25 Best Peacock Alternatives Right Now

DirecTV Stream is a Live TV streaming platform with a twist: you can download the app on any of your existing devices, or for a $120, you can get a box with a custom remote control for the service. But without the box, DirecTV Stream functions like a Netflix or Hulu, allowing you to stream Live TV from anywhere by downloading the app. Within your home, you can stream on up to 20 devices (!), and from outside your home you can stream on up to three devices.

Disney Plus is a streaming on-demand service owned by the Walt Disney Company available in 59 countries at the time of writing. Pricing starts at $9.99 a month in the US, while plans differ from region to region.

Hulu is an on-demand service that is currently only available in US territories. You can get access to Hulu's on-demand content library for $9.99 a month with commercials, and $18.99 without. There's also an option to bundle it with Disney+ for $10.99 a month with ads.

Starz is a cable TV network in the US with an on-demand streaming service of the same name. Currently, Starz on-demand has a monthly price of $10.99 ($3/month for the first 3 months). Starz is available as an add-on channel to Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Roku platform. For a similar subscription price, you can also access Starz as an add-on via a variety of online streaming services including YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV, among others. Alternatively, the Starz on-demand app is available for Android, iOS and most other mobile devices.

Frndly TV is a streaming platform focused on family-friendly live TV channels, with an attractive price starting at $6.99. There are three plans, Basic, Classic and Premium, which respectively cost the $6.99 starting price, $8.99, and $10.99. The Basic plan only allows for SD streaming, but both other plans allow for HD. The basic plan doesn't allow for DVR recordings, but the other plans allow for 3 months and 9 months respectively. And lastly, the basic plans allows for only one simultanious stream, but the Classic allows for 2 and the Premium allows for 4.

Apple TV+ is an ad-free on-demand stream from Apple that costs $9.99 per month and is accessible in about 150 countries. The Apple TV+ app is accessible via Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac) and Apple TV. While Android phones and tablets are not supported, you can access Apple TV+ via Android-powered TV devices like Chromecast. It can be accessed via web browser and supported by PC, as well as Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV devices, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Dubbed "The Free Netflix," Tubi is one of the best options for streaming quality movies and TV shows online. The completely free, ad-supported service has one of the most extensive title lineups, plus it's compatible with most devices, making it an extremely popular option for cord-cutters. Though it has been noted to have a less-than-stellar resolution, most viewers don't mind due to its easy interface, constantly updated library, and of course free titles. Parents will also be glad to know that the service has parental control features.

Formerly HBO Max, Max is a subscription-based on-demand platform that is only available in the US. New subscribers can choose from three monthly tiers ranging from $9.99 (with ads) to $16.99 (no ads) to $20.99 (no ads, plus more concurrent streams, downloads, and 4K streaming). An annual subscription option is also available. When you subscribe, you'll get HBO’s world-class exclusives, such as The Wire and Game of Thrones but Max also functions as a bundle: you'll get content from Discovery, DC, Criterion Collection, Looney Tunes, Studio Ghibli, Turner Classic Movies, and Crunchyroll. And as of September 2023, you will also get a live stream of CNN. It's not a direct 24/7 simulcast of the channel, but many segments of it are broadcast live. Most mobile devices that can stream video support Max, although there is yet no app for Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.

Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (previously Paramount+ Premium) is a Netflix-style streaming service, offering movies and TV shows on-demand like The Good Fight and Yellowstone. But unlike Netflix, it gives you access to Live TV from CBS. That means CBS local channels, CBS News (CBSN), CBS Sports, ET live, and some live sporting events like NFL on CBS Live. It also offers on-demand access to programming from Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Paramount Pictures, and Smithsonian Channel.

As of 2024, it increased its monthly price to $12.99, but with that comes a significant upgrade: members now have access to all of Showtime's content, which includes movies and shows like Billions, Dexter, and Yellowjackets, as well as live coverage on sports including boxing, football, and MMA. Since Showtime shut down its standalone service in early 2024, this Paramount+ plan is now one of the few ways to watch Showtime without cable.

Over 140 channels, unlimited DVR and RSNs included - DirecTV Stream Ultimate is one of the most complete cord-cutting streaming bundles out there. Think of every sports network for example, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NHL Network, etc, you name it, you got it. You also get over 55,000 (15,000 more than the base Entertainment package, mainly from Starz Encore) of on-demand movies and shows included. Of course, there is a price tag that comes with all of this that will rival the most expensive cable packages: over $100 a month. With this package DirecTV is saying: if you want cheap, go to Sling. This is not cheap, but it has everything a family could need from a TV package.

The CW has always been a major player among TV networks. Through the years, it has built up a solid reputation providing fresh titles targeted to the younger crowd. To stay in the game, The CW also now has its own dedicated streaming service, which is free (though not ad-free) and contains the latest shows The CW network is airing.

Sundance costs $6.99 per month, with an annual subscription that goes for $59.99.

In addition to watching Sundance Now on the web, you can stream from the service’s apps for mobile, (Android and iOS) and media streaming (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku). 

Sundance Now does not offer any apps on game consoles, such as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4.

Plex is a media management software that doubles as a free streaming service. Its main function is to organize your own library of content—that is, your own video, photo, or sound files—and make it streamable alongside Plex's offerings of 200+ live TV channels and 50,000+ on-demand movies and shows. Plex's basic package comes at no cost, but it also has a premium package starting at $4.99/month that boasts additional features, such as the ability to download content and watch them offline, among other things.

MGM+ (formerly Epix On Demand) is a streaming platform from the Epix television network that offers on-demand content from the channel. It’s offered to subscribers of the Epix television channel at no extra cost. Otherwise, the cost varies depending on your TV provider, though it averages at about $6.99/month whether you subscribe directly or via a third partner. You can subscribe to MGM+ via supported providers including Comcast Xfinity, Cox, DISH, DIRECTV, Spectrum, and Verizon FIOS. It can also be used as an add-on with Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.

Magnolia Selects can be accessed via an array of iOS and Android phones and tablets as well as desktops and Roku devices. It is also available as a channel through Sling TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Subscriptions with unlimited access to Magnolia Selects cost $4.99 per month or a discounted $49.99 per year. 

Another plan is available for “sub-genre subscriptions” that gives access to specific genres (action, comedy, horror, documentary) for only $2.99 per month. 

Lifetime Movie Club is a subscription video service that gives you access to thousands of original titles, many of which can also be found on its cable counterpart the Lifetime Channel. Lifetime movies are known for being unapologetically dramatic and occasionally sinister, so if you're one to indulge in such content, then this might be for you. Lifetime Movie Club also welcomes new movies to its library every Friday, as well as hosts a handful of syndicated shows, including the much-beloved Grey's Anatomy.

IndieFlix is an online streaming service dedicated to independent filmmaking and is available in 85 countries. In the US, you can access IndieFlix for $4.99 per month, or a one-year subscription at a discounted $39.99. Patrons of IndieFlix may access IndieFlix free of charge.

Editor's note: unfortunately, Amazon has said it plans to shut down Freevee in the coming weeks. 

Amazon Freevee, or simply freevee, is a free, ad-supported streaming service powered by Amazon. It has a notable library of licensed titles and original shows, not to mention 24/7 live channels, plus it's easy to access since it runs on most if not all available devices. Although other free streamers have it beat in terms of range and variety, freevee is still a great option for newbie cord-cutters, especially since it already comes on most Amazon platforms.

FlixFling is a flexible video on-demand streaming platform available in the US. A subscription costs $7.99 per month (or $95 per year) and includes streaming access across 5 different devices and access to movies and shows on the on-demand library. Without a subscription, you can still access on-demand rentals/purchases that range from $0.99 to $7.99. Meanwhile, on-demand subscribers have to pay for some titles that are available only as premium rentals. FlixFling works across devices, smart TVs and media services.

Film Movement Plus is a video on-demand platform dedicated to independent and foreign films, and is currently available in the US and Canada. In the US, it costs $5.99 a month (after a 7-day free trial) and can be accessed via any device, including IOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku.

Docsville’s focus is on documentaries sourced from around the world, originally launched by award-winning documentarian Lawrence Elmen and his business partner, Nick Fraser, who worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation. This streaming service is for those doc junkies who can’t get enough of real-world exploration and have a thirst for knowledge about many different aspects of our planet and the human race. Topics include climate change, inequality and racism, inspiring real-life tales, and true crime. Most of the documentaries offered are independent films.

BET+, or Black Entertainment Television plus, is a streaming service created for and by the African-American community. It celebrates the culture by bringing forth an endless and varied library of movies and TV shows, many of which are co-produced by the all-around entertainer himself, Tyler Perry. Aside from Black-led '90s sitcoms and mainstream films, the streamer also features titles from other Viacom channels such as Comedy Central and VH1. An ad-supported plan costs $5.99/month, while an ad-free plan costs $9.99/month.

Arrow is a streaming service for cult cinema, with a particular focus on horror and classics. If you love niche films and hidden gems, then this is for you. You'll also appreciate Arrow Player if you're into hand-picked content as it boasts a highly curated and carefully refined selection of titles. Quentin Tarantino has recommended the service a few times!

AMC Plus is a premium streaming bundle that includes the same benefits of AMC Premiere, the add-on subscription service available to subscribers of AMC. The service is currently available only in the US for $4.99 per month ($8.99 for the ad-free plan). You can subscribe at a reduced price if you’re an existing AMC channel subscriber on services like Xfinity, Dish Network and Sling TV. AMC Plus can currently be accessed via Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Comcast Xfinity, DirecTV, Dish, Roku, and Sling TV. While there is no AMC Plus app at the time of writing, you can access AMC Plus content via your provider’s app.

While programming depends on your geographical location, Acorn TV in the US focuses on TV shows from dozens of international networks in countries of the Commonwealth, from British channels like the BBC and ITV as well as Oceanic shows from Australia and New Zealand. Aside from British shows, there’s also a solid selection of content from other major European networks from France, Italy and Ireland.