website → Subscription → Student plan. Verify with your college email.
What you should do: If you're a student, apply today. Save ₹150 every month.
4. Mobile-Only Plan – ₹89/month for Phone Only
You don't need TV access. You watch only on phone.
Hotstar has a mobile-only plan for ₹89/month. Same cricket matches. Same HD quality. Just on mobile screen.
What you should do: If you never watch on TV or laptop, switch to mobile plan. Save ₹210/month.
5. Annual Plan – Pay for 10 Months, Get 2 Months Free
Hotstar annual plan costs ₹899 for 1 year (mobile-only) or ₹1,499 for 1 year (premium).
That's ₹75/month for mobile. ₹125/month for premium.
Monthly plan: ₹299/month. Annual plan: ₹125/month. You save 58%.
What you should do: If you know you'll watch for 1 year, buy annual plan. It's much cheaper.
- The Illegal Site Risk – Is 30 Seconds of Delay Worth Your Phone?
- Illegal streaming sites promise "free live cricket". But they come with:
Malware that steals your photos
Pop-up ads every 2 minutes
Fake "play" buttons that download viruses
Your IP address sold to hackers
I tested 10 illegal sites on an old phone. Within 1 hour, the phone was unusable. 50+ pop-ups. Battery draining. Had to factory reset.
Official Hotstar has 30-second delay. Illegal sites have 10-second delay. Is 20 seconds worth your phone's life? No.
How to Watch Hotstar Live Cricket Match Today Online – Step by Step Step 1: Download Disney+ Hotstar app from Play Store or App Store. Step 2: Check if today's match is in the "Free" section. Step 3: If not free, decide: Mobile plan (₹89/month) or share premium (₹75/month). Step 4: If student, apply for 50% discount. Step 5: Watch in HD, no tension, no malware.
Real Example – How I Pay ₹75/month
I share Hotstar premium with 3 friends. We have a WhatsApp group. Each sends ₹75 to one person on the 1st of every month.
We've been doing this for 2 years. No issues. 4 screens allowed. We never clash because we watch at different times.
You can do the same.
Do you watch cricket on Hotstar? How much do you pay monthly?
Tell me. I'll help you reduce it.