As the school year comes to a close, the middle of the MLB season hits, the NFL season lies on the horizon, and summer time arrives for outdoor movies and more time to binge-watch TV, the options of streaming platforms become endless. The choice between Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Sling TV, Fubo, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Max (formerly known as HBO Max), Peacock, Apple TV and YouTube TV can be daunting. So, which streaming services are worth having?
#1: Amazon Prime Video:
The best part about Amazon Prime Video is that it comes free with Amazon Prime, which is a worthwhile addition in itself. Prime Video is relatively affordable too: $14.99 a month or $139 a year, with a huge margin of shows and movies to choose from, makes the price worth it — Gladiator II, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and so much more. The only downside is that sometimes, a movie or show has to be rented for a few bucks, with only 48 hours to finish it once started, for movies. In the sports realm, Prime Video features some NBA, MLB, NASCAR and Thursday Night NFL games.
#2: Netflix:
For $6.99 with ads, $15.49 for standard or $22.99 for premium, Netflix happens to be on the pricier side of platforms, yet has some of the best original content. Netflix houses extremely popular shows such as Stranger Things, Umbrella Academy, Squid Game, 13 Reasons Why and Tiger King, but is wounded by password-sharing restrictions and the loss of some third-party content. Netflix has had the rights to stream a few NFL games, but does not stream other live sports, only documentaries.
#3: Disney+:
Disney+ mainly features Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic, but also became famous for its showing of the original musical “Hamilton” in 2021. Disney+ has three subscription options like Netflix: $7.99 with ads, $13.99 for ad-free and $24.99 for the Disney Bundle Trio Premium, which is a discounted package including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. This is an incredible deal, however, Disney+ is lacking in other content, especially more adult movies.
#4: Hulu:
Although great for next-day TV from major networks and strong original content, Hulu is considered pricey for ad-free or live TV. Hulu goes for $7.99 with ads, $17.99 without ads and $76.99 with Live TV. Hulu does have some originals and classics, such as Mid-Century Modern, Paradise, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Shogun, The Handmaid’s Tale and Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service. Hulu with Live TV does have NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA sports, but again, it is on the higher side of subscriptions.
#5: Paramount+:
Paramount+ is a sports-heavy platform, but also has a wide variety of other shows. For $5.99 with ads or $12.99 with Showtime and ad-free, Paramount+ is a phenomenal option for sports fans who want extra content during offseasons. With CBS for NFL games, Star Trek and Showtime, with a bundle that combines Paramount+ and Showtime. Paramount+ lacks some blockbuster content outside a few franchises, but features other popular shows such as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Yellowstone, Spongebob Squarepants, Criminal Minds, NCIS, Ghosts, Survivor, Tracker, Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage and Everybody Loves Raymond.
#6: Max (Formerly HBO Max):
Like the above, Max is also an expensive option: $9.99 with ads, $15.99 for ad-free, and $19.99 for 4K. Max does have high-quality originals, Warner Bros. Content and classic movies, but the need to pay an extra five dollars for higher quality is absurd. The most popular classics on Max are The Last of Us, The Righteous Gemstones, Hacks, The White Lotus, Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones. Also, Max does have select sports games with certain plans.
#7: Peacock:
Peacock is relatively cheaper than other options, at $5.99 with ads or $11.99 ad-free. Peacock does have strong NBC, WEE, sports content and Universal movies, but has a smaller content library and limited simultaneous streams. Despite having a narrower range, Peacock has several hit shows such as Yellowstone, Conclave, The Office, The Day of the Jackal, SNL50, Bel-Air and Nosferatu.
#8: Apple TV+:
With critically acclaimed originals and high video and audio quality, Apple TV+ comes at only $9.99 a month. However, it is beset by a smaller catalog, no bundled live TV and no legacy content, which refers to older content that is still available but not relevant nor the newest version. Popular shows include Ted Lasso, Silo, For All Mankind and Dickinson, but not many others are recognizeable.
#9: Sling TV:
While Sling does have an affordable live TV option with lots of sports and flexible packages, package prices range from $40-60. Orange Sling is priced at $45.99 per month, which is pretty pricey, and has over 30 live channels such as ESPN and Disney+. Sling Blue also goes for $45.99 a month with over 43 live channels, but more news-centered, such as CNN and FOX News. Both plans can be combined for $60.00 a month, providing access to all 46 channels. While it is convenient to have so many channels, not all are necessary and the price is not worth the diversity.
#10: Fubo:
Fubo happens to be very sports-heavy with live TV, which makes it very costly at $79.99-$99.99 a month. Although there is 4K support and many live channels, FUBO lacks Turner, which includes CNN and TBS and has limited on-demand coverage.
#11: YouTube TV:
By far, YouTube costs way too much for almost nothing. For $72.99 a month, YouTube TV only offers DVR and live local and national channels, with the exact same content as Sling and Fubo for a higher price.
