Best streaming services of 2026


You’re probably familiar with most of the names on this list, but it is by no means comprehensive. There are plenty of other ways to stream and hundreds of other options available. As we are Evaluate these specific streaming optionsWe have kept certain things in mind.

This list is ranked based on the numerical value I assigned to each streaming service in my individual review, which I defined by design (i.e. ease of use across different TV and phone platforms), features (i.e. 4K HDR, mobile downloads, recommendations, watchlists and number of streams), content (frequency, number of shows, quality of originals and back catalogues) and value (price compared to these other factors). We stream using a Roku stick, smart TV, Apple TV box, mobile phone, tablet, and Fire TV stick.

Screenshot of Hulu TV search.

Aaron Bruner/CNET

Each platform offers the same standard features on the home screen, and we found that HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu excel with dedicated hubs and collections, while Netflix’s recommendation rows of current, older, and upcoming selections combined and genre-based organization excel. Fine features are also a plus, like the ability to share titles via text from HBO Max and Netflix, or Netflix’s Moments function Allows you to save scenes from your favorite titles. We also measure ad time on ad-based plans and look for errors during playback. See reviews of each service for full details.



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