The best streaming services in 2024 (2024)

Best for cord-cutters: Hulu

Pros: On-demand library with lots of network series, can subscribe to "channels" like Max, discounted bundle with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, live TV option

Cons: Ad-free plan is expensive, two-device limit

Hulu offers two plans that provide on-demand streaming, including a basic option with commercials and a premium plan without ads. Hulu also offers one of the best live TV streaming service packages that adds network and cable channels.

Hulu arguably boasts the most impressive TV show library of any on-demand streaming service, with a wider range of new and classic shows than Netflix or Amazon. This includes next-day streaming access to ABC, FX, and Fox broadcast series. You can also find a rotating selection of licensed movies from studios like Warner Brothers and recent films from 20th Century Studios.

Hulu also offers a solid selection of original shows, like "The Bear," "Only Murders in the Building," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "The Kardashians," but its slate of exclusives isn't quite as notable as some competitors. Likewise, though Hulu does support 4K HDR on some devices, its compatible titles are limited compared to Netflix, Amazon, and Disney Plus.

Hulu allows only two devices to stream at the same time, but you can remove that limit with a Hulu + Live TV subscription and a $10 add-on for unlimited screens. Hulu also lets subscribers add other services to their membership, like Max and Starz, for an extra monthly fee.

You can even get the Disney Plus Bundle, which packages Hulu with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus for a discounted price. And all of Hulu's live TV plans include the bundle for no extra charge. Subscribers to the bundle can now access Hulu within the Disney Plus app, so you no longer need to switch between them.

Read our full breakdown of Hulu prices and plans.

Best for families: Disney Plus

Pros: Disney's vault of classic movies and shows, 4K HDR support on all plans, blockbuster Marvel and "Star Wars" titles, supports four devices at a time

Cons: Lack of mature content limits the platform's potential

Disney Plus is the fastest-growing streaming service on the market, having amassed more than 160 million subscribers since its launch in November 2019. The platform is the subscription streaming home of Disney's classic animated films and franchises like "Star Wars" and "The Simpsons."

With that in mind, its main draw is its wide catalog of Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar content. There are some new original films, series, and concert specials as well, but the lineup isn't as large as what you'll find on Netflix or Amazon. Still, the service has a healthy pipeline of exclusives for members to get excited about, including anew adaptation of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."

It's also important to note that Disney Plus is designed to be family-oriented, so even Disney's more mature shows, like "The Mandalorian" and "Andor," are still typically rated for teen viewers. However, the service does now include a few R-rated movies, like "Deadpool," and it will soon debut a new TV-MA Marvel show called "Echo."

Even so, adults who didn't grow up on Disney or "Star Wars" may want to find a second streaming service to fill their palette with more mature shows. If you fall into that boat, we recommend paying a bit more to get the Disney Plus Bundle with Hulu and ESPN Plus. Bundle members can now access Hulu content within the Disney Plus app, so you can find all of Hulu's R-rated movies without having to switch apps.

Read our Disney Plus guide and Disney Plus review.

Best for CBS fans: Paramount Plus

Pros: Huge library of classic TV shows, live CBS with Premium plan, live NFL games, new Paramount films, top-tier plan comes with Showtime

Cons: Less original content than the competition, have to pay extra for live CBS

Paramount Plus is a subscription streaming service from ViacomCBS. The platform gives viewers access to a large collection of on-demand shows and movies, and the premium plan also includes live CBS streaming so you can watch your local CBS network without cable or an antenna.

In addition to CBS series, Paramount Plus draws programming from Viacom cable channels like MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. Paramount Plus is also home to exclusive content like "Star Trek: Discovery," "Picard," "Tulsa King," and "Yellowstone" spinoffs like "1883" and "1923."

The streaming service even adds new Paramount movies to its lineup as soon as 45 days after they hit theaters. That said, some blockbuster titles take longer to arrive, like "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One."

Sports fans can also tune into local NFL games broadcast on CBS, as well as UEFA soccer matches and March Madness college basketball matchups when each season is in session.

You can get Paramount Plus with Showtime if you want access to even more movies and shows. The two services officially merged in June 2023, and Showtime now comes with the top tier of Paramount Plus by default. Once subscribed, you unlock Showtime movies and shows directly in the existing Paramount Plus app.

Read our Paramount Plus streaming service guide and our Paramount Plus review.

Best ad-free service on a budget: Apple TV Plus

Pros: Competitive ad-free price, exclusive shows, movie rental and purchase options, can add streaming channels, 4K HDR support

Cons: Doesn't have as many movies and shows as other services, only has a small back catalog of licensed programs that stream for a limited time

Apple TV Plus is one of the most affordable ad-free streaming services you can subscribe to. The service costs $10 a month for access to its entire lineup of on-demand movies and shows. That's less than commercial-free plans from Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, Max, Peaco*ck, and Paramount Plus.

But while that's an attractive price, the library is relatively small compared to those competing platforms. Most notably, the service lacks a large back catalog of movies and shows from other networks and studios. That said, there are some standout exclusives like "Ted Lasso," "Severance," and "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," as well as award-winning films like "CODA." Live Friday Night Baseball games are also included for subscribers to watch.

Like Prime Video, Apple TV Plus also lets you access a huge library of additional movies and shows that you can pay extra to rent or purchase. Though it would be great to have more programs included as part of your subscription, being able to order more titles within the same app is convenient. You can also add channels to your subscription, like Starz, for an extra fee.

If you're someone who plans to use other Apple services, you should also consider the Apple One bundle. The base package includes Apple TV Plus, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $20 a month.

Best for NBC fans: Peaco*ck

Pros: Affordable ad-supported plan, live news and sporting events, access to new Universal releases, live NBC streaming with Premium Plus

Cons: Doesn't offer many exclusives, can no longer sign up for free plan, limited 4K selection

Peaco*ck is the streaming home of current and classic NBCUniversal shows like "Found," "SNL," "30 Rock," and "The Office," as well as original titles like "Poker Face" and "Twisted Metal."

The service also offers a rotating slate of hit movies, including recent Universal titles straight from theaters, like "Five Nights at Freddy's," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and "The Holdovers."

Peaco*ck used to have a free ad-supported plan with a limited selection of content, but this is no longer available to sign up for. Instead, the current entry-level option is Peaco*ck Premium, which offers ad-supported access to everything on the service for $6 a month. For ad-free access, you need to pay $12 a month for Peaco*ck Premium Plus. The top tier also adds livestreaming access to NBC, so you can watch your local station without an antenna or cable.

Peaco*ck has some live news and sports broadcasts as well. Most notably, the service is home to WWE events and Sunday Night Football.

Members can stream some titles in 4K, but the catalog is mostly limited to just a few new movies. Compared to other services, Peaco*ck has one of the smallest 4K collections, but it has been adding more 4K titles in recent months.

Read our Peaco*ck TV guide.

Best for sports: ESPN Plus

Pros: Access to tons of live sports, nice library of original docuseries, members can buy exclusive UFC matches

Cons: Limited coverage of NBA, doesn't include ESPN cable channel

When it comes to the best streaming services for sports, fans searching for a dedicated platform to watch live games should look no further than ESPN Plus.

Designed to serve as a streaming complement to the ESPN family of cable networks, ESPN Plus gives members access to tons of live MLB and NHL games during their respective seasons. The service has also been streaming select NFL games across the current 2023-24 season. Various golf, tennis, soccer, and college league matches are featured as well.

ESPN Plus is also home to frequent UFC Fight Night events, and the service is the exclusive provider of UFC pay-per-view events in the US. Though subscribers do have to pay extra for these PPV fights, new members can get a discounted bundle with a UFC PPV match and an annual ESPN Plus subscription.

Outside live sports, ESPN Plus features a nice selection of on-demand docuseries, like "30 for 30," as well as other original programs featuring popular sports personalities, like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Derek Jeter. Members can also access exclusive articles to dive into more sports analysis.

On the downside, ESPN Plus doesn't typically stream live NBA games, so it's not a great option for big basketball fans. And though some coverage is occasionally simulcast across various ESPN properties, ESPN Plus does not actually provide livestreaming access to the regular ESPN cable channel. In order to watch the ESPN network, you still need cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service.

Read our ESPN Plus guide.

Best for online shoppers: Amazon Prime Video

Pros: Included with Amazon Prime, offers extra movie rental and purchase options, lots of international titles, can add streaming channels, 4K HDR support is included in the base plan

Cons: The library is less impressive than the competition, ad-free streaming will soon cost extra

More than 110 million Amazon Prime members help make Prime Video one of the largest on-demand services in terms of subscribers, even if they're not all streaming video on a regular basis.

Prime Video members get access to a mix of movies and shows, including some originals that aren't available on other services. Exclusives include hits like "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," "The Boys" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." You can also pay extra to rent or buy just about any film that's available on home video and watch it through the Prime Video app whenever you like. This is a feature that most subscription streaming apps don't offer.

Prime Video has launched several award-winning original shows since 2013 and has successfully imported dozens of series from the BBC, as well as Hindi language films from India. The platform supports three streams at a time and up to 4K playback with HDR on select titles. And, unlike Netflix and Max, it doesn't charge extra to get the best video and audio quality.

Since it comes included with a Prime Membership, Prime Video is a particularly great option for people who are frequent Amazon shoppers and want to get all the perks that come with the retailer's service. However, starting January 29, Amazon will add limited commercials to Prime Video. At that time, members will have to pay an extra $3 a month to unlock ad-free streaming.

Read our Prime Video guide.

Best for originals: Netflix

Pros: Fantastic library of originals, industry-leading video quality, impressive app support, special interface for kids

Cons: Ad-free plans are more expensive than the competition, new password-sharing policy

Netflix has spent the last few years producing a growing collection of original programs, including exclusive movies, ongoing TV series, documentaries, and comedy specials. Though the service isn't as dominant as it once was, its impressive library still cements it as the quintessential streaming service to beat.

The success of exclusives, like "One Piece," "Wednesday," "Bridgerton," "The Witcher," and "Stranger Things," has helped Netflix justify its higher prices and encouraged competitors to create their own originals. Netflix also has a nice selection of licensed content from other studios and networks, including some titles that used to be exclusive to other services, like Max.

On the downside, Netflix's new policy around password sharing could end up costing you more money if you have a bigger household or long-distance connections. It also discontinued its ad-free Basic plan, which means the starting price for ad-free streaming is now $15.49 rather than $10 a month. This makes Netflix one of the most expensive streaming options out there.

Still, the overall library is nicely varied, with plenty for adults and children. There's even a separate interface designed to let kids choose their own shows without running into adult programming, making it a good choice for families in need of all-ages entertainment.

When it comes to app support, Netflix is available on virtually any streaming device you can think of, including computers, smartphones, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, smart TVs, and more. It also offers comprehensive support for all of the latest video and audio formats, including 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos — but unlike some of its competitors, it charges extra for those features.

Read our Netflix price and subscription guide.

Best for critically acclaimed content: Max

Pros: Included with an HBO cable plan, prestige shows and films, tons of content from Discovery Plus, new Warner Bros. movies

Cons: More expensive than most competitors, some shows and movies are being removed with little warning

The Max streaming service, formerly known as HBO Max, combines critically acclaimed shows and movies from HBO's cable network with new originals, content from Discovery Plus, WarnerMedia films, classic shows like "Friends," and collections from other brands like CNN, Studio Ghibli, Adult Swim, TCM, and DC.

HBO shows, like "House of the Dragon," continue to define prestige television, and Max has several critically acclaimed originals of its own, like "Our Flag Means Death." The service also streams brand-new Warner Bros. movies after they play in theaters, including "Barbie."

Max is also a great option for fans of unscripted television, as it now includes a large selection of programs from the Discovery Plus streaming service, including popular shows from TLC, Food Network, and HGTV. Discovery Plus remains a cheaper option for people who just want those unscripted titles, but Max is a good value for viewers who also crave prestige TV.

With that said, Max has become known for removing titles with little warning. Even some big releases, like "Westworld," have been pulled from the service as part of the studio's cost-cutting measures. This uncertainty surrounding some titles isn't ideal for subscribers. The service is also pricey, especially if you want 4K streaming, which is something that most competitors don't charge extra for.

Read our Max streaming service guide.

Best for reality and documentary: Discovery Plus

Pros: Huge library of shows from almost 20 channels, including Food Network, HGTV, TLC, History, and Animal Planet, supports streaming on up to four devices at once

Cons: Certain newly aired shows don't appear on Discovery Plus, will only appeal to unscripted TV fans

Discovery Plus is one of the fastest growing streaming services in the business, delivering a ton of popular series for fans of reality TV, true crime, cooking, and competition shows, like "MILF Manor," "Chopped," "Dirty Jobs," "Extreme Makeover," and "90 Day Fiance."

The service collects titles from cable channels, including Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, ID, A&E, History, Lifetime, OWN, Travel, and more. Members also get access to a growing selection of original shows, including spinoffs of popular Discovery franchises. It boasts more than 70,000 episodes for on-demand streaming and includes "channels" to let you watch 24-hour streams of select shows like "House Hunters" and "Chopped."

Though Discovery Plus now offers the ability to download titles for offline viewing, this feature is only for its ad-free tier subscribers. Its library is also lacking in scripted series, so the service will only appeal to fans of nonfiction programming.

In May 2023, a large selection of Discovery Plus content was added to the Max streaming service. However, Discovery Plus is still available on its own and remains the better option for people who want to pay less and don't care about HBO programs.

Read our Discovery Plus guide.

What we look for in streaming services

Since the goal is entertainment, choosing the best streaming services for your needs will largely come down to your personal tastes. However, we can judge the different on-demand platforms based on a few common factors, like their library size, selection of critically acclaimed exclusives, video quality, app functionality, and price.

The best streaming services have an option for 4K video quality, with support for HDR color and contrast on compatible TVs. However, live TV channels rarely broadcast in 4K, so we have lower expectations for live TV streaming channels and sporting events, which still use HD resolutions like 1080p or 720p.

Quality can also vary based on the movie or show being streamed, and you'll need a strong, stable internet connection to stream consistently at 4K. Even if you don't have a 4K TV, these services will still deliver the best possible quality for your setup.

We expect app support on iOS, Android, and most home entertainment devices. The best on-demand services also give subscribers an option to save select movies for offline viewing while they travel, though an online check-in is still required occasionally.

When comparing catalogs, we try to consider the range of entertainment offered by each of the best streaming services, how much the platform has invested in exclusive programming, and which age ranges are best suited to watch. While most of the best streaming services will have a rotating list of movies, it's important to pay attention to which series and franchises will remain platform exclusive, like "The Office," "Star Wars," and "Stranger Things."