What Is the Best Streaming Service for You? How to Choose
Here's how to decide what programming matters to you, figure out your budget, and compare prices and features.
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Contributing Writer The best streaming service is the one that provides the content you enjoy and fits into your budget.
Looking at what you watch is a good place to start. Do you mostly watch movies? Do you like binge-watching the latest TV series? Or maybe you turn to sports first.
Here are some ideas for the streaming service that may be best for you, based on your preferred content.
What is the best streaming service?
- For tons of films and shows: Amazon’s streaming service, Prime Video, boasts "a vast library of content," according to CableTV.com.
- For kid- and family-friendly content: Disney+ has plenty of options, from Pixar to Star Wars.
- For high-quality content, based on awards: The content on Netflix and HBO Max has been among the top Emmy winners in recent years.
- For sports coverage: Look into a Hulu + Live TV bundle.
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How much do streaming services cost?
Click through for more-detailed pricing and programming notes. Some of these services may offer a free trial.
Netflix costs
- $7.99/month (Standard, with ads)
- $17.99/month (Standard, no ads)
- $24.99/month (Premium, no ads)
- Get full Netflix pricing.
Note that Netflix customers on eligible plans can purchase an extra member slot at $6.99 per month with ads or $8.99 per month without ads to share their account with someone not living in their household.
Hulu costs
- $11.99/month (with ads)
- $18.99/month (no ads)
- Get full Hulu pricing.
Hulu also offers live TV options ranging from $89.99 to $99.99 per month, depending on channel options and ads. Additionally, it offers several add-on options. If you have an eligible Hulu plan, you can add options like HBO Max, Cinemax, and Paramount+ with Showtime, among others.
Hulu users can also add extra members, starting at $6.99 per month for the basic plan that includes ads.
Disney+ costs
- $11.99/month (with ads)
- $18.99/month or $189.99/year (Premium, no ads)
- Get full Disney+ pricing.
Disney+ offers users different ways to bundle services, such as combining Disney+ with ESPN and Hulu.
Bundled options start at $12.99 per month.
HBO Max costs
- $10.99/month or $109.99/year (Basic, with ads)
- $18.49/month or $184.99/year (Standard, no ads)
- $22.99/month or $229.99/year (Premium, no ads)
- Get full HBO Max pricing.
For an extra cost, HBO Max can also be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu.
Apple TV+ costs
- $12.99/month (no ads)
- Get full Apple TV+ pricing.
Apple TV+ also offers several plans under Apple One that bundle access with other Apple services, such as Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness and Apple News. Apple One plans range in price from $19.95 to $37.95.
Peacock costs
- $7.99/month or $79.99/year (Select, with ads)
- $10.99/month or $109.99/year (Premium, with ads)
- $16.99/month 169.99/year (Premium Plus, no ads)
- Get full Peacock pricing.
Access to live sports, such as Sunday Night Football on NBC, requires at least a Peacock Premium plan.
Prime video costs, if you’re not an Amazon Prime member
- $8.99/month (with ads)
- Get full Prime member pricing.
If you already have an Amazon Prime subscription for $14.99 per month or $139 per year, you have access to the streaming options on Prime Video.
Note that the content Prime members can access includes ads, and they must pay an extra $2.99 a month to watch ad free.
Other video options
As you research the best streaming service for you, consider looking beyond the major players. See our cost breakdowns of:
How to save on streaming services
Stacking several streaming services can add up, but a little strategy can help you keep costs under control:
- Consider canceling a service after you’ve finished watching the series or sports you subscribed for.
- Try keeping only one or two services each month, watching the shows on those and rotating services each month as needed.
- Use free trials when possible, and cancel before the trial period ends.
- If it’s practical, bundle services to save money overall.
- Check credit card bills regularly for services you may have forgotten you subscribed to, and cancel them.
How do streaming services fit into your budget?
One strategy is to examine your budget using the 50/30/20 rule. This means that 50% of your take-home pay goes toward needs, like housing and food, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and debt paydown. Streaming services make up part of the 30% category.
How much is left for you to spend on entertainment after factoring in other wants, like eating out, traveling and shopping? Analyzing your priorities in the wants category will help you decide which streaming services fit your budget.
You can also look for ways to cut back on wants by tracking spending, setting savings goals and seeing if there are any current offers for streaming services that might benefit you.
If you are already a credit card user, you may be able to earn cash back or bonus points on streaming services. While it may not be worth opening a credit card just for this benefit, it can be a nice addition to current budget strategies.
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