Netflix and Hulu and Peacock, oh my! There are so many streaming services and they all think they are the best streaming services.
Some streamers have tons of brand new TV series and movies, while others focus on filling their back catalog with cult classics and fan-favorite series, sometimes the streams are crossed and your favorite show is available on multiple platforms. It can be stressful to figure out which streaming service is the best.
Best Streaming Services
Once upon a time, cable cutters rejoiced at the idea of cutting down on costs by moving to streamers, but now there are dozens of streaming services to choose from. So which streaming services are the best streaming services? Arguably, the best streaming services are the ones that aren’t going to break the bank. Who wants to cut their cable cord, just to spend double their cable bill on various streaming services?
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of checking out each streaming service on your own, you are in luck because we have compiled a list of the best streaming services to help you make the right decision.
Paramount+
Paramount Plus, the service previously known as CBS All Access, is home to none other than Star Trek. Paramount+ has the entire back catalog of Star Trek series from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to Star Trek: Enterprise.
It is also the only source for new Star Trek content, including the highly anticipated second season of Star Trek: Picard. You will also be able to watch the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy on the streamer. If you are a die-hard Trekkie, you really cannot beat the price for Paramount+.
Price:
- Essential: $4.99/month
- Premium: $9.99/month
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Peacock
Peacock has all of your favorite comedies streaming all in one place Including The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks & Recreation, and Modern Family to fan-favorite dramas like Manifest and Yellowstone. Speaking of sci-fi, sci-fi lovers will rejoice with the knowledge that Peacock features Battlestar Galactica, Warehouse 13, Eureka, and Sliders.
Peacock claims to be “free” but it will get to you right in the middle of your favorite sitcom binge, because only a limited number of seasons and series are available to actually stream for free. Fortunately, Peacock Premium won’t break the bank.
Price:
- Peacock Premium: $4.99/month
- Peacock Premium Plus: $9.99/month
HBO Max
HBO Max doesn’t just have HBO originals like Game of Thrones and the Gossip Girl reboot, it also has collections like nearly every DC Comic TV show and movie, Turner Classic Movies, [adult swim], Cartoon Network, Studio Ghibli, Seasame Workshop, Looney Tunes, and Crunchyroll. There is literally something for everyone in your family. Even those classic Saturday morning cartoons like Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and The Jetsons.
If you are still mourning the loss of the DC Universe streamer, you can find all of your favorite DC shows like Titans and Doom Patrol streaming on HBO Max.
Depending on who your internet and cell service provider is, you may also be eligible for free HBO Max. So be sure to check what programs are offered, before you take the plunge.
Price:
- With Ads: $9.99/month
- Ad-Free $14.99/month
Related: 14 Classic Films to Stream on HBO Max
Netflix
Netflix is the OG streaming service, launching twenty-three years ago as a service to buy or rent movies via the mail, it evolved into one of the most beloved streaming services, coining the phrase “Netflix and Chill” along the way. It has a plethora of original TV series and a catalog of some of the most beloved movies and K-dramas.
The streamer is also dominating the original movie scene, with over 85 films released in 2021 and more on the horizon. The studio also placed a sizeable investment into the sequel of Rian Johnson’s Benoit Blanc mystery Knives Out which is slated to premiere next year.
Price:
- Basic Plan: $8.99/month
- Standard Plan: $13.99/month
- Premium Plan: $17.99/month
Disney+
From The Mandalorian to the latest Marvel Studios series, Disney+ has an incredible selection of new releases and a back catalog of your favorite Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) and National Geographic documentaries. You can also stream a number of new releases, like Jungle Cruise and Black Widow for $29.99 with their Premiere Access program.
Disney+ has only been around since November 2019 (and September 2020 in some European countries) and it has already hit a major milestone by reaching 119 million subscribers worldwide.
You can also bundle and save by getting the Disney+ bundle, which includes ESPN+ and Hulu for a major deal. If you aren’t into watching sports, check out what you can watch by snagging a subscription to Hulu.
Price:
- Disney+: $11.99/month
- Disney+: $199.99/year
Bundle:
- Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu: $13.99/month
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Hulu
Hulu has been killing it lately with award-nominated series like The Handmaid’s Tale and The Great, as well as some incredible films like Palm Springs and Happiest Season. Hulu also features a number of add-on channels that greatly improve the collection of films and TV series available to stream.
Since Hulu is under the Disney umbrella, you can also get a great deal if you want to bundle and save. Who wouldn’t want to bundle two of the best streaming services?
Price:
- Hulu: $5.99/month
- Hulu (No Ads): $11.99/month
- Hulu + Live TV: $64.99/month
- Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV: $70.99/month
Add-ons:
- HBO Max: $14.99/month
- SHOWTIME: $10.99/month
- Cinemax: $9.99/month
- Starz: $8.99/month
- ESPN+: $6.99/month
Student Bundle:
- Spotify Premium, Hulu, Showtime: $4.99/month
Related: 15 Best Comedies to Stream on Hulu
Prime Video
While you do not have to have a Prime Membership to purchase a Prime Video subscription, Amazon Prime is only $119 a year and with it you can get Prime Video, ad-free Prime Music, Prime deals, and of course free two-day shipping.
Similar to how you can get add-on channels with Hulu, Prime Video offers a variety of additional premium programming for an additional cost. In addition to the list below, Anglophiles will be thrilled to learn that Prime Video also offers PBS Masterpiece, BritBox, and Acorn TV as add-ons.
Price:
- Amazon Prime: $119/year
- Amazon Prime Video: $8.99/month
Add-ons:
- HBO: $14.99
- SHOWTIME: $10.99/month
- Cinemax: $9.99/month
- Starz: $8.99/month
- AMC Plus: $8.99/month
- Epix: $5.99/month
- Discovery+: $4.99/month
Related: 14 Best Horror Movies Streaming on Amazon Prime
Apple TV+
From M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant to the inspiring feel-good series Ted Lasso, and the unique series The Calls, Apple TV+ has a wide variety of must-watch television. But it doesn’t just have television, you can also find movies like Wolfwalkers, Cherry and documentaries like Billie Ellish: The World's A Little Blurry.
If you recently purchased an Apple device, check and see if you have a free subscription to Apple TV+ with your name on it!
- Apple TV+: $4.99/month
Bundles:
- Apple One Individual: $14.95/month
- Apple One Family: $19.95/month
- Apple One Premiere: $29.95/month
Sling TV
Sling TV is more of a gateway to reclaiming those cable channels that you cut the cord on, than it is a streaming service in the typical sense. You can get your favorite news channels, live sports, and live entertainment channels all in one place.
Sling TV has three different tears for their program and the rates are based on the number of available channels and the number of devices you plan to stream on. They do offer discounts for your first month with the service, knocking the cost down to $10 which is nice if you just want to test it out.
Price:
- Orange: $35/month
- Blue: $35/month
- Orange & Blue $50/month
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is another great service if you want to replicate the feeling of having cable, without actually having cable. It comes with over 85 top channels of entertainment, news, live sports, and so much more. You can even record programs without storage limits to bring back the DVR nostalgia.
Compared to Hulu + Live TV, you do get twenty more channels with YouTube TV and for $10 less. You also have the option to add premium channels for an additional cost, like you can with Prime Video and Hulu.
Price:
- YouTube TV: $64.99/month
Add-ons:
- HBO Max: $14.99/month
- Showtime: $10.99/month
- Cinemax: $9.99/month
- Starz: $9.99/month
- Shudder: $5.99/month
- Acorn TV: $5.99/month
FuboTV
FuboTV is yet another cord-cutter-approved streaming service. They offer a robust selection of channels to make you feel like you still have cable, letting you fine-tune your channel choices and even add-on in-service bundles to get exactly what you want to watch. Depending on the package you get, you also have the option of watching on multiple screens and recording hours of your favorite shows with the DVR feature.
Price:
- FuboTV Family: $64.99/month
- FuboTV Pro: $69.99/month
- FuboTV Elite $79.99/month
Add-ons:
- Sports Plus Package: $10.99/month
- Fubo Extra: $7.99/month
- International Sports Plus $6.99/month
- Adventure Plus Package: $4.99/month
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Crackle
Out of all of the streaming services we’ve listed for you, Crackle is the only one that is completely free. Of course, a lot of the series on Crackle are outdated, but if you love rewatching shows like 21 Jump Street, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, or vintage cartoons like Charlie's Angels, Jeannie, or the Partridge Family 2200 A.D., then Crackle might be the best streaming service for you.
If you thrive on nostalgia, then you won’t want to miss checking Crackel out. You will get completely caught up browsing through old titles!
The reason why Crackle is free is because it is an ad-based streaming service.
Kristin Stones is the founder of Cents + Purpose, an online community dedicated to sharing practical personal finance content. Her mission is to equip women with the necessary tools and knowledge to take back control of their money and live a more purposeful life. She creates actionable content to help her audience achieve financial wellness using her simple approach to managing money - all learned through her personal experience of paying off almost $55,000 of debt in under two years.