Best Streaming Services

Here's a list of the best entertaining on-demand services and cable alternatives

Best Live TV Streaming Service
Fubo TV
Fubo
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.75
Starts at
$79.99/mo.
  • pro
    Available channels: 259
  • Fire Emoji
    Offers 7-day free trial
Best On-Demand Service for Newer Content
Hulu
Hulu
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
Starts at
$7.99
/mo
  • pro
    Available titles: 2,500+
  • Fire Emoji
    30-day free trial
Best for Top Live TV Channels
YouTubeTV
YouTube TV + Frontier Internet
4 out of 5 stars
4
Starts at
$72.99/mo
  • pro
    Available channels: 100
Best Budget Live TV Service
Sling
Sling
4 out of 5 stars
4
Starts at
$40
/mo
  • pro
    Available channels: 46
  • Fire Emoji
    Offers free trial
Best Original On-Demand Content
Netflix
Netflix
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starts at
$6.99
/mo
  • pro
    Available titles: 6,000+
Chantel Buchi
Mar 28, 2024
Icon Time To Read18 min read

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There are two types of streaming services on the market: live TV and on-demand.

If you're tired of feeding the cable or satellite TV monster and watching your money get eaten away, it might be time to embrace the digital revolution with a live TV streaming service. If you're an avid marathon-watcher of TV series and movies, you'll be satisfied with an on-demand service. Or you could get both, like me.

Choosing from a long list of streaming services can be overwhelming, so I've narrowed it down for you. The list includes three live TV streaming services (fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV) as cable alternatives and two on-demand streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Prime Video).

To find the best streaming service, I compared price, channels, on-demand content, user interface, and DVR storage–and boy, it was tough. But in the end, fuboTV turned out to be my top streaming service—not customer favorites like Netflix or Disney+.

Let’s dive into the details to find the best service for you.

What is the best streaming service?
Streaming service
Monthly price
Available channels
Learn more
Fubo TV$79.99–$99.9965-260
YouTubeTV$34.99-$48930-100
Hulu$69.99-$89.9985
Hulu$7.99-$17.99N/A
Disney Plus$7.99-$139.99N/A
Amazon Prime$8.99–$14.99N/A
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
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fuboTV has the best value among all live TV streaming services

How much does fuboTV cost per month?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
Pro$79.99/mo.*183
Elite$89.99/mo.*251
Latino$32.99/mo.*65
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

What I like about fuboTV

  • fuboTV offers a channel count you'd find with traditional TV (and without the fees).
  • It has a easy-to-navigate user interface.

Lots of entertainment with a great variety of channels

fuboTV offers more channels than any other live TV streaming service in the industry.

That means you'll get channels for news, sports, lifestyle, kids, and entertainment. So if you're looking for your favorite show that mysteriously disappeared from your current streaming service, fuboTV might have it. But one part that really makes fuboTV stand out is the number of sports channels you'll get access to.

With the Pro plan, you'll get 35 sports channels; with Elite, you'll get a whopping total of 50. That's the highest number of sports channels you can get with any TV provider out there.

Here's a sneak peek of the channel lineups so you can better understand which is best for you. I personally have the Elite plan.

fuboTV's Pro package includes the following channels:

  • CBS
  • Big Ten Network
  • CBS Sports Network
  • Disney Channel
  • ESPN, ESPN2
  • Food Network
  • FOX
  • FOX News
  • FOX Sports (FS1), FS2
  • Golf Channel
  • Hallmark Channel
  • HGTV
  • Lifetime
  • NFL Network
  • Nickelodeon
  • Olympic Channel
  • Telemundo
  • Univision

fuboTV's Elite plan includes all of the channels above and the following:

  • BBC World News
  • The Cooking Channel
  • ESPNU
  • MLB Network
  • Nat Geo Wild
  • NBA TV
  • NHL Network
  • Nicktoons
  • PAC-12 Networks
  • SEC Network
  • Sony Movie Channel
  • TeenNick
  • Tennis Channel
  • Zona Fútbol

Find out why we named fuboTV the best live TV streaming service

fuboTV is one of our top picks for Spanish speakers

fuboTV made our list of best streaming services for Spanish speakers because it offers a Latino package with more than 65 Spanish-language channels ($33/month) para tu familia o para tu Abuelita.

fuboTV has a sleek interface

fuboTV wins at the interface game. fuboTV has a unique interface that is easy to navigate and quickly helps you find something you want to watch. Here are a few examples of why.

First, when you open up your home page, you'll find six tabs at the top to get you to what you want within seconds. Other services usually have only three.

But what I wanted to highlight here in this photo is fuboTV allows you to choose your "favorite channels," and those are conveniently listed in front so you can get to the NFL game or Hallmark movie ASAP.

Home page of fuboTV

Photo credit: Chantel Buchi

Second, if you're a sports fan, you'll like this feature:

The Sports tab recommends featured sports shows and events. There's also a horizontal list of sports to choose from, such as basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, etc.

And third, fuboTV's guide is so easy to navigate.

The guide has a drop-down menu on the left to change the date. Choose a genre of channels you'd like to browse and use the search bar at the top to get to your favorite TV network with a few taps.

fuboTV TV guide

Photo credit: Chantel Buchi

What I don’t like about fuboTV

  • It could be close to a 5-star service if it had unlimited DVR storage space.
  • It doesn't have TNT for the NBA fans.

fuboTV’s DVR storage is second best to YouTube TV’s

fuboTV has made enormous changes to its service over the years, and it became our 31 choice in 2021 and still holds the title.

One of those significant changes was increasing the Cloud DVR storage. fuboTV raised its DVR storage to 1,000 hours of storage from 30 hours

Instead of recording only 15 TV shows and about six movies, you can now record at least 75 TV episodes and nearly 30 films. So even though it's not unlimited, this service still provides more storage than you might know what to do with.

And YouTube TV also comes out on top for NBA fans. If you're a diehard Boston Celtics fan, I suggest ordering YouTube TV because it has all of the channels you'll need for the NBA regular season and postseason games.

YouTube TV is the best for popular channels

How much does YouTube TV cost per month?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
YouTube TV$72.99/mo.*100+
Spanish Plan$34.99/mo.30+
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
No long term contract. Cancel anytime.

What I like about YouTube TV

  • YouTube TV has an outstanding variety of channels.
  • YouTube TV is the only service to offer NFL Sunday Ticket.
  • This live TV streaming service has an unlimited DVR storage.

YouTube TV has most of the channels you love

YouTube TV comes in at a close second because it has a variety of channels most families want. (Scroll down a little for a list.)

Although it's only $7 less than fuboTV's Pro package (which has about 80 more channels), YouTube TV is the only live TV streaming service that offers NFL Network and NBA TV in its lineup for $73 per month.

And if you're an NBA fanatic, you're going to want YouTube TV because it's the best for streaming all NBA games.

Sadly, Youtube TV recently removed MLB Network from its channel lineup. fuboTV is the only live TV streaming service you can order MLB.TV with, but beware that fuboTV doesn't have the TBS channel for MLB games.

Now, for NFL fans, you can bundle NFL Sunday Ticket with YouTube TV service. Add NFL Sunday Ticket to your YouTube TV subscription for $349 a season, or add it with the NFL RedZone Channel for $389.

YouTube TV will even let you purchase Sunday Ticket alone or with RedZone without a subscription—you'll just pay $100 more. 

If you're not interested in bundling both services but aren't sure which one to choose, check out our breakdown of NFL Sunday Ticket vs. NFL RedZone.

Service
Price
YouTube TV$72.99/mo.*
NFL Sunday Ticket + YoutubeTV$349/yr.
NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone + YoutubeTV$389/yr.
NFL Sunday TIcket on Youtube$449/yr.*
NFL Sunday TIcket + NFL RedZone on Youtube$489/yr.*
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Plus $72.99/mo recurring for YouTube TV. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

And, of course, this service has channels for the kiddos and for the roommate who loves reality TV.

Check out the full YouTube TV channel lineup to see if it has the channels you and the house can enjoy, but here's a sneak peek:

  • ABC
  • Animal Planet
  • Cartoon Network
  • CNN
  • Disney Channel
  • FOX
  • ESPN, ESPN2
  • FS1, FS2
  • Hallmark Channel
  • HGTV
  • MSNBC
  • NBA TV
  • NFL Network
  • Nickelodeon
  • SEC Network
  • TBS
  • Telemundo
  • TNT

Enjoy that unlimited DVR storage space

The DVR's unlimited storage space is a feature that plays into the value of YouTube TV.

Only YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV give you an unlimited DVR storage space, and your recordings will save for nine months.

You can record all episodes from The Office and Friends on your smart TV and all the movies your heart desires.

The DVR comes in handy during game season too. You can record a great NFL football game one season, save it, and watch it again during the summer when you're missing the gridiron action.

What I don’t like about YouTube TV

  • No MLB, HISTORY, PAC-12 Network, or Tennis Channel.

YouTube TV is missing a few channels, but it might not be a big deal

Bad news for Ancient Aliens fans, USC junkies, baseball fans, and Rodger Federer followers—unfortunately, you can't get your fix with YouTube TV.

But if you do go the YouTube TV route, here are some solutions:

  • The Roku Channel and Pluto TV can help those who need their HISTORY Channel content. Find more information about these two services in our best free streaming services review.
  • On the other hand, access to the Tennis Channel and PAC-12 Network is a bit tricky. You can stream all Wimbledon games through ESPN+. But you'll have to sign in with a TV provider login on Pac-12.com/live to watch your Trojans take on the University of Utah Utes.
  • While it's unfortunate YouTube TV and the MLB network parted ways this year, you can still find various national MLB games covered on ESPN, TBS, or Fox.
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Hulu Live is the best for families

How much does Hulu + Live TV cost per month?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
Live TV Only$75.99/mo.*85
Hulu + Live TV (with ads)$76.99/mo.^85
Hulu + Live TV (no ads)$89.99/mo.^85
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
^ Access to Disney+ and ESPN+ through our Live TV plans is not available for subscribers who are billed by T-Mobile.

What I like about Hulu + Live TV

  • Hulu + Live TV has a variety of popular channels like fuboTV and YouTube TV.
  • Hulu Live comes with the Disney+ bundle.
  • This live TV streaming service has an unlimited DVR storage.

Hulu + Live TV might have fewer channels, but you'll find a great variety

Some families might find that with the right plan, Hulu + Live TV has a better value than fuboTV or YouTube TV. 

If you go the no-ad route, for $17 more than YouTube TV, you'll get 15 channels fewer, but you'll have access to Hulu's on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+. That's three additional subscriptions baked into one price. Disney+ as a standalone ad-free subscription is $14 per month while ESPN+ is $11, saving you $8 a month compared to purchasing each service a la carte.

And right now, Hulu + Live is offering its with-limited-ads plan for $50 for three months. 

Check out the full Hulu + Live TV channel lineup to see all 85 channels you'll receive in your area, but here's a sneak peek (and scroll further down for the sports):

  • ABC
  • Animal Planet
  • Cartoon Network
  • CBS
  • Discovery Channel
  • Disney Channel
  • Food Network
  • FOX
  • FOX News
  • History Channel
  • PBS Kids
  • National Geographic
  • Nat Geo Wild
  • NBC
  • Nickelodeon
  • TNT
  • TruTV (Court TV)
  • The Weather Channel

Hulu + Live TV includes the Disney+ bundle for a solid discount

I got ahead of myself and already mentioned how great of a deal Hulu Live gives with including the Disney+ bundle, but allow me to reiterate it again:

When you order Hulu Live's no-ad plan for $90, you'll get a 4-in-1—Hulu + Live TV, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. 

Disney+ has over 500 films, 15,000 episodes, and 80+ Originals split between Disney, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, and Star Wars.

ESPN+ gives you live game coverage for 20+ sports without a TV provider login. This service is also home to UFC, you can stream some 2023 NFL games, and lots of NCAA college games.

What I don’t like about Hulu + Live TV

  • With only 85 channels, you won't find all of the top sports channels here.

Hulu Live lacks in the professional sports channels department

Hulu Live is not one of the best TV providers for sports, but it's reasonable for the average sports fan. 

You'll get some college sports channels, NFL Network, Golf Channel, and traditional sports channels, like ESPN. But you won't find NBA TV, MLB Network, NHL Network, PAC-12 Network, or the Tennis Channel with Hulu Live.

But take a look at the sports channels Hulu Live does offer in case it satisfies your sports-watching needs:

  • ACC Network (ACCN)
  • Big Ten Network (BTN)
  • CBS Sports Network
  • ESPN, ESPN2
  • ESPNews
  • ESPNU
  • FOX Sports (FS1), FS2
  • Golf Channel
  • NFL Network
  • SEC Network

Netflix is best for Original content and quantity

How much does Netflix cost per month?
Plan
Price
Simultaneous streams
Extra members
Details
Netflix Standard with Ads$6.99/mo.*2N/A
Netflix Standard$15.49/mo.*21
Netflix Standard w/extra member slots$23.48/mo.21
Netflix Premium$22.99/mo.*4Up to 2
Netflix Premium w/extra member slots$30.98/mo.4Up to 2
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

What I like about Netflix

  • Netflix has lots of Original content, let alone the largest quantity of content compared to all services.
  • This on-demand streaming service has a traditional interface.

Who doesn’t love one-of-a-kind content?

Netflix is No. 1 in Original content with its famous directors, producers, and actors—and let's not forget the great comedy specials. It's no question that lots of Netflix's Original content has become popular and known.

Some popular Original series you've likely heard of include: Ozark, The Great British Baking Show, and Stranger Things.

Some current, fantastic Netflix Originals you can binge this weekend include:

  • Outer Banks
  • Wednesday
  • You
  • The Lincoln Lawyer
  • Emily In Paris
  • Harry & Meghan
  • Peaky Blinders
  • The Crown
  • Virgin River

Grab your popcorn because you'll enjoy stellar movies like Glass Onion, Damsel, The School for Good and Evil, White Noise, Trolls, and Bullet Train.

You'll have hours upon hours of content to watch while you wind down for the day.

Netflix has that familiar OG interface

I think most people can say they like Netflix's traditional, easy-to-use interface of horizontal lists of Popular, Trending, New Releases, Top 10 in the US Today, and so on. You're guaranteed to find something to stream on your Friday movie night.

With Netflix, you can find yourself in bed all day just watching great entertainment. Seriously. It's not like anyone I know of has experienced it or anything.

On top of the friendly interface and the fact that we all can find ourselves stuck streaming in bed, Netflix's parental controls are on point. This is why we named it the best streaming service for kids. You can create a kid's profile and a PIN so your little ones can't access mature TV shows and movies.

What I don’t like about Netflix

  • Netflix is the most expensive on-demand streaming service.
  • Now, Netflix is cracking down on password sharing.

Netflix’s top-tier plan is on the pricier side

Netflix has three plans: Standard with ads for $6.99, Standard for $15.49, and Premium for $23.99.

The Standard with Ads plan will give all but a few TV shows and movies in standard high definition (HD). And you can stream on two supported devices at once.

The Standard plan's price isn't too hard to swallow. When you upgrade to this plan, you get the option to download content on two separate devices as well as the option to add one extra member who isn't in your household.

Like the Standard plan, you'll get to stream your content in HD, but you'll also get 4K viewing with the Premium plan. Netflix's Premium plan is the most expensive on-demand plan in the industry, but it might be worth upgrading from the Standard plan if you and your family will likely stream on four devices at once.

You'll also be able to download on up to six devices at once. That'll come in handy on your next family camping trip with no Wi-Fi. For $4 more, you won't have to worry about getting booted off your account when watching Schitt's Creek.

What is an ad-supported video streaming service?

Netflix and Hulu, for example, offer an ad-supported tier as a cheaper plan for those who are looking to save money. (You could save $7–$9 per month.)

You'll get all of the same content as the no-ad plan, but you might see ads at the beginning and possibly in the middle of your TV show or movie.

Netflix no longer lets you password share

Gone are the days of sharing your password with anyone and everyone. Now, unless you get extra member slots with the Standard plan or Premium plan, you must be living under the same roof as the account holder to truly "password share."

Unfortunately, now you'll have to pay to add another member to your account. Netflix now offers extra member slots. For $7.99/month per extra member, you can add one to a Standard plan, while Premium lets you add two. While $8 is a great price for Premium, it's still $1 more than just opening a Standard with ads account for $6.99/month. 

Hulu is best for newer network content

How much does Hulu cost per month?
Plan
Price
Details
Hulu$7.99/mo.°
Hulu (no ads)$17.99/mo.**
° 30 day free trial, then 7.99/mo. includes ads
** Hulu (No Ads) excludes a few shows that play with ads before and after the video.

What I like about Hulu

  • Hulu delivers loads of newer network content.
  • Hulu has also been known for its Original content.

We want new content. When do we want it? Now!

You can count on Hulu to deliver the recently-aired episode of Bob's Burgers and 9-1-1 soon after it airs on live television.

For example, when The Bachelor/ Bachelorette airs on ABC Monday night, it will become available by 9 a.m. (ET) the next morning. (Or you could sign up for Hulu Live TV to stream episodes the night they premier.)

Now that's great timing—especially for us impatient people who don't want to see any spoilers on Twitter or Instagram.

Other next-day TV shows include Good Trouble, Snowfall, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Family Guy, and Grown-ish. This unique feature is what makes Hulu one of the best for cord-cutters.

Hulu has popular Original content

Netflix wins the title for the best Original content, but Hulu is one of our top five favorites for its unique content. You won't find these shows anywhere else besides on this specific streaming service.

Hulu-Originals-April-2022

Hulu includes the following Original series and movies:

  • How I Met Your Father
  • Prey
  • Letterkenny
  • Only Murders In the Building
  • Dopesick
  • Reservation Dogs
  • Madagascar: A Little Wild
  • Nine Perfect Strangers
  • The Croods: Family Tree
  • Palm Springs
  • Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons
  • American Horror Stories

What I don’t like about Hulu

  • You'll have the upgrade to get no ads.

You’ll probably want the top-tier plan

With Hulu, you'll want its most expensive plan for no interruptions.

No one wants to watch two ad breaks every 30 minutes. So, you might upgrade to the $15 per month plan.

Keep in mind that Hulu only lets you stream on two devices at once with both plans. That's nice for those who want the $8 per month plan, but this can become a problem for large families.

Hulu is one of the cheapest streaming services at $8 per month (with ads), and keep the streaming bills low with other cheap services like Peacock ($6–$12), Apple TV+ ($7), and Paramount+ ($6–$12).

Sling TV is the best live TV budget pick

How much does Sling TV cost per month?
Plan
Price
TV channel count
Details
Sling Orange$40/mo.*32
Sling Blue$40/mo.*40
Sling Orange + Sling Blue Services$55/mo.*46
* Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

What I like about Sling TV

Sling TV is great for budget-minded people

Sling TV has three inexpensive packages: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Sling Orange + Blue.

Sling Orange and Sling Blue are each $40 per month, which is an excellent price as the average price of live TV streaming services is double that. The difference is in the channels.

Sling Orange has about 32 channels, including Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, and Food Network.

Sling Blue has about 40, including FOX News, MSNBC, Nick Jr., TBS, and USA. So I encourage you to check out the channel lineups to find out which package is the best for you and your family.

On the other hand, the Orange + Blue plan gives you all of the channels in Sling Orange and Sling Blue in one package for $15 more.

But keep in mind, Sling TV is NOT ideal for sports fans. With the most expensive plan, you get only seven sports channels (if you include TNT for NBA games). If you are willing to spend $15—$20 more, you can get access to 16 sports channels with YouTube TV or over 20 with fuboTV.

Sling-TV-guide-April-2022

What I don’t like about Sling TV

  • Sling TV's DVR storage space is questionable.

One of the worst DVRs in the industry

I hate to say it, but Sling TV's DVR is one of the poorest DVRs in the industry (but it comes with the price).

A DVR with 50 hours can fill up quicker than you think, especially if you're sharing with the fam. And you'll have to add $5 to your monthly bill for the 200-hour DVR storage space.

If you choose to keep the 50-hour DVR storage, remember your older recordings will automatically delete so the DVR can find storage space for your new recordings.

No other live TV streaming service has this low capacity for their DVR service, but you get what you pay for. Hulu + Live TV used to offer 50 hours, but recently they upgraded their service to provide unlimited hours of storage.

At least Sling TV has an excuse because this service is on the inexpensive side.

Disney+ is the best on-demand service for families

How much does Disney+ cost per month?
Plan
Price
Details
Disney+ Basic (With Ads)$7.99/mo.††
Disney+ Premium (No Ads)$13.99/mo.††
Disney+ (No Ads) Annual$139.99/yr.††
†† U.S. residents, 18+ only. Access content from each service separately. Location data required to watch certain content. Offer valid for eligible subscribers only.

What I like about Disney+

  • Access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.
  • A Disney+ subscription is right at the average pricing mark.

Disney+ has content every single person in the world wants

This streaming service takes both parents and children to a simpler world, the wilderness, or outer space—places we all want to visit during our downtime. 

With Disney+, we can stream The Princess and the Frog, Spider-Man, Bluey, Encanto, Bambi, The Sandlot, The Mandalorian, and The Simpsons

You’ll also find newer movies, like Peter Pan & Wendy, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Rise, and West Side Story

Unless you’re not a fan of nostalgic cartoons, superheroes, and galaxy stories, Disney+ is a staple service. 

So how can we get this lovable streaming service at the best price?

Disney+ has low subscription prices, including the bundle

The average pricing for an on-demand streaming service today is about $11 per month, which is more than the price of Disney+ with ads. And nobody wants ads.

The priciest on-demand service is Netflix at $20, and a few services, like Paramount+, are as cheap as $5. 

You might have heard of the golden “Disney bundle” before. And trust me when I say this is a bundle worth having because you get three services for only a few dollars more.

How much does the Disney+ bundle cost per month?
Plan
Price
Details
Disney Bundle Trio Basic$14.99/mo.‡‡
Disney Bundle Trio Premium$19.99/mo.‡‡
‡‡ To sign up this plan, eligible subscribers will need to complete sign up through Hulu, and not already have the Disney Bundle, a standalone Disney+ subscription, or the ESPN+ Add-on.

The bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+

If you get the bundle with ads, you’ll save $12 more than if you were to get each service on its own. And if you upgrade to zero ads, you’ll save $15 per month.

What I don’t like about Disney+

  • Nothing.
  • Ok, maybe it’s worth calling out that it’s not a standalone service.

Although Disney+ is best for families, you’ll likely want other services too

Not everyone in the home will want to watch only animated movies and adventurous series. Others might want to watch drama or reality shows, for example.

But hey, this might be where the bundle comes in handy. Your Kardashian-loving family member will enjoy Hulu, and everyone can watch tennis matches and UFC fights with ESPN+.

Amazon Prime Video is a service you might unknowingly already have

How much does Amazon Prime Video cost per month?
Plan
Price
Details
Amazon Prime annual membership$139/yr.^^
^^ Requires Amazon Prime subscription. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

What I like about Amazon Prime Video

  • It’s included if you already have Amazon Prime.
  • Prime Video has must-see Originals.

Get streaming content and free Prime shipping for $15

If you’re like the other 200 million people with Amazon Prime *raises hand*, then you already have access to Amazon Prime Video!

You can order Amazon Prime Video by itself for $9, but if you pay $6 more per month, you can also get speedy Prime shipping, a free Kindle book monthly, and a plethora of other perks. 

Amazon Prime’s Original content is something to applaud. Prime Video knows how to create content that keeps people coming back. You can watch the following Originals:

  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • The Wheel of Time
  • Reacher
  • The Terminal List
  • Bosch
  • The Boys
  • The Expanse
  • Hannah
  • Daisy Jones & the Six
  • The Rings of Power

Not only will you have access to the on-demand library, but also with a Prime Video subscription, you'll have access to Thursday Night Football

What I don’t like about Amazon Prime Video

  • Prime Video doesn’t have great content aside from Originals.

Prime Video has a scarce variety

I’d argue that Amazon Prime Video makes great Original content, but there’s not many titles outside of the Originals that you’d want to watch. 

Prime Video advertises itself as having an enormous library, but the reality is a big chunk of those titles are for rent or to buy. 

Some titles you can enjoy with your Prime Video membership at no extra cost are the following:

  • Air
  • Forrest Gump
  • Pulp Fiction
  • Top Gun: Maverick
  • The Wolf of Wall Street
  • Jurassic World Dominion
  • Ticket to Paradise
  • Good Will Hunting
  • Mamma Mia! 
  • Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Recap: Which is the best streaming service?

  • fuboTV: fuboTV is our favorite streaming service because, for $80–$90 per month, you'll get access to 190–259 channels and on-demand content (network TV shows and movies). 
  • YouTube TV: Coming in at a close second, you'll get a great variety of channels for whatever mood you might be in for $73 per month. Plus, you'll have access to YouTube TV's NFL Sunday Ticket plus NFL RedZone bundles.
  • Hulu + Live TV gives you 85+ live channels, Hulu's on-demand library, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $75–$90 per month.
  • Netflix: Netflix's Original content is tough to beat. Netflix's ample funding provides for top-notch productions you'll only find on this streaming service. Not only is it No. 1 in Original content, but it's also number one overall with its ginormous library of 6,000+ titles that will never leave you bored.
  • Hulu: If you want to watch the latest episode of your favorite network TV show and don't have cable TV, Hulu is a no-brainer for streaming TV. I know you need to catch up on The Bachelorette ASAP to see if your Bachelorette bracket is still alive. Hulu also creates an abundant amount of excellent Original content, like Only Murders In the Building.
  • Sling TV: If you want live TV channels but are on a budget, Sling TV is the service you'll be most happy with. You can get 32–40 channels for only $40 per month while saving for that new home.
  • Disney+: This streaming service is a staple for a reason—it gives you access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content. And you get all of this for $14 per month.
  • Amazon Prime Video: With an Amazon Prime subscription, you can stream all of the excellent Prime Originals whenever you want. Included in that $15 subscription is next-day Prime shipping and a handful of other services.

If you want to explore other streaming services, check out our top live TV streaming service picks and our top on-demand streaming service picks.

If you're new to streaming, you might be interested in why we like Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices the most in our Best Streaming Devices review.

Streaming services comparison
Service
Service type
Monthly price
Available channels
Details
Fubo TVLive TV streaming$32.99-$99.9965-260
YouTubeTVLive TV streaming$34.99-$48930-100
SlingLive TV streaming$40-$5532-46
HuluLive TV streaming$69.99-$89.9975-85
NetflixOn-demand streaming$6.99-$22.990-0
Disney PlusOn-demand streaming$7.99-$139.990-0
HuluOn-demand streaming$7.99-$17.990-0
Amazon PrimeOn-demand streaming$8.99–$14.99N/A
Paramount+On-demand streaming$5.99-$11.99N/A
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Play Video

What to look for in a streaming service

A streaming service that provides the content you enjoy may come as live content, like sports, news, and the latest singing competition show. Or it may be on-demand content like the latest Netflix Original show everyone can't stop talking about (like Wednesday).

And it could be both.

Streaming services that work best for most include:

  • A fair number of channels or on-demand content
  • An affordable price for the number of channels or content you receive
  • A good variety of channels/content
  • Sufficient DVR storage space (live TV)
  • Add-ons and subscriptions (live TV)

When choosing the best live TV streaming service for you, the first thing you want to consider is price. How much are you willing to spend on a live TV service?

For example, Sling TV is the best for money-savers, YouTube TV is average pricing, and fuboTV is the most expensive.

With that, you'll want to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck. Sling TV will have the fewest channels, while fuboTV will have the most (and double-check that you get a variety you like).

The average DVR storage space for live streaming services is about 500 hours. But you might only need a little space and find Sling TV's 50-hour storage space sufficient.

When choosing an on-demand streaming service, the name of the game is getting the content you want to watch. Netflix has a library of 6,000+ titles and is the priciest on-demand service, and you'll find Ted Lasso with Apple TV for only $7 per month.

An excellent on-demand streaming service has a decent variety of content, such as network TV shows, films, and Original series and movies.

Methodology

We compare and rank streaming services based on five key factors:

  1. Content/ channel variety for everyone
  2. Content/ channel count
  3. Price
  4. DVR storage space
  5. Add-ons

We chose the best streaming apps that have a variety that everyone in the family can enjoy. Our top-rated live TV streaming services have channels ranging from news to sports to kids, while on-demand streaming services have a library filled with many genres.

The next thing we look at to determine the best streaming service is the amount of on-demand content or live TV channels.

The price has to be fair in relation to the assortment and the bulk of content and channels. For example, Apple TV+ has one of the smallest (but fantastic) on-demand libraries, and it's reflected in its pricing at $7 per month.

And lastly, when looking for a live TV streaming service, we consider the DVR storage space and add-ons. You'll want to ensure your next service has the add-ons you constantly use, like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, the NFL RedZone Channel, and Acorn.

One of the best things about streaming services is that they’re easy to test! We try all the services that we review, so any time we have a comment about user interface or content quality, you know we speak from personal experience.

Chantel Buchi
Written by
Chantel Buchi
Chantel is all about finding the best tv or streaming service to watch as many football games as possible to keep her Fantasy Football team in check. Prior to being a TV and Streaming Tech Reporter for Reviews.org, she worked for NFL Network and The Alliance of American Football. Before that, she received a B.A. of Communication at the University of Utah and an M.S. in Sports Journalism at USC. Go Utes and Fight On. Contact her at chantel@reviews.org

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