Streaming services can do more than deliver on-demand shows and live TV. Check out the top services that bring the movie theater experience to your living room.
Cord cutters have numerous options for watching their favorite on-demand shows and live TV without the burden of a cable bill. Movie fans don’t have to miss out on the fun, either. Many video streaming services offer extensive libraries of popular theatrical titles, and support high-end streaming standards. You might need to wait for movies to land on your streaming service of choice after their theatrical runs, but the service’s film variety (including original flicks) can tide you over. You may even discover a new favorite movie that you would never see in theaters or purchase outright.
With that in mind, these are the best movie streaming services we’ve tested, whether you’re looking for big-name blockbusters or obscure indies. Read on for our top picks, followed by what to look for and consider when choosing the right service or services for your tastes and budget.
Which Movies Can You Stream Online?
The movies available for streaming on a service depends on the distribution rights. It’s similar to the way that live TV streaming services must negotiate with cable channel owners to get streaming rights. The services that already own the rights to huge catalogs of content (or have the money to get streaming rights) have an advantage. Take, for example, four of the biggest names in the media business: Comcast (Peacock), Disney (Disney+), ViacomCBS (Paramount+), and WarnerMedia (HBO Max).
Comcast owns several movie studios, including DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Universal Pictures. Disney+ has classic Disney films, Marvel movies (but not all Marvel movies), Pixar animations, and Star Wars films. ViacomCBS owns Paramount Pictures. WarnerMedia’s HBO Max includes movies from Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, plus has exclusive streaming rights to Studio Ghibli films in the US. Warner Bros. announced that it will release 10 movies on HBO Max the same day as they hit theaters in 2022.
Netflix and Prime Video aren’t backed by traditional media behemoths, but they still boast large (albeit constantly changing) libraries of movies. Netflix also offers a physical-disc rental service, called DVD by Netflix, that considerably expands its library. Prime Video has lots of classic films. Check out our features on what’s arriving on Netflix and Prime Video to stay up to date with the streaming offerings.
Both Netflix and Prime Video also produce original movies, some of which have earned critical acclaim. Some of the top Netflix original movies are El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story, I Care A Lot, The Irishman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Roma, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Prime Video’s best original movies to date include Honey Boy, I Am Not Your Negro, Manchester by The Sea, One Night in Miami, Sound of Metal, and The Big Sick. Part of the reason that Amazon and Netflix need to produce their own titles is that some of the traditional media powerhouses are making movies exclusive to their own services. Both still have about the same number of quality films, though. Hulu doesn’t produce many original movies, but it is owned by Disney, which likely has some financial upside.
Apple TV+ doesn’t license content from traditional media giants, and thus is in the unenviable position of creating most of its content in-house, though it has acquired some films and documentaries. This means that its movie library is extremely limited compared to that of other streaming services. On top of that, Apple TV+’s focus appears to be on creating original series more so that original movies.
