With a subscriber base of over 222 million across 190 countries, Netflix is one of the undisputed kings of streaming movies and TV series. What sets Netflix apart from its competitors is its collection of original TV shows, and movies, tons of quality programs, and an easy-to-use interface.
What’s more, the platform has been releasing games since November 2021. Now, dozens of titles are available on the platform to subscribers at no additional cost.
Netflix entered the entertainment industry with its DVD-by-mail service which has now evolved into one of the top-tier global streaming services that’s a must-have for all. It has revolutionized the entertainment industry in ways no one could ever imagine, with a revenue of almost $30 billion in 2021.
Netflix is arguably the most widely-used streaming platform worldwide, thanks to its reliable, user-friendly interface, a range of features and a diverse, ever-changing catalogue. It consistently adds new originals from around the world, and you even can find titles using secret codes. The addition of an ad-based tier makes it even more affordable compared with rivals Disney Plus and Max.
Other high-quality streaming services are available though, since even though Netflix is practically everyone’s first choice, it may not align with your budget or preferences.
Overview of Netflix
Netflix is a popular streaming service that offers a vast catalogue of movies, TV shows, and original content. It is available on smart TVs, through streaming devices, and even on your smartphone and tablet using the official app for iOS or Android.
The company started in 1997 by pioneering the concept of renting DVDs by mail. It devised the innovative concept of charging a flat monthly fee instead of charging for each DVD ordered. As a result, the corner video rental store phenomenon started to fade away. By 2005, Netflix had a loyal 4.2 million DVD-by-mail rental subscriber base.
In 2007, Netflix made the bold announcement that it would add the ability for subscribers to stream TV shows and movies directly to their PCs in addition to its DVD-by-mail rental program.
After that, it didn’t take long for Netflix streaming to become available on the Xbox, Apple devices, a growing number of TVs, smartphones, and tablets. Today, it’s readily available in many households.
The Netflix fee structure is as follows:
- Standard with Ads: $6.99 a month with four to five minutes of ads per hour. One device may stream at a time at up to 720p resolution.
- Standard: $15.49 per month. Watch in HD resolution. View content on a laptop, TV, phone, or tablet. Access unlimited movies and shows. Download content on two mobile devices and watch content on up to two screens at the same time.
- Premium: $22.99 per month. Enjoy HD and Ultra HD resolution. Allows viewing on up to four screens at the same time, and you can download content on up to four mobile devices.
Top Netflix competitors
Amazon Prime Video
One of Netflix’s primary competitors is Amazon Prime Video. Also, simply known as Prime Video, it is a subsidiary of the American multinational technology company, Amazon. Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video-on-demand and over-the-top streaming service that is offered alone or as a package deal for an Amazon Prime subscription.
Prime Video has a lot of features that are either similar to Netflix or that are unique compared to other streaming services. Like Netflix, the service’s central value proposition is streaming. Users can stream content on various devices, including their smartphones, tablets, computers, or TVs, via Amazon’s own Fire TV (which offers an easy-to-use interface and voice control through Alexa), or other compatible devices.
Amazon Prime Video is an excellent option for those looking for a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and original content. With its large library of content, add-on subscriptions, and a variety of features, it is a worthy competitor to Netflix and other video streaming services. Its inclusion with an Amazon Prime subscription also makes it a great value for those who already use Amazon’s other services.
Hulu
Hulu is attracting consumers by providing access to shows on most major networks and cable TV after they air. It also hosts its originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and has exclusive rights to stream most of FX’s original series, which gives it an edge over Netflix.
Hulu subscribers can pay $5.99 per month for the Basic plan or $11.99 per month for the Premium plan. Users can upgrade their Basic plan for $54.99 per month to access live TV or pay $60.99 per month on top of the Premium plan to get all the content on the platform.
HBO Max (Home Box Office)
HBO MAX is a subscription streaming platform owned by the well-known WarnerMedia. The platform operates similarly to Netflix by providing content in all genres such as period drama, TV shows, series, etc. Compared to Netflix, HBO Max has more all-time favourite shows like Game of Thrones, Friends, and Doctor Who. It also offers a variety of shows for kids.
HBO Max has several features that make it a worthy competitor for Netflix. One of these notable features is the massive library of content, including movies, TV shows, and original programming. To enjoy this massive library of content, users can create multiple user profiles, each with their viewing history and preferences. This allows families and friends to enjoy HBO Max’s services while maintaining their watchlists and preferences.
Also, users can download content for offline viewing. This ensures that they get full value for their money at all times, whether on the go or with limited data plans.
HBO Max’s subscribers get everything on HBO for $14.99 per month. Although the streaming service is a little on the pricier end, it’s worth the money because it has so much to offer.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is arguably one of the top competitors to Netflix. That’s because it not only offers live TV but on-demand videos and unlimited cloud-based free digital video recorders from over 80 TV networks, including Discovery, CNN, ESPN, Fox, etc.
The platform has over 2 billion active users, allowing users to access more than a billion videos. Also, the streaming services not only enable the users to watch their favourite shows when they air, but you can record them for free.
The biggest plus? The platform has expanded its content library in 2020 and provides more channels than any other competitor.
Paramount+
This is a subscription video-on-demand OTT (over-the-top) service provider operating in the outskirts of New York. The platform has a presence in over 50 countries, due to which it has captured a solid market base of 47 million subscribers globally.
Paramount+ provides various eye-catching originals, spinoffs of some popular brands, awards shows such as the Grammys, and soccer matches. Plus, the streaming service provides ad-free content and is a lot cheaper than other competitors. It also gives users access to some of the best shows on CBS and can even enjoy movies, series, and TV shows from ViacomCBS subsidiaries, including Nickelodeon, MTV, etc.
The best part? Paramount+ offers a free trial for the entire content library, whereas Netflix only offers a 30-day free trial for selected content titles.
Apple TV+
An amazing feature that Apple TV+ offers is its “family sharing” feature. With this feature, users have the option to share a single subscription with up to six family members at no extra cost. In addition, Apple TV+ offers a sleek and user-friendly interface that makes navigating the service a breeze. The home screen features personalized recommendations based on viewing history and preferences, making it easy for users to discover new content.
Apple TV+ has a simple pricing plan structure. Monthly subscriptions on Apple TV+ only cost $6.99 per month, making it one of the most affordable streaming services on the market. People who buy new Apple devices, such as an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, also gain access to Apple TV+ for three months. This value-added incentive has helped attract a significant number of users to the service, giving them access to a vast library of original content without any additional cost.
One of the streaming service’s biggest disadvantages is its limited content library. Apple TV+ only offers original content produced by Apple, which means that its content library is relatively limited compared to Netflix, which offers a range of licensed content from other studios and networks.
Also, there is a limited amount of devices with which Apple TV+ is compatible. Apple TV+ is only available on Apple devices and select smart TVs and streaming devices. At the same time, Netflix is available on a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices.
Peacock
Peacock was founded by NBC to deliver the enormous NBC Universal back catalogue to consumers. The streaming service has tons of popular comedy, drama, and mystery shows like Murder She Wrote. Some NBC shows on Netflix like The Office switched to Peacock in 2021.
The service is offered in three separate tiers, which include a completely free tier and Peacock Premium for $5 per month but users have to upgrade to an ad-free version for $10 per month or $100 annually.
Showtime
Showtime is without a doubt one of the biggest Netflix competitors, with over 28 million subscribers in the US market alone. It is an American-based premium TV network that reports annual revenue of almost $986 million.
The biggest plus, the streaming service has made it possible to download your favourite shows for offline viewing. Moreover, the TV network is available on both platforms, including traditional cable channels as well as a part of a video streaming service.
P.S. Not all content titles are available for offline viewing.
The platform’s programming primarily offers theatrically released pictures, Showtime and TV originals, stand-up comedy, made-for-TV films, martial arts, etc.
In a nutshell, if you are looking for a streaming service or cable channel that provides a good selection of current series and movies, Showtime is one of the best contenders as it only costs $10.9/month.
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company. Disney+ is still a relatively new streaming service. However, it is already recognized as one of the leading services in the streaming industry and a stiff competitor of Netflix.
Disney+ also offers a unique feature called GroupWatch, which allows users to watch movies and TV shows with friends and family remotely. Its parental controls feature helps parents manage what their children can watch without their supervision. Another unique feature that Disney+ offers is its Premier Access feature, which allows users to watch new cinematic releases from the comfort of their homes for an additional fee.
Disney+ is one of the most affordable streaming services on the market, and it offers a variety of pricing options to suit different user needs. Disney+’s basic plan is ad-supported, and it costs $7.99 per month. The premium plan that does not contain ads costs $10.99 per month. Disney+ also offers a bundle plan that gives users access to more content. The Duo Basic plan gives subscribers access to content both on Hulu and Disney+ and it costs $9.99 per month. However, the Duo basic plan contains ads.
Another bundle plan is the Trio basic plan which gives subscribers access to thousands of TV shows, movies, originals, and sports on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. The Trio basic bundle plan costs $12.99 per month, and it contains ads. The last bundle plan is the Trio premium plan. This subscription plan is similar to the Trio basic plan, however, the Disney+ and Hulu services on this plan can be enjoyed without interruptions from ads. This plan costs $19.99 per month.
Curiosity Stream
Curiosity Stream is an American-based subscription video streaming platform with annual revenues of $71 million. Also, the platform welcomed 4 million subscribers in the 2nd quarter of 2021, making the overall 20 million subscribers worldwide.
The video streaming service specializes in factual and non-fiction programming and also offers series, TV shows, and documentaries about everything from nature to tech and whatnot.
The best part? The curiosity stream not only allows the subscribers to access educational content and content offered by some of the popular cable channels, including Animal Planet, Discovery, and the Learning channel.
The only downside, the streaming service doesn’t offer personalization options and has ads. However, Netflix offers ad-free and more personalized content.
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