Netflix is, without a doubt, the most popular streaming site in the world. The service reinvented media consumption for everyone, and it’s difficult to find someone who hasn’t had a Netflix account at one time or another.
But although Netflix is indeed great, it’s also popular to eventually become bored with their offerings. Furthermore, Netflix has raised its price tag in the past and will likely do so again in the future. For these reasons and more, it’s smart to find good websites and streaming services like Netflix in case you decide to jump ship.
Table of Contents
Today, let’s break down the 19 best sites like Netflix. These streaming alternatives are sure to give you a good media fix if you decide to make a switch.
Paid Netflix Alternatives
There’s no denying that one of the biggest draws for Netflix is its low price. Anyone can access one of the widest catalogs of movies and TV even if they’re on a relatively tight budget since Netflix is still under $15 a month (though this price may rise over the next few years).
This being said, there are plenty of excellent Netflix alternatives that offer similar catalogs and up to thousands of different movies and shows for a similar price tag. Let’s break down some of the top streaming alternatives that you can get for a price similar to Netflix’s monthly subscription.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon has indeed expanded into practically every market, and Amazon Prime members can get free access to Prime Video. If you’re not a frequent Amazon shopper, you can get Video access for just $8.99 per month.
Ultimately, Video itself is a great bargain both for the asking price and what comes with it. The site comes with plenty of exclusive shows and several movie deals. But you’ll also be able to enjoy many popular TV shows and movies shortly after they come out.
This is especially true during the coronavirus pandemic, as movie studios are releasing films they would have otherwise brought to theaters exclusively to Amazon. In this way, Prime Video is a suitable replacement for heading to the theater while we’re all practicing social distancing.
It even has a bigger overall total of movies and TV, numbering about 18,000 compared to the 10,000 choices on Netflix.
Hulu
Hulu’s another great Netflix alternative and it’s available for a much lower monthly price of just $5.99 per month. Granted, this is only for the basic subscription that includes advertisements, so you’ll need to pay a much closer price tag of $11.99 per month if you want ad-free TV.
Regardless, this is a great price and Hulu has a wide selection of TV offerings. You can find most currencies and TV shows just the day after they air on regular TV. This is superior to what Netflix offers, as the service usually only airs episodes from past seasons, requiring you to wait for a new season of TV to show up to catch up.
Furthermore, Hulu provides tons of kids and sports shows: two areas where Netflix’s offerings are a little thin. Be aware, however, that you’re limited to one streaming device at a time, whereas Netflix allows multiple.
HBO Now
HBO Now was made famous because of Game of Thrones, but it’s still a solid subscription service alternative to Netflix. It offers all HBO content as soon as you sign up without having to pay extra for the channel or forcing you to sign up for a pricier cable channel package.
It’s $14.99 per month, which is a little pricey on its face. Students can benefit from a special discount package that costs $9.99 per month. The plus side is that streaming quality is usually quite good and all past and current episodes of favorite HBO shows are available immediately.
Even better, HBO Now includes a decent movie catalog, many of which aren’t available on Netflix or other streaming services. You can view content on a wide variety of devices, and even older Mac and Windows 7 computers.
Disney +
It’s no surprise that Disney + is already the biggest family-friendly streaming service. They’ve quickly become one of the most popular streaming platforms around thanks to their monopoly on Disney classic movies and old TV shows, as well as classic cartoons that many adults from this generation have fond memories for.
But more importantly, it’s also the only streaming service where you can get big tentpole movies from franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This includes any future shows or serialized content that both franchises may eventually create.
With all this value, the asking price is still quite reasonable at just $6.99 per month. You can alternatively pay $69.99 per year with an annual fee to save a couple of bucks in the long-term. The streaming service overall is smooth and advertisements are not included, save for ads for a few other Disney + shows and movies at the beginning of certain features.
MUBI
MUBI is a lesser-known but still phenomenal streaming site with a unique focus: independent, classic, award-winning, or cult films that come from all over the world. This makes it one of the best streaming services for movie buffs or those who like to spend their watching time on classic cinema rather than modern shows and movies.
It’s also very affordable at just $5.99 per month. The trick is that MUBI rotates a different selection of 30 movies every day. This hand-picked collection means that one day you might see a film you want to watch over the weekend, only for it to be gone the next day. Movies usually return at some point, but this can be a bit frustrating for those with busy schedules.
Regardless, there’s nowhere better to stream cult classics and in the movies straight to your screen, and it’s often much more affordable and user-friendly than trying to hunt down some of their films in the real world. It’s also much safer than torrenting old versions of classics.
Acorn TV
Acorn TV is another lesser-known streaming service and it focuses on movies and shows from Britain and other international locations. It’s also affordable at just $4.99 per month, so it’s a great choice if you appreciate British classics and BBC shows that you’d otherwise have to torrent or view through the use of a VPN.
Example shows include Call the Midwife, Doc Martin, Loch Ness, and more. It’s a much better alternative than waiting for these British shows to finally arrive on Netflix, as there’s usually a gap of several years between when the shows originally air across the pond and when they finally make their way to the USA.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a cable alternative, allowing you to pick certain cable channel packages for affordable prices instead of paying exorbitant prices for channels you’ll never watch. There are three packages in total: Orange, Blue, and Orange/Blue Combination.
- Orange is $20 a month and offers 28 channels, including many major sports channels, The Food Network, and other staples like HGTV.
- Blue is $25 a month and comes with 44 channels. The channels offered are totally different than what you find on Orange and include classics like History Channel, Cartoon Network, NBC Sports, AMC, and more.
- The combination package can be picked up for $40 a month, which is still significantly cheaper than most other cable packages on the market.
Regardless of the package you choose, there are aren’t any installation or rental fees since you don’t need any additional equipment – just stream the content straight to your TV or computer screen.
Showtime
Showtime, along with HBO, is one of the big premium streaming services based on a single channel. As a result, it also only provides proprietary shows and movies. But the plus side is that you can get all of this content without having to pick up Showtime as part of a larger and more expensive cable package.
Inscriptions start at just $10.99 per month. All current and any past episodes of any Showtime original series will be made available to you, plus some sports streams and offerings. The service allows you to watch content on a tablet, TV, or computer, and there are no commercials included whatsoever: a big bonus.
Like with HBO, though, Showtime is limited just by what’s offered by the channel itself. Thus, Showtime is best used as a supplementary subscription service to a more varied provider with deeper content catalogs, like Netflix or Hulu.
CBS All Access
This proprietary streaming service gives you access to all CBS hosted sporting events and CBS specific shows. There are four subscription plans in total:
- A monthly plan with limited commercials that costs $5.99 per month
- A similar monthly plan with no commercials for $9.99 per month
- An annual plan with limited commercials for $59.99 per year
- An annual plan with no commercials for $99.99 per year
Basically, either of the annual plans will save you a little money compared to paying for either option on a month-to-month basis.
The big draw the exclusive shows you can’t get anywhere else. Classics like NCIS, CSI, Big Bang Theory, and new Star Trek shows can only be viewed here. However, that also means that CBS All Access isn’t really worthwhile if you aren’t a fan of these programs.
Pureflix
As the name suggests (pure “flicks”), Pureflix provides a wide selection of movies with an emphasis on family-friendly content and entertainment that can be enjoyed by all age levels. This, as you might expect, includes a wide collection of Christian or faith-based movies and TV shows, numbering over 2000 total at the time of this writing.
The subscription price is pretty decent at $10.99 per month. You can alternatively pay a $99 annual fee with the first month free, and either choice comes with the ability to stream media content on up to six devices simultaneously, including TVs, mobile devices, and computers.
Ultimately, it’s a good alternative if you and your family mostly watch TV together and you don’t want your kids accidentally flipping to something more adult-oriented, like Game of Thrones reruns.
Fandor
Fandor is a streaming company founded in 2011. Now it offers over 6000 titles; these can range between popular genre films and more niche cinema picks for movie fanatics. As a result, it offers a great selection of both cult and mainstream films and media.
Genres vary from serious subjects like drama and war to lighter topics like comedy and adventure flicks. The bright side is that each genre has a deep vault of niche films – the longer you search, the more movies you are likely to encounter that you never heard of before. It’s a perfect site if you want to become more knowledgeable about cinema and don’t know where to start.
It’s $10 per month, or you can pay a $90 per year annual fee to save a little cash.
Vimeo On Demand
This newer streaming service provides a wide variety of media content ranging from films, TV shows, stand-up comedy performances, and even a few Vimeo original productions. As an on-demand service, it allows you to purchase items to watch whenever you like one at a time or download them for more frequent viewership.
Different films or show collections have variable prices, so this could alternatively be one of the most affordable or expensive streaming services you ever sign up for. Prices start as low as $2. It’s a good service primarily for the rarer and more niche media offerings available here. We’d mostly recommend it for TV buffs that want something unique and are tired of the run-of-the-mill Netflix and Hulu offerings.
Free Netflix Alternatives
While there are tons of excellent Netflix alternatives you can get for a price tag, you might also be interested in some free alternatives. While the movie and show catalogs available from free subscriptions or plans might not be quite as varied or deep, these services are still far superior to regular cable. Check out this article if you want tips on How To Watch Netflix for Free.
YouTube
YouTube is far from the quirky website where you can find unending cat videos. Now it’s an excellent free streaming alternative. We don’t even mean the illegal versions of films you can see from a shaky, handheld camera.
You can buy or rent tons of films straight from YouTube for really affordable prices: usually around a few dollars. These are one-time streams in most cases, although it’s quite possible to grow an excellent video library from YouTube.
As an aside, YouTube also has its own video streaming service called YouTube Red. This costs money and does have a few valuable productions and shows under its belt that you might want to check out.
Tubi TV
Tubi TV does require registration, even though it’s totally free. This means you might get advertisements or emails from time to time for special offers.
It’s a site largely based on Netflix’s own streaming interface, which does make it easy to navigate. It has a good selection of classic movies, such as A Fish Called Wanda, plus newer films, although it’s definitely not on the cutting edge of movie releases.
A specific “Indie” section is perfect for film buffs or those in the mood for quirkier entertainment. It’s also one of the easiest streaming services to access from game consoles like Xboxes or PlayStations.
Crackle
This free streaming site also requires you to register before you can enjoy free media content, but they have one of the best overall catalogs from a free site. Old-school television series like Who’s the Boss, Malcolm and Eddie, and 227 can be found without much effort, and hugely popular TV shows like Seinfeld add to the mix.
In terms of movies, you’ll find a decent spread of popular options like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and so on. The downside is that the overall catalogs election isn’t that large, so media-hungry viewers might burn throughout the content in a matter of months. But for an asking price of $0, that’s not such a bad thing.
Classic Cinema Online
Classic Cinema Online does exactly what it suggests: it provides access to free classic cinema choices, and many of these free movies are delights for everyone. Classic films like the 1954 version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which you simply can’t find anywhere else, are available whenever you like.
The streaming site is even better since all the films are separated by genre or category, making for easy navigation. For instance, the “War” section will take you to all types of war films, while a “Family” section includes a selection of classic cartoons and even some musicals.
Granted, the site’s free nature and the quality of the original prints means that the quality of the resulting streams can vary pretty dramatically. Some movies don’t have any film grain or stuttering at all, while others seem more like you’re watching the content through an old-school, fuzzy TV. Still, it’s hard to complain when all this content is available for no cost whatsoever!
Popcorn Flix
Popcorn Flix is a hugely popular free streaming site that has a wide variety of media content across several genres. You can find stuff about comedy, family, kids TV, drama, and even documentaries on this site. This being said, most of the classic cartoons or TV shows you might expect from tentpole streaming services are absent, leaving niche (and sometimes under-produced or badly made) content to be found.
We do think there’s a good selection of niche films for different genres. Keep in mind that many of these are for adult audiences alone, and there’s a distinct lack of warnings when it comes to content that may not be appropriate for kids. If you have a family, consider making access to this streaming site available to adults through parental controls.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a free streaming service that offers access to over 75 channels, covering a wide variety of genres and moods. Comedy shows, entertainment productions, geek or gaming shows, and even music and radio channels are all included. There’s also a distinct “Pluto Movies” channel where you can find independent flicks and some niche movies.
It’s also a streaming service that works with most devices, including mobile tablets, phones, smart TVs, and Windows and Mac computers.
Ultimately, it’s worthwhile largely because of the variety. It’s quite possible to find some old cartoons you remember from seeing as a kid here as opposed to more mainstream streaming services like Netflix.
Movies Found Online
This straightforward movie streaming service offers one of the widest selections of mature audience films. We’re not talking overly explicit content, but movies made with adult audiences in mind that sometimes carry particularly heavy subject matter.
Alongside regular films, high-quality documentaries like Johnny Cash: American Rebel and The Michael Jackson Story: The Man in the Mirror are a dime a dozen. Some TV series are offered as well, although the movie selection is likely what draws most viewers here.
Again, it’s definitely not a site for your kids to be visiting. But it could be a good streaming alternative for you and your spouse or adult friends when the Netflix catalog leaves you uninspired.
Conclusion
All in all, there are plenty of phenomenal website and streaming alternatives to Netflix if you’ve grown bored with their curated selections or need to tighten the financial belt for a little while. Be sure to check out several to see which becomes your new favorite!
