Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Hulu Plus, three of the best streaming services that offer large libraries of on-demand content, but each with its own unique focus. Netflix has a great overall content library and is the leader in original series. Amazon Prime offers a lot of value in addition to streaming movies and TV shows. Hulu Plus focuses on current-season TV shows, which the other two services do not. Some, especially cord-cutters, may want to subscribe to several of the best streaming services to get more content at a fraction of the price of a typical pay TV subscription. Read on to see which streaming service is the best for you.
Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Hulu Plus
Netflix has the largest selection of content, the best original series, such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, and the best user interface and recommendations. Plans start at $8 per month for a single stream and SD access only. The $9 plan includes 2 simultaneous streams and adds HD access, while the $12 plan includes 4 streams at up to 4k UHD resolution. Get Netflix now.
Amazon Prime is interesting, because video streaming is just a part of the subscription. Prime subscribers also get free 2-day shipping on lots of products on Amazon, music streaming, unlimited photo storage, and free ebooks on Kindles. Prime is also the only service that offers downloading of movies and TV shows. Although downloads are only available on Fire devices, this could be important for frequent travelers. Amazon Prime also has several original series, which are rapidly getting better. Try a free trial today.
Hulu Plus provides full current seasons of shows from ABC, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, CW, FOX, NBC, MTV, and VH-1. Hulu Plus also provides complete past seasons from many shows. Hulu Plus limits the amount of advertising you'll see, and is required to watch on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and other devices. Hulu also has a free service with delayed access to a selection of the most recent episodes from most shows (5 episodes is typical, but it varies by network), but it is only available on computers and Android. Hulu Plus is best for people that want to stream full seasons of current TV shows on multiple devices. However, it may not be necessary because all of the networks here stream their most recent episodes free on Hulu and their own websites. Hulu Plus offers a free 1-week trial.
The best streaming service
When it comes to Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Hulu Plus these are three great services, and it really depends on how you watch TV. None of these services offer a great selection of recent movie releases, although Netflix and Amazon Prime do get some new movies a few months after their DVD release. If you want to check for specific titles on the various streaming services check out Can I Stream It.
If you stay current on your favorite TV shows with a cable subscription, antenna, or the free version of Hulu, a Plus subscription is probably unnecessary. Netflix is the best streaming service overall in my opinion. As a cord-cutter, I have subscribed to it for many years and find it to be a great value. Millions of Americans subscribe to Netflix in addition to cable TV, so it must be good. Amazon Prime offers a lot for the money if you're a frequent Amazon shopper Kindle/Kindle Fire owner.
Consider your usage and pick the best streaming service(s) for you. You may also want to sign up for the Weekend Streaming Guide, which includes what's new and expiring on Netflix every week.