Which is the best streaming platform in market right now?

The options for online streaming are only growing, it is a fierce market engaged in cut throat competition with new content coming up every day. But how well do they hold up when put to scrutiny and comparison? Let us find out.

As the pandemic continues to keep people at home watching more TV than ever, a growing list of online streaming services is expanding and creating more content than ever before. It’s been a busy year for streaming: Disney Plus has hit roughly 95 million subscribers in just over a year, HBO Max now has 17 million accounts while Peacock has added The Office and might stream WWE soon.  Quibi quickly came and went but new choices just keep coming, including Discovery Plus and now Paramount Plus, which launches on March 4 after a series of splashy Super Bowl ads. One cannot skip Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Showtime and Netflix, of course.  Here’s a breakdown of where few of these major new services stand right now and a comparison between them to help you make the right choice, for your entertainment requirements.

 We’re going to focus on three of the biggest streamers, Netflix, Disney Plus, and HBO Max as well as two of the new entrants, Discovery Plus and Paramount Plus.

Here’s a little on each.

Netflix

It is difficult to think of streaming and not have ‘Netflix’ in our minds. It remains the most dominant player with over 200m subscribers. It has a wide catalog of shows and movies, catering to every possible audience group, and can be integrated on nearly every major connected TV or smart device. It costs $14 per month for its Standard plan. It isn’t the most pocket friendly but has marketed itself in a way that it just cant be avoided.

Disney Plus

Disney has an insane amount of popular characters and franchises and is flexing all of its muscles on Disney Plus. The home for Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic and all the classic Disney films and shows, at $7 per month it’s not hard to see why people have been flocking to the streamer. It is an affordable option.  Those looking to add Hulu and ESPN Plus can grab a bundle for $13 per month. 

HBO Max

It builds on the popular cable channel HBO by adding in more original series and films as well as a greater library of other properties including reruns of Friends and The Big Bang Theory, Sesame Street and DC Comics fare including the upcoming Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. It is the most expensive option with its price being $15 per month but its enticing in that it can make available all Warner Bros theatrical releases at home.

Peacock

Whereas HBO Max is among the most expensive options, Peacock is alone on this list with a tier that’s actually free. NBCUniversal’s streaming offering has a growing library that consists of reruns of past NBC hits like The Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, new originals including a Saved By The Bell revival and films like Kick-Ass, Apollo 13 and The Big Lebowski. Live news and sports are also available, and the WWE premiers on March 18. While some of this is available for free, the full experience requires either a $5 per month subscription to watch with ads or $10 per month to go ad free.  

Paramount Plus (formerly CBS All Access)

The new name for CBS All Access launching Mar. 4, Paramount Plus will take that experience and add programming from MTV, BET, Comedy Central, CBS and other ViacomCBS channels and brands, plus films from the Paramount Pictures studio and add in some originals. Like CBS All Access, the new offering will also let you stream your local CBS station, including live sports and local news, in most markets. The starting price for the current service is $6 per month for an ad-supported subscription, with ad-free streaming available for $10 per month. 

Discovery Plus

Discovery joined the streaming wars in January with a new service aptly named Discovery Plus. Running $5 per month with ads or $7 per month without, the new service brings together content from its variety of networks including the Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet and HGTV. It also offers content from A&E, The History Channel and Lifetime.

How they stack up

Part of the reason why Netflix remains the champ isn’t just the massive catalog and first mover status (though both help). It also is frequently the best at rolling out new features. It offers mobile downloads and has been releasing its originals in 4K HDR for years (though you need its priciest Premium plan to watch in the higher-quality).

Disney Plus, however, is right on the tail of the current streaming king. It has mobile downloads, a wide collection of 4K HDR content, allows for more people to watch and does so for a $7 per month price that is cheaper than even Netflix’s most affordable non-HD plan. While its content library remains more family-friendly in the US, those looking for anything Disney/Marvel/Lucasfilm/Pixar (a not small net) will be very happy with Disney Plus.

HBO Max got off to a rocky start, lacking features like 4K HDR, mobile downloads but with major releases like the 2021 Warner Bros. theatrical slate and the upcoming Zack Snyder’s Justice League will stream in 4K HDR, the mobile app allows for downloads and apps are finally available for all major TV platforms. It has yet to release a “Max Original” to match the success of recent hits from other platforms but HBO Max does have a strong library offering everything from Friends and Game of Thrones to Sesame Street and Looney Tunes.

Like HBO Max, Peacock got off to a slow start but has improved in recent months. Although it still lacks an app for Amazon Fire TV, it is on most other major platforms and even has 4K HDR on some titles. Mobile downloads are also present and the additions of The Office, Modern Family and the WWE Network are sure to be welcome boosts for its otherwise still lacking library. The upcoming Olympics should also add more content and it also gets points for being the only service with a free offering.

Paramount Plus, the soon to be new name for CBS All Access, is among the oldest in this group and parent ViacomCBS is hoping the March 4 rebrand will give it fresh life to compete with the others. It already has apps on all the major services and offers mobile downloads plus 4K HDR for some titles. The home for Star Trek, SpongeBob and Yellowstone plus local CBS streams makes it an interesting option, but it will need more to rival the others.

Discovery Plus is the other major new player. It has apps on most platforms, but not all, and some 4K HDR content. It does not, however, have mobile downloads and its content library lacks the mainstream hits offered by all the others.

DEVICE SUPPORT 

In the early days of streaming free trials were plentiful. Now, well, not so much.

All three of the major streaming heavyweights Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max, offered free trial periods in their early days and all have since abandoned the option. CBS All Access has a seven-day free trial, as does Discovery Plus. In addition to its free tier, Peacock has a seven  day trial for both of its Premium plans.