Best media streaming services:
The days of having to tune in live or buy expensive discs in order to watch your favorite shows and movies are gone.
There's a wide world of streaming services beyond Netflix and Hulu. Which one(s) deserve your subscription dollars?
1. Netflix $7.99
The great-granddaddy of streaming services remains the best. As you probably know, Netflix provides unlimited streaming of TV shows, movies, comedy specials and original programming (including Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards and the fourth season of Arrested Development) for one monthly subscription fee. No other service has yet given Netflix an honest-to-goodness run for its money in terms of selection, quality and performance consistency. You can even create up to five different profiles on a single account to make sure that your favorite content doesn't mess up recommendations for your friends and loved ones.
2. Hulu $7.99
If you want to keep current with the latest TV shows but don't feel like investing in a cable subscription or an HD antenna, Hulu is the best solution. This service provides access to most major network shows (aside from CBS' programs) and a handful of cable shows the day after they air. It also lets subscribers access a show's current season — or often all of the program's seasons. In addition, the service hosts a number of original shows (including joint ventures with the BBC, like The Wrong Mans and season 4 of The Thick of It), a selection of offbeat movies and a surprising amount of classic anime series. Even with a paid subscription, you have to sit through commercials, but far fewer than if you watched the same shows on cable.
Also read:
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3. Amazon video $8.99
Amazon has about 40,000 titles to stream, but only a fraction of those are included with Prime streaming. Look for the "Prime" banner atop selections that stream for free. Everything else is available to purchase or rent (for Prime and non-Prime members).
Amazon also enables offline downloads, so if you haven't finished watching Transparent or want to catch up on some older HBO shows for your next flight, download to your tablet and get watching.
4. PlayStation vue $39.99
PlayStation Vue is about as close as you can get to a cable subscription without actually getting a cable company involved. The service, which is available on a wide variety of systems, is Sony's first foray into delivering live TV to its customers. Choose from four different packages: Access ($50 per month), which gives you basic channels, Core ($55 per month), which adds sports, Elite ($65 per month), which adds niche programming and Ultra ($75 per month), which adds certain premium channels. Although the service is expensive, it provides up to 90 live channels - including local sports and news - and lets you record your favorite shows.
5. Sling TV $20
Sling TV is probably as close to the traditional TV experience as you can get online. For $20 per month, Sling TV offers live access to channels like AMC, TBS, The Food Network, CNN, TNT, and more.
As you add more services, though, Sling TV can add up. There's the basic Sling Orange plan with support for one stream at $20 per month, Sling Blue with support for three simultaneous streams for $25, or both with support for four simultaneous streams at $40.
6. Crackle -free
If you yearn for the halcyon days of cheesy action movies and anime on afternoon cable, Crackle will take you back in time at no cost. The Sony-owned platform broadcasts movies, TV shows and original programming on a rotating basis. There's no subscription or à la carte fee, although you do have to sit through a fair amount of commercials. While the programming is not usually blockbuster material, it's stuff you've heard of — think Total Recall rather than The Terminator, or Pitch Black rather than Riddick. Some of the original shows are good, too, like Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
7. HBO Now $14.99
The first major premium channel to go out on its own was HBO. The network's content has been available online for awhile via HBO GO, but that requires a pay TV login to watch. For several years, HBO didn't want to rock the boat with its cable partners, but it eventually acquiesced to fans' demands and released an online-only version, dubbed HBO Now, for $14.99 per month.
8. Now TV £4.00
If you like Sky content, but you don’t want a Sky subscription or can’t get a satelllite dish installed, this is an excellent alternative. Basically, this is a condensed version of Sky’s offerings, available for streaming.
The system works on category passes, which lets you pick and choose what you watch. If you only watch films, get the Cinema pass and enjoy access to newer films before they hit Netflix. If you want TV box sets, you get the Entertainment pass and keep up with Game of Thrones as the episodes come out. There are also options for kids’ TV and sports.
9. Vevo -free
MTV gave up on music videos years ago, but that doesn't mean the days of music videos, filmed concerts and band documentaries are gone forever. Vevo is every bit the spiritual successor to the music-centric networks of the '80s and '90s. Not only can you look up music videos for all of your favorite bands, but you can also follow ongoing documentary series, check out up-and-coming artists and even watch a live stream of curated music videos that runs 24/7.
10. Mubi £5.99
Mubi is one of the more established streaming alternatives out there. It was founded 10 years ago (albeit for three years under a different name) with an aim to bring visionary movies from around the world to an audience that lives and breathes film. In its own words, “popular doesn’t always mean good”.
A film is handpicked daily and remains in Mubi’s catalogue for 30 days, meaning at any one time you have a choice of 30 films for your monthly subscription. It’s limited compared to it’s competition, but it’s carefully curated and filled with films you may not find anywhere else.
You’ll find films both classic and new, big budget and small, subtitled and English speaking.
11. HayU £3.99
For those of you less au fait with reality TV, that’s what we’re talking about here – a hub of all the best (and worst) reality shows from the UK and US. All 3,000+ episodes of them.
A nice touch is that US-based shows hit HayU at the same time as they hit TVs in the States, which is handy, as even Sky and cable channels are usually a little way behind.
Of course, for every great reality TV show, there are a whole load of terrible ones (I’m looking at you, Denise Richards: It’s Complicated). But if reality TV is your thing, you’ll find plenty to binge on here.
All shows are available in 1080p Full HD should your connection allow, and you can download up to 25 episodes at a time for offline viewing too.
12. Crunchyroll £4.99
Originally a hosting platform for fan-subs and illegal uploads, Crunchyroll made the jump to legal streamer after a bunch of Japanese animation and entertainment studios realised the service’s value, and chose to invest, rather than shut it down.
Since then it’s become the primary place to watch Japanese TV and cartoons, with new episodes of series appearing on it mere hours after airing. Available for free or on ad free subscription models and distribution deals with most mainstream asian studios, Crunchyroll is king of the anime streaming services.
13. Flix premiere £3.99
You might have seen Flix Premiere as an app on your smart TV and dismissed it as an also-ran, but you shouldn’t. It’s filled largely with exclusive and award-winning movies plucked from film festivals around the world.
The majority of the films are recent, from the past couple of years, and tend to be English spoken, though there are a few international titles too. You are able to search by genre or by actor, plus there’s a free monthly digital magazine that digs deeper into that month’s film additions too.
All films are available to stream in Full HD, with the ability to notch it down to help slower connections.
A very affordable way to watch something a little different.
14. Shudder £4.99
Put simply, Shudder is a streaming service dedicated to scaring the bejesus out of you.
Its catalogue is made up of horror, thriller and suspense movies and TV series, sourced from around the world. Of course, the selection is limited by genre, but horror fans will have a field day with its selection.
The scales tip towards there being more English-spoken films, but you’ll find subtitled options too. Movies and Series are separated out into their own sections, plus there’s a curated “Collections” section, which groups movies together by theme.
15. Direct TV now $35.00
The DirectTV Now streaming service offers dozens of channels of live TV without installing a satellite dish or running cables. The service features excellent picture quality and plenty of connectivity options, and subscriptions start at $35 per month. You won't find DVR or rewind features, but you can get premium channels like HBO for just $5 extra per month.
16. fubo TV $44.99
fuboTV is a great option for any cord-cutting sports fans. This "sports-first, but not sports-only" service offers extensive live sports and entertainment content for all your devices. Whether you want to watch NFL games on Sunday, catch up an MLB game that aired during the day, or even stream a movie on-demand, fuboTV has you covered.
17. YouTube TV $40.00
With YouTube TV, you get unlimited cloud DVR storage. YouTube will keep your recordings for nine months, and you can stream your content from anywhere in the US, if you're connected to the internet (and you sign in from a home network once every three months to verify your location).
One YouTube TV membership supports up to six accounts, so you can share with family or roommates, though you can only stream from three accounts at once.
18. CBS all access $5.99
While it might seem rather limiting to pay for on-demand access to just one broadcast TV channel, CBS does have a popular lineup of TV shows, and CBS All Access is the only place you can watch The Good Wife spin-off The Good Fight and Star Trek: Discovery. You can also watch NFL games that are broadcast in your local market, including Thursday Night Football on CBS
19. ESPN+ $4.99
ESPN+, ESPN's new streaming service, offers a respectable lineup of live and on-demand sports programming for only $4.99 per month (or $49.99 per year). It's not a replacement for ESPN's regular channels, but it might be just enough for cord-cutting sports fans. With the service, you can watch a selection of live sports events on a daily basis, including many from the MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA Tour, and various college sports leagues. Unfortunately, neither ESPN's Monday Night Football nor its live NBA coverage are part of this subscription.
20. Philo $16.00
Philo is a highly affordable video streaming service that offers a good mix of live and on-demand content. For just $16 per month, you get a total of 37 channels including AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and the Travel Channel. If you opt for the more expensive $20 per month plan, Philo adds nine additional channels such as BET Her, Cooking Channel, Discovery Family, and MTV Live. Philo focuses on entertainment and lifestyle content, so consumers who primarily want to watch news and sports should look elsewhere.
21. Starz $8.99
Starz has launched a new standalone streaming app for $8.99 a month, giving you access to Outlander and other Starz content without the need for a pay TV subscription. That includes series like Power, American Gods, plus movies like The Good Dinosaur. As mentioned above, if you have Amazon Prime, you can add Starz streaming to your account, but it doesn't save you any money. Both options are $8.99 per month.
22. Showtime $10.99
In 2015, premium service Showtime went solo with a streaming service of the same name. It's hoping the popularity of hits like Billions, Homeland, and The Affair will persuade fans to pay $10.99 per month to watch live streams or catch up with episodes on mobile devices.
For now, you can sign up on Amazon, Android, or Apple devices (iOS or Apple TV) as well as Roku and Samsung smart TVs. Amazon Prime, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue customers can also add Showtime to their accounts.
23. Disney life £4.99
Whether you’ve got kids or you’re just a big kid yourself, DisneyLife is a streaming service packed with Disney films and TV shows, alongside a wide selection of singalong music and books.
That means more than 400 Disney movies and 4000 TV episodes in on demand, plus a live stream from Disney’s three TV channels as well.
Don’t forget, Disney isn’t all about cartoons. While all the classics are there for your nostalgic pleasure, you’ll also get films like Pirates of the Caribbean and Saving Mr Banks, plus Marvel’s animated series and some great Pixar shorts. There’s no sign of Star Wars just yet, though…
All of this is all available in HD quality, with a rather generous allowance of watching on up to four devices at the same time. You can even download content for offline viewing later, and set up different accounts for all the family.
There's a wide world of streaming services beyond Netflix and Hulu. Which one(s) deserve your subscription dollars?
1. Netflix $7.99
The great-granddaddy of streaming services remains the best. As you probably know, Netflix provides unlimited streaming of TV shows, movies, comedy specials and original programming (including Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards and the fourth season of Arrested Development) for one monthly subscription fee. No other service has yet given Netflix an honest-to-goodness run for its money in terms of selection, quality and performance consistency. You can even create up to five different profiles on a single account to make sure that your favorite content doesn't mess up recommendations for your friends and loved ones.
2. Hulu $7.99
If you want to keep current with the latest TV shows but don't feel like investing in a cable subscription or an HD antenna, Hulu is the best solution. This service provides access to most major network shows (aside from CBS' programs) and a handful of cable shows the day after they air. It also lets subscribers access a show's current season — or often all of the program's seasons. In addition, the service hosts a number of original shows (including joint ventures with the BBC, like The Wrong Mans and season 4 of The Thick of It), a selection of offbeat movies and a surprising amount of classic anime series. Even with a paid subscription, you have to sit through commercials, but far fewer than if you watched the same shows on cable.
Also read:
•
•
3. Amazon video $8.99
Amazon has about 40,000 titles to stream, but only a fraction of those are included with Prime streaming. Look for the "Prime" banner atop selections that stream for free. Everything else is available to purchase or rent (for Prime and non-Prime members).
Amazon also enables offline downloads, so if you haven't finished watching Transparent or want to catch up on some older HBO shows for your next flight, download to your tablet and get watching.
4. PlayStation vue $39.99
PlayStation Vue is about as close as you can get to a cable subscription without actually getting a cable company involved. The service, which is available on a wide variety of systems, is Sony's first foray into delivering live TV to its customers. Choose from four different packages: Access ($50 per month), which gives you basic channels, Core ($55 per month), which adds sports, Elite ($65 per month), which adds niche programming and Ultra ($75 per month), which adds certain premium channels. Although the service is expensive, it provides up to 90 live channels - including local sports and news - and lets you record your favorite shows.
5. Sling TV $20
Sling TV is probably as close to the traditional TV experience as you can get online. For $20 per month, Sling TV offers live access to channels like AMC, TBS, The Food Network, CNN, TNT, and more.
As you add more services, though, Sling TV can add up. There's the basic Sling Orange plan with support for one stream at $20 per month, Sling Blue with support for three simultaneous streams for $25, or both with support for four simultaneous streams at $40.
6. Crackle -free
If you yearn for the halcyon days of cheesy action movies and anime on afternoon cable, Crackle will take you back in time at no cost. The Sony-owned platform broadcasts movies, TV shows and original programming on a rotating basis. There's no subscription or à la carte fee, although you do have to sit through a fair amount of commercials. While the programming is not usually blockbuster material, it's stuff you've heard of — think Total Recall rather than The Terminator, or Pitch Black rather than Riddick. Some of the original shows are good, too, like Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
7. HBO Now $14.99
The first major premium channel to go out on its own was HBO. The network's content has been available online for awhile via HBO GO, but that requires a pay TV login to watch. For several years, HBO didn't want to rock the boat with its cable partners, but it eventually acquiesced to fans' demands and released an online-only version, dubbed HBO Now, for $14.99 per month.
8. Now TV £4.00
If you like Sky content, but you don’t want a Sky subscription or can’t get a satelllite dish installed, this is an excellent alternative. Basically, this is a condensed version of Sky’s offerings, available for streaming.
The system works on category passes, which lets you pick and choose what you watch. If you only watch films, get the Cinema pass and enjoy access to newer films before they hit Netflix. If you want TV box sets, you get the Entertainment pass and keep up with Game of Thrones as the episodes come out. There are also options for kids’ TV and sports.
9. Vevo -free
MTV gave up on music videos years ago, but that doesn't mean the days of music videos, filmed concerts and band documentaries are gone forever. Vevo is every bit the spiritual successor to the music-centric networks of the '80s and '90s. Not only can you look up music videos for all of your favorite bands, but you can also follow ongoing documentary series, check out up-and-coming artists and even watch a live stream of curated music videos that runs 24/7.
10. Mubi £5.99
Mubi is one of the more established streaming alternatives out there. It was founded 10 years ago (albeit for three years under a different name) with an aim to bring visionary movies from around the world to an audience that lives and breathes film. In its own words, “popular doesn’t always mean good”.
A film is handpicked daily and remains in Mubi’s catalogue for 30 days, meaning at any one time you have a choice of 30 films for your monthly subscription. It’s limited compared to it’s competition, but it’s carefully curated and filled with films you may not find anywhere else.
You’ll find films both classic and new, big budget and small, subtitled and English speaking.
11. HayU £3.99
For those of you less au fait with reality TV, that’s what we’re talking about here – a hub of all the best (and worst) reality shows from the UK and US. All 3,000+ episodes of them.
A nice touch is that US-based shows hit HayU at the same time as they hit TVs in the States, which is handy, as even Sky and cable channels are usually a little way behind.
Of course, for every great reality TV show, there are a whole load of terrible ones (I’m looking at you, Denise Richards: It’s Complicated). But if reality TV is your thing, you’ll find plenty to binge on here.
All shows are available in 1080p Full HD should your connection allow, and you can download up to 25 episodes at a time for offline viewing too.
12. Crunchyroll £4.99
Originally a hosting platform for fan-subs and illegal uploads, Crunchyroll made the jump to legal streamer after a bunch of Japanese animation and entertainment studios realised the service’s value, and chose to invest, rather than shut it down.
Since then it’s become the primary place to watch Japanese TV and cartoons, with new episodes of series appearing on it mere hours after airing. Available for free or on ad free subscription models and distribution deals with most mainstream asian studios, Crunchyroll is king of the anime streaming services.
13. Flix premiere £3.99
You might have seen Flix Premiere as an app on your smart TV and dismissed it as an also-ran, but you shouldn’t. It’s filled largely with exclusive and award-winning movies plucked from film festivals around the world.
The majority of the films are recent, from the past couple of years, and tend to be English spoken, though there are a few international titles too. You are able to search by genre or by actor, plus there’s a free monthly digital magazine that digs deeper into that month’s film additions too.
All films are available to stream in Full HD, with the ability to notch it down to help slower connections.
A very affordable way to watch something a little different.
14. Shudder £4.99
Put simply, Shudder is a streaming service dedicated to scaring the bejesus out of you.
Its catalogue is made up of horror, thriller and suspense movies and TV series, sourced from around the world. Of course, the selection is limited by genre, but horror fans will have a field day with its selection.
The scales tip towards there being more English-spoken films, but you’ll find subtitled options too. Movies and Series are separated out into their own sections, plus there’s a curated “Collections” section, which groups movies together by theme.
15. Direct TV now $35.00
The DirectTV Now streaming service offers dozens of channels of live TV without installing a satellite dish or running cables. The service features excellent picture quality and plenty of connectivity options, and subscriptions start at $35 per month. You won't find DVR or rewind features, but you can get premium channels like HBO for just $5 extra per month.
16. fubo TV $44.99
fuboTV is a great option for any cord-cutting sports fans. This "sports-first, but not sports-only" service offers extensive live sports and entertainment content for all your devices. Whether you want to watch NFL games on Sunday, catch up an MLB game that aired during the day, or even stream a movie on-demand, fuboTV has you covered.
17. YouTube TV $40.00
With YouTube TV, you get unlimited cloud DVR storage. YouTube will keep your recordings for nine months, and you can stream your content from anywhere in the US, if you're connected to the internet (and you sign in from a home network once every three months to verify your location).
One YouTube TV membership supports up to six accounts, so you can share with family or roommates, though you can only stream from three accounts at once.
18. CBS all access $5.99
While it might seem rather limiting to pay for on-demand access to just one broadcast TV channel, CBS does have a popular lineup of TV shows, and CBS All Access is the only place you can watch The Good Wife spin-off The Good Fight and Star Trek: Discovery. You can also watch NFL games that are broadcast in your local market, including Thursday Night Football on CBS
19. ESPN+ $4.99
ESPN+, ESPN's new streaming service, offers a respectable lineup of live and on-demand sports programming for only $4.99 per month (or $49.99 per year). It's not a replacement for ESPN's regular channels, but it might be just enough for cord-cutting sports fans. With the service, you can watch a selection of live sports events on a daily basis, including many from the MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA Tour, and various college sports leagues. Unfortunately, neither ESPN's Monday Night Football nor its live NBA coverage are part of this subscription.
20. Philo $16.00
Philo is a highly affordable video streaming service that offers a good mix of live and on-demand content. For just $16 per month, you get a total of 37 channels including AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and the Travel Channel. If you opt for the more expensive $20 per month plan, Philo adds nine additional channels such as BET Her, Cooking Channel, Discovery Family, and MTV Live. Philo focuses on entertainment and lifestyle content, so consumers who primarily want to watch news and sports should look elsewhere.
21. Starz $8.99
Starz has launched a new standalone streaming app for $8.99 a month, giving you access to Outlander and other Starz content without the need for a pay TV subscription. That includes series like Power, American Gods, plus movies like The Good Dinosaur. As mentioned above, if you have Amazon Prime, you can add Starz streaming to your account, but it doesn't save you any money. Both options are $8.99 per month.
22. Showtime $10.99
In 2015, premium service Showtime went solo with a streaming service of the same name. It's hoping the popularity of hits like Billions, Homeland, and The Affair will persuade fans to pay $10.99 per month to watch live streams or catch up with episodes on mobile devices.
For now, you can sign up on Amazon, Android, or Apple devices (iOS or Apple TV) as well as Roku and Samsung smart TVs. Amazon Prime, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue customers can also add Showtime to their accounts.
23. Disney life £4.99
Whether you’ve got kids or you’re just a big kid yourself, DisneyLife is a streaming service packed with Disney films and TV shows, alongside a wide selection of singalong music and books.
That means more than 400 Disney movies and 4000 TV episodes in on demand, plus a live stream from Disney’s three TV channels as well.
Don’t forget, Disney isn’t all about cartoons. While all the classics are there for your nostalgic pleasure, you’ll also get films like Pirates of the Caribbean and Saving Mr Banks, plus Marvel’s animated series and some great Pixar shorts. There’s no sign of Star Wars just yet, though…
All of this is all available in HD quality, with a rather generous allowance of watching on up to four devices at the same time. You can even download content for offline viewing later, and set up different accounts for all the family.
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