The Ultimate Guide to 13 of the Best TV Streaming Services

With streaming services growing in popularity, many companies are offering their own versions. Those streaming services let you watch nearly everything, if not everything, you can get on cable. That’s great news if you’re planning on watching the Summer Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11 and want to avoid picking up a paid cable package. 

Using services such as Hulu + Live TV, Peacock, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, DirectTV Stream and others, you can watch your favorite athletes at home or on the go on your mobile device.

Subscribing to all these options would be pricey. So what should you do? What’s the best option to get you what you want to watch without breaking the bank?

We’ve compared 13 of the most popular streaming services on the market so you don’t have to.

How Are All the Streaming Services Different?

Do you like classic TV shows like “Friends,” or would you rather be captivated by a new show like “Severance?” Do you want to be romanced by “Bridgerton” or laugh with the Belchers in “Bob’s Burgers?”

A lot of the streaming services run different promotions that cut the cost of traditional cable, but what about the services themselves and their content?

The platforms that are home to these shows each have their own catalog, unique features and price tags. Your reasons for picking one or the other may include original content, classic show selection, livestreaming capabilities, affordability or some combination of these features.

You could always check out our list of free TV apps, but keeping up with the latest TV show to storm the internet sometimes takes a subscription.

Get your favorite movie snack ready and read the pros and cons to decide which platform is right for you.

Take Your Pick of 13 Streaming Services

We have assessed 13 streaming services, including pricing and content focus, so you can pick the one that’s right for you.

Why Choose Hulu

How much: One-month free trial. Plans start at $7.99 per month for limited commercials, $17.99 per month for no commercials, and $76.99 per month for an ad-supported Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ available as add-ons. Students can get the $7.99/month plan for a discounted $1.99/month with verified enrollment.

Available on: Laptops and desktops, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

You can add as many different devices as you want to your account, but you can only stream to two at a time (Live TV subscriptions have an unlimited screen add-on).

Biggest pro: Episodes of some current TV shows are available the day after they air.

Biggest con: Less breadth and depth of programming comparatively.

Best for: Viewers who watch a lot of current U.S.-based TV programming and want to see episodes they’ve missed as soon as possible.

Why Choose Netflix

How much: Three plan options starting at $6.99 per month up to $22.99 per month, depending on the number of devices and type of HD you want. Ad-free plans start at $15.49 per month.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

You can add as many different devices as you want to your account and stream content to up to four at a time, depending on the plan you choose.

Biggest pro: Netflix has tons of original programming.

Biggest con: Available seasons of currently airing TV shows are usually at least a year old, so prepare to avoid spoilers for a long time.

Best for: Viewers who like a lot of original content choices across a variety of genres.

Why Choose Amazon Prime Video

How much: 30-day free trial. Free with an eligible Amazon Prime membership or $8.99 per month. Premium channels like HBO and Showtime are available for an additional monthly charge.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

You can stream on up to three devices at a time.

Biggest pro: Prime Video’s X-ray feature lets you access actor bios, background information, trivia, bonus content, music info and other show-related information.

Biggest con: It’s sometimes difficult to determine what content is included in your subscription and what costs extra.

Best for: People who already have an eligible Prime Membership.

Why Choose YouTube TV

How much: YouTube TV usually offers a free trial, and the base plan is $72.99 per month. There is also a Spanish plan for $34.99 per month.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, streaming media players and Google Nest Hub.

You can have up to six profiles on your plan and stream on up to three devices at the same time.

Biggest pro: You’ll have plenty of shows to choose from with more than 100 channels, plus you get unlimited cloud DVR storage for free.

Biggest con: There’s no option for ad-free viewing. You can pause or DVR to fast forward through ads, but they’re still there.

Best for: Those who still want a live TV experience without the cable cost.

Why Choose Disney+

How much: If you opt for Disney+ Basic, which includes ads, you’ll pay $7.99 per month. You can also opt for Disney+ Premium (no ads) for $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

Disney+ subscribers can have seven profiles on one account with four devices streaming at once.

Biggest pro: You get the majority of the Disney library all in one place, plus the Marvel and Star Wars franchises.

Biggest con: Premier Access, the option to watch a new release movie early, is expensive at $30.

Best For: Disney and Marvel lovers of any age.

Why Choose Paramount+

How much: 7-day free trial. You can get the Paramount+ Essential plan for $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Upgrade to Paramount+ with Showtime for no ads and pay $11.99/month or $99.99/year. Verified college student accounts get 25 percent off an Essential monthly subscription.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

You’ll get three simultaneous streams and six profiles.

Biggest pro: You get early access to Paramount movies.

Biggest con: The library is limited to CBS and Viacom programs.

Best for:  Fans of classic crime dramas like “NCIS” or “CSI,” Trekkies and kids who can’t get enough of “Paw Patrol.”

Why Choose Sling TV

How much: You can check out Sling TV at no cost with its free option. To unlock more content, you can subscribe to either the Orange and Blue base plans for $40 per month, or combine both options for $55 per month. You can then add extras or Premium features for an additional cost.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, Xbox, smart TVs, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

The number of screens that can stream at once depends on the plan. Orange only streams on one device, while Blue and the combination plan can stream on three.

Biggest pro: It’s the most budget-friendly of the live TV options.

Biggest con: It has the least amount of available channels compared to competitors.

Best for: People who want live TV without the high cost.

Why Choose Peacock

How much: The Peacock Premium plan is $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year and you can ditch (most) ads with Premium Plus at $11.99 per month or $119.99 annually.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

You can stream on up to three devices at a time.

Biggest pro: Peacock is the home of several popular shows like “The Office,” “Brooklyn 99” and “The Voice”.

Biggest con: Only select episodes of shows are included in the free version.

Best for: People who like to sample shows before binging.

Why Choose Apple TV+

How much: You can try the 7-day free trial, then pay $9.99 per month. If you use other Apple services, you can choose the Apple One bundle to get Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and 50 GB iCloud storage starting at $16.95/month. The bundle has a one-month free trial available.

Available on: iPhone, iPad, Mac, smart TVs, game consoles, streaming media players and Amazon Fire devices.

Apple TV+ allows a single account to stream six devices at once.

Biggest pro: Apple TV+ is focusing on producing quality original content, like “CODA,” the first direct-to-streaming film to win an Oscar.

Biggest con: The downside of a focus on original content means that the Apple TV+ library is limited compared to competitors.

Best for: Apple product users and those who want to focus on quality programming.

What About Channel Specific Services?

The majority of channels now have their own streaming services, but combining them all can get as expensive as cable. Is it worth it to have a specific channel? That depends on your tastes.

Why Choose AMC+

How much: You can try 7 days free, then AMC+ costs $4.99 per month for an ad-supported plan or $8.99 monthly for an ad-free option.There is also an $83.88 per year option. AMC+ includes content from AMC, IFC and IFC Films Unlimited, BBC America, SundanceTV, Sundance Now and Shudder.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets and smart TVs. If you subscribe to AMC+ through another service, you’ll have to access AMC+ through that provider’s app.

Direct subscribers can stream on up to five devices at once.

Biggest pro: Subscribers get early access to some select AMC shows.

Biggest con: The app isn’t very user friendly and needs some work.

Best for: The catalog is great for fans of horror and AMC-specific content.

Why Choose The CW

How much: The CW app is free.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, phones, tablets, Xbox One, smart TVs, and streaming media players such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.

Biggest pro: It’s free and requires no account or subscription.

Biggest con: No subscription means you don’t get the usual features like watch lists.

Best for: Fans of DC and dramas like “Riverdale.”

Why Choose STARZ

How much: Starz is $9.99 per month. The service also usually runs sign-up promotions that give you a discount on your first few months.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, smartphones, streaming media players, Xbox and smart TVs.

You can stream on up to four devices at a time.

Biggest pro: Starz has a large library of popular dramas and blockbuster movies.

Biggest con: The Starz app is lacking compared to competitors.

Best for: Fans of Starz historical dramas like “The White Princess” and “Outlander.”

Why Choose Max

How much: The ad-supported plan is $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Ditch the ads for $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year. Max offers a selection of free episodes instead of a timed free trial.

Available on: Laptops and desktop computers, smart TVs, tablets, smartphones and game consoles.

Biggest pro: Get access to an impressive library of popular shows like “Friends” and “Game of Thrones” and stream Warner Bros movies 45 days after their theatrical release.

You can stream on up to three devices at once.

Biggest con: The ad-free version is one of the more expensive monthly options.

Best for: People who want access to the most popular movies, series and shows.

What Are Some Other Streaming Options?

We’ve covered the big ones, but there are other streaming services out there. Xumo, Pluto, fuboTV and Tubi TV are all free, ad-supported options that offer Live TV. Philo TV offers dozens of live, streaming and on-demand channels for $28 per month.

If you or your kids are a fan of anime, you can stream free programs through merged services Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Choosing Among Streaming Services

With so much variety among streaming services, it’s hard to say which one is the winner.

Should you prioritize cost, live TV options, quality of content, timeliness of release or even the number of screens you can stream on at once?

It just comes down to preference. However, you can easily take advantage of some of the free trials offered by many of the best TV streaming services. Just make sure you set a reminder for the end of the trial so you can cancel if it’s not the one for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Streaming Services

We’ve rounded up the answers to the most commonly asked questions about streaming

Contributor Jenna Limbach writes on financial literacy and lifestyle topics for The Penny Hoarder. Freelancer Cat Hiles contributed to this post.