Find the right streaming service for your viewing style and budget

Popular streaming packages of 2026

• Starting at $7.99/mo.

  Our overall score: 8.7/10

  “Netflix is the best video streaming service overall. It has the best mix of original and licensed content around, and its technology is in a class of its own.”

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• Starting at $89.99/mo.*

  Our overall score: 8.5/10

  “While DIRECTV is more expensive than other live TV streaming services, you’ll get the best channel lineup in streaming and a simple-to-use, all-in-one device.”

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• Starting at $82.99/mo.

  Our overall score: 8.8/10

  “Other live TV streaming services have slightly better channel lineups, but YouTube TV closes the gap with its outstanding user experience.”

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• Starting at $55.99/mo.

  Our overall score: 8.4/10

  “fuboTV isn’t a good option for fans of American sports, but it has one of the best overall channel selections of any live TV streaming service.”

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• Starting at $33.00/mo.

  Our overall score: 6.8/10

  “Philo is the only skinny bundle to include DVR storage, but other live TV streaming services have better channel lineups for cheaper.”

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• Starting at $88.99/mo.

  Our overall score: 7.6/10

  “With plenty of news, sports and family channels in addition to its on-demand service, Hulu + Live TV provides a solid experience overall.”

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• Starting at $19.99/mo.

  Our overall score: 6.8/10

  “Sling is one of the cheaper options around for live TV streaming, but you won’t get popular channels like ABC, CBS or most regional sports networks.”

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Key takeaways

• Best for live TV: YouTube TV 
• Best for on-demand streaming: Netflix
• Best cheap streaming option: Sling TV

Which streaming service is best for your needs?

Streaming movies and shows is easier than ever before. You can choose from live TV streaming services that bring cable channels to your TV via your internet connection, or internet streaming services like Netflix for on-demand content. Prices can range from $7.99/mo. to over $80/mo., depending on factors like streaming without commercials, including live channels, original programming and more. Here are the top services available nationwide. 

• YouTube TV is $82.99/mo. with no long-term contracts or equipment fees. You get 100+ live TV channels. We like YouTube TV because they have the best channel lineup for news, sports, comedies, dramas and more. They are also the exclusive carrier of the NFL Sunday Ticket.
• Netflix plans range from $7.99 to $24.99/mo. with no extra costs and no contracts. Netflix offers movies, documentaries, TV shows, anime and original content. Netflix is known for its nearly flawless interface.
• Sling TV has three packages ranging from $19.99 to $60.99/mo. The channel count is 30 to 50. It’s cheaper than other options but has fewer channels than cable, satellite and some other live TV streaming services.

*Varies by plan

Is a free streaming service right for you?

Before paying to rent your next movie, check if it’s available on a free, legal streaming service. If you don’t mind a few ads (about five minutes per hour), these platforms offer thousands of movies and TV shows at no cost.

• Best overall: Tubi has the largest free library, with 40,000+ movies and TV shows. Great for comedy, action, horror, anime and family content
• Best movie selection: Kanopy is free with a participating library card. Excellent for Oscar winners, indie films, documentaries and educational content
• Best for live TV: Pluto TV offers more than 250 live channels spanning news, sports, classics and entertainment, plus on-demand movies
• Best for Roku users: The Roku Channel has a strong selection of classic thrillers, action movies and older Hollywood favorites
• Best for hidden gems: Crackle is a solid source for hidden gems, cult classics, horror franchises and niche titles
• Best for family nights: Fandango at Home (Vudu) offers many family-friendly movies, with thousands of free titles alongside its rental catalog
• Best for hard-to-find content: YouTube has a smaller free catalog, but worth checking for classic or obscure films and documentaries

Make sure your internet can keep up

Here are some expert tips for choosing the right internet plan for streaming:

• Most streaming services require 3–10 Mbps per device for standard, HD or 4K viewing
• The more people streaming in your home, the more speed you’ll need
• Households with multiple people streaming at the same time benefit from 300 Mbps or more to help avoid buffering

Tip: On most streaming platforms, you can change your data usage settings. Here are some popular streaming platforms and what they require:

• YouTube: 90 MB per hour for standard definition (SD); up to 15 GB or more per hour at 4K ultra high definition (HD)
• Netflix: 1 GB of data per hour for SD video; 3 GB for HD; 7 GB for 4K Ultra HD streams
• Hulu: 0.65 GB per hour for SD; 1.3 to 3 GB per hour for HD; up to 7 GB per hour for 4K Ultra HD

How we chose the best streaming services

We looked at affordability, value, channel count, contract length and original content in order to determine which streaming services were the best options available.

We looked at affordability, value, contract length and original content in order to determine which streaming services were the best options available. We broke down this analysis into several categories so that all shoppers are able to find the best TV service based on their needs. For that reason, we differentiated between the best live TV streaming service, the best on demand streaming service and the best cheap streaming service option.

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Streaming service FAQs

What streaming service is best all around?

Hulu has the vote of US News and PC Magazine as the best all-around streaming service, for price and channel line-up.

What is the most popular streaming service?

By subscriber numbers, Netflix is the most popular, with Amazon and Disney Plus rounding out the top 3.

What is the best streaming service for my money?

Sling TV and Hulu have solid channel lineup and have middle-of-the-road prices.

What is video-on-demand streaming?

Video-on-demand streaming (VOD) allows you to watch pre-recorded shows anytime you like, without a fixed schedule.

What is live streaming?

Live streaming provides real-time content, such as news or a sporting event.

How much speed do I need for streaming?

Per device, you need a download speed of at least 3 to 5 Mbps for High Definition (HD) and 15 to 25 Mbps for 4K Ultra HD.

Written by

Lisa Iscrupe

Lead Writer, Broadband & Data Content

Lisa Iscrupe is a senior writer and broadband expert specializing in internet and connectivity solut… View profile

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Edited by

Robin Layton

Senior Editor, Broadband Content

Robin Layton is a Senior Editor for Allconnect, dedicated to helping consumers navigate the often-co… View profile

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