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Who doesn’t love television? For decades this wonderful invention, this beautiful electronic box, has been a surrogate parent to millions (billions?) of people. And while lots of viewers elect to turn their brains into mush watching reality garbage and cartoons they can’t even remember properly, TV has also proven itself to be a reliable source of smart, challenging, artistic, contemporary work. Peak TV. Golden Age.

However, nothing is immune from the march of technological progress, and the future of TV is streaming TV services. When you subscribe to these services, you gain the freedom to watch whatever you want whenever and wherever (phone, tablet, laptop, game console) you want as long as you can get online. Whether it’s watching old favorites like Game of Thronesin more convenient ways or discovering promising new, internet-exclusive shows like Luke Cage, soon we won’t remember a time before our lives were improved by streaming.

5 days ago - In our full live TV services channel comparison, we break down the channel differences between major live TV streaming services ('skinny.

But since the only thing the internet hasn’t disrupted is capitalism, there are a bunch of streaming TV services out there competing to get cable customers to cut the cord. Each of these services have their own libraries and strengths and weaknesses, so which do you subscribe to? Geek.com is here to help. We’ve been testing streaming TV services big and small, watching Twin Peaks on our computer screens and calling it work, and these are the ones we think you should choose.

The Big Guys

Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video, the new Big 3, form the bedrock of streaming TV services. For comparable starting monthly prices (Netflix at $8, Hulu at $8, and Amazon at, you guessed it, $8 for non-Prime members) you gain access to hours upon hours of content. Because the libraries of old TV shows and movies change over time, especially Netflix’s, it’s tough to compare which is truly superior. It really depends on your taste. In the past I might have said Netflix had better movies while Hulu had more TV shows, until Hulu added The Criterion Collection and its vast reserves of cinematic classics. But then Criterion left Hulu and formed its own FilmStruck streaming service. It’s tough to keep up! If you haven’t noticed, there’s a whole online blogging cottage industry just tracking Netflix arrivals and departures.

Meanwhile, Amazon has plenty of shows and movies available to subscribers. But it also lets anyone rent or buy individual episodes and films. You can even add extra subscriptions to HBO, PBS, and other themed collections (like anime) with Amazon Channels. On average, these subscriptions cost as much as Amazon Video itself, so keep that in mind when building your theoretically cheaper streaming TV replacement.

The biggest way, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon differentiate themselves now is through their original shows. However, again they’re pretty much on par, so it’s up to you and your preferences. Netflix probably has the most, and most popular, shows but for every success like Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, and Dear White People, there’s garbage like Iron Fist and Fuller House. Shows like The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu and Transparent and The Man In the High Castle on Amazon prove that those services are just as good if not better at crafting timely, moving, intelligent stories.

What many of those services lack, however, is an easily accessible library of classic films. For that, you’ll need FilmStruck. Whether it’s an early example of artistic silent films or the best Iranian documentary of the new millennium, this is the streaming service for the true cinephile. And unless you’re a New Yorker with a library card, FilmStruck is also the exclusive online home of the acclaimed Criterion Collection movie archive.

We also shouldn’t forget YouTube. While the site is rightfully best known for its endless amounts of free videos, from cute cats to racists children streaming video games, it does offer some streaming TV-esque services to those willing to pay. For $10 a month, YouTube Red turns off ads, gives you expanded music options, and lets you watch YouTube Red Originals. These shows skew a little younger (despite the cursing) but some, like College Humor’s Bad Internet, are legitimately entertaining. For $35, you can also just straight up watch live TV channels like ABC, FOX, Disney, and others with YouTube TV. Other companies sell similar plans, as we’ll discuss later, but none have the online credibility and ubiquity of YouTube.

Anime and Other Alternatives

The big streaming TV services we just mentioned try their best to serve all potential audiences with content covering all bases. You can find kid’s show, progressive dramas, and even the dreaded anime. But a general site will never be able to cover a niche as well as a site dedicated to that niche.

Unsurprisingly, one of the most robust streaming niches is anime. No longer do you have trade VHS tapes near the Blockbuster to check up on the latest subtitled adventures of Goku and folks who might as well be Goku. For a monthly fee, you can easily and (legally) stream anime hours after it airs in Japan.

Your best bets for anime streaming right now are Crunchyroll and Funimation Now. The two services are actually partners that share shows with each other. However, since Funimation is also in the business of bringing anime over to America, it focuses more on English dubbed versions of the shows. For more authentic, unmolested Japanese anime with subtitles, Crunchyroll is the better choice.

If your animation tastes lean more western and retro, check out Boomerang. This streaming spin-off to the satellite TV channel lets you watch a ton of vintage cartoons from the Turner and Warner Bros. vault. You’ll find Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, Looney Tunes, and even some more recent cult Cartoon Network hits like Courage the Cowardly Dog. It’s a rush of nostalgia and maybe even a good way to get kids interested in the history of animation as an art form.

On the flip side, if you want to enrich your mind instead of poisoning it with mindless entertainment, our Geek Pick is CuriosityStream. For just $3 per month you can stream what feels like an endless amount of educational shows and documentaries covering a wide variety of topics. So whether you want to learn more about nature, technology, culture, or something as specific as historical wax figures, you can find something new to watch

Continuing this trip down niche streaming rabbit holes, in just nine months Brown Sugar has already built up one of the more impressive niche libraries we’ve seen. The service focuses on African-American themed entertainment, particularly the cheap and lurid but nonetheless exciting, funky, and socially relevant 1970s films of the Blaxploitation era. Super Fly, Dolemite, Blacula, an entire Pam Grier section? We really dig it.

TV Traditionalists

For as great as streaming TV services can be, maybe not everyone is ready to join us in the glorious new future where streaming replaces traditional TV for good. Maybe there are too many shows and sports on cable and live TV that streaming doesn’t include. That okay. There are streaming TV services out there that provide the convenience of the internet while still letting users keep one foot comfortably in traditional TV.

For what amounts to traditional TV prices, DirecTV Now lets you skip the satellite and subscribe online to bundles of dozens of live TV channels. You’ll be able to watch TV online and on your mobile devices, but keep in mind it’s still live TV, commercials and all. Some channels offer videos on demand to pause and watch whenever but they’re an exception. Still, how can you pass up TV with more freedom?

FuboTV is similarly modeled after live TV pricing and limitations. The difference is FuboTV focuses on sports, a subject where watching live really matters and people are willing to pay. Sports are one of the biggest things keeping people tethered to traditional TV, so FuboTV could be the escape they are looking for. And features like watching anywhere on mobile devices and keeping tabs on upcoming games you care about genuinely make the viewing experience better.

Slingbox is an even easier way to convince TV users to cross over to streaming. If you already have a cable subscription, just hook up a Slingbox to your TV and home network to watch the shows you’re already paying for with Sling’s app. Sling TV also sells channels à la carte, but it doesn’t get much simpler than “buy this one box and get TV anywhere.”

If you still want to keep your local over-the-air channels, however, your best option is Dish AirTV. That functionality is an optional, extra installation, but it allows the streaming box to present local content right alongside streaming services through the same interface. It’s neat, if not necessarily useful for everyone.

Other cable providers are also offering bonus streaming incentives to keep subscribers on board. For an extra $5 per month, Comcast Xfinity subscribers can watch current AMC shows, movies, and extras online with mobile devices using AMC Premiere. But even with its focus on one channel, AMC Premiere’s lack of legacy shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad makes it feel slight if you aren’t part of the inexplicable legion of Walking Dead superfans. Meanwhile, signing up with Comcast is a big hurdle if you haven’t already and are looking for streaming services to cut cords, not add them.

Stream Team

This is just a sample of the streaming TV services out there. As we keep reviewing them we’ll keep updating this story, so keep coming back. And you know what goes great with a streaming TV service? A streaming media device like Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire Stick to beam that service to your actual television. So check out our recommendations for those, too. Happy viewing!

1.

So many streaming TV services to choose from. Where do you start?

2.

Netflix is still arguably the biggest name in streaming TV.

3.

Although it no longer has a free option, Hulu is a great streaming TV service that is worth paying for.

4.

From buying to renting to subscribing to individual channels, Amazon offers a bevy of streaming TV options.

5.

YouTube Red subscribers can watch original shows from streaming stars, but YouTube TV lets you watch actual live TV.

6.

Hook up a Slingbox and watch the cable and live TV you're already paying for anywhere.

7.

You have to buy channels in bulk and still deal with commercials, but with DirecTV Now you get the real live TV experience delivered through streaming.

8.

Crunchyroll is the best anime streaming service if you're all about subtitles.

9.

If dubs are more your thing, Funimation Now is the anime streaming service for you.

10.

If you want to stream shows and documentaries that actually teach you something, go with CuriosityStream.

13.

FuboTV may be the escape from cable that sports fans are looking for. It’s pricey, but being able to easily stream live sports and more from dozens of channels with only one subscription might very well be worth it.

14.

Brown Sugar has all of the classic Blaxploitation movies you could want and then some. It’s niche, but it’s one of the most impressive niche libraries we’ve seen.

15.

For the true cinephile, FilmStruck has a large collection of classic films from all eras and countries, including movies from the Criterion Collection.

16.

CollegeHumor's Dropout provides premium streaming online laughs.

17.

DC Universe offers live-action adaptations of less familiar superheroes, like Doom Patrol.

18.

Along with presenting streaming services like Netflix and Sling through one box, Dish AirTV also lets you watch local over-the-air channels with an additional installation.

19.

Get a streaming media device to enjoy these services on your TV. Our favorite is the Amazon Fire Stick.

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The Best Alternatives to Cable: Video Streaming Services

Streaming services started as an add-on to DVD and digital download offerings with a trickle of second-run movies and TV shows. They were supplements to the programs you watched on their first (and second) runs on cable TV. But speedier internet connections and an abundance of video streaming devices have accelerated the decline of traditional cable. More and more viewers are cutting the cord entirely in favor of dedicated streaming alternatives.

Entertainment and tech giants are not blind to the threat, however, and the media landscape is rapidly changing. Consolidation and curation (that is, owning the most media properties and serving the best content) seem to be the overarching goals of the players involved.

For instance, AT&T's (which operates live TV service DirecTV Now) purchase of WarnerMedia and all of its subsidiaries (including CNN, Crunchyroll, the CW, DC Comics, and HBO) has now cleared its last legal hurdle. Disney purchased 21st Century Fox and is launching its own video streaming service, called Disney+, later this year. Disney also now has full operational control of Hulu. Viacom owns the free, ad-supported Pluto TV service. On the tech side, Apple recently overhauled the Apple TV app and unveiled Apple TV+, its forthcoming premium video streaming service.

As mentioned, a video streaming service's success largely depends on what its library offers. That's why so many services are investing heavily in developing high-quality original content. Consider, for example, Netflix's Stranger Things, Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, all of which are Emmy-winning shows. Although these services compete more on their original offerings than their resold broadcast content and post-theater-run movies, several platforms have also saved popular shows from the grave. Without these hooks, standalone video streaming services would likely be unable to compete with existing entertainment behemoths.

Apart from on-demand video streaming services, complete cable-replacement services with live broadcasts are becoming increasingly viable and attractive options. Some of the best services, for example, such as fubo, Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube TV, offer robust channel collections with excellent DVR functionality. Even DirecTV Now and PS Vue are more practical now, as they no longer require specific hardware to use.

Smaller and sometimes cheaper options also exist with a more limited focus. For example, Philo primarily offers entertainment content, while ESPN+ is best suited for sports fans. Crackle, Pluto TV, Mubi, and various anime-streaming sites attract certain audiences as well. Although it is not what typically comes to mind, Vimeo also offers a small selection of indie films and video projects via its On Demand section. Plex is yet another option for streaming your local media content as well as a platform for free over-the-air cable (provided you have the right hardware). If you want to watch people play games, Twitch is your best bet.

You should use a virtual private network (VPN) for all your internet-related tasks, but VPNs are particularly useful for streaming services since they can sometimes grant access to region-locked content. For example, if you connect to a VPN server in the UK from a device in the US, you may be able to watch free content from BBC TV. That said, streaming services are cracking down on VPN usage, so we recommend signing up for a trial to test your network setup before fully committing to a service. Make sure to check out our guide on how to unblock Netflix with a VPN as a starting point.

If you want to cut the cord, here's our rundown of what you can expect from the most popular services. You shouldn't fall into the trap of paying more for video streaming services than you did for cable, so make sure to only sign up for those that offer the content you actually want to watch. If we missed your favorite option, make sure to let us know in the comments.

Best Video Streaming Services Featured in This Roundup:

Netflix

$8.99 per month

Netflix is the standard-bearer of streaming. It hosts an impressive selection of content at all times, with new titles exchanged for older ones monthly. And then there's Netflix constantly growing library of premier original programming, which currently outclasses every other streaming service. Netflix's impressive catalog includes shows such as Altered Carbon, Black Mirror, Bojack Horseman, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,The Crown, Lost in Space, Mindhunters, Narcos, Orange is the New Black, Santa Clarita Diet, and Stranger Things. Netflix is expected to spend somewhere in the range of $15 billion on original content this year, so it will likely retain its advantage for the foreseeable future. Netflix also currently offers the most high-quality movies of any streaming service, eclipsing competitors such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO.

Streaming Live Tv

Netflix recently raised the price of each of its subscription plans. For $8.99 per month (up from $7.99), you can stream unlimited standard-definition content on a single device. The Standard tier, which now costs $12.99 per month (up from $10.99), unlocks HD content and supports streaming on two devices simultaneously. The top-of-the-line Premium plan costs $15.99 per month (up from $13.99). This tier gives you four concurrent streams and access to 4K content where available. You can download Netflix on a variety of devices, from your PC and tablet to the Chromecast and game consoles.

Alongside Amazon Prime Video, Netflix is one of the few streaming services that supports both offline downloads and 4K streaming. And yes, Netflix's DVD mailing service still exists if you want newer releases, though streaming is clearly its primary focus going forward.

YouTube TV

$49.99 per month

YouTube TV offers an excellent selection of live sports and news channels, as well as many popular entertainment options. A few of the top networks available include ABC, AMC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, FX, and NBC. It recently added content from the Discovery network too, with channels such as Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, and Travel Channel. If YouTube TV's library of over 70 channels still doesn't meet your needs, you can also add other packages, such as NBA League Pass, Showtime, and Starz to your subscription. The service also now claims to cover over 98 percent of households in the US.

With YouTube TV, you get unlimited cloud DVR storage. The service will keep your recordings for nine months and you can stream your content from anywhere in the US. One YouTube TV membership supports up to six accounts, so you can share with family or roommates, though note that you can only stream from three accounts simultaneously.

YouTube TV's apps look and work great across a variety of platforms. Its capable search tools and solid streaming performance in our testing establish it as one of the best cable replacement services for general audiences. Make sure that the service is available in your location before you consider it as an option.

Hulu

$5.99 per month; $44.99 for live TV service

Hulu impresses as one of the best all-in-one options for cord cutters, given its diverse set of streaming options. In addition to quality original programming, a strong library of classic shows, and a good selection of anime series and movies, Hulu now offers a robust live TV option (more than 60 channels of news, sports, and entertainment programming). Still, Hulu trails some top competitors, given its limited HD and 4K selections. Hulu subscribers also cannot currently download content for offline viewing (an ad-supported solution is supposedly in the works.) However, unlike Netflix and Amazon, which typically get new TV series months or even a year after their TV debuts, Hulu gets some content almost immediately after airing on TV thanks to its big studio backers.

Hulu's basic on-demand streaming plan now only costs $5.99 per month, but the ad-free version will run you $11.99 per month. The Hulu + Live TV plan costs $44.99 per month and combines Hulu's live TV service with the ad-supported streaming plan. For $50.99, you get the ad-free version of Hulu's on-demand service along with the Live TV functionality. Premium Spotify subscribers can now get Hulu's ad-supported streaming plan for free, too.

You can add Enhanced Cloud DVR (increases the available DVR storage to 200 hours from 50) or the Unlimited Screens package (allows an unlimited number of concurrent device streams in your home and up to three outside of it) to your plan for $14.99 per month each or $19.99 for both. If you want even more options, you can add HBO or Showtime for $14.99 and $8.99 per month, respectively.

Hulu supports an impressive range of gadgets, but you can only stream to one device at a time with the basic accounts. Make sure to check out Hulu's latest redesign across all of its platforms; it features elegant navigation menus and a glossy aesthetic, though the new layout admittedly makes it more of a pain to discover content.

Disney now controls Hulu and is set to launch Disney+ later this year, so we can't predict Hulu's future. Will Disney+ absorb Hulu's on-demand library and maintain the existing cable-replacement service? Maybe Disney will just shutter the Hulu branding for good. Regardless of what happens, Disney clearly sees Hulu as a major part of its video streaming strategy.

Sling TV

$25 per month

Sling TV is probably as close to the traditional TV experience as you can get online. For $25 per month, Sling TV offers live access to channels like AMC, TBS, The Food Network, CNN, TNT, and more.

As you add more services, though, Sling TV can add up. There's the basic Sling Orange plan with support for one stream at $25 per month, Sling Blue with support for three simultaneous streams for $25, or both with support for four simultaneous streams at $40.

Why would you want both? Some channels on Sling Orange are not available on Sling Blue and vice versa. The Disney Channel, for example, is only on Sling Orange, while Fox Sports is only on Blue.

Sling also offers extra add-ons for $5 per month each. A Comedy extra adds MTV, Spike, Logo, and more, while a Kids extra offers channels like Teen Nick and Disney Junior—none of which are available via Sling Orange or Blue.

Another $5 extra is cloud DVR, which supports up to 50 hours of content. You can record multiple programs simultaneously and watch on Amazon, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Xbox One devices. Cloud DVR is not currently supported for Disney and ESPN or on-demand channels like Newsy and Local Now.

Amazon Prime Video

$8.99 per month

Amazon offers access to its video content in one of two ways: a standalone Amazon Video subscription or an Amazon Prime subscription. An Amazon Video subscription costs $8.99 per month and only includes access to Amazon's streaming video library. An Amazon Prime account, which includes Prime Video content and a ton of other shipping and shopping perks, costs $12.99 per month (or $119 per year). Amazon refers to its video streaming service as Amazon Prime Video in most of its support documentation.

In recent years, Amazon has focused on curating a wide range of original shows, such as Bosch, Catastrophe, Electric Dreams, Homecoming, The Man in the High Castle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, One Mississippi, Patriot, Red Oaks, Sneaky Pete, The Grand Tour, The Tick, and Transparent. Many of these shows are excellent and on par with Netflix's offerings, though the latter has a much deeper content library. Prime Video also hosts top shows from other networks, including HBO, at no additional cost, though you can add a Prime Channel subscription to your account for full access to the libraries of HBO, Starz, Showtime, CBS All Access, and Cinemax.

Amazon's video library also includes tons of popular movies available for streaming at no additional cost. Users have the option to purchase or rent movies and TV shows as well, similar to Apple's iTunes, Google's Play Movies and TV Shows, and Microsoft Store's Movies and TV section.

Prime Video is notable in that it supports 4K and HDR streaming as well as downloads for offline viewing. Amazon's video service works on a web browser, as well as Android and iOS devices, Fire devices (TV, TV Cube, TV Stick, phones, and tablets), game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, and Wii), Smart TVs, and set-top boxes (Apple TV 4K, Roku, Google TV, TiVo, and Nvidia Shield), though it does not natively support Chromecast devices. With Prime Video, you can stream up to three titles at the same time from the same account, but it limits you to streaming the same title to two devices simultaneously.

DirecTV Now

$50 per month

The DirecTV Now streaming service offers dozens of channels of live TV without installing a satellite dish or running cables. The service features excellent picture quality and plenty of connectivity options, and subscriptions start at $50 per month.

DirecTV Now offers five main plans (up from four), ranging from the $50-per month Plus plan (40 channels) to the $135-per-month Ultimate package (125 channels). Prices for the service have significantly increased across the board recently, in some cases nearly doubling.

HBO is now included in DirecTV Now's base plan, while Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz can each be added for $11 per month. DirecTV Now also offers 20 hours of DVR storage for free and supports simultaneous streaming on up to three devices.

fuboTV

$54.99 per month

fuboTV is a great option for any cord-cutting sports fans. This 'sports-first, but not sports-only' service offers extensive live sports and entertainment content for all your devices. Whether you want to watch NFL games on Sunday, catch up an MLB game that aired during the day, or even stream a movie on-demand, fuboTV has you covered.

Its base subscription plan, simply called fubo, does cost $54.99 per month, but it grants you access to 85+ television channels. For the national sports events, there's NBC, CBS, FOX, NFL Network and NBA.TV. For international sports, you get channels from the beIN network and Univision. And if you're ever not in the mood for sports, fuboTV offers a wide variety of entertainment channels such as AMC, BBC America, CNBC, The Food Network, FX, National Geographic, SYFY, and USA, to name just a few. fuboTV recently added Viacom channels to its base plan, including BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and VH1. You not only get to watch live events and programs from these channels, but also a ton of on-demand shows and movies.

fuboTV offers some cheaper plans aimed at international markets, including fubo Latino for $17.99 per month and fubo Portugues for $19.99 per month. You can also supplement any base plans with add-on content, including the Sports Plus ($8.99 per month) and Adventure Plus ($4.99 per month) options. fubo Extra, which includes 90+ channels to watch, costs $49.99 per month.

To top it all off, fuboTV offers excellent DVR capabilities and Lookback, a feature that lets you watch anything you may have missed up to 72 hours after it first aired. fuboTV also recently introduced Startover, which enables viewers to watch currently airing events from the beginning no matter when they tune in. Enjoy solid streaming performance via its web interface or dedicated apps for Android, iOS, Apple TV, Roku, and Fire OS devices.

PlayStation Vue

$44.99 per month

Sony's PlayStation Vue live-streaming service is an excellent option for anyone who wants to get rid of their cable bill, not just PlayStation owners. The basic Core plan starts at $44.99 per month offers a good range of news and entertainment channels, but it is a little light on sports coverage. More expensive packages expand on this coverage and are worth a look for fans of movies, sports, and other premium content providers, such as HBO and Showtime. You can augment any tier with add-ons, such as the Sports Pack or Español Pack. PlayStation Plus subscribers get discounts on some of these packages.

PlayStation Vue's DVR functionality is top-notch. For channels that allow recording, users can record an unlimited number of episodes of up to 500 shows for up to 28 days. Since the service supports up to five simultaneous streams at once, we also like that you can set up profiles for each user. This helps PlayStation Vue better tune its recommendations. We do wish it offered parental control options though.

In addition to the PlayStation 3 and 4, you can use the service on a variety of devices, such as your web browser, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, and iOS or Android devices—provided you have internet access. PS Vue's mobile apps are notable in that they are highly customizable. PlayStation Vue's streaming performance was excellent across all the platforms we tested.

CBS All Access

$5.99 per month

While it might seem rather limiting to pay for on-demand access to just one broadcast TV channel, CBS does have a popular lineup of TV shows, and CBS All Access is the only place you can watch The Good Wife spin-off The Good Fight, Star Trek: Discovery, and The Twilight Zone reboot. You can also watch NFL games that are broadcast in your local market, including Thursday Night Football on CBS (though you can't watch on a mobile phone because of a deal Verizon has with the NFL).

For $5.99 per month, you can tap into 8,500 episodes; stay up to date with shows currently on the air or catch up with old favorites like The Twilight Zone, Taxi, and every Star Trek you could hope for. New episodes are available the next day, and it supports live TV streams in over 200 markets.

Like Hulu, the $5.99 plan includes commercials, but you can ditch the ads with CBS All Access Commercial Free for $9.99 per month (with the exception of live TV and select shows). TV classics are ad-free on both plans.

Watch on your mobile device (iOS, Android), PC, or Android TV, or stream to your TV via Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, Xbox 360, or Xbox One. CBS All Access now allows you to download shows for offline viewing on mobile devices.

ESPN+

$4.99 per month

ESPN+ offers a respectable lineup of live and on-demand sports programming for only $4.99 per month (or $49.99 per year). It's not a replacement for ESPN's regular channels, but it might be just enough for cord-cutting sports fans. With the service, you can watch a selection of live sports events on a daily basis, including many from the MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA Tour, and various college sports leagues. Unfortunately, neither ESPN's Monday Night Football nor its live NBA coverage are part of this subscription.

You can also dive into ESPN's on-demand archive of premier shows such as 30 for 30,E:60, and SC Featured. It doesn't, however, include flagship ESPN shows, such as Around the Horn, First Take, NFL Live, Outside the Lines, Pardon the Interruption, SportsCenter, and SportsNation.

ESPN+ is available via the web or via the ESPN app on Android and iOS. App performance is solid, and you won't have any trouble streaming from your mobile devices. Chromecast, FireTV, tvOS, and Roku users can also join in on the fun and take advantage of ESPN+'s generous support for up to five concurrent streams.

HBO Now

$14.99 per month

HBO Now delivers an impressive catalog of new on-air original content, including Westworld and Game of Thrones, in addition to beloved older series such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, Girls, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, and The Wire. On top of that, HBO's on-demand streaming service includes a collection of popular movies across a wide range of genres including action, comedy, drama, family, horror/sci-fi, Latino, romance, and suspense. That said, HBO Now works best in conjunction with another streaming service that offers a live TV component or a larger and more diverse content library. In fact, many other streaming services offer HBO Now as an add-on, which helps streamline the billing and account management process.

In testing, all of HBO Now's apps look modern and streaming performance is excellent across the board. In addition to the web, HBO Now is available on Android, Chromecast, Apple TV, iOS, PS4, Roku, and the Xbox One, just to name a few. Still, HBO's service costs more than many competitors without being as technically advanced. For example, HBO Now does not feature any 4K or HDR content, nor does it let subscribers watch shows offline. These omissions are not deal breakers, though, and HBO Now could still be a valuable addition to your streaming lineup based on the quality of its content alone.

Philo

$20 per month

Streaming Live Tv Services Comparison Free

Philo is an affordable video streaming service that offers a good mix of live and on-demand content. For just $20 per month, you get 58 channels, including AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BET, Cooking Chanel, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, SCI, and the Travel Channel. Philo's less expensive $16-per-month plan will soon be unavailable to new subscribers. Philo focuses on entertainment and lifestyle content, so consumers who primarily want to watch news and sports should look elsewhere.

Streaming Live Tv Services Comparison 2018

Philo takes a novel approach in a few different areas. For example, although Philo's sign in process is not a true two-factor authentication set up, it is very convenient. Users sign in with their phone number and a six-digit verification code sent via text, which is easier than typing in an email and password. Furthermore, Philo allows users to save the entire available catalog of a show for on-demand viewing, instead of just a single episode. Philo keeps saved shows for 30 days but does not impose any storage limits. Philo also plans to integrate social features, such as synchronized streaming, in future updates.

Despite some layout issues on the web and its lack of a dedicated Android app, Philo is still highly usable and performs well on the platforms we tested it on. Both live and saved content stream without any lag. Philo allows up to three concurrent streams.

Showtime

$10.99 per month

Showtime's original programming includes current titles such as Black Monday, Billions, Homeland, Kidding, The Chi, Shameless, and Ray Donovan. It also boasts a library of slightly older shows including Dexter, House of Lies, Penny Dreadful, and Twin Peaks: The Return. In addition, Showtime offers live streams of Showtime East and Showtime West, as well as a decent selection of movies. Most people will find something worthwhile to watch on Showtime, but whether the subscription is worth it, in the long run, depends on the quality of content it offers going forward.

Showtime is one of the more expensive standalone options we've tested at $10.99 per month, but know that you can get a deal on pricing if you bundle it with CBS All Access. You can also add in on to other video streaming services, such as Hulu, Prime Video, and YouTube TV. Subscribers can access Showtime on Android and iOS devices; Roku devices; Oculus Go and the Xbox One; and via a web browser.

Showtime's extra capabilities are about average for the category. For example, you can download content for offline viewing with the Android or iOS app, but the service limits the resolution to a disappointing 720p. Showtime also supports ratings-based restrictions for shows and movies, but it doesn't let you create separate profiles, which makes these rules more difficult to manage on a per-user basis.

Starz

$8.99 per month

If you are a big fan of Starz shows, such as America to Me, American Gods, Boss, Counterpart, Liberty City, Outlander, and Survivor's Remorse, you should consider subscribing to its dedicated video streaming service. Note that Starz's original shows are generally not as numerous, popular, or prestigious as those available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or HBO Now.

That said, Starz is a great destination for films. As of the time of our last review, the service hosts over 1,200 streaming-ready titles. These entries are not obscure either; popular movies such as 2012, 27 Dresses, Independence Day, Juno, Jumanji, RV, Spiderman: Homecoming, Surf's Up, The Social Network, and Up are just a few examples.

Starz costs $8.99 per month, which is reasonable, but only if you don't already subscribe to several other video streaming services already. For the cost, Starz does allow users to stream on up to four devices simultaneously, which is convenient for households. Parents should take some time to configure parental controls for individual profiles as to prevent kids from stumbling upon inappropriate content.

Starz also lets users download shows and movies on mobile devices for offline viewing, which is a great feature to have for frequent travelers or anyone who doesn't want to rack up exorbitant data costs while roaming. The service does not, however, support 4K or HDR content, which Netflix and Amazon Prime do.