Best Streaming Service of 2022: Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and More – CNET

There’s a reason why Netflix has become shorthand for streaming in general. The veteran service evolved into the top-tier streaming service that’s a must-have in 2022. When big originals like Bridgerton drop, they grab the attention of millions of viewers along with critical praise and awards, giving us the closest thing to watercooler conversations we have nowadays. 

While Netflix has lost a couple of major back-catalog titles to other platforms — specifically TV series favorites The Office to Peacock and Friends to HBO Max — the streamer still offers a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its competitors. New shows and movies arrive each week, and 70 new original movies arrived on the Netflix platform in 2021 alone. And the company doesn’t mind catering to different tastes with gaming options and categories for kids, anime and foreign language titles from all over the globe. 

Starting at $10 a month for basic, its price is in the middle of the TV service pack, and its standard plan bumped up to $15.50 per month, which includes HD and two simultaneous streams. Recently, Netflix announced future plans to offer ad-supported price plans for members who want to pay less. But for the variety you get (and no commercials ever), it’s still a top pick.

Like:

• Simple interface that’s easy to navigate
• Solid recommendation system
• Abundant catalog of licensed movies, shows and originals like Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy and The Gray Man.

Don’t like:

• Expensive subscription plans

Read our Netflix review.

Disney Plus is one of Netflix’s closest competitors — for good reason. The streaming platform launched in late 2019 and has amassed nearly 130 million subscribers. It’s the only place where you can stream the vast majority of the Disney and Pixar libraries, along with every Star Wars movie, Marvel films and new original TV shows, National Geographic content and 31 seasons of The Simpsons. While The Mandalorian was its first breakout series, its slate of Marvel shows, including WandaVision and Loki, have since drawn millions of viewers. Features such as Turning Red and Encanto won rave reviews. Plus, there’s lots more Star Wars and Marvel original programming coming in the next few years. 

At the current price of $8 a month, Disney Plus is still one of the least expensive ad-free streaming TV choices and a great value. We consider it a must-have if you have kids or are a fan of any of its other titles (and who isn’t a fan of Baby Yoda?). 

On Dec. 8 the price for the ad-free version will jump $3, to $11 a month, and Disney will roll out the ad-supported version of Disney Plus for $8 per month. At the same time it will add additional bundles, the cheapest of which is a new $10-a-month plan that combines Disney Plus and Hulu, both with ads.

Like:

• Huge library that includes Loki, Doctor Strange 2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Moon Knight and Luca 
• Ad-free with reasonable monthly price (for now)
• Adjustable content rating system

Don’t like:

• Extended waits for new or original releases

Read our Disney Plus review.

For $7 a month (with ads), Hulu is a perfect complement and counterpoint to Netflix. Its channel lineup has a huge variety of familiar shows from networks like ABC, Fox and CBS that you can watch soon after they air (unlike on Netflix), as well as a growing catalog of its own critically acclaimed original series like The Handmaid’s Tale and PEN15. If you have $7 a month to spare and don’t mind trading a few ads for a wealth of TV options, Hulu is a no-brainer. You’ve also got the option to upgrade to a no-ads plan for $13 a month, or add on live TV streaming for $70 a month for a full cable replacement.

On Oct. 10 the price for Hulu with ads will increase $1, to $8 a month, and the ad-free version will increase $1, to $15 a month. 

Like:

• Low monthly price
• Access to network shows and originals like Abbott Elementary, The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, The Kardashians, Love Island
• New episodes available almost immediately
• Option to get the Disney Bundle

Don’t like:

• Smaller catalog of originals than its rivals
• Menus are sometimes hard to navigate

Read our Hulu review.

HBO Max is a well-designed app full of popular TV shows and movies. It has HBO’s entire library, DC Universe titles, along with favorites such as Friends, Rick and Morty, Sesame Street, the Lord of the Rings movies and almost every Studio Ghibli film. And it’s the primary destination for new Warner Brothers-owned feature films. It’s not Disney Plus, but HBO Max has a solid streaming collection for kids too, with the ability to control ratings on kids’ profiles better than most other services. 

At $10 a month, it sits next to Netflix at the higher end of the streaming spectrum, and if you prefer the ad-free experience, the cost jumps up to $15 per month. In general, HBO Max is ramping up its new originals, and we expect that to increase over time. Though its 8.0 rating is neck-and-neck with Prime Video, HBO Max consistently drops new releases, possesses a large back catalog and offers smooth, user-friendly features.

Like:

• Slick interface
• Loads of content for all, including The Batman, Harry Potter, and TV series Hacks, Teen Titans and Our Flag Means Death
• Reliable, customizable parental controls

Don’t like:

Pricier subscriptions, even with ads

Read our HBO Max review.

Amazon’s Prime Video features lots of ad-free, quality original shows and movies, an impressive back catalog of older favorites (and B-movies you haven’t heard of) and NFL on Thursday nights. And if you’re a New York Yankees fan, you can even stream live MLB games for the 2022 season. 

It lacks the catalogs of Netflix and Hulu, and the star power of Disney’s streaming platform, and I found its menus more confusing since there’s some paid content mixed in with free content. Prime Video’s new redesign aims to cut down on that confusion with clearer labeling and menu updates, and the upgrades will soon be available for every global customer. For millions of Prime subscribers, the Prime Video channel is already included at no extra cost. If you’re interested in checking out any of its originals like the upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel or its large movie selection, it may even be worth paying the stand-alone $9 a month TV service fee (if you don’t have Amazon Prime).

Like:

• Included in with Prime membership
• Large selection of movies and TV shows like The Boys, The Wheel of Time, Hunters, Reacher
• Offline downloads

Don’t like:

• Confusing search process and menus
• Free and paid content stacked together

Read our Amazon Prime Video review.

Priced below Netflix at $9 per month, Starz provides a unique but expanding library of films and original shows. With more than 800 movies in its bank that range from ’80s classics to Westerns to the hottest new Sony releases like Spider-Man: No Way Home, the streamer houses every genre in its catalog. But Starz has been inching its way into the prestige TV market with a quality lineup of original programming.

It’s best known for the Power universe, Outlander and The White Queen, and the network stands apart by promoting diversity and representation in its originals, elevating the voices of women and people of color. As a Lionsgate-owned company, Starz also airs the studio’s movies and shows — like John Wick and Saw. While you can’t stream feature films as day-and-date releases, Starz recently inked a deal with Universal to broadcast its 2022 and beyond lineup. That includes flicks such as Jurassic World Dominion, Halloween Ends, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Oppenheimer. For $9 a month, the Starz app gives you unlimited downloads, early access to new TV show episodes, and four simultaneous streams, all with no ads disrupting your viewing experience. Whether you want to stream blockbuster movies, documentaries, original series, or something for kids, Starz is worth the cost.

Like:

• Quality TV shows like P-Valley, Power Book IV: Force, Gaslit, Shining Vale and movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• New episodes drop early on the app
• Unlimited downloads

Don’t like:

• Playback issues on some phones

Read our Starz review.

ESPN Plus is a great streaming service for the tried-and-true sports fans, especially those who follow the NHL, MLS and UFC. This is because ESPN Plus is the new home of all out-of-market National Hockey League games, while also offering out-of-market MLS soccer matches, along with those from other soccer leagues around the world. It hosts exclusive UFC matches and pay-per-view events, such as UFC Fight Night and championship bouts (for additional fees).

Hockey and MLS fans who root for teams that aren’t based where they currently live need ESPN’s streaming service to watch their team’s action. The service won’t be of much use, however, to fans of the home teams. Local games are blacked out on ESPN Plus so you’ll need access to your regional sports network through cable or a live TV streaming service in order to watch them. But there’s good news for golf fans: ESPN Plus will livestream the PGA Tour in 2022 with more than 4,000 hours of exclusive footage. PGA Tour Live will provide coverage for more than 30 events from January through the fall. 

ESPN Plus doesn’t show live NFL or NBA games, however, and while its vast library of original programming is impressive, it’s difficult to navigate. While the $7 a month, $70 per year service is best suited for die-hard fans of the sports it covers well, more casual fans might find themselves with an ESPN Plus subscription anyway through the Disney Bundle, which also includes Hulu and Disney Plus for $14 total. Getting the bundle saves $7 a month over the cost of each individual service, so in essence, you get ESPN Plus for free.

On Aug. 23 the price for standalone ESPN Plus will increase to $10 a month, although the price of the Disney Bundle will remain the same until December. At that point the least-expensive version of the Disney Bundle with ESPN Plus will include Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus with ads for $13 a month.

Like:

• ESPN originals
• Plenty to watch for NHL, UFC and MLS fans

Don’t like:

• Missing live broadcasts for NFL and NBA

Read our ESPN Plus review.

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock has one major advantage over its peers: It has a free, ad-supported tier with about 13,000 hours of shows, movies, news and live sports. You can upgrade to premium for $5 a month (with ads) or premium plus for $10 a month (with no ads) to unlock more content, including every season of fan favorites like the TV series The Office and Parks and Recreation, as well as live Premier League soccer matches and WWE events. Because NBC ended its deal with Hulu, new episodes of its shows will stream exclusively on Peacock, beginning this fall. Other upcoming moves for 2022 include new movie premieres 45 days after their theatrical releases.

Peacock drops in the rankings due to its lack of mobile downloads for its non-premium plus tiers and 4K HDR streaming, which most of its competitors offer. But it doesn’t hurt to try out the free version — all you need to sign up is an email address.

Like:

• Free tier
• Stream Yellowstone, The Voice, Chicago Fire, live sports, The Real Housewives franchise or originals like Bel-Air
• Decent selection of movies 

Don’t like:

• No offline downloads for mobile
• Paywall prevents access full seasons
• Peacock Premium has ads, not the best value

Read our Peacock review.

Paramount Plus brings together live news and sports with on-demand shows and movies, including originals, leaning on parent company ViacomCBS’ brands like popular channels CBS, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network, plus its Paramount Pictures movie studio. 

The service has a ton of content: 30,000 episodes of TV and 2,500 movies, plus dozens of original series arriving this year, for either $5 a month (with ads) or $10 a month (ad-free). Two of its biggest draws from its CBS All Access days include the Star Trek catalog and new originals like Star Trek: Discovery and Picard, and the series The Good Fight. Buzz-worthy originals include two Yellowstone spinoffs (though Yellowstone itself is on rival Peacock), a Star Trek animated show, a series based on Halo, and new movies like Mission: Impossible 7 arriving 45 days after theaters. But right now, its main value lies in nostalgia: You can watch just about every old Nickelodeon show, Comedy Central stand-up specials and popular series ranging from Frasier and Cheers to SpongeBob SquarePants and Young Sheldon. Additionally, Paramount Plus launched a Live Channels feature which enables subscribers to watch curated content in special categories. Check out channels for Star Trek, CBS Sports HQ, Paw Patrol, and more with either subscription plan. 

Currently, new subscribers can receive a seven-day free trial.

Like:

• Large selection of reality shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, kids’ content from Nickelodeon, and access to CBS hits NCIS, Young Sheldon
• Streams major movies like Scream 5, Top Gun: Maverick soon after release
• Inexpensive monthly price

Don’t like:

• Few originals outside of Evil, Yellowstone: 1883, Halo and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Not much 4K HDR content

Read our Paramount Plus review.

At $5 a month, Apple TV Plus is the lowest-priced premium, ad-free streaming service available, with high-end features like 4K resolution, HDR and mobile downloads. However, it’s also the only service on this list that includes only original content, and no back catalog of shows or movies to explore. While it now has more than 50 exclusive, big-budget original programming shows and movies, only a few have captured widespread attention, such as Ted Lasso and Severance, while CODA won Best Picture among other Oscars. Though the service is branching out with additions like live MLB baseball on Fridays, its library is far smaller than any of the others on this list. 

The app is also confusing because it’s housed in the larger Apple TV app with other content. However, Apple TV Plus has one big advantage: There are a lot of ways to get it for free, at least for a while. If you’re a degree-seeking college student, a new purchaser of an Apple device, or someone who subscribes to the Apple One bundle, you can snag a long-term free trial of Apple TV Plus.

Like:

• Ted Lasso, and prestige shows like Pachinko, Foundation, The Morning Show, Severance
• No ads
• All originals stream with 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
• Cheap monthly rate

Don’t like:

• Small selection of titles
• Lack of older content
• No Android support

Read our Apple TV Plus review.