Streaming services have become the controlling form of entertainment. Streamers have leveraged stronger and faster internet connections with a wide range of content genres, formats, and platforms to suit every taste and preference. Whether you are looking for movies, TV shows, documentaries, sports, music, or podcasts, there is a streaming service for you.
But with so many options available, how do you choose the best streaming service for your needs? What are the factors that make a streaming service stand out from the rest? How do you compare different streaming services based on their content quality, variety, availability, price, user experience, and more?
This article will answer these questions and more by ranking the best streaming services in 2023. For those interested in subscribing to a streaming video service, our top picks serve as an excellent starting point.
Key Takeaways
| Streaming Service | Rank | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | 1 | – Leading streaming service – Original and exclusive content – Global expansion and content licensing |
– Increasing competition – High price and subscription churn – Content quality and variety |
| Disney+ | 2 | – Fastest-growing streaming service – Original and exclusive content – Integration with other Disney services |
– Maintaining subscriber growth – Expanding content portfolio – High price and limited availability |
| HBO Max | 3 | – Premium streaming service – Original and exclusive content – Competitive price and availability |
– Attracting and retaining subscribers – Content quality and variety – Expanding international presence |
| Amazon Prime Video | 4 | – E-commerce giant’s streaming service – Original and exclusive content – Prime membership benefits and partnerships |
– Increasing its subscriber base – Investing in more original content – Leveraging its user-generated content |
| Hulu | 5 | – Live TV and on-demand streaming service – Original and exclusive content – Balancing live TV and on-demand offerings |
– Improving user interface – Integrating with other Disney services – High price and limited availability |
Streaming Platform Features
| Streaming Service | 4K/HDR Support | Offline Downloads | Parental Controls | Profiles | Simultaneous Streams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1-4 |
| Hulu | Yes | Yes (ad-free plan) | Yes | Yes | 2-5 |
| Disney+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 4 |
| Max | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2-4 |
| Amazon Prime Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3 |
| Peacock | No | No | No | No | 3 |
| Apple TV+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| Paramount+ | No | Yes (ad-free plan) | No | No | 3 |
| YouTube TV | No | No | No | No | 3 |
Streaming Services Comparison
Netflix: Stranger Things, The Crown, The Witcher, Black Mirror, Bojack Horseman, The Queen’s Gambit, Bridgerton, Lupin, The Umbrella Academy, The Irishman, Roma, Marriage Story, The Social Dilemma, Cheer, Our Planet (Genres: Drama, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Romance, Animation, Documentary)
Hulu: The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, PEN15, Ramy, Shrill, The Great, Normal People, High Fidelity, Palm Springs, Run, Happiest Season, Nomadland, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Fyre Fraud, Minding the Gap, Hillary, I Am Greta, Saturday Night Live, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, This Is Us, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor (Genres: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Documentary)
Disney+: The Mandalorian, WandaVision, Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Soul, Hamilton, Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon, Onward, Frozen II, Moana, Zootopia, Inside Out, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pixar, National Geographic (Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Animation, Family)
Max: Game of Thrones, Succession, The Sopranos, The Wire, Westworld Watchmen, Euphoria, Chernobyl, Big Little Lies, Barry, Insecure, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Flight Attendant, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, South Park, Rick and Morty, Sesame Street (Genres: Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Animation, Family).
Amazon Prime Video: The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, Jack Ryan, Hunters, The Expanse, Fleabag, Homecoming, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Big Sick, Manchester by the Sea, The Report, One Night in Miami, Sound of Metal, The Aeronauts, The Grand Tour, All or Nothing, Thursday Night Football (Genres: Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Documentary, Sports)
Peacock: Brave New World, Saved by the Bell, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, Chicago Fire, Yellowstone, Downton Abbey, The Bourne Identity, Jurassic Park, Shrek, Despicable Me, Trolls World Tour, The Croods: A New Age, Premier League, Olympics, WWE Network, Dateline, The Today Show (Genres: Drama, Comedy, Action, Adventure, Animation, Family, Sports, News)
Apple TV+: Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Servant, For All Mankind, Dickinson, See, Defending Jacob, Greyhound, On the Rocks, Cherry, The Banker, Beastie Boys Story, Boys State, Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, Central Park, Little Voice, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (Genres: Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Documentary)
Paramount+: Star Trek: Discovery, The Good Fight, SpongeBob SquarePants, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, The Stand, The Twilight Zone, Why Women Kill, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Top Gun: Maverick, A Quiet Place Part II, NFL on CBS, (Genres: Sci-Fi Drama Comedy Action Adventure Animation Family Sports News)
YouTube TV: ABC News Live; AMC; BBC America; Bravo; Cartoon Network; CBS; CNN; ESPN; Fox; FX; HGTV; MSNBC; NBC; TNT; USA (Genres: News; Drama; Comedy; Sports; Animation; Reality).
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Netflix
Netflix is the leading streaming service in the world, with over 200 million subscribers. It offers a massive library of original and exclusive content, ranging from movies, TV shows, documentaries, anime, comedy specials, and more. Some of the most popular titles on Netflix include Stranger Things, The Crown, The Witcher, Black Mirror, Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, Lupin, Money Heist, The Social Dilemma, The Irishman, Roma, Marriage Story, The Old Guard, Extraction, Enola Holmes, Bird Box, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, etc.
Netflix has also been expanding its global presence and content licensing deals, especially in emerging markets such as India, Brazil, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, etc. Netflix has produced original content in various languages and cultures, such as Delhi Crime, Sacred Games, Lust Stories (India), 3%, Sintonia (Brazil), The Protector (Turkey), Kingdom (South Korea), etc.
Moreover, Netflix has also acquired the rights to stream popular shows from other networks and platforms, such as Friends, The Office (US), Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul (AMC), Sherlock (BBC), etc. However, Netflix also faces some challenges and opportunities in the streaming market. Netflix has been facing increasing competition from other streaming services such as Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock, Apple TV+, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, etc.
Disney+
Disney+ is the fastest-growing streaming service in the world and has over 100 million followers. Other than huge a audience, it offers a vast library of original and exclusive content, ranging from movies, TV shows, documentaries, shorts, and more. Some of the most popular titles on Disney+ include The Mandalorian, WandaVision, Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Soul, Hamilton, Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon, Onward, Frozen II, Moana, Zootopia, Inside Out, etc.
Furthermore, it has also been integrating its streaming service with other Disney services, such as Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Store, etc. Disney+ has also launched a bundle offer with Hulu and ESPN+, which gives subscribers access to more content genres, such as live sports, news, comedy, drama, etc. Disney+ has also introduced a new feature called Premier Access, which allows subscribers to watch select movies on the same day as their theatrical release for an additional fee.
On the other side, Disney+ also faces some challenges and opportunities in the streaming market. Disney+ has to maintain its subscriber growth and retention rates, as well as its content quality and variety. Disney+ has to expand its content portfolio beyond its existing franchises and brands, such as Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, etc. Disney+ has to also increase its global availability and localization, as well as its price competitiveness and value proposition.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a premium streaming service without any doubt. It has more than 40 million followers. It offers an extensive library of original and exclusive content that ranges from movies to TV shows, documentaries, specials, and more. Some of the most popular titles on HBO Max include Game of Thrones, Succession, The Sopranos, The Wire, Westworld, Watchmen, Euphoria, Chernobyl, Big Little Lies, Barry, Insecure, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, The Flight Attendant, Lovecraft Country, Raised by Wolves, Wonder Woman 1984, Joker, etc.
HBO Max has also been offering a competitive price and availability for its streaming service. HBO Max has launched a cheaper ad-supported tier for $9.99 per month, which gives subscribers access to most of the content library except for the same-day movie premieres. HBO Max has also expanded its international presence by launching in Latin America and Europe in 2021.
However, HBO Max also faces some challenges and opportunities in the streaming market. HBO Max has to attract and retain subscribers who are willing to pay for its premium content and service. HBO Max has to maintain its content quality and variety standards that are expected from the HBO brand. HBO Max has to also differentiate itself from other streaming services that offer similar or overlapping content genres, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, etc.
Amazon Prime Video
With over 150 million subscribers, Amazon Prime Video is the e-commerce giant’s streaming service that offers a massive library of original and exclusive content. It includes movies, TV shows, documentaries, sports, music, and more. Some of the most popular titles on Amazon Prime Video are The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, Jack Ryan, Hunters, The Expanse, Fleabag, Homecoming, The Big Sick, Manchester by the Sea, The Report, One Night in Miami, Sound of Metal, etc.
Besides that, it has also been leveraging its Prime membership benefits and partnerships to enhance its streaming service. Amazon Prime Video gives subscribers access to other streaming platforms and channels, such as Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, BritBox, PBS Masterpiece, etc. Amazon Prime Video also gives subscribers access to other Prime benefits, such as free shipping, Prime Music, Prime Reading, Prime Gaming, etc.
However, this service has also faced some challenges and opportunities in the streaming market. Amazon Prime Video has to increase its subscriber base and retention rates, as well as its content quality and variety. Amazon Prime Video has to invest in more original and exclusive content production and licensing deals, especially in genres such as comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, etc.
Hulu
Now comes the Hulu. It is a live TV and on-demand streaming service that has more than 35 million audiences. Hulu offers a huge library that includes movies, TV shows, documentaries, comedy, drama, and more. Some of the most famous titles on Hulu include The Handmaid’s Tale, Little Fires Everywhere, PEN15, Ramy, Shrill, The Great, Normal People, Run, Happiest Season, Nomadland, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, etc.
Hulu has also been balancing its live TV and on-demand offerings to serve different customer segments and preferences. It also gives subscribers the option to add live TV channels, such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, CNN, etc., for an additional fee. In addition to that, it gives subscribers the option to add premium networks and channels, such as HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, etc., for an additional fee.
Still, Hulu also faces some challenges and golden opportunities in the streaming market. It has to improve its user interface and navigation, which have been criticized for being confusing and cluttered. It also can integrate its streaming service with other Disney services, such as Disney+ and ESPN+, which are part of the same bundle offer. However, Hulu is offering a one-month free trial offer for those wanting to see their content before subscribing.
Peacock
Peacock is a newcomer streaming service that provides a great library of content that covers movies, TV shows, documentaries, sports, news, and much more. It contains some famous titles including Brave New World, Saved by the Bell, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, Chicago Fire, Yellowstone, Downton Abbey, The Bourne Identity, Jurassic Park, Shrek, Despicable Me, etc.
Nevertheless, it has also been differentiating itself from other streaming services by offering a free ad-supported tier, which gives subscribers access to over 13,000 hours of content. Peacock also offers a premium ad-supported tier for $4.99 per month, which gives subscribers access to over 20,000 hours of content, including original and exclusive titles.
However, like all other streaming services, Peacock also faces some issues as well as chances in the streaming market. It has to compete with other streaming services that offer similar or overlapping content genres, such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+, etc. That is why it has to attract and retain its followers who are willing to pay for its premium tiers or watch ads on its free tier.
Apple TV+
As well all know that Apple TV+ is the tech giant’s streaming platform with more than 40 million followers. Along with that, Apple TV+ provides you with a huge library of original and outstanding content. It offers a different genre ranging from movies, TV shows, documentaries, music, and more.
You can watch some amazing stuff on Apple TV+ including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Servant, For All Mankind, Dickinson, See, Defending Jacob, Greyhound, On the Rocks, Cherry, The Banker, Beastie Boys Story, Boys State, Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, Central Park, Little Voice, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, etc.
Apple TV+ has also been merging its streaming service with other Apple devices and services, such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, etc. Apple TV+ also gives subscribers access to other streaming platforms and channels, such as Showtime, Starz, CBS All Access (now Paramount+), etc., for an additional fee.
However, Apple TV+ also faces some challenges and opportunities in the streaming market. Apple TV+ has to increase its subscriber base and retention rates, as well as its content quality and variety. Apple TV+ has to produce more original and exclusive content in various genres and formats, such as comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, etc.
Paramount+
Well, another streaming service that we have is Paramount+. This streaming service offers a library of original and absolute content, ranging from TV shows, documentaries, movies, sports, news, etc. A few of the most amazing titles on Paramount+ are Star Trek: Discovery, The Good Fight, SpongeBob SquarePants, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, The Stand, The Twilight Zone, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Top Gun: Maverick, etc.
Other than that, Paramount+ has also been offering a competitive price and availability for its streaming service. It has launched a cheaper ad-supported tier for $4.99 per month, which gives followers access to most of the content library except for the live local CBS stations. Paramount+ also offers a premium ad-free tier for $9.99 per month, which gives subscribers access to the same content as the ad-supported tier, plus the live local CBS stations and the ability to download shows and movies for offline viewing.
However, Paramount+ has to compete with other streaming services that offer similar or overlapping content genres, such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, etc. Paramount+ has to also expand its content library and availability, as well as its user experience and value proposition. But, Paramount+ has a “try it free” deal for users who want to test it before subscribing.
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YouTube Premium
There can be hardly anyone who has not heard of YouTube. YouTube Premium is a service offered by YouTube. It is the video-sharing platform’s streaming service that has more than 30 million subscribers. YouTube Premium put forward a massive library of exclusive content that includes comedy, movies, TV shows, documentaries, music, education, and more.
Furthermore, YouTube Premium has some amazing titles that include Cobra Kai, Impulse, Wayne, Liza on Demand, Origin, Weird City, Step Up: High Water, Kedi, Viper Club, Bodied, The Thinning, YouTube Originals Live, YouTube Music Awards, YouTube Rewind, YouTube Learning, etc.
Moreover, it has also been trying to be different than other platforms by providing a free ad-supported tier, which gives subscribers access to over 2 billion hours of content per day. Well, YouTube Premium provides you with a premium ad-free tier for $11.99 per month, which gives subscribers access to the same content as the free tier, plus the original and exclusive titles, as well as other benefits such as background play, offline downloads, YouTube Music Premium, etc.
YouTube Premium has to convert its free users to paid subscribers who are willing to pay for its premium content and service. YouTube Premium has to create more original and exclusive content in various genres and formats such as comedy drama horror sci-fi fantasy animation etc.
Conclusion
Streaming services are the top form of entertainment in the 21st century, having surpassed cable viewership back in 2022. Due to its wide range of content, available platforms, and easy accessibility, it’s no wonder why streaming is preferable to cable. However, with so many options available, choosing the best streaming service can be a frustrating task.
That is why we went through and ranked them based on their strengths and weaknesses, their original and exclusive content offerings, and their challenges and opportunities.
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