Once upon a time, Netflix ruled the roost when it came to streaming TV and movies, offering content both old and new for all kinds of genres. However, the last few years have brought some new rivals to the table.
We’ve taken a look at eleven different streaming subscriptions across both the UK and the US, and ranked them based on the TV and film libraries on offer, the cost of each one and any other pros and cons we could find.
Netflix
Pros
- Biggest range of content
- Competitive pricing
- Worldwide accessibility
- Mix of originals and syndicated work
Cons
- Cheapest plan doesn’t offer the same benefits as competitors
- Will eventually lose content to rivals
Sure it’s obvious to start with this one, but Netflix is still the big cheese when it comes to streaming services. With over 4,000 films and 1,500 shows, this service has carved out a niche for itself as becoming a household name. It’s the most accessible service worldwide, now available in over 200 countries – though some shows and movies vary depending on the region.
The pricing for the UK and US currently stands at £5.99/$8.99 per month for its most basic plan (one screen and no ultra-HD), £9.99/$13.99 per month for the standard plan (two devices for streaming and HD content), and £13.99/$17.99 per month for premium which comes with HD, Ultra HD and the ability to stream on up to four screens.
Note that Netflix no longer offers a free trial in the UK.
Netflix Originals are also available in huge abundance now. Some of the most well-known include Stranger Things, Orange Is The New Black, Narcos and Queer Eye. These can obviously be hit and miss (there was a lot of money sunk into an average Adam Sandler movie), but there’s some real gems that stand up with the likes of HBO content.
Originals however aren’t the most popular thing on the platform. It may come as no surprise to know that Friends holds that top spot, and other syndicated content is not far behind. However, with Disney Plus and HBO Max bidding for the rights of some of the most popular content, Netflix may see some of its flagship shows and films eventually fall to rivals. But for now, it still stands on the gold podium for streaming.
Amazon Prime Video
Pros
- Offers other benefits besides video streaming
- Amazon Originals are much better now
- Worldwide accessibility
Cons
- Original content not quite on par with Netflix
- May also lose out on future content
Sign up for a seven day free trial of Amazon Prime here
Amazon may dominate when it comes to online shopping, but it still can’t quite match Netflix on streaming content just yet – though it is very close. With classic shows like The Office to cinema blockbusters like Wonder Woman, there’s a mixed bag to keep you streaming.
Amazon Prime Video is £5.99/$8.99 per month, but you can sign up for Amazon Prime for £79 per year (or pay £7.99 per month) in the UK and $119 or $12.99 per month in the US which also includes extras such as free next day delivery, Amazon Prime Music and free eBooks. Like with Netflix’s standard package, you can stream two devices at once.
Amazon also has some really successful exclusives including Good Omens, The Boys, Mr Robot, Vikings, Preacher, The Grand Tour and American Gods, though few can match the Netflix shows for quality or popularity. Some of the shows in the catalogue are on borrowed time – Fleabag for example will eventually move to BritBox once the contract with Amazon is up.
The Prime catalogue can be extended even further by signing up to additional Channels. These are essentially streaming services that either feature content made by specific studios like MGM, HBO, and the Discovery channel or genre specific offerings such as the horror-focused Shudder, anime-hub Viewster, and high-brow/arthouse BFI. However, these extras do come at a hefty price.
Disney+
Pros
- Some of the biggest blockbuster films and shows
- More big Star Wars and Marvel shows scheduled for the future
- Star adds Hulu programming in the UK
Cons
- Some flagship shows only available later in the year
- Not available worldwide
- US pricing not as competitive as UK
Disney+ has become more and more competitive in recent months. Not only does it have a whole library of MCU, Disney Channel, Pixar, Star and Fox content – but its original Star Wars show The Mandalorian had one of the biggest debuts of any programme on a streaming platform. That was followed up by the Marvel hit Wandavision. The platform also has the big draw of hero shows like The Simpsons offering weeks of entertainment to enjoy and new Marvel TV releases on a regular basis.
Disney+ costs £7.99/$7.99 per month, and £79.90/$79.99 for a year. This pricing includes up to four devices for watching in ultra-HD, and the service can be accessed on a wide range of media boxes, PCs, smartphones, tablets and consoles.
The platform is also not yet available in markets like Asia, and lots of future flagship shows like The Book of Boba Fett won’t be available until later in the year – so it may be worth waiting until later to subscribe if these shows are what you’re waiting for.
The addition of Star has brought more adult programming to the platform, including The X-Files, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, Atlanta and Desperate Housewives. There will also be more original programmes on the way. However, Star is not available in the US.
Now
Pros
- Flexible range of passes to choose from
- Sky content without the need for a box or contract
- High quality shows from cable and some big blockbusters
Cons
- Only available in the UK
- Pricey if investing in multiple memberships
- Have to pay extra for full HD, no 4K or HDR at all
Now is the streaming alternative to Sky. It’s only available in the UK, so US viewers should instead take a look at HBO Now as they’re a lot of crossover. There are five separate memberships to choose from with Now: Entertainment, Cinema, Kids, Hayu and Sports. Entertainment is predominantly TV, including the best output from Sky’s channels such as The Wire, True Detective and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
Prices for the memberships vary: the Entertainment membership is £9.99 a month, while the Cinema membership is a steep £11.99 per month, but you’ll get a very decent selection of recent film and TV, and there are usually some introductory discounts. It’s also worth noting that by default the quality is capped at 720p and you’ll have to pay an extra £3.99 per month for Now Boost to get HD (along with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and support for 50fps on some Sky Sports content). There’s still no 4K or HDR support at all.
Now is also one of the easiest streaming sites to watch – it’s available online, through iOS and Android, on the PS4 and Xbox One, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, and most smart TVs. You can add up to six devices to your account, but can only watch on two devices at the same time.
As the passes for Now are quite expensive, we would recommend investing in a bundle first, and then sticking with your favourite pass for your content. Of course bear in mind that this will mean choosing between TV and film – so if you’d like both on the cheap, this isn’t the right pass to pick.
HBO Max
Pros
- HBO content without the need to sign-up for cable
- Impressive exclusives
- Extensive Warner Bros. film and TV library
- Brand new Warner Bros. films for 2021
Cons
- Only available in the US
- Expensive and no free trial
HBO Max is the company’s answer to Disney+. Taking advantage of its own back catalogue, parent company Warner Bros. massive film & TV library, and some impressive exclusives, it promises a library of content that few rivals can match.
HBO exclusives like Game of Thrones, Westworld, Veep, and The Wire form the heart of the service, but classic Warner Bros. movies and shows like Looney Tunes and Friends make up the numbers. Upcoming exclusives include a Friends reunion special and various live action DC Comics shows. It is also home to the elusive Snyder cut of Justice League.
In addition, Warner Bros. cinematic releases will be available to stream directly through HBO Max. Films on this list include The Matrix 4, Dune, Godzilla Vs. Kong, The Suicide Squad and In The Heights. It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest moves ever made by a streaming company.
HBO Max offers premium content on a monthly subscription basis. For this reason, you’re looking at $14.99 a month to stream to a few devices at one time. In comparison to others on this list, that’s not great. However, if you’re looking for an HBO exclusive – or one of those brand new Warner Bros. films – this is the only streaming service that you can get them on.
There will be a cheaper, ad-supported version of the service coming in June which could be priced as low as $8 per month. However, this won’t include new movie releases.
The other big downside is that HBO Max is currently only available in the US. While it will eventually roll out internationally that will take years, not months, and in the meantime viewers in the UK and elsewhere may have no way to watch some exclusives at all. It is possible to watch HBO Max using a VPN – though otherwise Now TV includes many of the most popular HBO shows and films.
The platform does include 4K streaming, but currently this is only available on a select number of shows and films – not everything on the platform.
Peacock
Pros
- Free tier available
- NBC staples and classic movies available
- Sports programming
Cons
- Only available in the US
- Exclusive originals not extensive at the moment
- Not available on Amazon Fire devices
Peacock has a massive advantage over rivals on this list, in that it has a completely free tier. With that you get catch-up access to current NBC shows within one week, as well as select episodes of Peacock Originals and the ability to select sporting events.
The biggest TV titles on the free tier catalogue include NBC staples such as 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation and Saturday Night Live. There’s also popular movie series to check out, including The Bourne Series, The Matrix Trilogy and the classic Jurassic Park films.
There is also a Premium tier, which costs $4.99 per month for ad-supported content, and $9.99 per month for ad-free content (both with a seven-day free trial). Subscribing for a paid account will give you next-day catch up on NBC broadcast shows, full access to all Peacock Originals and more films and series such as Two and a Half Men, Everybody Loves Raymond, Cheers, Shrek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Frankenstein.
Peacock also broadcasts lots of sporting events, including the Premiere League, the Tour De France and (once it airs) the Olympics. But whilst all these things are appealing, the list of exclusive originals at the time of writing is a little bare-boned and pales in comparison to the likes of Netflix.
Though its available on the majority of smart devices, its not available on Amazon Fire TV. However, this may change in the future. And of course not forgetting that this is another US exclusive streaming platform – but its relatively easy to sign up in the UK through using a VPN. Therefore, the free tier really makes this platform one to check out.
Mubi
Pros
- Films that you wouldn’t see on any bigger platform
- Offers a changing variety for viewers
Cons
- Some stuff may be just too niche
- Time limit on watching content may feel pressuring
- Now out-priced by other rivals
Mubi is a bit of a rogue choice in the streaming wars, but if your tastes are highbrow then it may be the perfect option for you. It offers a big vintage film collection and a few select contemporary modern art house titles, and all the movies are critically acclaimed.
Deliberately, Mubi has a fast-moving library, with films only being kept on the platform for 30 days at a time, with one film being swapped out every single day, though it now also offers a library section that preserves some of its back catalogue to watch whenever you’d like.
On the one hand, this system means that you’ll always have something new to watch, and can check out curated collections from certain directors or genres.
On the other hand, sometimes it’s nice to have a watch list for the future, and the month-long deadline may turn your relaxing streaming into something a bit more high-pressure. It’s also not the platform if you want something nice and fluffy or mind-numbing. You should only check out Mubi if you’re looking to expand your film knowledge or challenge your familiar tastes.
Mubi is available on most devices and boxes in both the UK and US. It costs £9.99/$10.99 per month (cheaper if you pay for a full year) and there’s a seven day free trial. This puts it in the middle of the pricing bracket, which may be a bit baffling considering that they don’t have big titles to fall back on. However, the eclectic library can be found nowhere else.
Hulu
Pros
- Watch the most recent US content
- Lots of attractive original series
- The choice for anyone who wants more mature Fox content not on Disney+ in the US
Cons
- Only available in the US
- Big difference between basic and premium plans
- Lots of other content on other streaming platforms
The basic plan for Hulu is one of the cheapest on here – $6 a month. However, don’t be swayed just yet as this includes annoying ad breaks when watching brand new shows. You can omit most of these by going for the premium package, but that doubles the price to $12 a month, and doesn’t really offer any additional content.
To do that, you’d have to pay for extra add-ons which consist of $15 for HBO, $10 for Cinemax and $9 for Showtime. Add all these together, and you’re looking at the same price for your electricity, probably.
Top original series on Hulu include The Handmaid’s Tale, an increasingly relevant thriller based on a classic novel alongside the likes of Castle Rock, Shrill and Ramy. Though of course there’s no arguing that some of these shows are available on the likes of Amazon Prime.
This platform may also be a good option option for those who wants to watch the mature content that comes from the 21st Century Fox merger that’s not available on Disney Plus. You can also invest in the bundle that offers both (plus ESPN+, if that’s your thing) for $13.99 – an attractive deal which still undercuts some standalone services on this list. Hulu is a US exclusive service, but UK viewers can try our workaround to access it abroad.
BritBox
Pros
- Offering British classics – something a little different
- Five channels worth of content in 2020
- Great for US viewers
Cons
- Why would UK viewers pay for catch-up content?
- Not a wide library of content
BritBox achieved mass success in the US, with audiences finally being able to access British classics from years gone past. Now the service is in the UK, with five channels worth of content going into 2020. Some of the classics on the service include Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and Blackadder.
BritBox costs just £5.99/$6.99 per month – a price which includes multiple screens, devices and HD content – so it’s quite a bargain on that front. If you’re not quite ready to shelve out nearly six quid per month, then no worries. BritBox offers a seven-day free trial across both sides of the pond.
Though this service went down a storm in the States, it’s a little confusing for people in the UK. Any TV licence holder can currently access older content on online catch-up services like iPlayer, and of course the ITV Hub. So at this stage it’s a bit puzzling as to why UK-based customers would subscribe at all when they can access most of BritBox’s library for free.
This may change in the future, when BritBox eventually gets first bid at brand new UK channel content like Bodyguard and Fleabag over other rivals. Otherwise, we suggest checking online to see if you can catch up on classic series for free before making the BritBox plunge.
Paramount+
Pros
- Home of Star Trek content
- Will have first streaming rights to Paramount films
- Live CBS TV
Cons
- Only available in select countries
- No originals on the platform yet
- Basically a new skin of CBS All Access
Paramount Plus is a rebrand and expansion of the former streaming service, CBS All Access. It includes content from Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and BET. It is out now in the US, Canada, Latin America and the Nordics, and is due to come to Australia later on this year. Currently the platform isn’t scheduled to come to the UK.
Paramount+ has two tiers – Base and Premium. The former costs $4.99 per month, whilst the latter costs $9.99 per month. The Base tier is ad-supported, and gets you exclusive live sports and NFL live, CBSN and CBS news on-demand, plus all the shows and films from the ViacomCBS library along with Paramount+ exclusives in the future. Meanwhile the Premium tier is ad-free, and includes everything on the Base tier as well as more live CBS sports, CBS Network News and live local stations and CBS live TV.
Later on this year, this streaming platform will have first rights to streaming for Paramount cinematic releases around one month after they’ve debuted in theatres. This includes Top Gun: Maverick, A Quiet Place II and Mission: Impossible 7. Paramount+ is also home to some of the most popular Star Trek originals such as Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Brave New Worlds and Star Trek: Picard.
The draw of live programming and sports is quite a unique feature of Paramount+, which will attract a different type of audience than that of Netflix. However, many entertainment originals such as a spin-off of The Italian Job and a Rugrats reboot won’t be available until later on – so this streaming service still has some way to go before it can truly be competitive.
Paramount Plus is also not available in the UK. Whilst it is possible to sign up using a VPN, it is very convoluted. Fortunately, a lot of the original content such as the Star Trek shows are available on other platforms such as Amazon Prime Video.
Apple TV+
Pros
- Cheapest subscription on the list
- New Apple customers get the subscription free for one year
Cons
- Barely any content compared to rivals
- No syndicated shows or movies to draw in fans
Sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ here
Fans of Apple will be pleased to know that the company is also part of the streaming wars. However, their current line-up leaves a lot to be desired. Price wise they’re the cheapest on the list at £4.99/$4.99 for multiple devices and ultra-HD content. This is even sweeter when you take into consideration that any new customers of Apple get a whole year for free.
However, even that can’t save what is a sparse list of content. When other rivals are boasting over ten times the amount of shows and films, just a few quid off per month doesn’t seem quite enough. Maybe Apple has other deals planned for the future, and will be building up its content over the year. But right now? It’s bottom of the pile.
If you are planning on investing, then some of the most popular Apple TV+ shows include See, a fantasy series starring Jason Momoa, and The Morning Show, a contemporary drama with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
What should I look for in a streaming service?
First and foremost: the best range of content to suit your tastes. Having the biggest library may not mean anything if you’re looking to watch a specific show, or aren’t interested in a platform that doesn’t allow content above a 12A rating (hello Disney+ US). We recommend checking out each of the libraries for these services before discounting any completely, as there may be a hidden gem that sparks your TV taste buds. If none of these cater to your niche interests, we also have a list of the best alternative streaming services.
The price of course is also a big factor. Investing in a streaming service is fortunately quite a flexible way to get your content, meaning that if one platform isn’t doing it for you, and can easily switch to another without losing out on a lot of money. The majority of these services also offer free trials to get a taste of what’s on offer. Take a look at our look at how we can save money on streaming services in the future.
Consider the number of devices that an account boasts. You can save a lot of money if you split a streaming service subscription with a family member or friend, but this is only useful if you can all watch the platform at the same time on various devices. Some platforms like Netflix offer a tiered payment system which is influenced by this, so investigate to see what’s right for you.
The level of accessibility is another thing to keep in mind. We’ve included a range of services – some of which are exclusive to either the UK or US. Whilst many of these are still accessible using a VPN, it may end up making your streaming a lot more convoluted than what it needs to be.
Finally, some subscriptions offer extras or bundles that may be a draw. Amazon has its Prime benefits, Disney+ can be bought with two other channels for a reasonable bundle, and Apple TV+ can be accessed for free with any new Apple product purchase.