Built for Binging: The Top 8 Video Streaming Services
A recent survey of 5000 Americans showed 59% of them had decided to cut their cable subscriptions in favor of watching content through streaming services. Of those remaining, 29% were thinking of cutting the cord.
The days of watching your favorite shows once a week at the same time are long gone. So are the days where you’d run out of things to watch on your Netflix queue, for that matter.
There are so many TV streaming sites these days, it’s hard to narrow down the list of ones you should have. Keep reading to find out some of our suggestions.
Table of Contents
1. Netflix
Netflix is one of the original streaming services and is still pretty great after all these years. The available content is ever-changing so you’ll always have something new to watch.
Netflix’s original shows are also some of the best-produced content available to stream. Orange Is the New Black, Stranger Things, Black Mirror, and Unbelievable are just some of the TV shows that come to mind. Netflix original movies like The Irishman and Roma hail from some of the most well-established directors and have earned praise from critics, going on to be nominated for the top awards in the industry.
For $8.99 a month you can stream all of this great content and more. You can also download your favorite shows and movies to watch offline.
2. Hulu
Next on our list is one of the most well known Netflix competitors. One of the things people love most about Hulu is the fact that they can stream TV shows that have already aired on cable the following day.
While this has been Hulu’s greatest offering, they’ve also ventured into producing some of their own original programming. One of their breakout hits has to be the adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale.
The ad-free version of Hulu costs $11.99 a month but you can also pay extra ($54.99 a month) to get your plan with live TV. The options are plentiful but if you find yourself with just one too many streaming services, you can always get rid of one easily. Figuring out how to cancel Hulu is simple and remember you can always sign up for it again later if you change your mind.
3. Amazon Prime Video
The great thing about Amazon Prime Video is the fact that it comes bundled with a Prime account. This means that for only $119 a year you can watch all the movies and TV shows available, listen to some tunes on Amazon Music, get access to Kindle books, and free two-day shipping. You can also choose to pay for Prime Video on a monthly basis for $12.99 a month.
Amazon Prime Video has some of the best original shows including the critically praised The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fleabag. If you already do most of your shopping online, why not sign up for Amazon Prime and get access to some great entertainment through Prime Video?
4. Disney+
Disney+ has all the best classic Disney movies we love. For only $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year you’ll be able to watch all the DCOMs you want—I’m talking to you, 90’s kids.
What’s been most exciting about Disney+ is the Star Wars content. Not only can you stream every single film in the Skywalker saga but you can also watch the first Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian. Disney+ is great for the whole family to watch.
5. Apple TV+
This relatively new streaming service allows you to stream for less at only $4.99 a month. You can also get the service for free for an entire year after buying an Apple product. This is a great deal if you’ll already be buying that new iPhone and want to test out the service before committing to it.
While Apple TV+ doesn’t have a huge library of content like some of the other streaming sites on this list, it’s beginning to slowly build its programming. Some of its original content includes shows like Little America, The Morning Show, and Servant.
6. Sling TV
The debate over streaming sites that let viewers watch live TV tends to focus on Hulu vs. Sling TV. Both of these platforms offer some great options for live television.
Sling TV is a pretty affordable streaming platform, only costing users $15-25 each month. The control is in your hands as you can pick and choose from a list of plans and add additional channels you want to watch.
7. Fubo TV
Fubo TV is a well-known streaming platform among sports fans. Fubo TV’s package of channels is varied, however.
For $54.99 a month you’ll be able to watch all of your favorite cable channels without having to pay for that expensive subscription. You’ll find everything from NBC, MTV, the Food Network, to your favorite sports channels in its lineup.
8. Crackle
Crackle is one of the best free streaming sites. Although you’ll have to deal with a ton of commercials, the site offers a lot of movies and TV shows originally aired on cable.
While you won’t be seeing releases of blockbuster movies on this platform, it’s a great place to watch some old flicks on a lazy day. It’s free so you might as well give it a chance.
The Best TV Streaming Sites
There are so many TV streaming sites out there that choosing the best ones can be pretty tricky. We hope this list gives you an idea of some of the best streaming platforms to check out. Make sure you read some of our other blogs to learn more about the best streaming services.