The Best Streaming Services In 2024: Disney+, Hulu, Max And More

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A funny thing happened as the #PeakTV era inched closer to its breaking point. Not-insignificant price hikes, coupled with the "disappearing" of favorite shows, has led consumers to rethink their subscriptions. 

But how are consumers meant to wade through all the muddy streaming waters by themselves? They aren't! Here at TVLine, we can help you sift through the top streamers to decide which is the best paid streaming service for you.

For us, Netflix remains the top streaming service overall. In order to chat with strangers at parties, understand Internet memes and learn the importance of golden goblets, you must subscribe to the streamer. It is culturally significant, churns out high-quality series across multiple genres and is home to a seemingly endless library that can fill Saturday nights until the end of time.

But in a world with so many streaming options, you may want to sign up for other platforms to supplement your Netflix subscription. And don't be overwhelmed. The opportunity to subscribe to multiple streaming TV services — including Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Peacock and more — just means that you won't have to pay for a service that you don't like! You can create your own TV landscape and continuously customize your media consumption.

So keep scrolling to find out the best streaming services for sports, anime, family-friendly viewing and more.

Netflix

TOP STREAMING SERVICE OVERALL

BEST FOR: Users looking to get a wide variety of original programming, plus a huge, bingeable TV and movie streaming library
WHY WE PICKED IT: While Netflix leads in subscriber count and time spent, it's our top overall streamer because of its reliably bingeworthy original content across a variety of genres. In 2023, three original series landed on our Best Shows of the Year list: One Piece, The Fall of the House of Usher and BEEF. Not to mention, the platform is home to other original series we can't stop talking about, like Love Is Blind, Bridgerton, Selling Sunset, Virgin River, The Night Agent and more. From a technical standpoint, the app is easy to use, offers customized recommendations based on your preferences, and allows users to download titles for on-the-go viewing. Plus, it's not just a top TV streaming platform, it's also one of the best movie streaming sites out there. Of course, we didn't love when the streaming giant started cracking down on password sharing, but still, for Team TVLine, Netflix is a no-brainer.

Sling TV

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR LIVE TV

BEST FOR: Users hoping to replace cable and stream live TV at a reasonable price
WHY WE PICKED IT: Sling is one of the most affordable and customizable live-TV streaming services. It's easy to use, requires no commitment and even offers local channels. We love Sling as a replacement for cable, but it's also great for streaming one-time live-TV events, such as sports and awards, because it's so affordable and can be cancelled anytime. Another unique perk from the streamer is Sling Freestream, which grants users access to tons of shows and movies for free. The only downside? Sling doesn't offer CBS. So if you're a fan of hits like Young Sheldon, NCIS and more, this probably isn't the best streaming service for you. Or, consider supplementing your Sling subscription with Paramount Plus for full CBS coverage!

Hulu + Live TV

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR SPORTS

BEST FOR: Sports fanatics looking for the best TV streaming service for watching live sports
WHY WE PICKED IT: There are tons of live-TV streaming services out there, all of which could cater to sports fans. Hulu + Live TV, however, sets itself apart by offering an ESPN Plus subscription in addition to its live-TV channel offerings. This means, subscribers not only get to watch some of the best streaming channels for sports like ESPN, CBS Sports Networks, FS1, Golf Channel, the NFL Network and NBC Sports Network, but you can also see exclusive content thanks to ESPN Plus, including live games, classic archived games, studio shows and documentaries. Keep in mind, some sports channels are not included, like NBA TV and the MLB Network. Overall, however, this live-TV streaming service offers a comprehensive channel list and gets you the most sports coverage for the price. Another perk? You'll get access to Disney+ and Hulu streaming libraries, to watch some of our favorite shows of 2023 including The Bear, The Great and Reservation Dogs.

Hulu

BEST BUDGET STREAMING SERVICE

BEST FOR: People who want to watch high-quality original TV shows without spending an arm or a leg
WHY WE PICKED IT: Hulu's ad-supported plan is less than $8/month and the streamer offers high-quality original content like The Bear, Reservation Dogs, Only Murders in the Building and more! Plus, Hulu users can stream ABC, Fox and FX shows the day after they air, meaning you'll have access to new episodes of Abbott Elementary, The Conners, The Masked Singer and more. We know that the price for subscription streaming services can add up, so Hulu is a great supplement to a Netflix subscription if you're looking to expand your TV show horizons without paying a premium price. And the deal is even sweeter for students, with student subscriptions ringing in at just $1.99/month.

Disney+

Best Streaming SErvice for FAMILIES

BEST FOR: Families looking for kid-friendly content, plus titles grown-ups will love
WHY WE PICKED IT: Disney Plus is a no-brainer when it comes to family-friendly streaming. But what's surprising about this streamer is it's also home to tons of Marvel, Star Wars and other programming that adults will want to binge without their kids. The app is easy to use, helping parents easily find and select shows appropriate for children of all ages, from Bluey to Marvel's Moongirl and Devil Dinosaur. Plus, we know families aren't a monolith, so we love that you can bundle and customize your Disney Plus streaming subscription so it can best fit your family's specific TV needs.

Prime Video

BEST STREAMING SERVICE BUNDLE

BEST FOR: TV fans searching for a single service that combines most streaming services
WHY WE PICKED IT: Prime Video is just one perk of an Amazon Prime Membership. With Prime, you can unlock Prime Video's original content in addition to exclusive discounts, Prime Day deals, and options for fast and free delivery. But the biggest reason we love Prime Video is you can add nearly all other streaming platforms to your account for an additional monthly fee. This means, instead of downloading tons of apps to your TV and navigating between them, you can click Prime Video and seamlessly switch between content from other streaming platforms to get a better understanding of what you have access to. Some major TV channels and streamers you can add to your Prime Video account include Max, Paramount Plus, BET Plus, Shudder, Starz and more. If you prefer not to get the Prime Membership bundle, you can subscribe just to Prime Video for $8.99/month.

Peacock

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR REALITY TV

BEST FOR: Reality-TV fanatics — specifically the Bravo-obsessed!
WHY WE PICKED IT: While Peacock doesn't offer as many high-quality, scripted series as other TV streamers on this list, it is home to all things Bravo — including exclusive uncensored reunions. This is a cheap streaming platform, though, with a high-quality viewing experience for popular reality series like the Real Housewives franchise, The Traitors, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck, Southern Charm, Summer House and more. Another special perk? In 2023, it offered exclusive access to BravoCon coverage. Plus, the premium plan gives you access to NBC, so you can stream Saturday Night Live, Sunday Night Football and more live.

Max

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR PREMIUM CONTENT

BEST FOR: TV watchers who appreciate the prestige of HBO
WHY WE PICKED IT: Max is the place for prestige TV. With its streaming library of iconic HBO shows including The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Girls and Sex and the City, paired with its more current HBO offerings, like Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon and The White Lotus, Max is an obvious top pick for streaming premium content. But, beware: the clumsy rebrand into "HBO Max" has situated all that high-end content in with unscripted fare from Discovery and TLC, diluting the brand and user experience. Also, in the last year, Max hasn't really produced any major original series, instead relying heavily on the power of HBO.

Paramount+

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR CBS FANS

BEST FOR: Fans of CBS series including Young Sheldon, Survivor, Ghosts, the NCIS and FBI franchises and more
WHY WE PICKED IT: We know that many CBS shows have cult followings — it's not called "America's Most-Watched Network" for nothing — so we had to include Paramount Plus for our CBS superfans. Plus, if you subscribe to a live-TV streaming service that doesn't include CBS, such as Sling, this streamer is an affordable supplement. Paramount Plus also churns out a decent amount of original content, especially in the Star Trek and Taylor Sheridan universes (though no Yellowstone proper). If you subscribe to the premium plan with Showtime, you can access your local live CBS station, including NFL on CBS and your favorite series. Plus, as more and more streaming platforms nix free trials, this streamer often offers promo codes to upgrade from the standard seven-day free trial to an extended 30-day Paramount Plus free trial, making it an easy subscription to try before you buy.

Apple TV+

BEST STREAMING SERVICE FOR STAR GAZING

BEST FOR: Pop culture aficionados who want to watch as many A-listers as possible against a cinematic background
WHY WE PICKED IT: Realistically, Apple TV Plus doesn't have as many "hit" shows as its competitors. It does, however, have a few extremely well-made and acclaimed series, plus tons of lesser known series with huge stars. It's worth subscribing to for access to Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Shrinking, Silo, Hijack, and of course, Severance. Other series starring big talent include Lessons in Chemistry (with Brie Larson), Palm Royale (Kristen Wiig, Allison Janey and Carol Burnett), The New Look (Ben Mendelsohn, Juliette Binoche and Maisie Williams), The Crowded Room (starring Tom Holland) and more. It's stars galore at Apple TV Plus, and many of its shows have a cinematic quality with impressive visuals, making it one of the best streaming services out there despite its smaller cultural footprint.

Crunchyroll

Best Streaming service for ANime

BEST FOR: Anime superfans
WHY WE PICKED IT: Crunchyroll is home to all things anime. It offers tons of anime series, a unique arcade interface to take your fandom to the next level, and a large merchandise shop. If anime is your jam, you need to subscribe to Crunchyroll, because in our opinion, no other TV streamer can even compete with the offerings on this streaming platform. Now, if you enjoy a variety of genres, this might not be the streamer for you as its sole focus is anime. If you are interested in anime but are reluctant to add another streaming subscription to your life, try adding it through Prime Video to save the hassle of an extra app.

There are many platforms that didn't make our list of the best TV streaming services in 2024. While there is something to love in every streamer, we ultimately evaluated streaming services based on their cultural importance, bingeworthy and buzzworthy original content, the expansiveness of their streaming libraries and, of course, price.

That being said, if you still haven't found the best streaming platform for you, we're outlining other options to consider below.

(If you sign up for a service through our links, TVLine may earn a commission.)

Sometimes it's overwhelming to choose which is the best TV streaming service for you, even after the field has been narrowed. Here are a few things to look for when deciding which streaming services to subscribe to:

• Concurrent Streams: Check how many devices can simultaneously stream the service. It might be limiting for a larger household if a platform only allows streaming on one device at a time. The more people you anticipate watching the streaming service at once, the more concurrent streams you should look for. Often, the amount of concurrent streaming devices available increases from basic to premium streaming tiers.
• Downloadable Content: Check if you're able to download titles for on-the-go viewing. Sometimes this feature is only available in premium subscriptions. If you're someone who is often traveling by plane or car and wants to keep entertainment at your fingertips, it's important to be able to download shows and movies.
• Free Trial: Make sure you understand the free trial period of any given streaming service before signing up. Also, make sure to set an alert for when the trial ends to avoid paying for an unwanted subscription!
• Library Content: Choose which shows or genres you're most interested in and search for those within the various streaming platforms. Streaming libraries can change and shift, so be sure you have an up-to-date understanding on a platform's library before signing up.
• Local Channels: Always double, triple, quadruple check which local channels are available in your area when signing up for a live-TV streaming service. Just because a service says it offers ABC, for example, does not mean your location is included in the coverage area for that channel.

(If you sign up for a service through our links, TVLine may earn a commission.)