money We‘ll Help You Find the Best Streaming Service for Your Next Binge
In 2019 there were more than 500 scripted television series in the United States. If you think that sounds high, consider that fact that viewers had access to 646,152 unique program titles across streaming services. Crazy, right?
We have more choices than ever before, and it’s getting pretty overwhelming. Let’s be honest, most of us have been guilty of spending 30-plus minutes just trying to decide on what to watch and stressing over how to stream it. So, we thought we would break down our favorite streaming services out there.
As you’d expect, Netflix holds the biggest share of streaming time, followed by YouTube, Hulu, and Amazon. So, we wanted to highlight some other streaming services that you may not have heard of. Here’s which ones we recommend subscribing to.
The Best Live TV Streaming Service Yet
YouTube TV
Who it’s perfect for: Cord-cutters in search of a service that provides a wide selection of channels including local networks.
Price: $49.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 3
Runner-Up: Hulu + Live TV
If you’re looking to ditch your cable subscription, we think you’ll be most happy with YouTube TV. Plans start at $50 each month and YouTube TV offers a better bang for your buck than competitors like Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now, and FuboTV. Plus, this one lets you watch all major local channels — that’s ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS. Not only that, it has the best user interface and DVR platform in the business.
The streaming service includes 70-plus channels, including AMC, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Fox News, HGTV, and TNT. The service recently dropped the YES Network and some Fox Sports regionals. It also doesn’t have Viacom networks, which include BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. Regardless, we think it’s the most consumer-friendly option out there with the best variety of channels.
For Endless Hours of High-Quality Originals
HBO NOW / HBO GO
Who it’s perfect for: Viewers looking for an outstanding lineup of consistently fresh content.
Price: $14.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 3
HBO offers best-in-class programming, top-tier movies, original news programming, and a bevy of kid-friendly content. At the time of publishing, HBO offers two ways to stream: HBO GO, for folks who already have an active HBO channel subscription, or HBO Now, which is a standalone streaming service.
It’s worth mentioning that HBO will be included in the new HBO Max streaming service that's set to launch in May 2020. HBO Max will include new original programming and movies what HBO is calling “Max Originals,” plus select favorites from WarnerMedia’s brands and libraries, which includes Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, DC, the Turner library, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and more.
For now, you’ll be able to view not only HBO’s catalog of original programming — Big Little Lies, Game of Thrones, Succession, Watchmen, and Westworld, to name just a few — but plenty of groundbreaking documentaries, hilarious stand-up, and blockbuster film releases.
One quick tip: AT&T TV Now offers HBO as part of its base subscription. So, if you want a service for streaming live TV and if HBO is a must-have network, consider bundling the two to save.
A Family-Friendly, Franchise-Packed Platform
Disney+
Who it’s perfect for: Anybody, really! But especially families with children.
Price: $6.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 4
Priced at just 7 bucks a month, Disney+ is among the most affordable streaming services out there, which is surprising considering how many companies Disney owns — from Marvel to Pixar, 20th Century Fox, National Geographic, and more.
With a subscription, you get an all-access pass to new original shows and movies, as well as Disney’s expansive catalog of titles, including all 30 seasons of The Simpsons and pretty much everything that’s been released in the Star Wars universe. As a bonus, the majority of Disney+ content is available in 4K resolution. With Netflix, you have to pay extra for the higher-resolution format.
One more thing, Disney offers a bundled plan that combines Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, all for just $13 per month. Not bad, considering you get enough content to entertain you for months.
Lots of Variety at an Impeccable Value
Sling TV
Who it’s perfect for: Cord-cutters who want control in choosing which channels they pay for.
Price: $30 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 1-3
Runner-Up: AT&T WatchTV
Sling TV is an affordable streaming service that’s worthy of replacing a cable package. It lets users pick from two different packages: “Orange” or “Blue.” Both cost $30 each month, but their channel lists vary.
Orange features 32 channels, including AMC, BBC America, Disney, ESPN, Lifetime, TBS, and TNT. Blue gives access to 47 channels — including Fox and NBC’s local broadcast channels — plus regional sports channels in select markets.
Because of its flexible nature, you can pick and choose what channels and extras you want or you can even swap between Sling Orange and Blue or subscribe to them both. Best of all, there are no contracts, commitments, or equipment rental fees. Did we mention it's free to try for a week?
If you want to save even more money, consider taking a look at AT&T WatchTV, which has 35 live channels and more than 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand, but unfortunately lacks local broadcasts. With it, you will be able to watch programming from A&E, AMC, BET, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Discover, Food Network, HGTV, IFC, Nickelodeon, TBS, TLC, TNT, and VH1 for as little as $15 per month.
We think Sling TV offers a better selection of channels for most viewers, but AT&T WatchTV is worth a look if you don’t mind a limited lineup.
A Cheap 4K Streamer With Serious Potential
Apple TV+
Who it’s perfect for: Those interested in Apple’s exclusive programming and in search of a convenient way to subscribe to premium channels.
Price: $4.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 6
Apple TV+ is one of the newest (and cheapest!) streaming services on our list, but it’s already made a name for itself with award-winning programming like The Morning Show, which stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell.
The amount of content on Apple TV+ isn’t as extensive as other streaming services out there. Apple did recently launch nine new originals and it has several more in the works. Currently, it features top-tier original documentaries, it’s also home to Oprah’s Book Club, and a new Sesame Street-themed TV show.
Apple also allows users to easily subscribe to various channels, including premium ones, right within the app.
For Watching Old Favorites, and Finding New Ones
CBS All Access
Who it’s perfect for: Fans of CBS programming, and cord-cutters looking to stream local CBS affiliates.
Price: $5.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 3
CBS All Access provides you with more than 12,000 episodes of television shows to stream, including the network’s wide backlog of fan favorites like Big Brother, Survivor, and NCIS. The service also includes some exclusive original series like Star Trek: Picard, the Good Fight, and Jordan Peele’s reboot of The Twilight Zone. Additionally, you can catch live news from your local CBS affiliate, CBSN, and CBS Sports HQ, as well as NFL games that air on CBS.
For Hardcore Sports Junkies
NFL Game Pass
Who it’s perfect for: Football fans
Price: $99.99 each year
Simultaneous Streams: 5
Runners-Up: NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, ESPN+
Keeping up with sports without a cable subscription is easier said than done. You actually need to be diligent in determining which sports and teams you plan to watch prior to making your selection on what service to subscribe to.
The sad fact of the matter is that there isn’t a single best option that streams all major sports leagues in the United States. Instead, you’ll likely have to swap between subscriptions depending on what season it is. We recommend checking out The Streamable’s useful breakdown on the best way to stream sports.
For the NFL, we recommend NFL Game Pass, which unfortunately doesn’t give you access to live regular-season games. Instead, you will be able to watch all games on demand after they air. The service also offers access to live preseason games and live radio broadcasts.
A Solid Choice for Streaming Sports and TV
FuboTV
Who it’s perfect for: Cord-cutters and sports fanatics
Price: $54.99 and up per month
Simultaneous Streams: 2
FuboTV is a strong alternative to our top live TV pick, YouTube TV, if you need some of the sports channels that it’s lacking. Its basic package includes CBS Sports, five FOX Sports channels, Golf Channel, MotoGP, NBA TV, NFL Network, and more. If you follow college sports, you’ll be happy to see the service also includes the Big Ten Network and PAC 12 Network. You can check out FuboTV’s full list of channels.
The basic package offers viewers 108 channels, some of which are even in 4K. It’s worth mentioning that FuboTV’s lineup does not include Disney-owned networks like ABC and ESPN, but FuboTV has a wide variety of channels, including A&E, AMC, the Food Network, FX, MTV, Syfy, TBS, TNT, and USA. We prefer YouTube TV’s DVR to FuboTV’s — but sports lovers should opt for FuboTV instead.
For Horror Buffs
Shudder
Who it’s perfect for: For fans of horror and the supernatural
Price: $5.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 1
This horror-centric streaming service isn’t for the faint of heart. While it may not have The Walking Dead, it does have niche thrillers and zombie movies like The Train to Busan. The AMC-owned platform packs plenty of classic horror films to keep you awake at night, too, including the Friday the 13th movies and Halloween. If you celebrate the worlds of thriller, suspense, and gore, you won’t be disappointed — especially since it packs plenty of addicting original TV shows and documentary series.
For Binge-Watchers in Search of the Latest Entertainment
Hulu
Who it’s perfect for: Folks who don’t want to miss out on the buzz surrounding broadcast television.
Price: $5.99 and up per month
Simultaneous Streams: 2
If you want to keep current with all the latest TV shows as they air, Hulu is without a doubt the streaming service for you. The affordable service provides viewers with easy access to most major network's programs. Not only that, it packs plenty of original content worthy of your weekend binges.
Hulu has shows from ABC, Fox, and NBC, but doesn’t pack CBS’ full library. On the plus side, it does give you access to old Seinfeld episodes! It is worth mentioning that the cheapest $6-per-month plan has ads. It’ll cost you twice as much if you don’t want to deal with ad interruptions.
Best Catalog of the Bunch
Netflix
Who it’s perfect for: Everybody. Netflix is top dog. It has a vast content library that caters to every kind of viewer.
Price: $12.99 and up per month
Simultaneous Streams: 1-4
You don’t need us to tell you that Netflix rules. The streaming giant boasts enough original content to keep you entertained for months on end, plus it packs many acclaimed films, TV series, and a wide selection of indie titles, comedies, and documentaries.
You can even create up to five different profiles on a single account to ensure your watch history doesn't mess up recommendations for your friends and family who share an account with you.
Our only complaint? Netflix’s standard subscription only allows streaming on up to two devices simultaneously, and it doesn’t support the streaming of 4K content. If you want ultra high-definition streams — or you want to stream on more concurrent devices — you’ll have to pay extra.
Best for Film Fanatics
Amazon Prime Video
Who it’s perfect for: Amazon Prime members or for folks looking for a wide library of films and some excellent original programming.
Price: $119.99 annually, or $12.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams: 3
An Amazon Prime membership not only includes 2-day shipping on most items and exclusive deals online, you also get cloud storage for your digital photos and access to Amazon's streaming music and video services — Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Prime Video. The latter offers a solid roster of original shows, plus plenty of blockbuster movies that you can instantly stream.
Amazon also has a deal with Viacom, so there's plenty of content to stream from the likes of Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. You can also watch some old favorite HBO series, including The Sopranos and The Wire. We also like that Prime Video makes it easy to rent and purchase new movies and series.
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