Best Streaming Services of 2026 - CNET
Deciding the right streaming service for yourself can be difficult. Considering how cluttered the landscape is and the amount of streaming platforms that are out there, it can get confusing trying to figure out which ones to keep and which ones to ditch. Then there’s the actual content on the platforms, the regularly increasing prices and overall features offered by each one. Price hikes have seemingly become the norm, and that can make streamer subscription shopping a real bummer. That’s why this comprehensive rundown of platforms including Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max is here. We’re going to help you narrow down which platforms fit your needs.
Our Picks
Pros & Cons
- Simple interface that's easy to navigate
- Solid recommendation system
- Abundant catalog of licensed movies, shows and originals including Bridgerton, Wednesday
- Expensive subscription plans
- Fee for extra members
Pros & Cons
- Huge library that includes Agatha All Along, Daredevil, Moana
- Can be bundled
- Adjustable content rating system
- Can watch Hulu, ESPN within app
- Extended waits for new or original releases
- Charges extra member fee
Pros & Cons
- Slick interface
- Loads of top-grade content for all audiences
- Titles include The Last of Us, The White Lotus and House of the Dragon
- Reliable, customizable parental controls
- HBO titles stream at the same time as cable network
- Pricier subscriptions, even with ads
- Constant removal of beloved content like Looney Tunes
Pros & Cons
- Access to network shows and originals including Abbott Elementary, The Handmaid's Tale, Love Island
- New episodes are available almost immediately
- Option to get a bundle
- Smaller catalog of originals than its rivals
- Can't access outside the US
- Menus are sometimes hard to navigate
- Glitches on occasion
Pros & Cons
- Included with Prime membership
- Large selection of movies and TV shows including The Boys, The Rings of Power and Swarm
- Offline downloads
- Confusing search process and menus
- Free and paid content stacked together
- Defaults to ad-based version
Pros & Cons
- Stream Yellowstone, Real Housewives, Chicago Fire, live sports, Bel-Air
- Live broadcasts of NFL's Sunday Night Football and other sports
- Decent selection of new and older movies like Wicked
- No offline downloads for mobile unless you upgrade
Pros & Cons
- Large selection of reality shows, kids' titles from Nickelodeon, and access to CBS hits
- Streams major movies such as Gladiator II and Top Gun: Maverick soon after release
- Live NFL games
- Inexpensive monthly price
- Ability to watch Showtime titles
- Few originals outside of Landman, Yellowstone: 1883 and Star Trek
- Not much 4K HDR content
Pros & Cons
- Ted Lasso, and prestige shows such as Pachinko, Foundation, The Morning Show, Severance
- No ads
- All originals stream with 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
- Cheap monthly rate
- Small selection of titles
- Lack of older content
- Limited Android support
We’ve reviewed each of these services and assigned numeric ratings based on catalogs, app design and features, as well as overall value. Some of our analyses are based on our content preferences, so keep that in mind if you have different tastes. If you want to go beyond on-demand platforms, check out our lineup of the best live TV streaming services.
Best streaming services of 2026
Best for originals
Netflix
Pros & Cons
- Simple interface that's easy to navigate
- Solid recommendation system
- Abundant catalog of licensed movies, shows and originals including Bridgerton, Wednesday
- Expensive subscription plans
- Fee for extra members
Get it now
Expert Take
There’s a reason why Netflix has become shorthand for streaming in general. The service has evolved into a must-have streaming app, even if you choose to pay extra to share your password. With big originals like One Piece, KPop Demon Hunters, Wednesday and Stranger Things and award-winning titles, it’s giving us the closest thing we have to watercooler conversations these days.
Netflix has a dependable, user-friendly interface, offers a vast range of features and constantly evolves its catalog with diverse content — there’s something for everyone. New on-demand shows and movies arrive each week, making it hard to run out of content to watch. You also get mobile games, live events like WWE Raw, kids’ content, anime and foreign-language programming. However, its monthly price just went up in March 2026 for every plan type, making the cost of the ad plan $9 and the ad-free options are now $20 and $27 per month.
Popular titles: Bridgerton, Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters, Wednesday
Best for families, Marvel, Star Wars
Disney Plus
Pros & Cons
- Huge library that includes Agatha All Along, Daredevil, Moana
- Can be bundled
- Adjustable content rating system
- Can watch Hulu, ESPN within app
- Extended waits for new or original releases
- Charges extra member fee
Get it now
Expert Take
Disney Plus is one of Netflix’s closest competitors as the only place where you can stream the vast majority of the Disney and Pixar libraries, along with every Star Wars movie, Marvel films, original TV shows, NatGeo content and The Simpsons. Shows like Bluey, Andor, and Daredevil: Born Again attract millions of fans, and its film catalog includes brand hits such as Moana, Mufasa: The Lion King and Deadpool & Wolverine. But now, its ad-based plan is $12.50 per month (more than Netflix, Peacock and HBO Max’s ad-based plans), while the ad-free version is $21.50 a month.
Disney Plus is a family-friendly streaming TV choice that offers the most value when bundled with other services like Hulu or HBO Max; however, the Disney Plus and Hulu app merger is set for early next year. You can easily navigate Disney Plus with its hub tiles, and if you’re also subscribed to Hulu or ESPN, you can watch content for both within the app. Like Netflix, however, it now charges an optional extra user fee if you want to share your account.
If you are a bundle lover, you should get one of Disney’s money-saving packages. Ad-free Disney Plus is $21.50 monthly, and there are six bundles that range from $13 to $45 per month. $13 gets you basic Disney Plus and Hulu with ads, while ad-free Premium is $22. For $22 per month, a triple basic package includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Select, all with ads. The $33 premium version of that nets you all three streaming platforms, and only ESPN Select has ads. Upgrade to a bundle with ESPN Unlimited, and the ad-based package runs $36 a month, and the ad-free plan is $45 monthly.
Although it’s not an official “Disney Bundle,” there’s an alternate package that combines HBO Max, Hulu and Disney Plus for either $22 or $35 a month, depending on whether you want to go with ads or ad-free.
Popular titles: Daredevil: Born Again, Bluey, The Mandalorian, Andor
Best for network TV shows from ABC, FX
Hulu
Pros & Cons
- Access to network shows and originals including Abbott Elementary, The Handmaid's Tale, Love Island
- New episodes are available almost immediately
- Option to get a bundle
- Smaller catalog of originals than its rivals
- Can't access outside the US
- Menus are sometimes hard to navigate
- Glitches on occasion
Get it now
Expert Take
For $12.50 per month (with ads), Hulu offers a counterpoint to Netflix depending on what you like to watch. Its library 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 The Handmaid’s Tale, Shogun and Only Murders in the Building. New anime releases and original films and shows beef up its catalog, and we like that you can stream some titles on the Disney Plus app if you have both services.
Hulu has new and old movies from Searchlight, 20th Century Studios and its own production team (have you seen Prey?), while kids can stream picks from Disney brands. There’s also a live news feed from ABC that’s included. If you have $12.50 a month to spare and don’t mind trading a few ads for TV options, Hulu is a no-brainer. You also have the option to upgrade to a no-ads plan for $21.50 a month or get a Disney bundle to save money on the service — until both apps merge into one next year. Separately, you can get Hulu’s live TV streaming for $90 a month for a full cable replacement.
Popular titles: Abbott Elementary, Shogun, The Handmaid’s Tale
Best for Amazon Prime members
Prime Video
Pros & Cons
- Included with Prime membership
- Large selection of movies and TV shows including The Boys, The Rings of Power and Swarm
- Offline downloads
- Confusing search process and menus
- Free and paid content stacked together
- Defaults to ad-based version
Get it now
Expert Take
Prime Video now has ads in its default version of the streaming app, but you can pay a $5 fee to stream without them. The commercial breaks are relatively short compared with other streamers. The platform offers quality original shows and movies like The Boys and Invincible, an impressive back catalog of older favorites (and B-movies you haven’t heard of) and live NFL games on Thursday nights. If you’re interested in checking out any of its originals like Fallout, Nascar, Thursday Night Football or Prime Video’s large movie selection, it may even be worth paying the standalone $9-per-month TV fee (if you don’t have Amazon Prime).
It lacks the catalogs of Netflix and Hulu and the star power of Disney’s streaming platform, but it’s where you can subscribe to other services such as HBO Max, Paramount Plus or Apple TV Plus as add-ons to make it convenient to stream in one place. The streamer also offers a suite of live channels that include local news feeds, PBS Kids and more. Prime Video’s recent redesign aims to cut through navigation confusion with clearer labeling and menu updates, so you can distinguish among included Prime Video content, what requires a paid subscription or what’s available to rent.
Non-Prime members may not find Prime Video’s library enticing enough to pay for a monthly standalone subscription. While there are quality shows and movies on the platform that you can binge or watch weekly, its slate of new releases isn’t as robust as those of other services.
Popular titles: The Boys, Good Omens, Cross, Fallout
Best budget service for network TV, Universal movies, live sports
Peacock
Pros & Cons
- Stream Yellowstone, Real Housewives, Chicago Fire, live sports, Bel-Air
- Live broadcasts of NFL's Sunday Night Football and other sports
- Decent selection of new and older movies like Wicked
- No offline downloads for mobile unless you upgrade
Get it now
Expert Take
NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock offers a basic $9-per-month ad-supported option called Peacock Select, which excludes Peacock Originals. We recommend going up to at least the Premium ad-supported option for $13 a month, granting you access to more than 80,000 hours worth of content from NBC, Bravo, SyFy, Universal Pictures and USA Network. Upgrade to Premium Plus for $20 a month to watch without commercials. Fan favorites on the platform include Law & Order and The Office, and viewers can also watch live NFL Sunday Night Football, Premier League soccer matches, select WWE events and originals like Bel-Air, Traitors and Poker Face.
New episodes of NBC TV series are available on Peacock the next day, and Premium Plus members can watch live local NBC channels in real time. Universal films hit the platform after their theatrical run, so you can enjoy new movies like Wicked: For Good, Song Sung Blue and Hamnet with your subscription. The streamer also includes a line of live channels across genres like Unsolved Mysteries, NBC News Now and Game Show Central.
Peacock drops in the rankings because of its lack of mobile downloads for its non-Premium Plus tiers and limited 4K HDR streaming, which most of its competitors offer. That said, it’s budget-friendly, and you can get the service as part of a bundle with Netflix and Apple TV Plus if you have Xfinity, and there are ways to get Peacock free.
Popular titles: Yellowstone, Love Island USA, Traitors, Poker Face, Bel-Air
Best for CBS content, Nickelodeon, Paramount and cable networks
Paramount Plus
Pros & Cons
- Large selection of reality shows, kids' titles from Nickelodeon, and access to CBS hits
- Streams major movies such as Gladiator II and Top Gun: Maverick soon after release
- Live NFL games
- Inexpensive monthly price
- Ability to watch Showtime titles
- Few originals outside of Landman, Yellowstone: 1883 and Star Trek
- Not much 4K HDR content
Get it now
Expert Take
Paramount Plus brings together live news and sports with on-demand shows and movies, including originals, leaning on parent company Paramount’s brands like CBS, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network, plus its Paramount Pictures movie studio. Now that Showtime series and movies have merged into the Paramount Plus app, you can upgrade to a Paramount Plus premium subscription to watch content from both services in one place. But the cost just went up.
The service has a ton of content: 40,000 episodes of TV and 2,500 movies, plus dozens of original series, for either $9 a month (with ads) or $14 a month (ad-free with Showtime). Two of its biggest draws include South Park and Taylor Sheridan series Landman, The Madison, 1923, 1883 and Tulsa King. Buzz-worthy Paramount feature films like Gladiator II, Top Gun: Maverick and Sonic 3 also land here first after they hit theaters.
Much of Paramount’s value lies in nostalgia: You can watch almost every old Nickelodeon show, Comedy Central stand-up specials and popular series ranging from Frasier and Cheers to SpongeBob SquarePants and Young & the Restless. Additionally, Paramount Plus offers a Live Channels feature that lets subscribers watch curated content in special categories. You can check out live content for Star Trek, CBS Sports HQ, Paw Patrol and more with either subscription plan.
Popular titles: Yellowjackets, South Park, Landman, Tulsa King, Lioness, Tracker, Ghosts
Comparing streaming service offerings
Below is a summarized look at each service’s price, simultaneous streams and availability of ad-based plans to help you decide which platforms are a good fit for you.
Streaming services compared
Factors to consider
- Simultaneous streams: Services usually charge more for more streams. Be sure you’re covered for yourself and other members of your household, and consider whether you have to pay extra to share your account.
- Finding shows and movies: Is the interface user-friendly on TVs and mobile devices? All of these services have organized home screens with recommendation rows, continue-watch sections, and genre hubs.
- The ad experience: When we tested ad loads for these services, we found that platforms like Hulu and Paramount ran ad breaks longer than the others. Additionally, there are services that don’t include ads on kids’ profiles, such as HBO Max, Netflix and Hulu. A downside for the ad-supported tiers on Netflix and Disney Plus is that these plans exclude select titles.
- Children’s programming: Some streamers offer a large variety of family-friendly titles for all ages, while others, like Apple TV Plus, have limited catalogs. The best kids’ streaming services have something for every age.
- Save money with bundles: You can cut your costs by choosing to bundle your streaming services together, such as Comcast’s StreamSaver, a Disney Bundle or with a food delivery service. One of the best offerings available right now is the HBO Max-Disney package, but new bundles are constantly being introduced.
How we test streaming services
Chances are you’re already pretty familiar with most of the names on this list, but it’s by no means comprehensive. There are plenty of other ways to stream and hundreds of other choices available. As we evaluated these particular streaming options, we kept certain things in mind.
This list is ordered based on the numerical value I assigned to each streaming service in their individual review, which I determined by design (i.e. ease of use across different TV and mobile platforms), features (like 4K HDR, mobile downloads, recommendations, watch lists and number of streams), content (frequency and number of shows and quality of originals and back catalogs) and value (price compared to these other factors). We stream using a Roku stick, smart TV, Apple TV box, mobile phone, tablet and Fire TV stick.
Each platform offers the same standard features on the home screen, and we found that HBO Max, Disney Plus and Hulu excel with dedicated hubs and collections, while Netflix’s recommendation rows for current, older and upcoming picks combined and genre-based organization are superior. Subtle features are also a plus, like the ability to share titles via text from HBO Max and Netflix, or Netflix’s ‘Moments’ functionality that lets you save scenes from your favorite titles. We also measure ad time on ad-based plans and look for playback glitches. See each service’s reviews for full details.
Streaming Services FAQ
Which streaming service is the most cost-effective?
Ultimately, you can choose any streaming service you want based on price, content and who watches what in your household. If you’re looking to cut costs, opt for free platforms or ones that offer the most value for $10 or less. CNET offers tips on how to trim your streaming budget, and we keep up with the latest streaming service deals and discounts. You can always have multiple subscriptions and cancel a service whenever the content feels dry.
What’s the best streaming service for sports?
You won’t find that here and the answer is not simple. Sports streaming has become perplexing due to sports broadcast rights, which affect the where, who and what in terms of airing live events. Your best bet is to consider which sports and teams are must-haves for you, and whether you need to watch local games or national match-ups. Our best streaming services for sports list can shed light on which platforms offer the most extensive range of options, the most budget-friendly streamer, and how to access each sporting event without cable.
What about live TV streaming and niche services?
This list includes major video-on-demand streaming services only. It does not include live TV streaming services for cord-cutters (think Sling TV and YouTube TV, which offer live channels intended to replace cable), free streaming services like Tubi or Pluto TV or smaller, niche services like Crunchyroll or PBS Kids or regional sports networks. You can check out our other best lists for streaming services that cater to anime, kids and more.