The days of expensive cable are on decline. Once Netflix started offering exclusive streaming content, it seemed like the platform of online applications was the next stage for consuming television and movies, as many soon dropped those expensive cable packages for the movement known as cutting the cord. But online viewing is no longer some secluded hideaway of content. Now every studio wants to get in on this market and there has certainly been a tsunami of streaming services in the past few years. But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. If you’re finding yourself confused, consider this list of nine different streaming platforms to determine which one is best suited for your home entertainment experience.
1. Netflix
As one of the pioneers of the streaming service, Netflix has put a lot of effort into developing their own properties that they now seem to have more original content than acquired licenses. This means they have a lot of variety in terms of exclusivity but also a lot of hills and valleys. While the valleys become tedious at times, they tend to bring out their big guns when Oscar time looms, having recently had their original films The Irishman and Marriage Story nominated for the Academy Award of Best Picture. They also boast some top-tier television that includes the acclaimed adult animated series BoJack Horseman. There is also a constant stream of original movies and TV shows that a new one seems to come out weekly, even daily at times. The service is worth it for the new and original variety alone.
2. Amazon Prime
Bundled with Amazon’s Prime subscription that discounts delivery, Prime streaming content certainly has a lot of original content. Much like Netflix, Amazon also has their own original movies, though many don’t appear on the service for a few months after they debut in theaters. Their library of A24 titles is particularly robust with such notable sleeper hits as Ex Machina, The Witch, Midsommer and Honey Boy. Their television is also rather top-notch given how many awards they’ve won for such comedies as The Marvelous Ms. Maisel and Fleabag. Considering the extra Amazon benefits that come with a Prime subscription, including Kindle book rentals, it’s a solid deal considering the wealth of sophisticated and charming content offered.
3. Disney+
When Disney initially launched their own streaming service, they stated the service would include every film and TV series the studio owned. That turned out not to be fully true but they still offer up a surprising hefty amount of Disney content. As far as showcasing their biggest blockbusters of Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and Disney live-action remakes, they don’t let down in the abundance of titles in these key properties. Of course, their exclusive series have generated a lot of buzz, what with the debut of the first Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian. Given Disney’s recent acquisition of Fox, their library is all the larger considering they also host every episode of The Simpsons. And considering how much your average Disney DVD costs, which is on the high end, the surprisingly low budget of the streaming service will certainly be worth it for families who consume quite a bit of Disney but don’t want to break the bank on catching up with every movie and show.
4. The Criterion Channel
After having bounced around different services such as Hulu and FilmStruck, The Criterion Collection has finally found a home all its own. After having been a big name in quality home releases of quality films for decades, the distributor now boasts a streaming platform for all their amazing acquisitions that span over an entire century of movies and short films. The Criterion Channel boasts a selection of just about everything, from classic musicals to international classics to independent masterpieces to even more recent cinema across the globe. Their presentation is also very easy on the eyes, dicing up their catalog into different sections of genre, directors and actors. On desktop, you can even hone the search by decade and country from filters. Best of all, most releases on the service feature loads of special features, including interviews and commentary tracks. It’s perfect service to those passionate about the best films ever made.
5. HBO Now
HBO has been producing some of the most high-quality and talked about television series and they seem to know this by favoring their own streaming service. Their hot tickets right now are genre series based on familiar intellectual properties such as the epic fantasy Game of Thrones (based on the popular books), the android thriller Westworld (based on the book and movies) and the dystopian superhero story of Watchman (based on the iconic comic book). HBO naturally offers up a slew of popular movies as well as their own original movies. Though not as heavy on content, HBO Now will soon be shifting over to HBO Max which will be a little more expensive but carry much more content from the larger library of Warner Bros, as well as even more exclusive series.
6. Hulu
When it comes to keeping up with the latest in network television, Hulu remains a sturdy platform for catching up on all the big shows. Considered one of the first big revolutions in streaming content, given their format of next-day airing of television episodes, Hulu offers a broad range of entertainment that spans from original series (such as the highly acclaimed The Handmaid’s Tale), live sports, network television and even a few movies (including their original documentary on the infamous Fyre festival). For someone who just needs to catch up on the latest in network television, Hulu is a must have service considering how cheap the subscription is.
7. Shudder
For the horror junky who just can’t get enough frights and terror, Shudder is the one-stop streaming service for all things horror. Operated by AMC, the service not only boasts a massive array of classic horror films, including independent productions, but also is the home for plenty of new horror films to hit the scene. The likes of such sleeper horror movies as Mandy (starring Nicolas Cage), Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell and the African-American horror documentary Horror Noire can be viewed exclusively on this service. There’s also plenty of horror television to watch, including the creepy-pasta series Channel Zero and the original series of Creepshow.
8. CBS All Access
CBS is taking advantage of their biggest properties to relaunch them on their own streaming platform. Naturally, their biggest franchise is Star Trek and they’re leaning into this iconic sci-fi saga hard. When CBS All Access launched, Star Trek: Discovery, the first new Star Trek series in over a decade, became the flagship series. Another big show for them was The Twilight Zone revival, given a new coat of relevant paint by producer Jordan Peele. In this regard, CBS All Access is mostly a site for fans of a few specific fandoms and little else. In particular, Trekkies can delight in all the episodes from The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise. However, most of these series are available on other platforms so the appeal is mostly about how much one is devoted to new Trek, considering the service is also developing Star Trek: Picard, a spin-off sequel to The Next Generation.
9. DC Universe
DC Comics movies and TV series have finally found their own home in the DC Universe. In addition to housing the classics of Richard Donner’s Superman and Tim Burton’s Batman, the service is the best utilized to catch up on the connected universes. You can watch the entire history of the DC animated universe which started with Batman: The Animated Series and ended with Justice League Unlimited. It’s also the best place to keep up on the current crop of CW superhero programs including Supergirl, The Flash, Black Lightning and more. Naturally, they also boast some exclusive content that includes the quirky Doom Patrol and the adult-animated Harley Quinn show.