Best Streaming Services of 2024

Disney Plus is one of Netflix’s closest competitors for good reason. It’s the only place where you can stream the vast majority of the Disney and Pixar libraries, along with every Star Wars movie, Marvel films, new original TV shows, National Geographic content and 30-plus seasons of The Simpsons. Shows like The Mandalorian, Loki, Andor and She-Hulk, have drawn millions of viewers, while features such as Avatar 2 and Encanto won rave reviews. Plus, there’s lots more Star Wars and Marvel original programming coming in the next few years. 

At the current price of $10 per month for the ad-based plan, Disney Plus is a family-friendly streaming TV choice that offers value. We consider it a must-have if you have kids or are a fan of any of its other titles (and who isn’t a fan of Baby Yoda?). 

The premium ad-free version now costs $16 monthly, but Disney has four bundles that range from $11 to $27 per month. Duo Basic is a $11-per-month plan that combines Disney Plus and Hulu with ads, ad-free Duo Premium costs $20 per month. For $17 monthly, the Disney Bundle Trio Basic comes with Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus, all with ads. A $27-per-month Trio Premium bundle nets you all three streaming platforms, and only ESPN Plus has ads. If you have a Disney bundle or subscriptions for both Disney Plus and Hulu, you can now watch Hulu content on the Disney Plus app.

Though it’s not an official “Disney Bundle,” there’s an alternate bundle that combines Max, Hulu and Disney Plus for either $17 or $30 a month, depending on whether you want to go with ads or ad-free.

Max is an updated app full of popular TV shows and movies. It has HBO’s entire library and DC Universe titles, along with favorites such as Friends, the Lord of the Rings movies and almost every Studio Ghibli film. It’s the primary destination for new Warner Bros.-owned feature films. It’s not Disney Plus, but Max has a solid streaming collection for kids too, with the ability to control ratings on kids’ profiles better than most other services. 

At $10 per month, it sits next to Netflix at the higher end of the streaming spectrum, and if you prefer the ad-free experience, the cost jumps up to $17 or $21 per month. Max is ramping up its new originals, and we expect that to increase over time. With the addition of Discovery Plus unscripted content, there’s more to stream. Although its 8.0 rating is neck-and-neck with Prime Video, Max consistently drops new releases, possesses a large back catalog and offers smooth, user-friendly features. The platform also offers a live sports tier, B/R sports, as part of its current package, but the optional add-on is due to cost an additional $10 per month later this year.

For $10 per month (with ads), Hulu offers a counterpoint to Netflix. Its channel lineup has a huge variety of familiar shows from networks like ABC, Fox and FX that you can watch soon after they air (unlike on Netflix), as well as a growing catalog of its own critically acclaimed original series like How to Die Alone and Only Murders in the Building. If you have $10 a month to spare and don’t mind trading a few ads for a wealth of TV options, Hulu is a no-brainer. You also have the option to upgrade to a no-ads plan for $19 a month or add on live TV streaming for $83 a month for a full cable replacement.

Prime Video now has ads in its default version of the streaming app, but you can pay a $3 fee to stream without them. The commercial breaks are relatively short compared with other streamers. The platform offers quality original shows and movies, an impressive back catalog of older favorites (and B-movies you haven’t heard of) and NFL on Thursday nights. 

It lacks the catalogs of Netflix and Hulu and the star power of Disney’s streaming platform, and I found its menus more confusing since there’s some paid content mixed in with free content. Prime Video’s redesign aims to cut down on that confusion with clearer labeling and menu updates for its global customer base. For millions of Prime subscribers, the Prime Video channel is already included at no extra cost. If you’re interested in checking out any of its originals like Fallout or its large movie selection, it may even be worth paying the standalone $9-per-month TV fee (if you don’t have Amazon Prime).

Priced at $11 a month without ads, Starz provides a unique but expanding library of films and original shows. With more than 800 movies in its bank that range from ’80s classics to Westerns to the hottest new Sony releases, the streamer houses every genre in its catalog. Starz has been inching its way into the prestige TV market with a quality lineup of original programming.

It’s best known for the Power Universe, Outlander and The White Queen. Starz also airs Lionsgate movies and shows — like John Wick and Saw. While you can’t stream feature films as day-and-date releases, Starz has a deal with Universal to broadcast its lineup. That includes flicks such as Megan, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Oppenheimer. For $11 a month, the Starz app gives you unlimited downloads, early access to new TV show episodes, and four simultaneous streams, all with no ads. Whether you want to stream blockbuster movies, documentaries, original series or something for kids, Starz is worth the cost.

ESPN Plus is a great streaming service for tried-and-true sports fans, especially those who follow the NHL, MLS and UFC. This is because ESPN Plus is the new home of all out-of-market National Hockey League games, while also offering out-of-market MLS soccer matches, along with those from other soccer leagues around the world. It hosts exclusive UFC matches and pay-per-view events, such as UFC Fight Night and championship bouts (for additional fees).

Hockey and MLS fans who root for teams that aren’t based where they currently live need ESPN’s streaming service to watch their team’s action. The service won’t be of much use to fans of the home teams. Local games are blacked out on ESPN Plus so you’ll need access to your regional sports network through cable or a live TV streaming service to watch them. Golf fans can stream the PGA Tour live on the platform.

ESPN Plus doesn’t show live NFL or NBA games, and while its vast library of original programming is impressive, it’s difficult to navigate. The year service is best suited for die-hard fans of the sports it covers well, but more casual fans might find themselves with an ESPN Plus subscription anyway through the Disney Bundle, which also includes Hulu and Disney Plus starting at $15 a month. A standalone subscription for ESPN Plus costs $12, but some viewers may find it more cost-effective to pay for one of the Disney Bundles, which range from $17 to $27 monthly with ESPN Plus included.

If you’re looking to watch an abundance of sports content, check out our picks for the best sports streaming services.

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock offers a premium ad-supported option for $8 a month, granting you access to more than 80,000 hours worth of content. Upgrade to Premium Plus for $14 a month to watch without commercials. The service no longer offers its free, ad-supported tier to new subscribers, but existing Peacock customers can downgrade their accounts to watch about 10,000 hours of shows, movies, news and live sports. Fan favorites on the platform include the TV series The Office, and viewers can also watch Premier League soccer matches, WWE events and originals like Poker Face. Keep in mind you need a premium account to watch full seasons of most shows. 

New episodes of NBC shows stream exclusively on Peacock, and Premium Plus members can watch live local NBC channels in real time. Newer additions include a dedicated Hallmark channel that airs simulcasts and new movie premieres that typically arrive 45 days after their theatrical releases.

Peacock drops in the rankings due to its lack of mobile downloads for its nonpremium plus tiers and limited 4K HDR streaming, which most of its competitors offer. Although you can get the service as part of a new bundle with Netflix and Apple TV Plus, look out for a price hike in July.

With the price jump to $10 a month, Apple TV Plus is no longer the lowest-priced premium, ad-free streaming service available. It does come with high-end features like 4K resolution, HDR and mobile downloads. It’s also the one service on this list that includes only original content, and no regular back catalog of shows or movies to explore. It now has more than 50 exclusive, big-budget original programming shows and movies, but only a few have captured widespread attention, such as Ted Lasso, Severance and CODA, which won 2022’s Oscar for best picture. Although the service is branching out with additions like live Major League Baseball games on Fridays, its library is far smaller than what you’ll find with any of the other services on this list. 

The app is also confusing because it’s housed in the larger Apple TV app with other content. Apple TV Plus has one big advantage: There are a lot of ways to get it for free, at least for a while. If you’re a degree-seeking college student, a new purchaser of an Apple device, or someone who subscribes to the Apple One bundle, you can snag a long-term free trial of Apple TV Plus.