Best streaming service 2023: which TV and movie platform is best for you?

Once considered complementary to terrestrial TV broadcasting, streaming services are rapidly becoming direct rivals, even taking over in some households. The appeal is obvious – you can watch what you want, when you want and, in many cases, binge your way through a favourite series without having to wait a whole week for the next episode.

They often offer exclusive shows and movies, and with the highest quality pictures and sound, to boot – often in 4K with Dolby Vision or HDR 10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. It's hard for conventional TV channels to compete.

There's just one issue though, there are just so many of them. It seems there's the launch of a new streaming service every month and, considering they more often than not require a subscription fee, it can be a very costly pursuit to pay for them all.

That's why we've tested all of the main streaming services on the market to give you an idea of which would ably suit any of the best televisions out there. Here then are our picks for best streaming service.

WRITTEN BY

WRITTEN BY

Rik Henderson

As a former Deputy Editor of Home Cinema Choice, Rik has extensive knowledge of streaming devices and services, plus the different AV standards they use to provide the best quality. He has also served as a TV producer for Channel 4, Sky and the BBC, so has an idea of what it takes to make TV shows too.

The quick list

Want to see our top three recommended streaming services without checking out other alternatives too? Here are our quick and easy suggestions.

The best streaming services we recommend in 2023

The best streaming service overall

Apple TV+ may be fairly young in comparison with its peers in this list, and therefore not as rich in the amount of content available to stream, but it more than makes up for it with the quality of its shows and films.

Exclusive movie Coda won three Oscars in 2022, including Best Picture, while you can't get through a day without someone you know mentioning Ted Lasso. There is also the superb sci-fi thriller Severance, plus Idris Elba's excellent Hijack. Indeed, you could play programming roulette on TV+ and whatever you randomly choose, it'll still invariably be great.

Picture performance is superb too, with 4K HDR visuals on just about everything, including Dolby Vision for those with a compatible TV, while Dolby Atmos audio elevates the immersion further.

The Apple TV app also allows for the purchase or rental of other movies and shows not on the platform, so that can extend your viewing if you are willing to spend outside the subscription fee. It's worth noting though that many Smart TVs and streaming devices won't let you pay directly, you'll need an Apple device for that.

Oh, and while it's available on Android TV, you cannot get a native Android mobile app for TV+ yet. Still, this is one of the best services around if you are looking for a series to binge.

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The best all-round streaming service

Netflix is arguably the best known paid streaming service and continues to provide a superb experience, even though it isn't spending as crazily on new TV and movie projects as it once did. It is still a fantastic resource for many hundreds of shows and films, including some of the most talked about.

Highly-rated series, like Better Call Saul and Beef are exclusive to the platform, as well as The Witcher, Vikings: Valhalla and Cobra Kai. You can also catch up with Netflix Original classics such as Narcos, Squid Game, and The Queen's Gambit.

The service has been tweaked in recent times, especially when it comes to the price plans. A cheaper option that's supported by adverts is now available, although the original Basic plan has been removed. You can also subscribe to a Premium tier to get the best picture quality of up to 4K HDR, with both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos supported.

Our one main quibble though is that Netflix has a tendency to cancel seemingly popular TV series and remove others from the platform with relatively little notice. That means you might invest time in something that doesn't come to an obvious conclusion.

Still, it remains near the top of the best streaming services, not least for its consistency, variety and overall quality.

Read more: Netflix review

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The best streaming service for families

Disney+ came along at just the right time – shortly before the pandemic – so it gained a huge amount of members in a relatively short time. However, it has managed to retain most of them through its excellent and rapidly expanding library of content.

Split into sections, the service satisfies viewers of all ages, whether they be young children who love Disney and Pixar movies, Star Wars or Marvel fans, or those looking for real-world programming from National Geographic.

Those in the UK, Ireland and Central Europe also have the Star section, which includes an expansive library of more adult programming and films, such as the Die Hard movies and the entire run of The Walking Dead.

The Disney+ experience is also elevated by offering high quality versions of its films and shows, with 4K HDR and Dolby Vision support where possible, plus Dolby Atmos audio and even IMAX cinematic-style presentations of some Marvel flicks.

And all for a very reasonable price, although it's worth noting that pricing and subscription plans will change from 12 October in the UK and 1 November 2023 in the UK.

Read more: Disney+ review

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The best streaming service with added benefits

Formerly called Lovefilm, Amazon's Prime Video service is fairly unique in that it is available at no extra cost as part of Prime membership. That means you can get free same- and next-day delivery on many thousands of items on Amazon's retail site, plus all manner of other benefits along with video streaming.

Like Netflix and Apple, Amazon also makes a lot of original programming and movies, which are exclusive to its platform. This includes massive hit shows, such as The Boys and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It also has some sports broadcasting, with a handful of live Premier League football matches and tennis events being the most obvious.

Also like Apple, you can purchase and rent additional content from Amazon's Prime Video app. However, it can be a little confusing as to what is included with your subscription, and what requires an additional fee. You do need to be a bit careful what you click on, therefore.

Quality is great though, with up to 4K HDR and Dolby Vision on offer, plus Dolby Atmos audio (on some devices). And, thanks to the obvious, the service works particularly well through the hugely popular Amazon Fire TV streamers and televisions.

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The best streaming service for US TV

Recently renamed just Max (from HBO Max), this service boasts exclusive access to HBO’s entire epic catalogue, including critically acclaimed, captivating series like Game of Thrones, Westworld, The Sopranos, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Detective and Succession. 

The well-built app is also filled with other popular TV shows and movies, such as Friends and Rick and Morty, plus, as it's owned by Warner Bros, DC Universe movies too.

In effect, it offers a remarkable on-demand library, superb apps that work smoothly, and a less-expensive, ad-supported alternative to its pricier ad-free tier, which supports 4K streaming, offline downloads, multiple profiles and other nice features.

It's US only for now though, so if you're after HBO content in the UK too, you can find it exclusively on Sky's TV platforms or through Now (see below).

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The best streaming service for sports

Previously called Now TV, Now is Sky's standalone streaming service that gives you access to programming from the satellite broadcaster but without needing to sign a long-term contract.

Instead, it offers different packages of channels and on demand catalogues that you can subscribe to on a month-by-month basis. There is an entertainment package that includes Sky Atlantic for HBO programming in the UK, Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, and Hayu for reality TV.

Sky Cinema is particularly interesting as it provides access to movie releases long before they hit the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. And, the Sports membership gives you every Sky Sports channel, so includes live Premier League football, F1, cricket and much more. Almost everything is also available to catch up with on demand.

There are a couple of caveats though. To begin with, Now can be expensive if you want everything it has to offer - Sky Sports can cost £34.99 per month on its own. Plus, the service currently maxes its video at 1080p and even then you need to pay a separate monthly fee to "Boost" it to that standard.

Still, if you want live sports and some of the best programming available in the UK, but don't want to be tied to a contract, this is a great option.

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The best value streaming service in the US

A dependable player with lots of new and classic shows, plus live TV availability on nearly every platform, Hulu is a staple streaming service and one of the top choices for US viewers who cut the cord.

While perhaps not suitable as a standalone option, Hulu offers very good value and pairs well as a complement to Netflix or another streamer. 

Partially owned by Disney and part of a bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+, Hulu is available in a few forms. One is the standard, on-demand service you likely already know, with ads that you've surely heard people complain about; there's also an upgraded ad-free plan, as well as the Hulu with Live TV version thatcould fully replace your cable subscription. 

It provides a vast variety of familiar shows from major networks, such as ABC and Fox, that viewers can watch a day after they air, allowing subscribers to stay mostly up to date on current television, even if they don't have the Live TV package.

While Hulu's originals don't come out as often as those from Netflix and don't pack quite the same culture-shaking punch as Max, the price is right.

Those in the UK get a lot of Hulu's programming integrated with Disney+ (via the Star section).

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The best streaming service for Star Trek

Relatively new to the UK, but having been around a lot longer in the States, Paramount+ is the home to a whole host of TV shows and movies made by Paramount and its off-shoot studios. This includes Star Trek and Yellowstone.

Both make up a large portion of the content on the platform, when you take into account the main shows and all of the spinoffs in both franchises. In addition, you get the Halo TV series, the Quantum Leap remake, and programming from Showtime, including Billions and the entire run of Dexter.

Like with Disney+, Paramount often adds some of its moves to Paramount+ soon after they've been in theatres – this previously included Top Gun: Maverick, which was added to the service at the same time it appeared for purchase on digital storefronts.

One issue with Paramount+ in the UK is that it has no premium option and therefore is limited to 1080p video. Audio is restricted to a maximum of 5.1, although it actually launched in stereo only so that's some improvement at least.

UK Sky TV subscribers with Sky Cinema get Paramount+ included at no extra cost, which is great.

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The best streaming service for documentaries

As with its Stateside version, Discovery+ predominantly offers reality TV, including documentaries and nature programming, plus real crime TV shows and the like. However, due to a partnership in the UK between owner Time Warner and BT, it has recently been expanded to include BT Sport – now rebranded TNT Sports.

This means you can watch live Premier League and Champions League matches, WWE, and a host of other live and on demand sports coverage alongside paranormal investigations and lifestyle series.

If you're not a sports fan, you can still subscribe to Discovery+ without the TNT Sports add-on, and its prices start at just £3.99 per month.

Subscribers to TNT Sports on Sky or BT TV get access to the coverage through the Discovery+ app at no extra cost, while the main Discovery+ programmes are available to all Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream for free.

It's worth noting that Discovery+ in the US is quite different to the UK version.

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The best streaming service with a free option

There's one thing Peacock has that its main competitors don't: totally free streaming. Offering an ad-supported free tier, in addition to its paid version, NBC Universal's improving service is certainly one to consider.

The US-only service houses around 13,000 hours of TV shows, news and sports, possessing many popular NBC network series and a decent collection of movies. Upgrading to Premium costs from $4.99 a month, which includes fewer ads. Premium Plus gives you ad-free streaming for $9.99 a month, unlocking access to every season of The Office and Parks and Recreation, as well as live WWE events and Premier League soccer matches. 

There are some caveats though. Its app remains clunky and the platform is still waiting for its first big hit original series, leaving Peacock behind many of its streaming competitors.

UK viewers should note that Peacock isn't available in the country as a standalone service, but you can access its programmes and films at no extra cost through a Sky TV or Now subscription.

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How to choose the best streaming service for you

Decide on a budget

Perhaps the first thing you should think about when choosing a streaming service is how much you are willing to part with on a monthly basis. They each range in price, depending on what you're looking for and often come with different payment tiers.

If you're a sports fan, for example, you might have to stretch your budget further to get live broadcasts. And, as some sports are spread across multiple services (such as live Premier League football on Now, Amazon Prime Video and Discovery+) you may even find yourself pushing your subscription fees higher.

However, if you are just after general entertainment, you shouldn't have to spend too much per month to get access to hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of shows and movies.

What are your tastes?

Some streaming services are more specialist than others. Discovery+, for example, favours documentaries and non-fictional programming, whereas Paramount+ is crammed with sci-fi shows.

It might be that you've heard a family member, colleague and/or friend talking about a specific show that you "must watch". If so, we advise asking them which service it is on and then checking back here to see how much it costs, etc.

Consider your device

Most streaming services work across multiple mobile and home entertainment devices, but not all. Some might not have a native application on PlayStation 5, for example.

That's why we've listed the most common devices that are supported by each service. However, the best tip is to boot up your phone, TV or streaming dongle and double check that there's an app for the service before you subscribe.

Think about your broadband speeds

Another thing to remember is that the best picture and audio quality may require faster internet connections. Netflix, for example, suggests you have at least 5Mbps broadband for HD streaming, 15Mbps for 4K HDR.

So, if you opt for the most expensive Netflix tier but don't have the internet connectivity to cope, you'll just be wasting money.

How we tested all the streaming services

How we test the best streaming services

The T3 team has extensive knowledge of streaming services. We subscribe to them all and will often use them professionally and in our personal lives.

We test the performance and picture quality across multiple devices too, including Smart TVs, tablets, phones, and dedicated streaming devices.