These days, more viewers than ever are choosing to cut the cords and get their TV fix from online streaming services – and it’s not hard to see why. Many of the best streaming services have extensive online libraries to suit all tastes, competitive pricing and the ability to stream whenever you want. It’s no surprise TV streaming services continue to grow at an exceptional rate and more people are now moving on to cord cutting streaming options.

There’s no trade-off for quality here either. The likes of Hulu and Netflix feature much of their own, original content, as well as lots of classic television that’s been licensed from cable TV counterparts.

Right now the competition is fierce. You’ve got your cable alternatives, like Netflix and Amazon. There’s also HBO Now for your Game of Thrones addiction, and if you're a wannabe cord cutter that needs live TV without big monthly bills, Hulu, YouTube TV and Sling TV can replace it.

The big news in streaming services is that Disney is set to shake up the scene soon with Disney+. The new Disney owned subscription service will be sure to host a big helping of Marvel, Star Wars and a host of other content.

To help you choose from the best TV streaming services out there, we've put together this guide to the essentials and how to finally cut the cords to your TV and go completely online with your streaming.

1. Netflix

The best of the best when it comes to online TV streaming

Compatible devices: Android, Apple, Windows, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs Free trial: 1 month Simultaneous streams: 1-4

If you're a connoisseur of movies and/or TV, there's only one must-have player in town and that's Netflix. It is, unequivocally, the biggest and best streaming service, despite not always stocking its digital shelves with must-have new movies and TV; that said, this is the staple streamer you need to own if you ever plan on cutting the cord and surviving without it.

These days, most smart TVs have Netflix apps and finding a streaming box without it is the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack. The quality of the movies and TV we tried – mostly streamed in Ultra HD – on both TV and on tablets is exquisite.

Since launching its own content in 2013, Netflix's originals library has swelled to an enormous size, boasting dozens of award-winning shows including Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, The Crown, Master of None, House of Cards and a bunch of Marvel shows like Luke Cage, Daredevil and Jessica Jones - you can see our pick of the best Netflix series in the US.

The impending launch of Disney+ looks set to take a good chunk of Disney-owned properties off the service, though – Disney own LucasFilm, Marvel, and Pixar, after all – so the library might start feeling less colorful pretty soon.

Subscription costs have just gone up by $1-2 a month, with the basic plan at $9, HD plan at $13, and 4K Premium plan at $16. But don't forget you can also give Netflix a spin with the 1-month free trial to see if it's worth your money.

Verdict: 5/5

2. Amazon Prime video

A strong selection of both popular films and TV

Compatible devices: Android, Apple, Windows, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 1 month Simultaneous streams: 3

Amazon and Netflix are two sides of the same coin. That's not to say they're identical – they're not – but the differences are few and far between.

Like Netflix, Amazon Prime video has its own set of original series - Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, and Mr Robot among others - but, generally speaking, they don't receive the same fanfare as their Netflix-bred brethren.

Although Netflix is as guilty as dud programming as the rest of them, it's worth mentioning Amazon Prime does get some pretty terrible new additions from time to time. So always check out guide to the best Amazon Prime TV shows before you dive in head-first.

The two big differentiators between the services are the fact that access to Amazon's streaming service comes standard with a subscription to Amazon Prime – meaning access to Amazon Music and premium delivery services – and Amazon has its own proprietary set-top box, the $69 Amazon Fire TV.

As far as its cost, a subscription to Amazon Prime will run up around $10.99 per month, just under Netflix's basic plan, though there's also a 30-day free trial so you don't have to pony up any money when you first start.

Prime Instant Video is available for PC and Mac, the Kindle Fire HD, iPad, Xbox One, PS4, internet-enabled TVs and Blu-ray players, Sony's Home Cinema system, Sony's Network Media Player and myriad other minor devices that will go unmentioned.

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Verdict: 5/5

3. Hulu

The go-to for big name TV shows

Best non dairy milk brands. Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 1 month Simultaneous streams: 1

Video streaming service Hulu offers big-name titles like The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, and South Park alongside a huge number of titles from NBC, FOX and Comedy Central. It's also the only streaming service app on the Nintendo Switch aside from the newly-included Youtube app.

Hulu comes in two flavors: the standard on-demand streaming service you've always known and loved, and the new Hulu with Live TV -to learn more you can read our full Hulu review here.

The former works well and is well worth its cost of entry – especially since Hulu's price cut brought the monthly subscription to only $5.99. Sure, it'll air with a few advertisements, but it's nothing you're not used to coming from traditional cable. On the homepage you'll find highlighted shows based on your past visits to the site as well as curated content from Hulu HQ. This includes game trailers, new movie trailers, popular clips from last week's new episodes as well as a few themed playlists. You can sign up for a free trial on its website.

The other option on the table is Hulu with Live TV, a cable alternative that will run you around $40 a month – which is, unfortunately, limited to the US. The service lives up to its name by offering you a bevy of live TV channels and 50 hours cloud DVR service and two simultaneous screens. This is a bit less than the next contender on our list – YouTube TV – which offers more screens and unlimited DVR space.

The biggest problem with Hulu is that it lets users run head first into the paywall, keeping you from the content you're most apt to pay for.

Some call this good business. Some call it extortion. Wherever you stand on the subject the fact that you get so much free content upfront means that the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' definitely does not apply here.

Verdict: 4/5

4. PlayStation Vue

Live TV channels on a variety of platforms

Compatible devices: PS4, PS3, Roku players, Amazon Fire stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Chrome, Safari, FireFox, Android, iOS, Google Chromecast Free trials: 5 days Simultaneous streams: 5

Unlike some of the other options on this list, PlayStation isn't exactly synonymous with TV streaming. But the giant of gaming has stepped out of its comfort zone and taken a leap into the world of TV, quite successfully we might add.

Launching PlayStation Vue way back in 2015, PlayStation has been trying to compete with the big names of streaming like Netflix and Hulu for a few years now but until recently, the service hasn't had much to offer.

Jump forward to 2019 and PlayStation Vue has become a competing force in the cord-cutting scene. Offering a range of packages from basic live TV to premium channels including HBO, Showtime and NFL Redzone. And not just for PlayStation owners, either.

PlayStation Vue is one of the more fluid options on this list in terms of devices you can use, allowing for up to five simultaneous streams on a huge variety of platforms. It combines this with one of the best interfaces available and a huge variety of channels. But unfortunately with all these features comes a price tag on the higher end of TV streaming services.

Verdict 4/5

5. YouTube TV

Live TV streaming without the hassle

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Roku, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 7-30 days Simultaneous streams: 6

Ask someone what they think was the biggest internet revolution of the 21st century and they'll probably say it was YouTube. And with good reason – the user-generated video-blogging site has changed the online landscape forever.

It lets anyone, however well known they are (or not), whatever the quality of their content and wherever they hail from, upload their weird and wonderful videos for anyone around the world to watch at their convenience. The beauty of YouTube is that in the blink of an eye it's taken the broadcasting power from the bigwigs and placed it right in our hands.

OK, so it might not have stopped people wanting to watch a high quality, professionally made production in their living room TVs, but it's an insight into how TV might be produced in the future. After all with YouTube you don't need a big budget – or indeed any budget at all – to produce your own TV series and establish a massive following.

While the free portion of YouTube will always remain the most popular (the latest statistic says that a whopping eight years' worth of content is uploaded each and every day to the site), but if you're looking for quality content, YouTube TV is also an excellent option worth considering.

A subscription to YouTube TV is on the expensive side at $40 a month, but you're treated to a fair amount of content – around 60 channels replete with cloud DVR functionality. The service is available only in the US for now, however, and even here it's only available in around 100 markets around the country. Still, if you're lucky enough to be in one of those areas, it's the best live TV streaming service out there right now.

Verdict: 4/5

6. HBO Now and HBO Go

Game of Thrones, The Wire, Silicon Valley - what's not to love?

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Roku, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 7 days Simultaneous streams: 3

As a streaming service with ties to more traditional broadcasting models, HBO Go requires you to have a paid cable subscription to access its content. If you've got one of those, subscribing to HBO Go is an absolute no-brainer – it's free for you! Go on, download it right now and put our word to the test.

If borrowing mom and dad's cable account info isn't in the cards and the ominous cable bill is too threatening to even consider, there's HBO Now, a $15 per month service that gives you access to HBO's entire content library.

Alongside the new shows of Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley and West World you'll also find heaps of big-budget films, new and old, and the stable of HBO classics like The Sopranos, Deadwood, Oz, True Blood, Sex in the City, Rome and The Pacific. The service doesn't get as many updates as say, Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon do, but episodes are typically added within hours of them airing on cable.

HBO is a bit more selective about which device it interfaces with than Netflix and YouTube, but so far you can find it on Amazon Fire TV, Android/iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and the whole line of Samsung Smart TVs.

Verdict: 4/5

7. Sling TV

More affordable than YouTube TV but not as good

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Roku, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 7 days Simultaneous streams: 3

Sling TV is a kind of cure-all for the cord-cutting generation, something that we knew we needed but no company stepped up to make. That said, it's everything cable's not. It's affordable. It's no-obligation. And there are absolutely zero sales reps trying to stop you from cancelling your contract. Best of all, you won't have to give up some of the perks cable provided in the last few years like the ability to pause live TV or watch something that aired up to 72 hours ago.

We've spoken at length about Sling TV in our review but in case you missed it, here's what you need to know: Sling TV is live TV streaming from DISH whenever and wherever. But unlike traditional cable or satellite, there's no contracts, no equipment and no costly bill at the end of the month.

But let's get down to brass tacks. $20 a month gets you a TON of cable channels - ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Travel Channel, CNN, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, Disney Channel and AMC, and many, many more.

If the included channels aren't enough, Sling TV sells nine add-on packages for $5 a month that add around five channels each and focus on a particular theme (International News, Latino Programming, etc..) . Sling TV makes it in to our best sports streaming sites guide, too.

Sling TV is available on iOS, Android,Amazon Fire TV andAmazon Fire TV Stick,Xbox One and Roku TV, plus select LG and Samsung smart TVs and on PC and Mac via the website portal.

It's not without limitations, however. The standard Sling TV package, called Sling TV Orange, while available on a plethora of mobile and living room gadgets, will only work on one device at a time and, admittedly, at $20 per month doesn't present the same content-to-dollar ratio that Netflix or Prime Instant Video provide.

Verdict: 3.5/5

8. Crunchyroll

A one-stop shop for all of your anime needs

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Roku, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Smart TVs Free trials: 7 days Simultaneous streams: 3-4

Call us crazy but there's something endearing about a streaming service that knows exactly what its audience wants. Crunchyroll is the streaming service any anime, manga or East-Asian cinema fan in your life has always wanted and never knew about.

Founded by Berkeley graduates back in 2006, Crunchyroll started as a bootleg website of sorts where users uploaded their favorite shows without permission of the original owners. Not the humblest of beginnings. Fast-forward to 2015 where the service has over five million community members, 200 series available on tap and is worth, when last checked, $100 million.

While you won't find genre staples like Dragon Ball Z, Digimon or Pokémon around, most of the site's 200-plus series are available to watch for free in SD, typically prefaced with a 20-second advert. Watching any content in full 1080p HD requires a $6.95 monthly subscription to the service, just be sure to check out the 14-day free trial before you begin.

Besides the slick web interface, Crunchyroll is available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, Google TV and Samsung and Panasonic's line of Smart TVs.

Verdict: 3.5/5

9. Twitch

Free streaming of game playthroughs, musicians and so much more

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Xbox, Google Chromecast, Apple, Nvidia Shield Free trials: N/A Simultaneous streams: Unlimited

For a certain crowd, Twitch (formerly known as Justin.tv) is about the best invention since sliced bread. Essentially it's a livestreaming platform that focuses primarily on videogames where you can find everything from world tournament coverage to someone muddling their way through that indie darling you had your eye on buying.

It's not traditional by any means, but you'll find plenty to see and do on Twitch. Best of all the app is free on almost any platform you can think of: iOS, Android, Xbox One, PS4, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV … you name it, it probably has a Twitch app. You can read more about Twitch here.

Twitch may be limited to a niche audiences of gamers at the moment, but the platform clearly shows promise. Amazon bought the service wholesale in December of last year for a cool $970 million. Whether you count it as real TV programming, however, is another question.

Verdict: 3/5

10. iTunes / Google Play Store

Commitment-free streaming of the best TV and movies

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Chromecast, Android TV Free trials: N/A Simultaneous streams: 10

Second-to-last on our list are iTunes and its Android counterpart, the Google Play Store.

Every other entry on this list has one factor going for it – it's either free or offers a buffet-style, all-you-can-stream option. Apple and Google's primary storefronts don't offer that.

Payment is always done per title – which makes sense when you want to stream, say, the latest movie once per month – but is one of the most illogical ways to consume media if you plan on binge-watching anything.

That said, they're not all bad. In fact, there's no better way to own a digital copy of your favorite film or TV series than to buy it off one of these. Its ability to transfer any movies or TV shows straight to your mobile device makes these two of the slickest staples in the streaming world. Didn't have time to finish that movie on your desktop last night? Save it to your iPad and watch the rest of it on the way to work the following morning. Easy.

iTunes isn't perfect, we'll admit. It's a little bit clunky and slow at times, while Windows aficionados will baulk at the need to install Apple software just to get access to something you want to watch. Conversely, the Google Play Store will have you shelling out $3.99 for an SD version of a film that came out years ago, even if it's available elsewhere for free.

But that's the real Marmite bit of these e-commerce services. You pay to play or you can take your business elsewhere.

Verdict: 2.5/5

• For a less committed option, head over to the Google Play Store or to iTunes

11. Crackle

A free streaming service with a rotating hit or miss collection of films

Compatible devices: Apple, Android, Windows, Chromecast, Android TV, Amazon Firestick, Google Chromecast, Xbox, Playstation, Blu-ray players Free trials: N/A Simultaneous streams: unlimited

While creating this list, we gave some serious thought to leaving Crackle off completely. With a poor selection and even poorer streaming quality you'd be forgiven for never knowing about Sony Pictures Entertainment's unfortunate streaming offshoot.

Crackle offers a rotating selection of a few dozen films from motion picture studios' archives that focus on six categories: action, comedy, crime, drama, horror and sci-fi. One month you might see a kitsch classic like Ghostbusters, while the next you won't be as fortunate and will only find a few throw-away films from the '90s. Warning: Each film is streamed in standard definition, and a tiny ad floats at the bottom of the screen throughout the entirety of your stay.

What helped it make the cut? Its price. Streaming any one of the few dozen movies and TV shows found on Crackle's website is completely free, no strings attached. Keep in mind that advertisements pop up before each movie starts, and expect a few intermittently throughout the film.

Should you choose to endure it, Crackle is available on iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Nook, Kindle, Roku, PlayStation TV, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, most Blu-ray players, smart TVs, game consoles including the PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita, online and T-Mobile TV.

Verdict: 1.5/5

• Best set-top box: the top six streaming media players for 4K and HD TV reviewed
• More interested in sport? Check out our pick of the best sports streaming sites
• Watch your favorite TV from anywhere with our guide to the best VPN

Use this info to find the best sources for movies and your favorite TV series

In the early days of video streaming services, your choice was simple: Get Netflix. It’s more complicated now, with Netflix battling other well-known subscription services, such as Amazon Prime and Hulu, as well as upstarts, including Acorn, DirecTV Now, Sling TV, and T-Mobile TVision Home.

If you watch only a few movies or shows each month, it probably makes the most sense to opt for a pay-per-view service, such as Amazon Video, FandangoNow, or Vudu.

But if you watch a lot of programs or movies, or you’re looking to cut back on—or cut off—your pay-TV service, subscription services may be the best deal. They offer an all-you-can-watch buffet of streaming content, often at a price well below what most of us spend each month for pay TV.

It’s not always easy to untangle your choices, though. This guide to the major video streaming services should help. (We have advice on choosing a smart TV or a streaming media device, too.)

We’ll be adding new services as they emerge, so keep checking back for updates.

Acorn TV

Price: $5 per month or $50 per year.

Who it’s best for: Lovers of British TV fare. Goodies include TV dramas (“A Place to Call Home”), mysteries (“Agatha Raisin”), and comedies.

Latest news: Acorn TV is now available on Comcast’s Xfinity X1 cable box, accessible via Xfinity on Demand, and on the go via the Xfinity Stream app. Among the exclusives on the service is “Jack Irish,” an Aussie noir thriller starring Guy Pearce. Also in the mix: “The Witness for the Prosecution,” an original Agatha Christie movie with Kim Cattrall.

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Amazon Prime Video

Price: $119 per year or $13 per month, with free shipping. A video-only subscription costs $9 per month.

Who it’s best for: Anyone who’s already paying for an Amazon Prime membership. The service now has a solid roster of original shows, including “Z: The Beginning of Everything” and “The Grand Tour.” Amazon Prime has some exclusive series, such as “Downton Abbey” and “The Americans,” plus HBO’s back catalog of shows. You can add HBO, Showtime, and other premium channels for $9 to $15 per month.

Latest news: Amazon and Google have apparently ended their long-standing feud. As part of a new deal, Amazon Prime Video will soon be available on Google's Chromecast and Android TV devices. In return, Google's YouTube, Tube Kids, and YouTube TV will soon be available on Amazon's Fire TV devices.

A new Amazon original mystery series called “Homecoming” stars Julia Roberts as a former government caseworker struggling with the truth about her old job. You can also catch a 10-episode anthology series, “Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams.” The company has picked up the sci-fi epic “The Expanse” for a fourth season after its cancellation by the SyFy channel. But perhaps the biggest news is that the company is working on a new “The Lord of the Rings” prequel, which should hit Prime Video by 2021. Also on tap: “The Hunt,” from Oscar winner Jordan Peele, and “Utopia,” from “Gone Girl” author Gillian Flynn.

AT&T WatchTV

Price: Free for AT&T Unlimited and Unlimited Premium wireless subscribers, $15 per month for everyone else.

Who it’s best for: AT&T phone subscribers with unlimited plans—either Unlimited & More or Unlimited & More Premium—or those who don’t want to pay for sports and can get by with a limited channel lineup.

Latest news: AT&T WatchTV is the company’s newest streaming offering. (The company also offers the DirecTV Now streaming service.) It has about 30 live channels but no local broadcasts. In addition to Turner fare such as Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, Turner Classic Movies, and TNT, the lineup includes AMC, A&E, Discover, Food Network, HGTV, IFC, and TLC. And AT&T says Viacom channels such as BET, Comedy Central, Nicktoons, and VH1 will be added soon. WatchTV also offers more than 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand.

CBS All Access

Price: $6 per month with ads or $10 per month ad-free.

Who it’s best for: Cord cutters looking for major-network fare without using an antenna. The service provides full-length episodes of CBS programs, plus live programming streams of local CBS affiliates in 124 markets. CBS All Access also includes complete back catalogs of most of its current series.

Latest news: CBS and the NFL have extended and expanded their deal, which now runs through 2022. As a result, CBS All Access subscribers will get the NFL on CBS schedule. And you’ll now be able to stream the games on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

Earlier, CBS executives said there would be six or seven new original series on CBS All Access in the next 12 months. And the company said that later this year it will launch two new streaming services, CBS Sports HQ and Entertainment Tonight.

The company reports that there are now a combined 5 million subscribers to its two paid streaming services, CBS All Access and Showtime, roughly split half and half. Some of the rising numbers can be traced to the series “Star Trek: Discovery.” That series started off free on broadcast TV, but the remainder of the episodes can be seen only on CBS All Access. In addition to “Star Trek: Discovery,” original series include “The Good Fight,” the sequel to “The Good Wife.”

The Criterion Channel

Price: $11 per month or $100 for an annual subscription.

Who it’s best for: Rising out of the ashes of the now shuttered FilmStruck, the Criterion Channel classic movie streaming service offers “constantly refreshed selections of Hollywood, international, art-house, and independent movies, plus access to Criterion’s entire streaming library of more than 1,000 important classic and contemporary films from around the world,” according to the company.

Latest news: The new service kicked off in early April. You can access the Criterion Channel via desktop, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku streaming players, plus iOS and Android mobile devices.

The stand-alone Criterion Channel is the result of a special deal with WarnerMedia, which shut down the FilmStruck streaming service late last year. The Criterion Collection film library, which had been part of that service, is also expected to be included in a new WarnerMedia streaming service later this year. (See below for more details.)

DirecTV Now

Price: $50 to $70 per month.

Who it’s best for: Until recently, anyone who wants DirecTV but not the satellite dish. Thanks to recent plan revisions, it may have less universal appeal, given that some channels have been removed. (See below.) The $50-per-month DirecTV Now Plus has about 40 channels, and the $70-per-month DirecTV Now Max has about 50 channels, plus Cinemax and a number of sports channels, including regional sports. Both plans now also include HBO, which was previously a $5-per-month add-on. (AT&T now owns HBO as a result of its acquisition of Time Warner.) Both services include a cloud DVR with 20 hours of free storage and support two simultaneous users. You can add an additional user for an extra $5 monthly.

Latest news: In a surprise move that appears related to cost cutting, AT&T has let DirecTV Now and U-verse TV customers know it's dropping the NFL Network. It will continue to be available to regular DirecTV satellite TV subscribers.

This latest move follows a recent overhaul of the DirecTV Now streaming service, where AT&T is hiking rates by $10 per month, cutting the number of plan options, and pulling some popular channels from the lineup. Those who already have an older DirecTV Now plan get to keep it and their current channel lineup, but they’ll also get the $10 price hike.

With the revised plans, new DirecTV Now subscribers can choose between two options, down from five previously.

Though DirecTV is adding HBO to its packages, it's trimmed several popular channels from the new plans, including A+E Networks, AMC Networks, and Discovery Communications. But it just added Viacom networks, including BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon, which had been missing from the new plans.

AT&T says it will have a total of five streaming services up and running by the end of this year, including a new Netflix-style service. One will reportedly be a beefier 4K version of DirecTV Now, with more channels and a lower price. But it looks like you’ll need an AT&T box, not an Apple TV or a Roku, to use it.

ESPN+

Price: $5 per month or $50 per year for the basic service. You can pay an additional $25 per month each for the full MLB.TV baseball and NHL hockey seasons.

Who it’s best for: Hardcore sports junkies looking to add out-of-market baseball and hockey games to their menus, college sports fans who want a broader assortment of collegiate sports than they can get with traditional TV, or those who have an interest in niche sports, such as rugby and cricket. It will also have documentaries and scripted series.

Latest news: ESPN+ just launched, and it’s now part of the main ESPN app. It’s available for Android and iOS mobile devices, Apple TV, and Chromecast media streamers. You can also watch it online at ESPN.com. We assume there will be more device support—smart TVs, and perhaps Roku and Amazon Fire TV media streamers—in the future. Some early shows include an original “30 for 30” film called “The Last Days of Knight,” about the Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight, and “Detail,” where Kobe Bryant gets into the minds of basketball players as he analyzes the previous day’s game.

FilmStruck

FilmStruck, which offered indie, art-house, and classic movies as part of a joint venture between Turner Classic Movies and the Criterion Collection, has now been closed. However, Criterion has launched its own classic-movie service, called the Criterion Channel. (See above for more details.)

FuboTV

Price: $55 per month for about 90 channels for the base package, up to $75 a month for an Ultra Plan with more than 110 channels.

Who it’s best for: Sports fans looking for a streaming alternative. This sports-centric service offers a mix of live and on-demand channels from broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC in most markets), cable channels (A&E, Bravo, FX, SyFy, and USA), and sports networks (BeIn Sports, FS1, Golf Channel, and NBA TV). With the addition of TNT and TBS from Turner, you also get NBA and NCAA basketball, Major League Baseball, and PGA golf. There's also a robust roster of regional sports networks—including those from NBC, Fox, and Yes—for local-team action, including MLB and NHL games. The service comes with a free cloud DVR, plus a 72-hour “look back” feature that lets you replay most programs that appeared in the previous three days.

Latest news: With Fubo adding channels from AMC, Turner (Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, and TNT), and soon Viacom (BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon), the company is hiking the price of its base plan by $10 to $55 a month for new subscribers.It provides more than 90 channels, a cloud DVR with 30 hours of storage, and up to two simultaneous users.

Fubo also raised the monthly price to $55 for current subscribers who didn't get an increase in 2019. (Those who got new plans last year already received a price hike.) At that price, subscribers also get more cloud DVR storage—500 hours—and access to the service for three simultaneous users.

Fubo also offers three bundle plans, all with 500 hours of cloud DVR storage. With the $60-a-month Family package, you get about 90 channels and three simultaneous users. The Entertainment plan costs $70 a month and adds nine Showtime channels, but you're limited to streaming on two devices at one time. With the $80-a-month Ultra plan, you get three simultaneous users, the Showtime channels, plus 20 additional entertainment channels and 18 more sports channels.

Right now, Fubo is giving new subscribers a $10 discount on the first month of service.

In other news, Fubo is beta-testing 4K with high dynamic range (HDR10) streaming. The company recently expanded the list of supported 4K streaming players to include Amazon Fire TV 4K and Amazon Fire TV Cube, Apple TV, Chromecast Ultra, and Roku’s Premier, Premier+, and Ultra models. Fubo recommends broadband speeds of 30 to 40 megabits per second for top-quality video.

HBO Now

Price: $15 per month.

Who it’s best for: HBO fans who don’t want to pay for cable. Sign up to get all the network’s series, movies, specials, and documentaries. If you already get HBO through your cable package, remember that the HBO Go app lets you watch HBO on your phone, tablet, and other devices.

Latest news: HBO Now has passed the 5 million subscriber mark, and it’s now available on more devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Microsoft Xbox, Roku, Samsung TVs, and PlayStation Vue. It’s also available via a growing number of cord-cutting streaming services, including DirecTV Now, and as part of Amazon Channels.

Hulu

Price: $6 per month with ads or $12 per month without ads.

Who it’s best for: Cord cutters who don’t want to miss out on broadcast TV. Hulu has current shows from ABC, Fox, and NBC; older ones from CBS; plus the “Seinfeld” library. Original content includes “The Path” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Latest news: Hulu is cutting the price of its least expensive ad-supported service, from $8 to $6 a month. The ad-free version remains unchanged, at $12 a month. (The company also just raised the price of the Hulu With Live TV cable-style service, listed below.)

In other news, Hulu's deal with Viacom brings the full run of MTV’s animated sitcom “Daria,” and several other shows and movies, to the streaming service. Also part of the deal are TV shows such as “Nathan for You” from Comedy Central, MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16,” and Nickelodeon’s “Every Witch Way.” Movies include “School of Rock.” The deal is for Hulu, not the cable-style Hulu With Live TV streaming service.

Hulu also has a deal with DreamWorks Animation for the exclusive streaming rights to future DWA feature films, as well as catalog titles, including “Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” and “Shark Tale,” and new kids’ series it will develop. Starting this year, the service will also get new theatrical releases, including “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” and “Trolls 2.” Hulu also signed a deal with Sony for the on-demand streaming rights to “The Good Doctor.” And it signed on for a third season of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Additionally, Hulu has teamed up with the music service Spotify to offer a combined bundle to college students for just $5 per month. Because Spotify Premium for Students usually costs $5 per month, it’s like getting the basic Hulu service free.Hulu also hasan exclusive deal with Magnolia Pictures to stream the company’s films after their theatrical release.

Hulu With Live TV

Price: $45 per month.

Who it’s best for: Cord cutters who want yet another option. Hulu With Live TV, which is now live, offers about 60 channels, including the major broadcast channels—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—albeit only in a handful of markets right now. You also get cable channels such as A&E, the Cartoon Network, CNN, Disney, Fox News, FX, TBS, and TNT, among others. The lineup includes CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports, plus some regional sports networks.

Latest news: Although like other services Hulu hiked monthly subscriptions by $5 a month earlier this year, Hulu has now cut the price of several add-ons. For example, both the enhanced cloud DVR, with more storage, and unlimited screens at home, which each cost $15 a month, are now priced at $10 each per month. A combination of the two, which was $20 a month, now costs $15 per month.

With its monthly price hike in February, Hulu With Live TV now cost $45 a month.

A second option, without ads, went up to $51 a month, a $7-a-month increase. Both services combine everything you get with the regular Hulu plan with the additional channels available on Hulu With Live TV.

A recent deal with Discovery brings several new networks (Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC) to the service. Hulu's deal with DreamWorks Animation gets it the exclusive streaming rights to future DWA feature films, as well as catalog titles. Hulu also has a deal with Sony for the on-demand streaming rights to “The Good Doctor.”

Hulu With Live TV is now available on most Roku streaming players and all Roku TVs, as well as many LG and Samsung smart TVs. It is also supported on Amazon Fire TV devices, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, PlayStation and Xbox game consoles, and Android and iOS mobile devices. Hulu is now supported by Amazon’s Alexa digital voice assistant, so you can use voice commands on Alexa-powered devices to watch shows on Hulu. It continues to add local TV affiliates, but right now the service doesn’t include AMC or Viacom (Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon).

The service’s basic plan lets you create six separate profiles—though only two people can use the service at a time—and includes a cloud DVR with 50 hours of recording time. The $10-a-month enhanced DVR gets you 200 hours of recording time, plus the ability to skip through commercials. For another $10 per month, the service will support unlimited users in the home, plus three mobile users. A bundle of these two options costs $15, a $5 discount off the cost of purchasing them separately.

Netflix

Price: $9 per month for standard-def video on a single screen; $13 per month for high-def video on up to two screens; $16 per month for 4K Ultra High Definition video on up to four screens.

Who it’s best for: Everyone. Netflix is still the king of binge. It has a vast library of movies and TV shows, plus now-classic original shows (“House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black”) and newer hits (“Stranger Things”). It even has original movies (“Beasts of No Nation”). A deal with Marvel has spawned “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones.” Netflix subscribers currently have access to some Disney titles, but Disney will be pulling those films later in 2019, along with Pixar movies and some Marvel titles, when it launches its own streaming service, Disney+.

Latest news: Netflix upped its subscription rates, its biggest increase ever and its first since 2017. Its most popular plans will now cost $2 a month more, while the basic one-user plan gets a $1-a-month hike. The price increase was effective immediately for new customers, and then rolled out to current subscribers.

Earlier, Netflix updated its home screen, which now has a left-hand navigation bar that makes it easier to search for and view new content. It’s also easier to locate the shows and movies you’ve bookmarked for later viewing in My List.

In other news, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is about to start production on an animated feature film, “Pinocchio,” which will be a stop-motion musical. It’s his first movie since winning an Oscar for “The Shape of Water.” Netflix is also co-financing and distributing Michael Bay’s next film, “Six Underground,” which stars Ryan Reynolds. It’s the first time either has worked with Netflix. The movie is expected to appear on Netflix in 2019.

The company says it spent about $8 billion on content in 2018 and will probably spend even more in 2019 as it fends off competition from new services from Apple, Disney, and Warner NewMedia.

Philo

Price: $16 per month for 43 channels; $20 per month for 55 channels; $4 more for an add-on channel pack.

Who it’s best for: Viewers who don’t care about sports and don’t want to subsidize those who do. Philo is a sports-free streaming service backed by several cable networks, including A&E, AMC, Discovery, Scripps, and Viacom.

Its lineup now includes 40 channels from those and other cable networks, so you get A&E, AMC, BBC America, Cheddar, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MTV, Nickelodeon, TLC, Travel Channel, and others.

A $4-per-month add-on pack includes nine additional channels: the American Heroes Channel, BET Her, the Cooking Channel, Destination America, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Logo, MTV Live, and Nicktoons.

Latest news: Philo just added the Hallmark Channel, along with Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama, to its lineup. That will give the service 22 new Christmas-themed movies on Hallmark Channel this season. Earlier, Philo added apps for Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV streaming devices. The service also works on a variety of devices, including computers, Android and iOS phones and tablets, and Roku players and Roku TVs.

The service will support up to three simultaneous users, and you get a cloud-based no-size-limit DVR for recording shows (which you can keep for up to 30 days). You can watch a show from the beginning if you join late, and a 72-hour “look back” feature lets you view any show that appeared within the previous three days. You can now can share your favorite shows by sending them to friends, right from within the platform.

PlayStation Vue

Price: $45 to $80 per month, depending on the package.

Who it’s best for: Those who are looking for a real cable TV-style programming package and are willing to pay for it. You also get local channels in many major markets—on demand in others—plus a cloud DVR for recording shows.

Latest news: Sony has raised the price of each of its service tiers by $5 per month, so the basic live TV service, Access, will now cost $45 per month. Core TV, which adds sports channels, will be $50 per month, while the Elite plan, which adds movies, will be $60 per month. The top-tier Ultra plan, which includes premium channels, will cost $80 per month.

In other news, Sony has been unable to reach a deal with Sinclair to carry Sinclair affiliates in local markets, so those stations currently aren’t available to Vue subscribers. Instead, they’ll be getting on-demand programming from the broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—though viewers will be without local news and live sports that air on these channels.

Also new to the service is mobile sign-up, so new users can sign up and start watching the service directly from mobile phones, tablets, or PCs, even when they’re outside the home. Another change is that you can access favorite local teams on regional sports networks (such as Fox Sports and NBC Sports), even if you are traveling to another city. You can also watch local broadcast channels that are available when traveling.

PS Vue continues to add affiliate broadcast networks. It just added ABC in 11 major markets, plus four NBC affiliates. Late last year Vue added several channels, including BBC America, NBA TV, and Vice, but lost Viacom stations, such as Comedy Central, Spike, and MTV. It also added support for Apple TV last fall.

Showtime

Price: $11 per month, or $9 per month when purchased through certain services, such as Amazon Prime and Hulu.

Who it’s best for: Showtime fans. Like HBO Now, this service lets you watch a cable network without the cable. You get all of Showtime’s movies, plus original shows such as “Billions,” “Homeland,” and “The Affair.” If you subscribe to Showtime through your cable provider, Showtime Anytime lets you watch Showtime fare on your phone, tablet, and other devices.

Latest news: Showtime has had to delay the debut of “Purity,” a 20-episode drama starring Daniel Craig, until next year because Craig is reprising his role as James Bond in a new film. The network is now showing the documentary “Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars,' which was released theatrically in 2017, as well as “Patrick Melrose,” a new original series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn.

Sling TV

Price: Sling Orange costs $25 per month; Sling Blue costs $25 per month. A combined package costs $40 per month. Add-on packs cost $5 to $10 extra per month.

Who it’s best for: Cord cutters. With Dish’s Sling TV, you don’t get individual shows; you get channels. The Orange package comes with about 30 cable offerings, including Disney and ESPN, plus A&E, the Food Network, and TBS, but limited broadcast TV. You can get Fox and NBC in some markets, plus Univision, as part of the Blue package. ABC and Univision are available in some markets for both the Orange and Orange-and-Blue plans as part of the $5-per-month Broadcast Extra add-on pack. You can add premium channels, such as HBO and Showtime, for an extra $10 to $15 per month.

Latest news: Sling TV has added nine Discovery networks to its domestic and Spanish-language services. Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery, and TLC are now part of the Sling Blue base service, while the Orange plan gets Investigation Discovery and MotorTrend. Other channels appear on add-on packs, and Discovery en Español and Discovery Familia are available in 'Best of Spanish TV' base or add-on Extras.

Earlier, Sling TV raised the price of its Orange service by $5, to $25 per month. The service is also enticing lapsed customers with a new offer that lets them watch free, on-demand content, purchase à la carte channels, and view pay-per-view movies and events without signing up for a base subscription. The program kicks off for those using Roku devices but will be rolled out to other devices soon.

The list of à la carte channels that can be purchased without a Sling TV subscription includes Showtime ($10 per month), CuriosityStream ($6 per month), and NBA League Pass ($29 per month).

In addition to NBA League Pass, Sling now also has NBA Team Pass, a separate plan that lets you get out-of-market games for a single NBA team. Team Pass costs $18 per month on top of a Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and/or Spanish-language services plan. Sling TV’s latest promotion is a free Roku TV Express when you prepay for two months of Sling service.

Sling TV is now supported by more devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV devices, Apple TV, Roku and Roku TV, and Xbox One. A $100 AirTV box combines Sling TV channels and free over-the-air broadcasts in one device.

Starz

Price: $9 per month.

Who it’s best for: Like HBO and Showtime, you can now get Starz without a pay-TV subscription. Content includes such shows as “Outlander” and “Power,” plus movies, including “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Latest news: The Starz streaming service is newly available on DirecTV Now for $8 per month. The much-anticipated series “American Gods,” based on the Neil Gaiman book, is now available on the service. Newer original series include “Sweetbitter,” about a 22-year old arriving on the New York’s restaurant scene, and “Vida,” about two wildly different Mexican-American sisters returning to their old neighborhood.

T-Mobile TVision Home

Price: $90 per month for 150-plus channels (at launch).

Who it’s best for: Seemingly, those who really hate their cable company and the add-on fees that come with most pay-TV services, because many subscribers to T-Mobile TVision Home might not save much money. The service is now live in eight metro areas—Chicago; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Longmont, Colo.; Los Angeles; New York City; Philadelphia; San Francisco; and Washington, D.C. It will roll out to other markets later this year. You get more than 150 channels, plus local broadcasts and regional sports, and you can add premium channels for an extra monthly fee. The service will support 4K video when it’s available. Family members get their own profile and DVR, with a shared 1TB of storage. The company says it will use artificial intelligence to make personalized recommendations.

Latest news: Compared with other streaming services, TVision Home is pricey. For a limited time, it will cost $90 per month for all subscribers, but after a promotional period, only T-Mobile mobile customers will pay that price; others will pay $100 per month. There’s also a $10 monthly fee for each additional TV you want to connect.

At launch, you’ll need a TVision Home box to get the service, though the company says it will support third-party devices at a later date. The service will initially come with apps for Xumo, CuriosityStream, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and a few other niche services, but Amazon Prime, Netflix, and YouTube apps are on the way, according to T-Mobile. TVision supports both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use voice to control TVision Home.

YouTube TV

Price: $50 per month.

Who it’s best for: Cord cutters looking for a different option. YouTube TV offers access to more than 70 networks, including all the major local networks. It supports up to three simultaneous users. You get a cloud DVR—a virtual recorder that stores programs for you on YouTube’s servers—that lets you save as many shows as you want for up to nine months before they’re deleted.

Right now the service’s biggest limitation is that it isn’t supported on Amazon Fire TV streaming players. But apparently, Google and Amazon have ended their feud, so YouTube TV, along with YouTube and YouTube Kids, will soon be available on Amazon Fire devices.

YouTube TV has a nice selection of channels, including AMC, Bravo, Disney, ESPN, FX, Fox News, Fox Sports, MSNBC, National Geographic, Turner, USA, and some regional sports networks. You also get access to the original programming on YouTube Red, usually $10 per month. Showtime, Starz, and a few other channels can be added for an additional fee. However, the service lacks programming from Viacom (Comedy Central, MTV), though it just added some Discovery channels (see below).

Latest news: Like other cable-style streaming services, YouTube TV got a price hike, to $50 per month. Current subscribers, who are either paying $35 or $40 per month, depending on when they first signed up, will start paying the higher price starting in May. Those who get YouTube TV through Apple iTunes will be paying $55 monthly.

YouTube just signed a deal with Major League Baseball to bring 13 live MLB games exclusively to both YouTube and YouTube TV during the back half of the 2019 season. You won't be able to see those games elsewhere. The move comes after YouTube TV added eight channels from Discovery, including Discovery Channel, HGTV, and Food Network. Also new is Cozi TV, which airs older TVs shows such as 'Frasier' and 'The Office.'

Full details on its price hike and new channels are available on the YouTube TV blog.

YouTube TV is now available nationwide, including all the local broadcast stations in almost all U.S. markets. The streaming service has been experimenting with new features, such as the augmented reality ads it ran during last year’s World Series as part of its sponsorship of the event. Augmented reality was used to create a large virtual video screen above the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park that looked onscreen like it was a part of the stadium.

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