10 Best Streaming Services in 2024: Top-Rated OTTs to Replace the Cable Connections

| Updated on September 28, 2024

As people abandon the cable box to the curb, they are replacing it with smart TVs and streaming devices like Roku and Chromecast. But due to the constant price hikes and appearance of ads, the ultimate question remains: ‘Which streaming service should I choose?

The simple answer is to opt for the platform that falls under your budget and matches your needs. But, for a cinephile with diverse needs, the answer might be more complex.

Thus, considering these varying needs, I’ve listed the top 10 streaming services that host hundreds and thousands of hours worth of content and will certainly meet your expectations. So, without any further delay, let’s jump in!

Mediaglaze’s PickThe best streaming service overall: Max

1. Max

Max
Starting Price$9.99 per month (with ads) $16.99 (without ads)
Simultaneous Streams2 (4 with Ultimate Tier)
Live TVNo
Supported Platforms and DevicesAmazon Fire, Roku, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, PlayStation 4, Macs and PCs, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox One, TiVo
AdsYes
Free TrialNo
Profile per Account5

When it comes to both quality and quantity, HBO Max surely leads the game. It has everything you desire, from HBO’s classic dramas to light movies and intriguing reality shows. It also includes content from reputable sources, such as the Warner Discovery Universe, CNN, Crunchyroll, DC Comics, and Looney Tunes. 

Recently, it has also added live sports in its Bleacher Report section, such as soccer, hockey, and cycling. Reports also say that a live news section is in beta that will offer programming from CNN and other WBD networks.

However, these features’ availability might vary depending on the plan and your location, as it is only available in the US.

Pros
  • The ad-free plan allows you to download content for offline viewing.
  • Parental controls are available 
  • Ultimate Tier allows more 4K content
Cons
  • Relatively expensive
  • The last chance section is hard to find
  • The ad-supported version doesn’t allow offline downloads

Get Max now!

2. Netflix

Netflix
Starting Price$11.99 per month (Basic)
$6.99 per month (Standard with ads)
Simultaneous Streams1-4
Live TVNo
Supported Platforms and DevicesAndroid, iOS, web browsers,
Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV,
Nvidia Shield, Roku, Smart TVs,
PS4, Xbox, set-top boxes
AdsYes
Free TrialNo
Profile per Account5

Needless to say, Netflix is the best video streaming platform when it comes to variety. It provides an impressive collection of content that changes every month. The extensive library at Netflix offers TV shows, movies, comedy specials, and original TV series for unlimited streaming.

Its popular catalog includes Altered Carbon, Black Mirror, BoJack Horseman, Dead to Me, Mindhunters, Orange Is the New Black, Russian Doll, Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy, The Witcher, etc.

Netflix constantly adds and takes away movies; you might find yourself in a rush to watch movies before they’re gone.

Pros
  • Popular high-quality original shows
  • Offline downloads on mobile
  • Excellent selection of content
Cons
  • The ad-supported plan doesn’t include a full library
  • No notice about the frequent changes in title availability
  • Slightly expensive

Get Netflix now!

3. Sling TV

Sling TV
Starting Price$40 per month (half-off for your first month – $20)
Simultaneous Streams1-4
Live TVYes
Supported Platforms and DevicesFire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, iPhone and iPad, web browsers, Android, Android TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and VIZIO Smart TVs
AdsYes
Free TrialNo
Profile per Account4

Unlike the one on this list that especially caters to on-demand, Sling TV has the power to replace cable, one of the best TV streaming services.

It offers the most popular live TV channels, including sports, ESPN, NBC, BBC America, CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, and the Food Network. 

Moreover, the decent assortment of channels on Sling TV justifies the membership charges. Ultimately, it is a good choice for sports fans and users who enjoy live TV experiences within reasonable channel packs.

Although there was a slight price hike in Sling TV, which increased the prices by $5, fortunately, it’s still cheaper than YouTube and Hulu’s $73.

Pros
  • Cheaper than cable
  • Wide range of content
  • Now available with ABC in certain regions
Cons
  • Pixelated streams and buffering issues
  • Slight rise in prices

Get Sling TV now!

4. Disney+

Disney+
Starting Price$8 per month (with ads)
Simultaneous Streams4
Live TVNo
Supported Platforms and DevicesAmazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, Roku, Chromecast, iOS, iPad, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation 4, Android-based Sony Smart TVs, Chromebooks, Samsung, and LG devices
AdsYes
Free TrialNo
Profile per Account7

Unsurprisingly, Disney+ is the dominant player in the video streaming industry that caters to kids and adults alike. Disney Plus hosts a frightening amount of content from various sources, including Marvel, Pixar libraries, National Geographic content, Star Wars, and Disney’s original canon. 

Moreover, you can easily stream popularized content, such as The Mandalorian, Loki, Andor, She-Hulk, Avatar 2, The Simpsons, and Encanto. In recent years, Disney has also added TV-MA content in the U.S., bringing mature shows from Netflix and Marvel to cater to a wide range of audiences.

Pros
  • An excellent range of popular and original content
  • UHD resolution options
  • Reasonably priced
Cons
  • Extended wait for new releases
  • Offline downloads are limited to premium tiers

Get Disney+ now!

5. Hulu

Hulu
Starting Price$8 per month
Simultaneous Streams2
Live TVLive TV upgrade costs $70 per month
Supported Platforms and DevicesAndroid, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Echo Show, Fire Tablets, Fire TV, iPhones and iPads, LG TV (select models), Nintendo Switch, Mac and PC, PlayStation 3 (no live programming), PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung TV (select models), VIZIO SmartCast TVs, Xbox, Xfinity Flex & X1
AdsYes
Free TrialYes
Profile per Account7

Hulu is one of the streaming services that boasts a big collection of the latest TV shows and movies at reasonable prices. Although it might falter in comparison to Netflix offerings, it has a balanced quality-to-quantity ratio.

The channel lineup on Hulu includes content from networks like ABC, Fox, and FX. It also hosts various hits, such as “Only Murders in the Building” season 2, “Fire Island,” and “The Dropout.” It also offers Hulu + Live TV, which gives you more reasons to cut the cable cord. 

Check out the best horror movies on Hulu to explore the amazing catalog!

Pros
  • High-quality original shows
  • Cheaper plans
  • New episodes are available the day after it airs
Cons
  • Frequent ads
  • Smaller catalog of original content
  • Menus can often be hard to navigate

Get Hulu now!

6. Peacock

Peacock
Starting Price$7.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams3
Live TVSports and WWE
Supported Platforms and DevicesFire TV, Fire tablet, iPhone, iPad, Chromecast, Xbox, PlayStation 4 & 5, Smart TVs, Apple TV, Roku, Xfinity
AdsYes
Free TrialNo
Profile per Account6

Peacock streaming service has been gaining a lot of attention for its value for price. It offers over 80,000 hours worth of content, ranging from your NBC shows and current Bravo hits to new movies with the addition of live sports. Its original hits include “The Traitors” and “Poker Face,” which is yet another reason why users are subscribed.

It offers all this for just $8, a deal-breaker for people looking for NBC programming within their budget. However, if you want to remove ads, you can buy the Premium Plus plan for an additional $6.

Pros
  • Offers big sports and live WWE events
  • Decent offerings of new and older movies
  • Flexible plan pricing
Cons
  • Offline downloads for mobile are not available
  • The movie library changes constantly

Get Peacock now!

7. Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video
Starting Price$14.99 a month 
Simultaneous Streams3
Live TVNo
Supported Platforms and DevicesFire TV, Fire tablet, iPhone, iPad, Chromecast, Xbox, PlayStation 4, Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, Apple TV, Roku, Xfinity X1
AdsYes
Free TrialYes
Profile per Account6

If you are a frequent user of online shopping, you would know about Amazon Prime. In the past few years, Prime Video has gained fame for hosting a wide library that includes many popular movies and classic shows, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, Reacher, and The Boys.

Although the new shows on the platform are few compared to Netflix and HBO Max, you can find numerous films with other added benefits.

The interesting part about this platform is that it allows users to rent and buy movies. So, if you already have a Prime membership for your shopping leisure, why not use it for entertainment too?

Pros
  • Top-rated original shows
  • Prime benefits are included in the subscription
  • Supports offline downloads, multiple viewer profiles, and audio descriptions
Cons
  • Lack of high-quality TV shows as compared to competitors
  • The content library can be hard to navigate
  • Not available on some platforms

Get Amazon Prime Video now!

8. Apple TV+

Apple TV+
Starting Price$6.99
Simultaneous Streams6
Live TVNo
Supported Platforms and DevicesAmazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, iPhones, iPads, Android TV, Chromecast with Google TV, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Vizio smart TVs, web browsers, Xbox One/Series consoles, Android
AdsYes
Free TrialYes
Profile per AccountNA

Apple TV+ is unparalleled when it comes to offering high-quality shows and movies. It has been on a hot streak for a while after it received the Best Picture Oscar for CODA. It hosts more than 50 exclusive, big-budget, high-quality originals, leaving Netflix behind in the race.

Apart from that, it comes with high-end features like 4K resolution, HDR, and mobile downloads—a perfect choice for movie maniacs. 

Although Apple TV+ plans to get into live sports with the addition of MLB and MLS, the current library is far smaller than its rivals.

Pros
  • Originals stream with 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos
  • Affordable prices
  • Quality over quantity
Cons
  • Recent price hike
  • Lack of older content
  • Limited Android Support

Get Apple TV+ now!

9. Fubo

Fubo
Starting Price$75 per month
Simultaneous Streams2-3
Live TVYes
Supported Platforms and DevicesFire TV, Android, Apple TV, Mac and PC web browsers, Chromecast, iPhone, iPad, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs
AdsYes
Free TrialYes
Profile per Account6

Fubo TV is certainly the best streaming service for sports lovers. It allows access to live sports and an actual cable subscription, with over 120 channels covering the major broadcasts. It also offers 4K streaming for the on-demand content and certain live events. Recently, it has also added regional sports networks, though they will cost an additional $13.99.

Apart from that, Fubo’s channel lineup is no joke. It includes ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, MLB, NBA, Food Network, MTV, Syfy, etc. Moreover, after the addition of ESPN, Fubo has already become the top choice for NFL lovers.

Pros
  • A wide range of channels
  • Includes niche sports network
  • Offers 4K streaming 
Cons
  • TNT and TBS not included
  • Comparably expensive
  • Limited cloud DVR storage

Get Fubo now!

10. Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus
Starting Price$7.99 per month
Simultaneous Streams3
Live TVYes
Supported Platforms and DevicesDesktop, iOS 14.0+, Apple TV 4, Apple Vision Pro, Android app, Android TV devices, FireTV devices, Roku, Samsung TV, LG TV, PS5, and
Xbox
AdsYes
Free TrialYes
Profile per Account6

With powerful corporate backing, Paramount Plus can be a major streaming service for CBS and cable connections

It offers the latest and classic original content from brands including CBS, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV, and Star Trek. Paramount+ hosts a broad library of on-demand content across various genres, such as live sports, documentaries, showtime, etc. 

Similar to other services, it offers two plans: Essential and Premium. The essential plan includes ads but doesn’t give access to the local CBS stations, while the premium plan doesn’t include ads and gives access to those local stations.

Pros
  • The premium plan includes Showtime
  • Supports offline downloads and 4K streaming
  • A variety of closed caption options and parental control tools
Cons
  • Lack of high-quality originals
  • Offline downloads and 4K streaming are only available in the premium plan
  • CBS local stations are limited to the premium tier

Get Paramount Plus now!

Wrapping Up!

This was all for the best streaming platforms with the best ratings. To access these almighty platforms, visit their official site and compare the plans that best suit your preferences!

However, do not limit yourself to one service, and feel free to check out other paid and free streaming services, such as Soap2Day, YouTube, etc. 

FAQ

Which is the best streaming service for movies?

The best streaming services are Max, Netflix, Sling TV, Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock, etc.

What are the free best streaming services?

The best free services for movie streaming are Freevee, Roku channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, Plex, Crackle, Vudu, etc.

Which streaming service is best for sports content?

Fubo and Sling TV are the best streaming services for sports content.

Which streaming services are only limited to the US?

Max, Sling TV, and Peacock are the video streaming platforms limited to US users.

Monika Chauhan

Tech and Internet Writer


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