These days, getting your streaming fix is easy. There are lots of providers to choose from, and we’re going to look at three of the best. But while they all stream video, they certainly aren’t equal.
If you’ve got deep pockets, then joining them all will ensure you don’t miss out. For the rest of us, it’s worth exploring exactly what each has to offer.
We’ve put together a brief comparison below to help you choose.
Netflix
Netflix began as an online DVD rental service. Since streaming its first video in 2007, it’s grown to be the most popular streaming service on this list. But does that make it the best? That depends.
Expensive licensing means it offers a relatively limited selection of blockbusters, but it does feature great original content, such as “House of Cards,” “Stranger Things,” and “The Crown.” As competition grows, Netflix is investing more on developing its own movies and TV shows, hoping to stave off its rivals.
Netflix’s content matching algorithm is also pretty accurate, making it easy to discover new entertainment you’ll love.
Free trial: Yes
Contract: No
Monthly price: $8.99 (standard) – $16.99 (premium)
Subscribers: 154 million
Titles: 5,304
App: Yes
Multi-users: Up to 4 (depending on membership)
Quality: Up to 4K (depending on membership)
Offline viewing: Yes, support for downloadable content
Best for: People who travel / those looking for fresh original content
HBO NOW
You could argue that HBO birthed the binge-worthy TV series. Since “Oz” came to the cable channel in 1997, and then “The Sopranos” in 1999, HBO has continued to produce the most critically-acclaimed TV shows in history.
Three of the top 10 TV shows on IMDB are produced by HBO – “Band of Brothers,” “The Wire,” and “Game of Thrones.” So if you’re after shows that win big at The Emmys and Golden Globes, HBO NOW is the service for you. (Note: HBO GO is the exact same thing. The app you get depends on some other circumstances, like whether you’re going standalone or as part of a streaming TV package.)
Free trial: Yes
Contract: No
Monthly price: $14.99
Subscribers: 5 million
Titles: 986
App: Yes
Multi-users: Yes, though HBO doesn’t state exact limits
Quality: Most shows are in HD, no support for 4K yet
Offline viewing: No
Best for: Those looking for award-winning TV shows / existing HBO cable subscribers (who can get the app HBO GO and enjoy their content on-the-move)
HBO NOW
Download Free ►Amazon Prime Video
Amazon began as an online bookseller, connecting suppliers with customers through an easy-to-use virtual shop-front. It started streaming video in 2006, called Amazon Unbox, and since then has produced original shows like “Transparent” and “Sneaky Pete,” as well as hosting classics like “Seinfeld” and “The Sopranos” (look out, HBO!). It also has the largest title selection of any service on this list.
If you pay the $12.99/month for full Prime membership, you’ll get fast shipping and unlimited access to Amazon Music, too.
Free trial: Yes
Contract: No
Monthly price: Free for Prime members, $8.99 video only, $12.99 full Prime membership
Subscribers: 100 million (Prime subscribers)
Titles: 34,485
App: Yes
Multi-users: Up to two under Amazon Household
Quality: Up to 4K
Offline viewing: Yes
Best for: Prime members / regular Amazon customers / those wanting best value
As a single source for entertainment, Amazon Prime is hard to beat. Unfortunately, their navigation is horrendous. Sorting through more than 34,000 titles to find a winner can be tough (and hard on your remote-clicking thumb). Prime is also home to some hardcore religious and conspiracy theory films, which is either a plus or a minus, depending on your temperament. Like Netflix, many titles will come and go at random.
Amazon Prime Video
Download Free ►The streaming landscape is about to get even more convoluted. Existing services like CBS All Access and Hulu are still in the mix. NBC is weighing its own streaming service. Disney+ is coming later this year to muddy the waters even further.
If you’re looking to save money, your best approach is to service-hop. Spend this month ripping through Netflix, binge HBO stuff next month, hit up Prime for a summer viewing spree. Also, remember there are lots of ways to see free movies online!
