The days of cable television are coming to an end and streaming TV and movies have quickly become one of the best ways to watch content in 2024. As the competition continues to grow, the best streaming services evolve year after year. Many of these streaming services have even expanded to include live TV, making it easier than ever to leave cable television providers in the past.
Whether you access these services through Xfinity Stream, a video game console, smart TV, computer, or mobile device, these streaming services will keep you glued to your screen. Keep reading to get the breakdown of the best streaming services today!
Netflix was one of the first to come onto the scene and they are still one of the most popular streaming options available today. Although the Netflix price has increased in the last few years, they still provide one of the biggest libraries of TV shows and movies available for streaming.
Netflix has even expanded into producing and making high-quality original content of their own. Some of the most popular TV shows today such as The Witcher, Stranger Things, and Sex Education have been produced by Netflix. There is also an incredible original comedy specials available on Netflix for stand-up comedy fans to enjoy such as Bo Burnham’s Inside and Tom Segura’s Ball Hog.
HBO has been a television and movie giant for many years and now they are pushing for the top spot in the streaming market. HBO Max (formerly the app known as HBO Now) has everything that the original HBO service had with additional content. Some of the most highly acclaimed award-winning original programming is made by HBO.
Here are some of the most popular films and movies available on HBO max:
- James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad
- Dune
- Space Jam 2
- Westworld
- Watchmen
If you are hesitant to miss out on the latest TV shows but don’t want to break the bank paying for a cable subscription, Hulu with Live TV is the best streaming option for you. Hulu offers a great selection of current TV in addition to popular original programming at an affordable price. One of the downsides of Hulu is that the streaming service comes with a few advertisements unless you are willing to pay a little extra each month.
Money-saving Tip: Students currently enrolled in school, can receive Hulu at a discounted rate with the Spotify Student deal.
With a Hulu subscription, you will have access to most network TV shows and a few cable shows. Sports streaming is also a popular reason why people choose Hulu Live TV since most major sports games will be streamed on the service.
Disney Plus is one of the newer streaming services on the market, but they are already making a name for themselves as the best streaming service for families. Disney owns properties from Marvel, Star Wars, and their own collection, so there is a wide selection for families to enjoy. Another benefit is the reasonable price of the service at one $7.99 for a month.
Additionally, there is a popular Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN bundle for a comprehensive streaming experience at a reduced price. However, since Disney Plus is a newer service, they tend to have odd gaps in their content lineup with no new releases for weeks or even months at a time.
Comcast has joined the competitive streaming market with their own app called Xfinity Stream. This app boasts a massive amount of content that can be viewed at home on TV or using various types of mobile devices and web browsers. One of the benefits of the Xfinity Stream app is that you can watch multiple streams, five at home and three away, simultaneously.
Another benefit of Xfinity Stream is that you can bundle the package with Xfinity’s internet and cell phone packages. In fact, Xfinity internet-only customers can use the app to watch a variety of selected content. If you are considering switching TV or internet providers, you should consider Xfinity for the added Xfinity Stream access.
Even though these streaming services are not the most popular, they do serve a niche market and provide quality content for those interested. Here are some smaller streaming services that you may be interested in:
Peacock TV – NBCUniversal has launched their own new streaming service with Peacock TV. This service will have all the content made by NBCUniversal including comedies, dramas, live sports, Universal Studios films, and new original content.
This streaming service is unique because of the affordable Peacock price. Peacock offers a limited amount of content free of cost with an ad-supported plan. There are two Peacock premium tiers available including an all-access package with ads and an all-access, ad-free plan.
If you are a fan of television made in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more, then this is the best streaming service for you. Acorn TV is the easiest way to check out some of the most popular shows from the UK and more while living in America.
At a price of only $5.99 a month, Acorn TV is also one of the most affordable streaming services. You also have the option to purchase an annual subscription for $59.99. Although it may be niche, it is a perfect streaming option for fans of this type of television.
Spectrum TV is a streaming service designed to let you watch live TV from almost anywhere. You can watch all your favorite channels at home or anywhere that you have wi-fi access.
Spectrum TV also allows you to use their built in DVR to record your favorite tv shows when you can’t watch them live. This service allows you to take control of what content is accessible by letting you set a PIN and block content by rating or channel.