The Best Streaming Services of 2024

Now that you’ve decided to cut the cord and ditch your cable or satellite TV, you’re ready to start populating your life with streaming services. Though you may be familiar with the most popular streaming TV services, like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, there is a world of other, sometimes more targeted, services to choose from.

The well-established streaming services now have competition from every corner of the entertainment landscape—including most major networks and media companies, like Paramount+, Max and Disney. In fact, there are so many to consider, that you may need to whittle your choices down by considering things like original show catalogs, movie choices and back catalogs.

With so much content to choose from, it’s also easy to hit your budget by stacking services—which you can choose to pay for monthly or annually. So, before you start curating your line-up, here is everything you need to know about the best streaming TV services—and what works best for you.

Best Streaming Service Overall: Max

Photo: Max
Pros:
- Huge library of content
- Includes everything from HBO
- Affordable plan available
Cons:
- No free trial
- Pricey if you want the best quality
All recent troubles aside, the service formerly known as HBO Max, Max, is the best streaming service out there. As the name implies, the service is connected to HBO, which means that, in addition to popular Max Originals like And Just Like That and Hacks, subscribers also have access to HBO’s entire library of past and current TV shows, plus all of the movies currently on HBO’s roster. This, crucially, includes HBO’s signature Sunday night shows, a.k.a. the shows everyone is talking about. Shows like The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and House of the Dragon are added to HBO Max at the same time they air on the premium cable network. The service is also the streaming home to franchises and networks like DC Comics, Studio Ghibli, Adult Swim, and Looney Tunes. It’s a well-rounded mix of the hottest TV shows of any given moment, classic movies, and fan-favorite franchises.

Right now, the ad-supported version of Max costs $9.99/month, while the ad-free plan is $15.99/month and the ultimate ad-free plan with 4K streaming costs $19.99/month.

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Our runner-up is Netflix, which has the most consistent, popular originals out there — even if they only run a season or two. The service is packed with hits like Stranger Things and Bridgerton, plus original movies like May December and The Killer, tons of great stand-up comedy specials, and a back catalog with hundreds of popular network shows and movies.
Best Streaming Service for Movies: Max AND Paramount+

Photos: Max, Paramount+

In addition to being the best streaming service overall, if you’re looking for an impressive selection of movies, head to Max. Because the streamer’s library is connected to HBO, a lot of great movies hit the service soon after release. You’ll gain access to all of the movies HBO currently has in their on-demand library or on rotation with their live cable networks, often including recent blockbusters or buzzy Oscar movies.

Max is also the service any Warner Brothers movies stream on, as soon as 45 days after they hit theaters. The collection includes recent hits like Barbie, The Menu, Dune, and more. Plus, DC Comics movies and classics from TCM are part of Max’s library.

Paramount+ has the benefit of the Showtime library to bolster its movie selection, which includes last year’s best picture Everything Everywhere All At Once and other titles from the A24 library. This is in addition to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Top Gun and Top Gun Maverick, Transformers, Dungeons and Dragons, and more movies produced and distributed by Paramount. You can get it for $5.99/month with ads and $11.99/month without ads, but with the Showtime component.

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paramount+
Best Streaming Service for Live TV: Hulu + Live TV

Photo: Amazon
Pros:
- Over 90 channels included in the base plan
- Includes Disney+ and ESPN+ in the base price
- Unlimited DVR included
- Premium add-ons available
Cons:
- Can only stream on two screens at once
- One of the more expensive live TV services
- No free trial
If you are hesitant to cut the cord without a live TV option, Hulu + Live TV will stream all your live TV and comes with three great streaming services as a bonus. A subscription will get you access to Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and over 90 live TV channels. We’ve found that Hulu + Live TV has the most inclusive and well-rounded selection of channels included with a base subscription. You can stream on two screens at a time and all subscriptions now come with unlimited cloud DVR storage.

Hulu + Live TV costs $76.99/month (with ad-supported Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+) or $89.99/month if you want to upgrade to ad-free versions of Hulu and Disney+ (ESPN+ will still be ad-supported). If you’re itching to add premium channels, Hulu plus Live TV offers add-ons like HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz. And you can try it for free for seven days.

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Best Streaming Service for Sports: ESPN+

Photo: ESPN+
Pros:
- Over 32,000 live events aired every year
- Low price point
- Integration with Hulu if you have both
Cons:
- Local blackouts
- No free trial
If you love ESPN, you’re going to love ESPN+ even more. This streaming service lets sports fans watch live sporting events from the NHL, MLB, NFL, and NCAA, among other leagues, plus classic games, replays, original programming and studio shows. And did we mention you get access to exclusive written content as well?

Favorite ESPN originals include SportsCenter and 30 for 30 and you can get it for just $10.99/month.

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Best Streaming Service for Kids: Disney+

Photo: Disney+
Pros:
- Multiple subscription options including bundles
- Has every Disney and Pixar movie
- Stream Hulu shows on Disney+ if you have both
Cons:
- No free trial
- Not much original content for non-franchise fans
A venerable treasure chest of kids’ shows, movies and content, Disney+ includes not only gives freedom to stream all those Disney movies your children love, both new and old, from the Walt Disney collection. From Snow White to Elemental, Disney+ has it all. The service also has content from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, National Geographic and even 20th Century Fox titles like The Simpsons.

Plus, you’ll get to join in all those conversations about the hottest original series everyone is talking about, like Andor, Echo, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It’s a win/win for everyone involved. Currently, you can get Disney+ for $7.99/month with ads and $13.99/month without ads.

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Best Streaming Service for Anime: Crunchyroll

Photo: Crunchyroll
Pros:
- 14-day free trial
- New episodes 1 hour after they air in Japan
- Subtitled and dubbed content
Cons:
- None that we could determine at the moment
Crunchyroll is a streaming service with a focus on East Asian media, primarily Japanese anime.

The service’s library includes over 1,000 anime titles, 200+ East Asian dramas in more than 10 languages, and roughly 80 digital manga titles available with Crunchyroll Manga (included with a base subscription for American subscribers).

New episodes of every currently-airing anime Crunchyroll has in their collection will hit the service just one hour after they air in Japan. Crunchyroll subscriptions begin at $8/month and go up to $15/month with more perks being added as you join different tiers.

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Best Streaming Bundle: The Disney Bundle

Photo: Disney+
Pros:
- Three services for the price of one (if you get the bundle with ads)
- One log-in for all three services
Cons:
- No free trial
- Expensive if you aren’t going to use all three services frequently
This streaming bundle will hit all the high points for every TV viewer in your home. Whether you’re coming at it from the Disney+ angle, where you just can’t do without all those kid’s movies, great Star Wars originals, and Marvel TV shows, you’re addicted to The Bear on Hulu, or you just need to get your sports groove on with ESPN+, the Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle is just $14.99/month with ads or $24.99/month without (though ESPN+ is always ad-supported), which is a great deal you just cannot turn down no matter which plan you go with.

If you’re not a sports fan, opt for the Duo Bundle, which includes access to ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu for $9.99/month or ad-free versions of both for $19.99/month.

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Best Value Streaming Service: Prime Video

Photo: Prime Video
Pros:
- 30-day free trial
- Includes a bunch of other perks for the price
Cons:
- Can be pricey if you just want streaming ($9/month, but no extra perks)
Included as part of an Amazon Prime subscription, Prime Video is a streaming service with a library of original content, in addition to shows and movies from other studios. Popular Amazon Originals include The Boys, Reacher, and The Summer I Turned Pretty, and the streamer even produces movies, like Saltburn and Red, White & Royal Blue . Because Amazon owns MGM, movies like No Time To Die, the last of Daniel Craig’s James Bond films, are available to subscribers as well.

Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139.00/year and in addition to their streaming service, you also get access to free one-or-two-day shipping, Amazon Music, exclusive deals during shopping events like Prime Day, Prime Premieres, and more.

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Best Ad-Free Streaming Service: Apple TV+

Photo: Apple TV+
Pros:
- Always ad-free
- Weeklong free trial
- You don’t need an Apple product to use it
- Critically acclaimed titles
Cons:
- Service only features original content, small catalog
- Can be considered expensive
You don’t have to own an Apple product to sign up for their streaming service, Ap ple TV+. The service is entirely populated by Apple TV+ Original movies and TV shows, and will always be ad-free.

In just over three years since launching, the streamer has produced an Oscar winning best picture in CODA and a two-time Emmy-winning best comedy in Ted Lasso. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down, with new shows like Shrinking, Masters of the Air, and Slow Horses. That’s not even including what’s to come on the service, including Martin Scorsese’s newest movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, and the latest from Ridley Scott, Napoleon.

You can get Apple TV+ for $9.99/month.

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Best Streaming Service for Local Channels: DIRECTV Stream

Photo: DIRECTV Stream
Pros:
- Local news and sports channels
- Includes a free trial
- Premium add-ons
Cons:
- More expensive than other live TV streaming services
What sets DIRECTV Stream apart from other live TV streaming services is that in addition to just including your local news channels, like affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, you’ll also get local sports channels — the specialized networks like MSG in New York and various regional Bally Sports affiliates — based on the market you’re located in.

We’ve found that this service has the most well-rounded selection of local channels, but to get the sports channels, you’ll have to upgrade to a plan higher than the base plan. The base plan costs $79.99/month, while the Choice plan (with local sports) is $108.99/month.

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Best Streaming Service for NFL: YouTube TV with NFL Sunday Ticket

Photo: YouTube

YouTube TV is the official new home of NFL Sunday Ticket, which you can get with or without a base YouTube TV plan ($72.99/month). Sunday Ticket will cost you $299/season there (and $399/month if you don’t have the YouTube TV base plan). With Sunday Ticket, you can stream every out-of-market Sunday game.

However, it’s nearly impossible to watch every NFL game with just one service, so here are the others you can consider investing in to watch as much of the NFL season as you’d like:
- Paramount+ (NFL on CBS)
- Prime Video (Thursday Night Football)
- Peacock (Sunday Night Football)
- Fubo (CBS, Fox, ABC)
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