Top 5 Streaming Services Reviewed: Are They Really Worth Their Cost?

RachelAnn Degnan
Jul 22, 2020
8 min read

OKAY, Hollywood! We get it! You don't want us to be bored during the quarantine, but with so many options, what streaming services are worth getting?

Dont worry, I pay for all 5 of the top streaming services and I can give you the insider tips on if they're worth it. So get comfy and let me help you find your perfect match!

Netflix:

$13 a month.

Arguably the most popular streaming service, Netflix has led the way for many years in changing how Americans watch Television. Its content is varied over many genres and with its monthly updates, there is always something new to watch.

Content: Netflix is most popular for its full seasons of older but beloved shows like New Girl, Gilmore Girls, Charmed, and That '70s Show. Netflix also has running shows like Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, and Riverdale that are watchable by the end of each respected season. Netflix's original content has stood out with its incredible documentaries, television shows, and movies. The most popular of each of these categories are The Last Dance, Stranger Things, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

Content Rating: 4/5

Usability: Netflix can be used on any device that connects to the internet. Its phone application is easy to look at and provides a "Continue Watching" and "Recommend for You" page that allows viewers to quickly find what to watch. Access to Netflix through Internet Browser can be slower but is still easy to use and stream from. Depending on what package is purchased, multiple users can watch from different devices at a time.

Usability Rating: 5/5

Opinion: Purchasing Netflix was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I always seem to find the right show for my mood and I never run out of content. Some of my favorite shows to binge-watch are NCIS, Grey Anatomy, She-Ra and the Princess of Power, and Call the Midwife. I can watch it practically anywhere and I have never had any problems with streaming. Although I am impressed with the content, Netflix has lost some of my favorite shows over the years. Losing Friends and The Office really dropped my interest in Netflix for a while and I am curious if they will ever be able to get such incredible shows back. I also have recently been very disappointed with Netflix's original movies. Netflix's original movies have felt more like Hallmark movies or movies not good enough for the big screen. I hope that Netflix will invest in a great movie script as they invest in some really awesome television shows.

Overall Opinion: 4/5

Is Netflix worth $13 dollars a month?

YES!

It definitely will continue to be one of the best streaming sites out there and with more releasing each month, I can only see great things for Netflix.

Hulu:

$6 a month.

The platform that has been considered Netflix's number one rival is most known for its original documentaries and multiple packages. Hulu has paired with multiple other streaming platforms, including Spotify, to offer discounted viewing.

Content: Most of Hulu's packages include commercials and restricted access to all television shows and movies. Unlike other platforms, Hulu does offer immediate viewing of running television shows like Grey's Anatomy and Family Guy. Hulu also has many throwback-shows to binge-watch like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, M*A*S*H, and The Golden Girls. The few original television shows and documentaries on Hulu are The Handmaid's Tale, Dollface, and Fyre Fraud. Hulu does offer ad-free cartoon watching and has partnered with Cartoon Network to provide a lot of classic cartoons.

Content Rating: 3/5

Usability: Hulu can be accessed from the phone application or any device that connects to the internet. Its search ability makes finding the right content supper easy. The simplest package only allows one user at a time. This means that an account can be logged in on a computer and a phone, but both cannot be actively watched at the same time. Hulu's server is often glitchy and can be down for hours.

Usability Rating: 2/5

Opinion: I only purchased Hulu because it came with my Spotify account. Honestly, I dont trust Hulu to work most of the time and I find myself only watching it for re-runs of a few classics. I normally only watch Rizolli and Isles, M*A*S*H, The Golden Girls, The Bold Type, Mom, and Family Guy on this platform. I find it difficult to watch other shows because of the constant minute to two-minute commercials. I know it is petty to be complaining about commercials, but normally there are four commercial breaks at the beginning, two in the middle, and five at the end. I use to watch some cartoons on Hulu but I have found other streaming services that provide my favorite cartoons with better features. Sorry Hulu, I am just not impressed.

Overall Opinion: 2/5

Is Hulu worth $6 a month?

NOPE

Sorry Hulu, but I would rather spend that six dollars on a more reliable streaming service with better content. Unless Hulu can make some ultimate changes soon, I do not see it ever beating out the competition.

HBO Max:

$15 a month:

The newest streaming platform on this list, HBO Max exceeds all expectations. It came a little late to the game since Netflix and Disney+ have made their mark on the industry, but HBO Max has yet to disappoint.

Content: HBO Max has the widest variety of television shows offered on any platform. There are lots of cartoons such as Classic Looney Tunes, Cartoon Network Cartoons, DC Animation, and Classic Scooby-Doo. HBO Max has television shows that have made history in the last two decades like Fresh Prince of Bel-air, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Game of Thrones. The streaming service also has access to hard to see shows like DC Universe Original Doom Patrol and the brand new movie Scoob! On top of that, HBO Max has an incredible selection of movies topped by all 8 of the Harry Potter movies.

Content Rating: 5/5

Usability: The platform allows viewers to look up television shows and movies by what's trending, by name, or by the network. The service can be streamed on a phone application or anything thing that connects to the internet. There are no limits to how many people can watch at once and the design of HBO Max focuses on simplicity with few buttons or options to personalize. There have been no service problems reported since the launch of the streaming service.

Usability Rating: 5/5

Opinion: I was very hesitant to purchase HBO Max when I first saw it. It seemed expensive and it had shows I was getting in other streaming services. I changed my tune after I realized I could save money by getting rid of the other services and focusing on this one. I watch HBO Max every day. I have binged watched Friends and The Big Bang Theory multiple times and I really enjoy being able to watch almost all of The Looney Tunes episodes whenever I wish. I also have been able to finally start watching Game of Thrones, Pretty Little Liars, and Doom Patrol. It has been a blessing while staying at home during quarantine and the only way I would give it up is if it lost a bunch of shows and movies.

Overall Opinion: 5/5

Is it worth the $15 a month?

Depends

$15 a month is a lot of money to spend on a streaming service. However, if you were to simplify and only purchase HBO Max and Netflix, I think you would find that spending less then $30 a month for all the television and movie content it has would feel like stealing.

Disney+:

$7 a month.

Released in 2019, Disney+ exceeded expectations. The platform allows viewers to watch basically anything Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. The streaming service has gained a monstrous following and with Disney being one of the biggest powerhouses of Hollywood, it is only going to get better.

Content: For the younger population, Disney+ provides all of their original Disney and Pixar movies including Brave, Sleeping Beauty, and The Emperor's New Groove. There are also all past and present Disney Channel and Disney Channel Junior television shows and movies. Then, there is the Star Wars Universe with shows and movies that include all three theatrical Star Wars trilogies, The Mandalorian, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and two other live-action Disney+ original shows announced to begin filming after the pandemic. For Marvel fans, Disney+ offers all of the MCU movies including Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Civil War, and Spider-Man: Far from Home. Several live-action Marvel television shows including WandaVision and The Falcon and Winter Soldier were set to release at the end of 2020, but with COVID-19 the date has been pushed back. Lastly, the National Geographic channel has many documentaries available for streaming off of Disney+.

Content Rating: 50/5

Usability: Disney+ offer multiple people to watch on one account at once, making this streaming service the perfect one for the family. It breaks up most popular shows and movies into categories that make them easy to find. It can be accessed through Internet Browsers or the phone application. When it first launched, it had multiple service issues and received a lot of complaints about Disney+'s customer service and server speed. Since then, there have been no known major problems or network outages.

Usability Rating: 4/5

Opinion: I was one of those people who pre-ordered Disney+ the second they announced it. The idea of being able to see every one of my favorite Disney movies whenever I wanted, brought me so much joy and excitement. I have never regretted my decision to subscribe to Disney+ and most nights you can catch me watching some childhood Disney movie from my bed. The only television shows and movies I do not watch are Disney Channel ones past 2013. Those shows are after my childhood and I have little interest in watching them now. I have probably seen everything that Disney+ has to offer at this point, partly because I am a giant nerd and slightly because I am also a child, yet I still feel like I could rewatch it all again in a heartbeat.

Overall Opinion: 5/5

Is it worth $7 a month?

HELL YES!

I can not imagine a better service to put $7 in to then Disney+. I am BEYOND happy with this service and recommend it to anyone!

Prime Video:

$9 a month.

Prime Video is the most subscribe to service since its release. It isn't so much the streaming service that everyone is subscribing to, but the Prime free shipping and content available on Amazon itself. Many people do not subscribe to Amazon Prime just for the streaming service.

Content: Prime Video has every movie and television show ever. Most of it is for purchase though and the free content is normally forgettable. Right now its top shows and movies are the Twilight Series, Knives Out, and Clue. Free content changes every month. Prime's original television shows and movies have been praised for its inventiveness and uniqueness. For example, Troop Zero, LOL: Last one Laughing Australia, and The Marvelous Ms. Maisel have won several awards in recent years and were original ideas. Amazon Prime's most famous and recognized shows, however, have been reimagining of older movies and books like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and Hanna.

Content Rating: 3/5

Usability: Amazon Prime streaming is connected to the rest of Amazon making it easy to find what you're looking for. The phone application does not allow purchases to be made on Prime Video which helps parents trust that their children are not buying a bunch of extra television. Sometimes it is harder to figure out what shows are requiring payment and it can be frustrating.

Usability Rating: 3/5

Opinion: I personally rarely use Amazon Prime streaming service. When I see something I want to watch, I will watch it, but most of the time I will look at other services first. Currently, the only show I watch on Amazon Prime is Law & Order: SVU. I personally could totally live without this streaming service, but since it is apart of the Prime membership I pay for, I do not mind keeping it. I kind of look at it as a bonus to my awesome rewards that I get for being apart of Prime. I would never recommend getting Amazon Prime just because of the streaming service. That would be dumb.

Overall Opinion: 3/5

Is it worth $9 a month?