Updated Nov 1, 2024 – In the streaming world, things are in a constant flux. Below is some help. Btw, the key to streaming is to sign up, watch all you want to watch, and then cancel the service. Only restart the service again if you want to come back and watch more.
The first three below are like the ABC, CBS, and NBC of streaming companies. Then came Apple TV+ and Disney+.
Notes: Better-than-average TV shows, including Amazon Originals, but a lousy movie selection. Through Amazon Prime, you can also purchase subscriptions for other streaming services like Showtime, Starz, and Acorn TV. Prime also combines its streaming options with its pay options, so you can buy or rent something not offered for free in Prime. Thus, Prime is sort of like a combo of Netflix and iTunes.
Monthly cost: $8.99 (Prime Video alone) or $14.99 (Prime Video with Amazon Prime Membership)
Notes: Hulu plays usually-next-day reruns of major network and cable network TV shows. Has some decent original programs, and a decent-sized movie catalog.
Monthly cost: $9.99 (ads) or $18.99 (no ads)
Notes: Has many great TV shows, including award-winning originals, but only average movies. Their movie catalog seems to be better than Amazon Prime’s, but that isn’t saying much. These days, they seem to be more focused on foreign-language shows and movies, rather than English-speaking ones.
Monthly cost: $6.99 (ads) or $15.49 (no ads)
Notes: Has some decent original shows, with plans to add more. They’re spending a lot of money on original programming. Slow Horses is a fantastic show. Well worth the subscription price. This app works on Apple devices, and in conjunction with iTunes purchasing.
Monthly cost: $9.99
Notes: Disney+ offers a lot of past Disney movies and shows, plus some new original programs. It also has Marvel content and Stars Wars content. They also have a Disney+/Hulu bundle. It’s confusing. Good luck.
Monthly cost: $10.99 (ads) or $16.99 (no ads)
These streaming services are spin-offs of cable TV networks.
Notes: HBO’s streaming service is now called Max. HBO has arguably the best shows on TV. They've also improved their movie offerings by acquiring Cinemax content. Max has all of the HBO content, Cinemax originals, and a huge catalog of other acquired movies and shows.
Monthly cost: $9.99 (ads) or $16.99 (no ads) or $20.99 (a plan I don't understand)
Notes: The Showtime catalog is now on Paramount+. Like HBO, Showtime is mainly known for its award-winning TV series. It has many movies, but not many great ones.
Monthly cost: See Paramount+
Notes: Cinemax's content is now on HBO's "Max" app or available on Hulu as well. Cinemax has many decent movies and some great original shows. For drama: The Knick. For action: Banshee, Strike Back, and Warrior.
Monthly cost: See Max or Hulu
Sign Up Link: See Max or Hulu
Notes: Starz has some popular original programs. For movies, they have hundreds. You can find great classics, martial arts movies, and suspense dramas. Like HBO and Showtime, they have a stand-alone app if you don’t have Starz through your cable or satellite provider.
Monthly cost: $10.99
In addition to the great AMC shows, AMC+ includes shows/movies from IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder and Sundance Now. It also has British shows not available elsewhere in the U.S. Sign up through Apple TV or Amazon Prime, or through Comcast Xfinity, Dish, or Sling.
Monthly cost: $4.99 (ads) or $8.99 (no ads)
Notes: Formerly called EPIX. This has some good original programs, and has many decent-to-good recent movies (mostly action movies).
Monthly cost: $6.99
Notes: Has some quality original shows,such as The Bureau. Its many movies are independent films, documentaries, and foreign language (mostly French).
Monthly cost: $6.99
These streaming services were launched by major TV networks.
Notes: Formerly CBS All Access. CBS saw the writing on the wall and tried early to get into the streaming game. Now their parent company is taking over. Access to Paramount’s/CBS’s huge catalog of network movies and shows. Has some original programs (Star Trek Discovery, The Stand).
Monthly cost: $7.99 (ads) or $12.99 (no ads; get Showtime content also)
Notes: NBC’s streaming service; debuted in July 2020. Xfinity and Cox customers might already have this service. Has British football, plus some British shows that can’t be seen elsewhere in the U.S. A few decent original programs.
Monthly cost: $7.99 (ads) or $13.99 (no ads)
Just like cable and satellite TV have many smaller channels, so does streaming.
Notes: Like BritBox, this is for people who love British television. Acorn TV has many good dramas, but their real strength is crime dramas and murder mysteries. Their Line of Duty is a great show.
Monthly cost: $7.99
Notes: BritBox claims to be “the biggest streaming collection of British TV…ever.” It has many popular-but-older British shows, some top British classics. Like Acorn TV, it also offers some new, great crime dramas.
Monthly cost: $8.99
Notes: The price seems steep, but not if you love award-winning classic movies. Also has many foreign-language movies, some you may recognize but most you probably won’t. For film lovers.
Monthly cost: $10.99
Notes: No original shows. A decent amount of movies, mostly independent films. Could easily spend a month bingeing here. A curated collection of films and television series.
Monthly cost: $4.99
Notes: Shudder seems to be mostly horror films. I’m not a big fan of the horror genre, but did find quality movies that are suspenseful and not too horror-ish.
Monthly cost: $6.99
Notes: If you scour the Internet, you can find ways to stream movies and shows for free. I’ve included Hoopla here because they actually have decent shows – if you’re into British dramas and detective series. Kanopy is another library streaming service, but it’s movies only.
Cost: Free with Public Library membership