The Ultimate Streaming Showdown: Which Service Is Worth Your Money?

After sharing recommendations for all of the major streaming services out there, I thought I would share my thoughts on the streaming services as a whole and determine which ones I think are the best. I decided to evaluate each streaming service by 5 different categories. They are price vs. value (is what it costs worth what you get), the quality of original content, the quality of the back catalog, how much I use it, and overall usability (how easy it is to find things and the overall user interface). With that said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the 8 major streaming services.

8. Peacock

Peacock is by far the weakest of the streaming services. From a price vs value standpoint, this service is definitely not worth what it costs. The price for the ad-supported costs $10.99/month, which is more than any of the other streaming services. There is a cheaper tier that gives you access to NBC shows for $7.99, but even that puts it at the same level as some of the others. There just isn't enough on the streaming service to justify these costs. There are very few originals that are worth watching. The Day of the Jackal and Poker Face have gotten some fame, but that is about it. Even the back catalog leaves a lot to be desired. Its claim to fame is consistent access to The Office, but that is about it. There are a few decent movies like Shrek, Oppenheimer, and others, but there are no strong IPs bringing a draw to the service. From a usability standpoint, its interface is ok but not great. It isn't the worst out there, but things aren't really organized in the best way, and it doesn't have great groupings. Finally, I just don't use this one very often. I watched Poker Face when it came out, and Sarah watches SNL, but beyond that, we just don't use it. It has access to NBC NFL games, but that isn't a big draw for us. The only reason we have Peacock is because there was a Black Friday deal for $19.99 for the year.

Price vs Value: 1/8 Originals: 1/8 Back Catalog: 2/8 Frequency of Use: 2/8 Interface: 3/8

7. Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is the odd streaming service in the bunch. It has some really good content, but not much to keep people subscribed. Apple TV+ comes in at $13.99, and while there are no ads, which is nice, considering how much the other guys have, there just isn't very much from Apple TV. The big thing with Apple is its originals. This service consistently puts out high-quality original content. Things like Severance, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, as well as films from top-tier directors like Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott, define what this service offers. However, that is all the service has. It has no back catalog or IP to pull from to fill up the streaming service, meaning that once you get through these originals, there isn't anything else to sift through. This is why Sarah and I just don't use it. The only time I have Apple TV+ is when I find a deal for 3 months free or just buy it for a month to watch something specific. For the interface, this is probably tied for the worst. The app mixes in the Apple TV+ content with movies you've bought or can rent, which just makes it very confusing to find the streaming service material. It takes multiple steps to get there and is just a bit of a pain. Overall, this is the type of streaming service that has some quality content but isn't something you need long-term. You buy it for a month or two, watch the show or two that is of interest, and then cancel.

Price vs Value: 3/8 Originals: 6/8 Back Catalog: 1/8 Frequency of Use: 1/8 Interface: 1/8

Moving forward, these are all streaming services that I use fairly regularly, as there are multiple shows throughout the year that come out on each that I will watch.

6. Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video is probably the broadest of the streaming services. It doesn't tie to many existing brands, so it just has a little bit of everything. Amazon Prime Video costs $8.99 a month or is included with an Amazon Prime membership. This is on the lower end of pricing and still comes with a lot. For originals, this service has a lot of quality things like The Boys, The Rings of Power, Reacher, Invincible, and Fallout, as well as a decent amount of original films. The back catalog is just insane with films and TV shows from all over the place and is kind of reminiscent of the classic video store. Aside from a lot of well-known stuff, if you dig deep enough, there is also an unfathomable amount of garbage no one is ever going to want to watch. In terms of Interface, this is probably one of the worst. Much like Apple TV+, it mixed in stuff included in the service with movies you can rent, and at times, it is very confusing what is available, making it easy to accidentally buy something. There is a tab that contains only Prime stuff, but even there, the groupings are not great. As for frequency of use, I use this service a decent amount when there is a new show or movie releasing, which is fairly often, but I don't find myself just going to Amazon Prime Video to find something to watch.

Price vs Value: 4/8 Originals: 5/8 Back Catalog: 3/8 Frequency of Use: 4/8 Interface: 2/8

5. Paramount +

Paramount+ + is the streaming service that has grown on me in the last few years. Paramount+ is also at the lower end of cost at $7.99 a month. What makes it stand out more is that it also comes with access to live CBS. Most of the other streaming services have the live channel as an add-on, but for Paramount+, it is included. That bumps it up on the price vs value score because we use the live TV quite often. In terms of originals, there are a few decent offerings, such as Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown, as well as several original Star Trek shows, but it really doesn't have the breadth of originals that most of the other services do. The back catalog is pretty decent with consistent access to most of Paramount's IP. One of the big draws is the complete archive of Star Trek material, but it is also the place for Nickelodeon, both modern and retro, as well as a lot of classic CBS shows, so if you are a fan of classic TV, this may be the service for you. In terms of Interface, I find Paramount+ very easy to get around with. The live TV option is easy to find, and it has good groupings for finding shows and movies. However, sometimes it is a pain to clean out your continuous watching area. Our use frequency is a little weird. Between September and May, we use it at least once a week, as there are 3-4 shows that we keep up on. However, beyond those times, we hardly touch it.

Price vs Value: 5/8 Originals: 3/8 Back Catalog: 4/8 Frequency of Use: 3/8 Interface: 6/8

4. Hulu

Hulu is a bit of a weird one on this list, as it was just recently announced that the service will be absorbed by Disney+ in 2026. As of now, Hulu is $9.99 a month, but you can get it as an add-on with Disney+ for $10.99, which is why the price vs value score is so low. It just isn't worth it to get Hulu on its own anymore. Hulu has also kind of lost its identity. It used to be known for having next-day access to most TV shows, but since every network has its own service now, that draw has kind of been lost. For originals, Hulu has some of the best in the industry with tons of critically acclaimed and Emmy-winning shows like The Bear, Showgun, The Handmaid's Tale, Only Murders in the Building, and a lot of decent movies. The back catalog is a little lacking as it overlaps quite a bit with Disney+, in which case, you might as well just use Disney+, as well as just lacking the draw of the exclusive home of day-after TV releases. For an interface, Hulu is one of the easier ones to get around, though lately it has been a bit confusing with some of the Disney+ overlap, which keeps its score lower. In terms of frequency, we use Hulu a lot, usually watching some sort of sitcom or catching up on an ABC network TV show.

Price vs Value: 2/8 Originals: 7/8 Back Catalog: 3/8 Frequency of Use: 5/8 Interface: 5/8

3. Disney+

Disney+ is easily the most family-oriented of the streaming services. Disney+ costs $9.99, and with the huge archive that Disney boasts, it really is worth the price. It is worth the money for fans of most major IPs as well as families. For originals, I think Disney+ has some of the weakest. While they do have some quality things in top-tier brands like Andor, The Mandalorian, and WandaVision, I think Disney opted to go for quantity over quality on a lot of these. There are so many shows and movies that were dumped on the streaming service and ultimately hurt the brands they are a part of. Marvel and Star Wars are now damaged brands because of the quality of the Disney+ originals. Disney+ makes up for it with its Back Catalog. You have access to every single Disney movie, Star Wars movie, Marvel movie, as well as Disney Channel shows, retro Disney shows, and an extremely deep archive of Disney movies. If nothing else, the service is worth it just for the archive. Because of this archive, we use Disney+ all the time, probably multiple times a week, and with Hulu being integrated, we will use it even more. As for the interface, I like how the service made its collections and divided up its IPs, but I think the Hulu integration made it a little worse. The top banner could be showing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse house, then have the next thing be Hulu's Dying for Sex, something you don't want to explain to your 5-year-old. I think they need to do better at keeping the kids' and adult content separate.

Price vs Value: 7/8 Originals: 2/8 Back Catalog: 8/8 Frequency of Use: 8/8 Interface: 4/8

2. Netflix

Netflix, the OG streaming service, is still one of the best. Netflix comes in at $7.99 a month and is worth it. Even with the ad-supported tier, there are very few ads. The past couple of Netflix shows I have watched have had no ads, even though I pay for the ad tier. In terms of originals, Netflix has a lot of high-spectacle, budget originals. You have iconic shows like The Witcher and Stranger Things, Oscar-nominated films, and a ton of original movies with big-name casts. However, the movies are what keep the originals back. They are big-budget, high-energy films, but are extremely generic films; they try to appeal to the broadest audience possible, and as a result, are memorable by no one. In terms of back catalog, Netflix is similar to Amazon in that it has a little bit of everything. Some decent shows stick to Netflix like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, as well as a lot of newly released films. In terms of Interface, Netflix has one of the best. It is easy to navigate, grouping their offerings in categories that make sense. The only drawback is that the top 10 list seems extremely random. You'll have a movie like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island or Hotel Transylvania 3 show up and wonder how those could possibly be in the top 10 on Netflix. In terms of use, we use this service all the time. I always have some show to watch on Netflix, and it is Sarah's go-to place for true crime documentaries.

Price vs Value: 8/8 Originals: 4/8 Back Catalog: 6/8 Frequency of Use: 7/8 Interface: 7/8

1. HBO Max

As of right now, I think HBO Max is the best streaming service out there. HBO Max comes in at $9.99 a month, and while not as cheap as Netflix, it is worth the price. The big draw with HBO Max is that it has so much prestige and premium content. This service is probably the most consistent in the quality of its originals, with shows like House of the Dragon, Peacemaker, The Last of Us, and The White Lotus. There are so many high-quality originals, you can't go wrong with any of them. HBO Max also has a great back catalog with access to DC movies, the Criterion Collection, Studio Ghibli, Harry Potter, Turner Classic Movies, and the HBO library, as well as a ton of top-tier TV shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Cartoon Network, and other classic cartoons. The interface is a bit of a mix between Disney+ and Netflix, but takes the best aspects of both. It has groupings of brands like Disney and a top 10 list that actually makes sense, like Netflix. Much like Disney and Netflix, we use HBO Max all the time. There is also a new show to watch or something else that makes it worth it to stay subscribed all the time.

Price vs Value: 6/8 Originals: 8/8 Back Catalog: 7/8 Frequency of Use: 6/8 Interface: 8/8