I started using Netflix when it only offered DVDs. When it first began producing original content, the shows seemed like a joke. However, the service has dramatically improved since those days. While it’s the leader in streaming original content, many of the top competitors are also worth watching.
Some of the best alternatives to Netflix carry a cost, but others are free. We’ve analyzed the top services based on cost, content, and accessibility to determine the best choices for your needs.
Table of Contents
What are the Top Paid Streaming Services?
If you enjoy binge-watching TV shows or stream new to you, you’re going to have to pay for it.
While some streaming content is free, the best Netflix alternatives carry a cost.
The good news is that many of the choices are still affordable.
1. Hulu
From Seinfeld to The Handmaid’s Tale, many of the most binge-worthy shows on TV right now are streaming on Hulu.
Hulu’s entry-level plan costs $6.99, making it one of the top Netflix competitors.
What it Costs
Hulu has two plans – one with limited commercials and one without. Here is the pricing for Hulu plans:
- $6.99 per month for the limited commercials plan
- $12.99 per month for the no commercials plan
With the new price on the lowest tier it makes Hulu cheaper than Netflix. Given Hulu’s large content library, that’s a steal.
The only difference between Hulu’s two entry-level options are commercials, with the cheaper plan having them. However, both offer access to original content, movies, and TV series – most only 24 hours after they air live.
What You Get
Hulu’s low cost and massive content library make it one of the best streaming options on the market.
Hulu is co-owned by the major networks including Disney, Comcast, and Time Warner. A Hulu subscription lets you watch shows from ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, as well as a variety of other cable networks for only $6.99 per month.
*Related: If you like NBC content, you can watch some of it for free with the Peacock streaming service. Read our review of the app here to learn more.
TV shows aren’t the only thing you enjoy with Hulu. You can watch a lot of movies as well. We’ve had Hulu for years and love it. This Netflix alternative offers content that our kids and we enjoy watching.
Channels Included
Hulu’s lengthy channel list sets it apart from Netflix. Channels on Hulu include:
- Discovery Channel
- TLC
- Investigation Discovery
- Motor Trend
- Animal Planet
- HGTV
- Food Network
- Travel Channel
You won’t get to watch every show on every channel and you won’t get every episode of all your favorite shows. For that, you’d need Hulu with Live TV, which runs $69.99 per month.
**Related: not certain which option you should choose? Read our Hulu vs. Hulu Plus guide to see which choice fits your needs.**
However, if you’re looking for a cheap Netflix alternative, Hulu is absolutely worth a look. Learn more about Hulu in our Netflix vs. Hulu review.
Try Hulu and see if you like it better than Netflix.
2. Disney+
New to our list is Disney+. If you love Disney content, the on-demand streaming service is a worthy competitor to Netflix. The new provider costs just $7.99 per month, making it cheaper than the lowest Netflix plan.
Since my kids and I are huge Disney fans, we signed up at the first opportunity. We love the service and regularly watch it to scratch our Disney itch.
What You Get
Disney+ differs in one key area, you will not see content from other producers on the service. This makes it seem like you receive little with Disney+, but that’s certainly not the case.
In fact, there’s a huge library of content on Disney+. You receive access to the following with a subscription:
- Star Wars
- Marvel
- Pixar
- All the Disney Princess movies
- All the Disney animated movies
- The Mandalorian
- National Geographic content
- The Simpsons
The above is in addition to any other original content Disney creates for the service.
Channels Included
Part of what makes Disney+ unique on our list is you do not receive live programming. It’s solely on-demand content they create for the service, or other Disney content. However, that content is still substantial.
If you want access to live, or network content, you can sign up for the Disney+ bundle. The bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for $13.99 per month.
That’s a savings of 25 percent versus buying them separately. You can still bundle and upgrade to Hulu with no ads, or Hulu Live and your price will increase accordingly.
Read our Disney+ review to learn more about the platform.
If you’re trying to decide if Netflix or Disney+ is a better fit for your family – read our Netflix vs. Disney+ analysis to see how they differ.
3. Amazon Prime
Amazon is one of the few providers that offers both content and a device to stream it. That makes Amazon Prime one of the most unique Netflix alternatives.
While you don’t need an Amazon Fire TV stick to stream Prime video content, it’s one of the better streaming devices out there and provides easy access to content from a variety of channels.
Thankfully, its vast selection of TV shows and movies also make it a provider worth considering.
What it Costs
After realizing that people might want just its content and not the shipping benefits of a Prime membership, Amazon split its Prime options into video-only and full.
A Prime Video subscription costs $8.99 per month while a full Prime membership costs $12.99 per month.
For that higher price, you receive free two-day shipping on all Prime-eligible products and even free same-day delivery within certain ZIP codes.
If you shop a lot on Amazon, it’s probably worth it to get the full Prime membership and consider the content an added bonus.
What You Get
If shopping on Amazon isn’t your thing and you’re only interested in a Prime Video subscription, you’ll enjoy the following types of content:
- Original content: Like Netflix, Amazon is spending a lot of money on original content. New shows like Jack Ryan, The Romanoffs, Man in the High Castle, and Homecoming as well as award-winning shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Transparent are all included with a Prime Video subscription and are only available on Amazon.
- Movies: On top of original content, Amazon adds movies to its Prime Video library all the time. From classics like All the Presidents Men and Groundhog Day to newer releases like Wonder and XXX: Return of Xander Cage, there’s sure to be something good to watch with Amazon Prime Video.
- TV shows: You’ll find TV shows from a variety of networks on Amazon Prime. Grimm, Chuck and Dr. Who are just a few of the shows available.
- Kids: Let’s be honest. If you have kids, you’ll want to know whether or not Prime’s content will hold your kids’ attention. There’s plenty of movies and TV shows kids will enjoy, including Cat in the Hat, Puss n’ Boots, Spongebob Squarepants and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
Channels Included
Some of the channels included with a Prime Video membership:
- HBO
- Starz
- Cinemax
- Hallmark Movies Now
- Showtime
- Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access)
- Boomerang
Prime Video offers tons of great content for a low monthly cost. And when you use Prime through the Fire TV or Fire TV stick, you get easy access to additional Amazon Fire TV stick channels like HBO Now, Crackle, ESPN, HGTV and Food Network.
Like many of the most popular streaming services, Amazon lets you explore its content free with a 30-day free Prime trial.
4. Sling TV
Sling TV is not just a great platform, it’s low cost and live TV make it one of the best alternatives to cable available.
We’ve tried Sling TV numerous times over the years and found it easy to use.
What it Costs
Sling TV costs $35 per month. For that price, you receive AMC, CNN, ESPN, Food Network and up to either 30 or 40 total channels.
Technically, Sling has three plans:
- Orange – 30 channels for $35 per month
- Blue – 45 channels for $35 per month
- Orange + Blue – 60+ channels for $50 per month
The platform also has Sling Free as an option. That has roughly 80 channels of free live and curated content.
What You Get
If you’re looking to replace Netflix, the Orange or Blue plans are your best bet. The main difference between the two is that Orange includes ESPN while Blue offers Fox Sports channels instead.
You will receive some on-demand content, but unlike Netflix, Sling TV includes live TV. If one of the reasons you’re shopping for a Netflix alternative is that you want live TV, Sling TV is a fantastic option.
Channels Included
Sling Orange and Blue packages vary slightly in the channels they include. Here’s a breakdown:
Sling Orange – 30 channels including:
- ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3
- AMC
- CNN
- Disney
- Travel Channel
- HGTV
- TBS
- Nick Jr.
Sling Blue – 45 channels including:
- Fox Sports 1
- NBC Sports
- HGTV
- A&E
- TNT
- TBS
- Cartoon Network
- History Channel
If you enjoy watching sports on TV, this could be a solid choice for you.
Learn more about this popular live TV streaming service in our review of Sling Orange and Blue.
Sling TV is similar to other sites like Netflix with free trials. You can try Sling TV risk-free with a 3-day free trial.
5. Paramount+
If you like to watch CBS shows, Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) could be a terrific choice for you.
It offers more than 8,500 episodes of CBS shows on demand for a low cost. Plus, you can watch live TV with Paramount+.
What it Costs
Paramount+ starts at $4.99 per month. They offer a commercial-free option for $9.99 per month.
What You Get
Paramount+ has two plans – one with commercials and one without.
*Related: Looking for the perfect cable replacement? Check out our Sling TV channels list to learn how the platform replaces much of cable at a fraction of the cost.*
The basic plan, which includes commercials, costs $4.99 per month. The no-commercial plan runs $9.99 per month.
Both plans offer access to live CBS shows and 8,500+ on-demand episodes. The only difference is the commercials.
Read our Parmount+ review to learn more.
Channels Included
Paramount+ only includes shows on CBS. If you’re looking for content from other networks, consider one of the other top Netflix alternatives, such as Hulu.
6. Starz on Demand
Everyone seems to be making their own content these days, and that includes Starz. The cable network now offers a standalone service like Showtime and HBO called Starz On Demand.
What it Costs
This Netflix alternative usually costs $8.99 per month, which is comparable to Netflix. However, they’re currently running a deal to get the service for $5 per month for the first three months.
This prices applies after their 7-day free trial.
What You Get
You’ll enjoy tons of movies with Starz On Demand. You can watch through their app or download shows to your computer or mobile device.
Starz On Demand offers a pretty extensive movie list along with some original shows. You also get access to all its current and past original programming.
Shows air live at the same time in the app as they do on cable TV, so you won’t have to wait to watch episodes of your favorite Starz shows.
It doesn’t have as much content as HBO Max, but it’s a good choice for original content and movies.
Channels Included
With Starz On Demand, you receive all content that airs on Starz. This includes movies and original shows like:
- America to Me
- American Gods
- Boss
- Counterpart
- Outlander
- The White Queen
You can watch Starz easily on your computer, mobile device, or through a streaming platform like Amazon Fire TV or Roku.
7. Fandor
If you like foreign films, documentaries and indie flicks then you will love Fandor.
This streaming provider caters to fans of films that are hard to find elsewhere.
What it Costs
Fandor costs $10 per month. If you pay for a year in advance, the cost works out to just $7.99 per month.
What You Get
Fandor is full of curated content. Staff members select films they think Fandor members will appreciate.
Channels Included
There aren’t any channels on Fandor. Rather, hard-to-find films that don’t run on networks or even Netflix have a home on Fandor.
8. Mubi
If you’re an independent film buff, Mubi may be one of the best Netflix alternatives for you. From classics to award-winners, Mubi offers great indie content.
How it Works
Every day, Mubi adds a new film to its site and thirty days later, they remove it.
Watching content is easy. You just visit Mubi.com on your computer or tablet and pick a movie to watch. Mubi also has an app you can use to watch its content on your smartphone.
What it Costs
A Mubi membership costs $8.99 per month.
What You Get
You get access to 30 indie films a month. Every month, one film drops off and one new one is added.
Mubi offers a 7-day free trial to check out their service before committing.
What is a Free Alternative to Netflix?
People say you can’t get anything good for free but these free Netflix alternatives prove you can find free entertainment.
Maybe you’re tired of paying for stuff you don’t watch or you’re just trying to cut back a bit. Either way, the below platforms don’t cost a dime.
9. Crackle
Before Seinfeld came to Hulu, I loved watching episodes on Crackle for free.
Think of Crackle as free Netflix. In fact, it’s one of the best YouTube alternatives to watch movies online. It offers TV shows and movies but doesn’t charge to watch any of them.
How it Works
Crackle is owned by Sony, which means they have access to Sony’s movie and TV content library. All you have to do to start watching on Crackle is visit Crackle.com and register.
*Related: Are you looking for a solid live streaming service? Read our YouTube TV review to learn about what it has to offer.
There’s also a Crackle app in the Google Play and Apple store.
What You Get
You get access to a variety of movies, TV shows and even indie flicks on Crackle. You may not find every show you love, but you’re bound to find something.
The best part about this provider is that unlike Netflix, Crackle is completely free.
10. Tubi TV
Tubi keeps its content free by running ads. It offers 40,000+ movie titles from companies like Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount Pictures.
How it Works
You can hop on Tubi.com and start watching for free. Or you can access it through Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, or a smart TV.
If you create a free account and register, you get a few added perks like being able to pick up movies where you left off.
What You Get
Tubi gives you access to 40,000 free movies from a variety of studios. From animae to action, there’s plenty of titles for you to binge.
11. Pluto TV
Pluto TV may well be one of the best free alternatives to Netflix available.
Although it relies on ads to keep your content free, it offers a good variety of content curated from over 100 channels.
How it Works
Unlike many of the platforms mentioned here, Pluto TV does not offer on-demand content. Everything is live or streaming, so there’s no way to access what you want when you want it.
Instead, you select a channel like you would on TV.
To start watching, just find Pluto TV on your smartphone, streaming device or smart TV.
What You Get
Pluto TV broadcasts content from over 100 channels. You’ll find news, sports, movies, TV shows and cartoons on Pluto TV.
Channels Included
There are more than 100 channels on Pluto TV, including:
- CBS News
- Frontdoor
- Food TV
- NBC / MSNBC
- After School Cartoons
- Bloomberg TV
- Horror 24/7
- Pro Wrestling Channel
- CNET
- World Poker Tour
There are no fees, no subscriptions and no credit cards required. It’s truly one of the top free TV streaming sites.
Read our Pluto TV review to learn how the service works.
Top Alternatives Compared
There is a lot to keep in mind when looking for alternatives to Netflix. Here are how our top choices compare based on price and live content.
| Service | Plans Start At | Live Content? | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | $9.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Hulu | $6.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Disney+ | $7.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Amazon Prime Video | $8.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Sling TV | $35/mo. | Yes | Try |
| Paramount+ | $5.99/mo. | Yes | Try |
| Starz on Demand | $8.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Fandor | $10/mo. | No | Try |
| Mubi | $8.99/mo. | No | Try |
| Crackle | Free | No | Try |
| Tubi TV | Free | No | Try |
| Pluto TV | Free | Yes | Try |
Most of the paid services offer a free trial. Take advantage of those to find a streaming provider that works for you.
How Much Does Netflix Cost Per Month?
If you are wondering how much Netflix costs, here is a breakdown of their plans, what they cost, and what’s included.
- Netflix Basic – $8.99 per month. Includes access to entire content library in standard definition.
- Netflix Standard – $13.99 per month. Includes access to entire content library in HD. Stream content on two devices at once.
- Netflix Premium – $17.99 per month. Includes entire content library access. You also get Ultra HD streaming and the ability to stream on up to four devices at once.
Whether you want a bare bones plan or one with all the bells and whistles, all Netflix plans are reasonably priced.
How to Watch Netflix for Free
A Netflix free trial is the best way to watch the service for free.
Netflix offers a generous trial period; they let you try it free for 30 days. That gives you a whole month to decide whether or not you like the service.
You have to give them a credit card number to get the free trial, but it’s still one of the best ways to stream content for free.
Cancel before the free trial expires and you won’t be charged a penny.
Wait it Out for a Netflix Offer
If you’re looking for ways to extend free Netflix, wait a month or two before signing up again. Netflix may email you another free trial offer.
Call Netflix
It might sound too simple to work, but you’d be surprised at what deals you can get just by asking.
Call Netflix customer service at 1-866-579-7172 and ask if they will extend your free trial. Tell them you’d like to evaluate the content longer before subscribing.
Look for Netflix Deals Online
Coupon websites offer deals on just about everything. Search for Netflix deals on some of the following:
- Coupons.com
- RetailMeNot
- Giving Assistant
This list just scratches the surface of the Netflix deals available.
Bottom Line
While Netflix is the most well-known streaming service, that doesn’t mean it’s the best.
If you prefer live TV, try Hulu or Sling TV. For access to lots of movies and original content, consider Disney+.
If your tastes tend toward independent or harder-to-find films, try Mubi, Pluto TV, or Tubi.
There are many alternatives to Netflix out there that offer a wide selection of TV shows and movies. Many of them are the same or cheaper!
How much do you spend on cable each month? How many services do you use to get your television content?
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