Which TV Streaming Service Is Best For You?

Entertainment is more seamless and easier than it has ever been before. Buying expensive DVDs and tuning in live are no longer issues like they once were. With online streaming we have easy access to every television show, movie, and game that we could possibly imagine. Rather than being restricted to the television set you are now able to enjoy entertainment anywhere, on your tablet, phone, iPod, or computer. Plus, aside from that, 4k and HD video are now on the table. This means that the quality of your visual experience will be supreme.

The biggest question is “which service is the best?” There are a vast number of streaming services available on the market, and it is no surprise. The demand for them is high so the market is good. This means you have just about as many choices as you could dream of, but sometimes that just makes things more challenging. It is difficult to sit down and compare options when you don't even know where to start or what to look at.

Each and every TV streaming service is unique in one way or another. Some of them may have a lot of things in common, but essentially no two are identical.

Youtube is a good place to begin because it is the most standard and basic TV streaming service out there. It is something that pretty much everyone has been exposed to for many years. Youtube isn't really a good place to go if you are looking for television or movies, however. You might be able to find some deleted scenes, clips, and bloopers, but not the kind of range you really want. Youtube is really better for things like music and funny cat videos.

The Internet is absolutely loaded to the brim with content, and there are options which go way above and beyond Youtube and any other free streaming website. This article will help you identify the best streaming media services out there so that you have an easier time of comparing the options and finding the one that works for you.

Netflix

One of the most popular choices on the market is no doubt Netflix. It is one of the first streaming services which ever entered the scene and throughout the years it has maintained its positive reputation. For one monthly subscription fee you will be able to enjoy movies, TV shows, and some of the most popular original programming, like House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Netflix is great for their consistency, quality, and selection. On the downside Netflix takes off and puts on titles quite often and they have limited new content. There are also other services out there that can be found for cheaper.

Amazon Prime Video

More than just TV and movies, Amazon Prime has a lot of other fun perks to boot. You will get a free kindle book every month, free two-day shipping on purchases, and access to Amazon Prime Instant Video and Amazon Music. You will be able to enjoy original programming in addition to TV shows and movies. If you are interested in children's programming and comedy Amazon Prime has one of the best selections and they also feature classics from HBO. The service costs about $100 a year but a la carte content costs additional. They don't often get new movies either.

Sling TV

Cable cutters looking for an option that is strikingly similar to cable will likely enjoy Sling TV. Sling TV doesn't offer as much content as cable but it does give you a price break. You get real-time channels (about 12) with Sling and pay a monthly subscription fee. At first this sounds a lot like cable, but there are some important differences. There is no set-top box rental fee and no contract. Sling TV is one of the best choices for sports lovers who don't want cable, as you will be able to continue enjoying ESPN and ESPN2. Aside from this there is TBS, CNN, the Cartoon Network, and other popular channels. It is cheaper than cable, as mentioned, but costs more than most other streaming services. It also has limited on-demand content and can only be viewed on one device at a time, which is unfortunate for households with many people.

Hulu Plus

One of the best solutions for people who are interested in the latest TV shows is Hulu Plus. If you want the same sort of timeliness you get from cable, but you don't want cable, this is a good choice. The day after many major network shows air they can be viewed on Hulu Plus. For some people keeping up with a TV series as the episodes are released is important. You will also have access to BBC content and the entire current season, sometimes even all of the seasons for a show. Hulu Plus also has a number of great original shows like The Thick of It and The Wrong Mans. The biggest setbacks are commercials and not too many movies to select from.

Crackle

The biggest advantage that has is the fact that it is free. It provides a good variety of videos such ad anime, movies, and original programming. The content is viewed on a rotating basis that sometimes changes faster than people would like. On the downside there are a lot of commercials to make up for the free streaming service, and the content is sometimes second-rate or cheesy.