The best places to stream videos in 2022 In the past few years, there have been a lot more video streaming services because everyone wants a piece of the action. No longer is Netflix your only choice. This is great for those of us who want to find our next favorite TV show, but it can also be confusing and expensive.
Now it’s up to you to figure out which video streaming services have the shows and movies you want to watch, which ones fit your budget, which ones have the best original shows and movies, and more.
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We at Engadget wanted to make this process easier for you, so we made a list of the best video streaming services you can sign up for right now. Our favorite picks cover a wide range of content types and prices. Should you now go out and sign up for all of these services? Most likely not, unless you’re a true cord-cutter who can’t get enough content. But these are the services that give you the best value for your money, whether you like sports, old movies, or just streaming in general.
The best places to stream videos in 2022
thenigerifm.com ‘s picks
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime Video
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- Disney+
- Apple TV+
- YouTube TV
- Hulu with Live TV
- ESPN+
- Paramount+
- NBC Peacock
- Criterion Channel
- Shudder
- Google Maps will assist you in determining a neighborhood’s “vibe”
Netflix
Netflix
Netflix has the most high-quality material available at a flat rate compared to other streaming services. Netflix most likely offers something that fits the bill in any category you can think of. In addition, Netflix adds new movies and TV episodes weekly, and as a global service, it frequently includes productions from other countries that may provide a new perspective on the medium (Are you sure you’re not into K-dramas, Finnish detective thrillers, or British home improvement shows?).
Netflix has a global reach, with access possible from nearly any location through either its website or downloadable app. These applications are also among the most intuitive ones available. Even though it isn’t always easy to pick a show to watch, this is the best option for switching profiles or continuing where you left off. You may easily download most (but not all) of its material to view on your iOS or Android device if you’re going offline or boarding a plane.
It’s a bit more difficult to get a taste of Netflix if you don’t already have it (or someone to share a login with). Due to the fact that Netflix no longer offers a free trial in the United States, it is recommended that you have all of your account information ready before signing up.
It’s also important to remember that the service may have changed significantly since you last used it, whether that was two, five, or ten years ago and therefore your account may no longer be active. The subscription streaming market is becoming increasingly competitive, and in order to maintain market dominance, established players have had to make some concessions.
There are three Netflix subscription tiers available in the United States. Each of these grants you unrestricted access to the same content, is compatible with all of your devices, has no ads, and can be canceled or paused at any time. Picture quality and the maximum number of concurrent streams are what set the $10/month Basic plan apart from the $15/month Standard and the $20/month Premium plan.
Amazon Prime Video
If you think of Amazon’s Prime Video package as a “lite” version of Netflix, or if you’ve only used it once or twice, you might not realize how many options it has. The service is part of Amazon Prime, which you can get for $15 a month or $139 a year. It doesn’t have any ads (except for trailers) and you can subscribe to it. The subscription started out as a way to get free shipping on more purchases, but Amazon has added benefits for books, music, games, and even groceries. If you’d rather just get Prime Video, you can get it on its own for $9 per month.
We’ll focus on the video service, which has a mix of original and catalog content that is similar to what Netflix and other services offer. In the past few years, Amazon Prime has made more original content, including award-winning shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Boys” and “The Expanse,” which are popular genre shows.
There are almost as many places as Netflix where you can watch Amazon Prime Video. Streaming boxes and smart TVs are almost a given, whether they work with Amazon’s Fire TV platform or not. Game consoles? Check. Google’s Chromecast was the only big compatibility hole, but it was fixed in the summer of 2019.
Amazon also has a lot of 4K and HDR content that you can watch for free, unlike Netflix. Same thing with multiple streams. Amazon’s rules say you can have up to two streams going at the same time. Amazon lets you view downloads offline on its Fire devices, as well as on Android and iOS.
The only bad thing is that Amazon’s apps aren’t quite as easy to use as Netflix’s. Even though Amazon has all the features, it’s often harder to do simple things like read a summary of an episode, turn on closed captions, or switch from one show to another. The company also often insists on putting its Fire TV-style interface on other platforms instead of using the controls that come with those platforms. That can make it harder to use, but on platforms like Roku where it uses the controls already built in, it can be easier.
Also, remember that Amazon’s video apps connect to its on-demand store and give you access to Channels. For cord-cutters who just want a consistent experience across different devices, this means it’s easy to buy or rent content that isn’t part of the subscription. You can manage your subscriptions to Britbox, Showtime, Paramount+, and other services through Amazon Channels.
HBO Max
In the year 2020, HBO made the decision to launch HBO Max in order to compete with other streaming services. It did this by focused on original content and revamping the service for the modern day, which allowed it to supersede the previously existing HBO channels as well as streaming services such as HBO Go and HBO Now. Drawing from the archives of the premium cable channel, the Warner Bros. vault, Studio Ghibli, Looney Tunes, Sesame Street, and Turner Classic Movies, HBO Max is able to link to one of the most extensive (and best) content libraries currently available. This gives the service a distinct competitive advantage.
Congratulations, you probably already have access to the complete HBO Max experience if you pay for HBO through one of the main TV providers. If this is the case, you can consider yourself lucky. Activate your account, and you may immediately begin streaming. In any case, you have the option of subscribing directly over the internet. The no-ads tier of HBO Max costs $15 per month (or $150 per year), and there is a free 7-day trial available for new users.
The company has just introduced a tier that is supported by advertisements and costs $10 per month or $100 per year to subscribe to. You won’t be able to download anything for offline watching, and there will also be advertisements. At the moment, 4K HDR streaming is only available for select material on HBO Max, and those who subscribe to the ad-free plan are the only ones who can access it. It is also capable of supporting up to three streams at the same time and provides separate profiles.
Since its first release, HBO Max has become available on a wider variety of television platforms. These include Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, and more. You may also watch it using a web browser, game consoles made by Sony and Microsoft, or mobile applications available for Android and iOS. In addition, it has compatibility for Google’s Cast function and AirPlay, both of which let it to work with a wider variety of smart TVs than just the ones that are listed below.
Full seasons of Friends and The Fresh Prince, as well as television shows and films that are tied to the DC Universe, are some of the premium items that Warner has taken away from Netflix and other streaming services and placed on HBO Max. Game of Thrones and The Wire, as well as older shows like Band of Brothers, Flight of the Conchords, and Entourage, speak for themselves when it comes to the quality of the HBO collection. In addition to this, it is investing in brand new programming for HBO Max, such as its spin-off of Game of Thrones called House of the Dragon and a series that is based on the video game The Last of Us.
Hulu
Hulu began as a bit of a curiosity. It was a joint project between NBC, News Corp, and a private equity firm to offer new episodes of TV shows and compete with Netflix. Then, when Disney joined in 2009 and brought its content from ABC and the Disney Channel, Hulu became a streaming network worth paying attention to. Today, Hulu still focuses on new TV episodes, but it also has a strong library of original series and films, like The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building, as well as an archive of older TV and movies that often puts Netflix to shame.
Since Disney bought 21st Century Fox, it now has a majority controlling stake in Hulu. This means that the service is less of a joint effort between big media companies. (Comcast still has NBCUniversal content, but it can sell its shares to Disney as early as 2024 if it wants to.) Instead, it adds to Disney’s growing digital empire, which already includes Disney+ and ESPN+. That may not be good for the overall competitiveness of streaming services, but it means that subscribers can look forward to even more high-quality content, like the FX shows that started showing up on Hulu earlier this year.
With ads, Hulu subscriptions start at $7 per month, or $70 per year. You can also pay $13 a month to switch to a plan with no ads (worth it for true TV addicts). The company’s Live TV service is much more expensive, starting at $70 a month with ads and $76 a month without ads, but it does include Disney+ and ESPN+. You can stream on two different devices at the same time with Hulu, and you can also download some content to watch later. Live TV customers can pay $10 a month to stream as much as they want at home (and for up to three remote mobile devices).
Disney+
Disney+ launched with a bang, capitalizing on the company’s many well-known properties like the Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel franchises. It’s a paradise for Disney enthusiasts of all ages, including youngsters, parents, and those in search of cult classics from studios like 20th Century Pictures. And unlike Disney-owned Hulu, there are no R-rated movies or series that kids can accidentally stumble upon.
As the corporation shifts its focus to streaming, Disney+ has become an instant hit with kids and their parents. It’s a lot more affordable than taking the kids to the movies (or buying one of Disney’s overpriced Blu-rays) at $8 a month (or $80 a year). For an additional $14 per month, you can get everything together with ESPN+ and Hulu. In addition to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, Verizon FiOS and mobile users now enjoy these services at no additional cost.
Apple TV+
Apple spared no expense with its streaming platform, launching with high profile series like The Morning Show. While they weren’t all hits initially (See you later, get it?), Apple TV+ has since amassed a slew of must-watch programming like Ted Lasso, Severance, and For All Mankind. Clearly, the iPhone maker is taking a different approach than Netflix or Disney, with a focus on quality and big celebrity names, rather than bombarding us with a ton of content. But that strategy seems to have paid off.
For $5 a month, there’s a ton of great shows and movies to dive into. But if you’re a dedicated Apple user, it may be worth moving up to an Apple One plan, which also bundles Apple Arcade, Music, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $15 a month. Step up to $20 monthly, and you can bring in your whole family with up to 200GB of iCloud storage. And for $30 a month, Apple throws in News+ and Fitness+. – D.H.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a great choice for people who don’t want to sign a contract but still want to watch live TV. It has more than 85 channels, so if you switch to it, you probably won’t miss your cable or satellite subscription at all. Even your local PBS stations are on YouTube TV, which isn’t the case with most streaming services.
When it comes to sports, YouTube TV is at its best. It has sports-related channels like CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, TBS, and TNT. It also has sports-focused networks like the MLB Network, NBA TV, and NFL Network. If you want specific sports channels like NFL RedZone, FOX College Sports, GOLTV, FOX Soccer Plus, MAVTV Motorsports Network, TVG, and Stadium, you can pay an extra $11 a month for a Sports Plus package. Unfortunately, YouTube TV recently lost the right to carry Bally Sports regional networks. This means that you won’t be able to watch channels like Bally Sports Detroit or Bally Sports Southwest.
One big selling point for sports fans is that you don’t have to remember to record every game. Instead, you can just “follow” a certain team, and the DVR will record all of its games for you. Also, if you join the game late, there’s a “catch up with key plays” feature that lets you watch all the best moments up to that point so you can catch up.
YouTube TV costs $65 a month, which is more than what you might pay for your basic cable package. If you want to add 4K viewing, which is currently only available for certain sports events, and unlimited streaming, you’d have to pay an extra $20 a month.
It has one of the best cloud DVRs available right now. You can store as much as you want on YouTube TV’s DVR, and you have up to nine months to watch what you’ve recorded before it goes away. There are also no extra fees for using a DVR. By default, you can rewind or fast forward through the content you have recorded. We should point out, though, that YouTube TV’s on-demand content does have ads that you can’t skip over.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu
In addition to on-demand and original programming, Hulu now provides an add-on service called Live TV, which enables users to stream over 80 channels without the need for a subscription to cable or satellite television. It will cost you $70 per month, but that will get you access to both Disney+ as well as ESPN+. You will be able to view on-demand shows without being interrupted by advertisements if you pay an additional $6 per month, which is not the case with YouTube TV. Hulu’s Live TV service will include unlimited DVR storage for a period of up to nine months beginning in April 2022. This includes the ability to play back content on demand and to skip ahead quickly.
You are allowed two streams at the same time with each Hulu membership, but for an additional $15 a month, you can get limitless screens (and up to three remote mobile devices). You have the option to supplement your Hulu subscription with premium add-ons, such as HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, or Starz, if you so desire.
The Live TV service that Hulu offers is an excellent choice for sports fans because it gives users access to a wide variety of channels, including CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, TBS, TNT, and others. These channels should all be able to provide content that appeals to fans of the majority of major sports, such as football, basketball, and baseball. In the year 2021, Hulu also added the NFL Network and NFL RedZone. On the other hand, Hulu with Live TV does not provide access to the NBA TV or the MLB Network, which means that you might miss out on some additional sporting events.
ESPN+
When it comes to paying for access to your favorite sports, ESPN’s standalone service is hands down the best value. When it comes to quantity of material, the network is unparalleled. Thousands of collegiate games, as well as MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA G League, and other games, are broadcast live on the platform. There is also a good amount of professional tennis, and soccer lovers will find ESPN+ to be a ridiculous bargain.
ESPN+ also broadcasts select matches from the Major League Soccer (MLS) and is the exclusive U.S. home of the German Bundesliga and English FA Cup (Carabao Cup). It is also the site of the European international football tournament known as the UEFA Nations League.
ESPN provides access to all of its original programming as well as all episodes from its 30 For 30 documentary series. Finally, UFC can be found only on ESPN+. Fight Nights, Dana White’s Contender Series and more shows stream weekly or monthly, plus the app is how you access PPV events.
Paramount+
Paramount+, which was formerly known as CBS All Access, may attract the most attention for its original series such as Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and The Twilight Zone; yet, it is also becoming a destination for sports content. When the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) returned to the field in the summer of 2017, the app began streaming live matches of the league. CBS has also revealed that All Access will serve as the exclusive streaming platform for the United States Women’s League. Although you won’t be able to watch every single match there, it’s a good beginning.
Soon after that, CBS expanded its sports coverage to include both the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League soccer tournaments. The Champions League is the most important competition in club soccer, and it pits clubs from different countries all across Europe against one another to determine who is the greatest. The Europa League performs the same function but with somewhat less glory. In addition to broadcasting the CONCACAF World Cup qualifications, which the United States Men’s National Team will take part in, Paramount+ is now the official home of Italy’s Serie A soccer competition.
NBC Peacock
Prior to the launch of Peacock, NBC made it quite clear that Premier League soccer would be made available on the independent streaming service. What we didn’t anticipate was that the network would put so many games there, thereby necessitating a subscription from any fan who is more than a casual observer of the sport. This is in part related to the timing of PL events. In the United States, this indicates that you need to subscribe to the $5-per-month program and have access to the NBC Sports network (through cable or live TV streaming) in order to follow everything completely.
In the past, NBCUniversal had a strategy somewhat similar to this one, broadcasting one game during each time slot on NBC Sports while using NBC Sports Gold to cover any additional games. Cycling, many Olympic sports, and other competitions found their home in Gold. Now that the Premier League is being used to promote a new streaming service called Peacock, even more games will have to be streamed online only because of the way the schedule is now structured. If you are unable to stay glued to your television for the entirety of the matches played on Saturday and Sunday, you will be relieved to know that Peacock does, in fact, provide match replays. At the moment, games take place from approximately 7:30 AM to approximately 5 PM Eastern Time (ET) (matches usually at 7:30AM, 10AM, 12:30PM and one around 2:30 or 3:00PM).