In 2022, instead of being the choice of a few rogues, cord-cutting has become the norm. But the problem with cord-cutting in such a crowded streaming market is that subscribing to every single service may end up costing just as much as the cable of olden times. Which is why we’ve ranked the Top Five Best Streaming Services to make your streaming choices a bit easier.
Whether you’re ballin’ on a budget or looking for family-friendly titles, there’s a streaming service out there for everyone.
1. Netflix
An oldie but still a goodie. Beginning with the little red envelopes in the mail, this is the service that started it all. And since they’ve been around the longest, they seem to have the most titles by far.
And their content is diverse in a way that indicates that the OG streamer really wants to please everyone. They have comedy specials, children’s content, family-friendly films, a truck load of true crime, fantasy/Sci-Fi, and all of the regular old comedy and drama content one would expect. Netflix is also the place to find full seasons of network faves like Grey’s Anatomy after the season wraps up on network.
Netflix has always been ad-free, and a basic package runs about $10 a month. With everything from big-budget action (like this summer’s The Gray Man) to a healthy supply of new series and seasons dropping year-round, Big Red is the best choice for a streamer who is looking to make a one-stop-shop that they don’t have to think about too much.
2. Hulu
Hulu has been around just about as long as Netflix, beginning as a free service where cord-cutters could watch their fave network shows the morning after they originally aired. Since those humble roots, the Big Green Streaming Machine has become a place where quirky (and dirty) TV comedies can grow and thrive. Hulu has also become a premier destination for prestige drama with its Emmy award-winning dystopian nightmare The Handmaid’s Tale.
Adding to Hulu’s appeal is a deal for exclusive streaming rights with FX that gives streamers access to new FX Originals the morning after episodes air on cable. This has brought critically acclaimed hits like Atlanta, What We Do In the Shadows, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Better Things to the streamer, a huge draw for viewers who love FX but don’t want to deal with yet another app.
Hulu gives the most plan options of any of the streamers. Hulu offers cheaper plans that contain ads at around $5 and no-ad plans at about $12. They also periodically run promotions that will let you pay $2 a month for service for the first year. They also do some bundling with Disney (see below) that makes the service even cheaper.
3. Disney+
Animation giant Disney launched their streaming service Disney+ in late 2019. Getting their foot in the door right before a global pandemic kept the entire planet at home and often glued to their televisions, Disney+ quickly became Netflix’s closest competitor when it comes to top-notch content in the streaming world.
In addition to its own animated films and properties, Disney owns popular properties like Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic. For superhero and Sci-Fi fans, it’s the only place to get these titles, so Disney+’s subscription numbers are soaring with no end in sight.
Most of the Marvel and Star Wars content is geared toward adults or at least teens (The Mandalorian, WandaVision, Loki, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Moon Knight). But with a library of animated classics and old episodes of tween Disney faves like Victorious, Disney+ is also the premiere destination for quality family-friendly content.
Plans start at about $8 a month, but streamers can take advantage of a Hulu/Disney/ESPN bundle that’s about $20 a month and worth the investment.
4. HBO Max
People have been paying for HBO’s content for nearly 50 years now, so it’s no surprise that everyone’s favorite premium cable channel decided to dip their toes into the streaming market. In 2020, HBO launched HBO Max, a streaming service that includes all HBO properties as well as new originals from HBO Max. Also under the HBO Max umbrella are DC Comics titles, Adult Swim content, Studio Ghibli releases, and TCM as a hub for streaming classic films And in the family-friendly arena there’s content from Cartoon Network, Looney Toons, and Sesame Street.
Though HBO Max is a bit pricier than other services, depending on your tastes and needs, it’s likely worth it. Combine entries from the DC universe with HBO flagships like Game of Thrones and Westworld plus the plethora of family content, and HBO Max is worth the $10-15 subscription price.
5. Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is certainly the most budget-friendly option on this list. And for savvy streamers interested in content that’s anything but basic, Apple offers content that is more quirky, high-concept, and art housey while still managing to be accessible, making the $5 price tag well worth it.
The motto over at Apple TV+ thus far seems to be quality over quantity, and though their library is smaller, they have yet to have a creative miss. Ted Lasso is the flagship title, but After Party, Dickinson, Physical, Prehistoric Planet, and Severance also picked up tons a social media buzz and probably a few subscribers for the streaming newbie.
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