There are far more ways to stream video than Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. These are the top streaming services based on price, catalog, features, and more.
New Channels and Consolidation
The competition between video streaming services has never been tougher, so some media companies are banding together. For instance, CBS and Viacom merged (again) to launch Paramount+, along with a Showtime bundle. Warner Bros. merged with Discovery to form new streaming giant Max, which has already killed CNN+, the Batgirl movie, and many cartoons. However, thanks to the Discovery+ content, it is leading the charge in streaming’s new trash TV golden age. Amazon bought MGM for $9 billion, too, which considerably boosted Prime Video’s library. Crunchyroll became the definitive anime streaming service by gobbling up rivals Funimation and VRV. Disney bundles Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ to cover all entertainment bases. Even AMC+ has a bundle packaging together AMC Premiere, Shudder, Sundance Now, IFC Films Unlimited, and BBC America.
The increasingly competitive streaming market is not without consequences. Consumers who may have originally been attracted to the flexibility that streaming services offer over cable, now must navigate a crowded and constantly shifting nightmare of streaming rights and new services, many of which continue to rise in cost. Live TV streaming services are also struggling to adjust to the rising costs of broadcast rights from cable channel owners. The price of just about every one of these services has increased considerably over time.The Catalog Is Everything
As mentioned, a video streaming service’s success largely depends on what its library offers. That’s why so many services are investing heavily in developing high-quality original content. Consider, for example, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, all of which are Emmy-winning shows. Without these hooks, standalone video streaming services would likely be unable to compete with existing entertainment behemoths. Several platforms have also saved popular shows from the grave in an effort to build a compelling library. For instance, Roku brought back all the originals from the ill-fated Quibi, even if many of those shows have since been removed.
