With the days getting shorter and the weather getting cooler, you’re likely to be looking for ways to while away autumn days. Luckily, streaming services offer a wealth of content you can watch on demand, and there are plenty to choose between.
The number of streaming services available has rocketed in recent years, and it’s easy to get drawn in by all of the different content on offer – all of which comes at a cost.
To help you weigh up which streaming services might be right for you, we’ve surveyed customers of all of the big names, asking them to rate each of the key services elements including content quality, ease of use and value for money.
With an increasing number of services begging for our attention, it’s little wonder that seven in 10 of those surveyed subscribe to at least two streaming services. Many told us they expect the platforms to become even more dominant – six in 10 of the people we surveyed said they believed people would only use streaming services (rather than watching live TV) in the future.
Streaming films and TV requires a strong connection – read our guide to the best and worst broadband providers, and check out broadband deals on Which? Switch.
Amazon Prime Video vs Netflix
Amazon Prime Video and Netflix were easily the two most popular services in our survey, but what they offer is quite different. Both are known for offering original – and exclusive – film and television content, but while Netflix emphasises its vast library, Amazon Prime Video has the advantage of being bundled with Amazon’s expedited delivery service.
One of Netflix’s main strengths is that customers find it user-friendly, whether they’re using it on a smart TV, in an internet browser or via its dedicated app. More than half of Netflix customers told us they use the service every day – this was only true for just over a third of Amazon Prime Customers.
See how the two services stacked up when it comes to film and television content, recommendations and value for money using our Netflix review and Amazon Prime Video review.
Tech tips you can trust – get our free Tech newsletter for advice, news, deals and stuff the manuals don’t tell you
What about Now?
Now (formerly known as Now TV) is a subscription-based service owned by Sky. If you’d like access to Sky content – films, sport and television shows – without a long-term commitment, Now is definitely worth considering.
Now splits its content into four categories: films, entertainment, sports, and reality TV. It offers four passes – one for each type of content. While all the passes are available on a monthly basis, the Sports Pass can also be bought for a 24 hour period.
In our survey, it was Now’s reality TV pass – Hayu – that earned the top rating in the Now stable. Find out more about how the passes compare, in our guide to Now’s streaming services.
The newbies: Apple TV+, BritBox and Disney+
While they’ve all now been around for at least 18 months, Apple TV+, BritBox and Disney+ are all much newer entrants to the streaming service arena than Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Now.
They each have quite different offerings – Apple TV+ has an array of exclusive content, most of which has been created specifically for the service. As its name suggests, BritBox focuses on British content – nearly 300 television box sets as well as classic films, such as the Carry On franchise. As well as animated films and television shows from the Disney archive, Disney+ offers new Marvel and Star Wars films and series, as well as first access to certain cinematic releases for an additional fee.
So how do these newer services stack up against more established services from Netflix and Amazon? All received competitive ratings for ease of use and the quality of their recommendations, but we saw big differences when it came to the quality of their actual content.
See how all of the major platforms compare in our round up of the best and worst TV streaming services.
How streaming services are changing
The number of streaming services available has certainly increased in recent years, and it’s easy to foresee brands with a strong presence in the US (such as HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount Plus and Peacock) looking to the UK to expand their audiences. But even long-established streaming services have been changing how they operate.
More than four in 10 of the people we surveyed told us they share at least one of their TV streaming service subscriptions with people outside their household. Netflix is rumoured to be clamping down on the practice, which is against most platforms’ terms and conditions.
Another recent development is Premier Access from Disney+, which gives you early access to new films for an additional fee of £19.99 per film. While Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and Netflix have also released original films in cinemas at the same time as on their platforms, they haven’t charged additional fees. More than four in 10 of those surveyed told us they’re happy to pay extra for this.
The future of streaming services could include even more platforms, more exclusive content, and a greater number of subscription fees to pay. Most customers tell us they’re happy to subscribe to a number of streaming platforms to access a variety of content – but only time will tell how many streaming services is too many.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/10/amazon-prime-video-vs-netflix-which-is-the-best-tv-streaming-service/