50 Best Streaming Services on Roku

Anime: If you prefer your anime subtitled, then Crunchyroll is the perfect alternative to competitors like Funimation (the latter of which focuses more on dubbed anime).

Curated for cinephiles: The selection of films that are available each month will certainly appeal to film aficionados looking for classic and foreign cinema. Offline viewing: The Criterion Channel supports offline downloads and full HD streaming for most content for Android and iOS devices, which is a great perk for movie lovers who are often on the go. Extra video features: Aside from restored old movies, each title features extras such as interviews, supplementary footage, and trailers. The original 1954 Godzilla alone comes with 15 extra videos! Simultaneous streaming: With one subscription to the Criterion Channel, you can stream up to three videos on different devices at the same time, which is aboverage the streaming landscape average.

Amount of content: Just like AMC Premiere, AMC’s other streaming platform, you’ll get all the original series including The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and the rest, but you’ll also get access to content from a whopping six other providers.

Over 140 channels, unlimited DVR and RSNs included - DirecTV Stream Ultimate is the most complete cord-cutting streaming bundle 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) 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.

Curation: The amount of shows on-demand are limited to 67 series, so if you easily get overwhelmed by choice, Sundance Now offers more focused curation of high-quality movies and documentaries.

Exclusive streams: According to Sundance Now’s ‘Exclusive’ category it is the only streaming platform to offer the movies Jonestown: Terror in The Jungle, Liar, Motherland, Public Enemy, Sanctuary, and Wisting.

I’ll say it again: it’s free! It’s also super easy to access. The app is available on most Smart TVs and streaming devices, and if you don’t have either of those, you can just pull up the website and watch from your computer.

Viewing quality: All CuriosityStream titles are available in either HD or 4K.

Niche programming: For factual content, CuriosityStream is unrivalled thanks to its regularly updated library of high-quality documentaries, 900 of which are exclusives. 

High value: For a pretty low price, CuriosityStream offers 3,000 titles and has plans to upgrade to 11,000 premium titles within five years.

Flexible: There are no regional or device limitations either so you can stream on as many devices at once as you want, from anywhere in the world.

At 8.99 per month or 89.99 per year (a 10% discount), it's an affordable way to stream the infinite array of quality British TV.

If you're an Xfinity internet customer, then you're eligible to subscribe to Now TV Latino, a Spanish-language live TV package that can be added to your bill for an extra $10/month. The package has 25+ channels that cover all bases, including films and TV shows via channels like Cinelatino and Sony Cine; news via channels like Estrella News, Caracol Televisión, and your local Telemundo channel; and live sports via Peacock Premium, which comes included at no additional cost. Like all Now TV plans, Now TV Latino comes with 20 hours of DVR and zero contracts, so you can cancel anytime you want. You can also bundle Now TV Latino with other Now TV plans like StreamSaver, which has Netflix and Apple TV+.

Hoopla is a digital library that offers free books, playlists, and yes, movies to members of public libraries they've partnered with. You can check their website to see if your library card is valid; if it is, you can register (with no extra fees) and start viewing their available titles. Hoopla rotates its selection every week or so, but generally, it has a good mix of old films, cult classics, past hits, and foreign movies. Occasionally, it will also have the latest blockbusters. For television, it's recently partnered with the BBC and a couple of manga publishers to deliver content from around the world. Apart from that it also has a vast collection of ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, and albums it offers members.

Known formerly as VUIt, Zeam is a live TV streaming service that specializes in local channels. Zeam has agreements with 300 local stations across the country, including ABC, NBC, FOX, and ABC affiliates, so the exact channel lineup varies depending on where you live. However, most users will be able to access content from at least one of the major networks. The content in question is mostly news, though, since Zeam doesn't stream primetime shows and live sports just yet. It can seem bare to some, but it's a nifty service to tune into if you want to stay on top of community news and weather updates. It's also completely free, and you don't even have to create an account to start watching.

With YouTube TV's entertainment bundle, you get three premium services for the discounted price of $30—that's $5 off compared to getting Max (without ads), Showtime, and Starz separately. It may seem pricey, especially since you'll be paying it on top of YouTube TV's already costly subscription, but it could be worth it if you're looking to get a first-rate entertainment package. Max alone gives you access to HBO's critically-acclaimed shows, Warner Bros.'s past and present blockbusters, and Discovery's many wildlife features. But coupled with Showtime and Starz, you get prestige dramas, trendy comedies, and insightful documentaries on top of all that, not to mention YouTube TV's unrivaled DVR storage feature and lengthy live channel list. It's a bundle tailor-fit for TV and film enthusiasts.

There are two ways you can get NFL Redzone through YouTube TV. The first is when you bundle it with the NFL Sunday Ticket, a standalone offer that lets you watch NFL Sunday games even without a YouTube TV subscription. But that would cost you a hefty $519 across four months (or a whole season). The second and cheaper way to get NFL Redzone is by purchasing YouTube TV's Sports Plus Add-on, available only to YouTube TV subscribers. The add-on itself costs $11/month, cancellable anytime, but paired with YouTube TV's base plan, the bundle will cost you a total of about $84/month. Not bad, especially since Sports Plus comes with 15 other sports channels, including Fox Soccer, BeinSports, MAVTV, and Tennis Channel.

YouTube's Movies & TV storefront (not to be mistaken with YouTube TV) allows you to rent and purchase thousands of films and TV shows. You can pick from the latest blockbuster releases, foreign films, award-winning staples, beloved classics, and even pre-order titles that have yet to be available elsewhere. A big draw here is that YouTube is already everywhere—it's a tab on your browser, an app on your phone, a channel on your smart TV—so renting, purchasing, and later on accessing a title is as easy as entering your credit card or PayPal details. And as a bonus, YouTube also has a lineup of free movies it lets you watch with ads. Granted, they're not as big or new as their rentable titles, but there are gems like Moonstruck and Cooley High hidden in there somewhere. Now, some things to note before heading to the storefront: you must be 18 years or older to watch these titles, and while buying a movie or TV episode allows you to access them indefinitely, you have only 30 days to start viewing a rental. Once you've started watching it, you usually have about 48 hours until it expires, but this can vary per title. YouTube also allows playback in HD and 4k, but these features are currently unavailable on web browsers.

You may know the YES Network as a sports cable channel dedicated to broadcasting New York Yankees games, but now it's also a streaming service. For $25/month (or $240/year), you can watch local games by the Yankees, as well as by the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, without having to sign up for tricky cable or satellite packages. The YES Network is available on most major streaming devices, but note that it can only be used in territories that the YES Network covers. Namely, these are New York State, Connecticut, northeastern Pennsylvania, and north and central New Jersey. If you're in the area and want to cheer for your local team, then YES's streaming option is worth considering.

In addition to being free, Xumo’s users benefit from the typical streamer perks: you can watch from multiple devices at the same time, new content is added monthly, and viewers have access to a curated channel tailored to recommendations based on their watch history. It’s also easily accessible on streaming devices, Smart TVs, or right from the internet.

For a good while, all Xfinity internet subscribers had access to Peacock's free tier. But since NBCUniversal switched Peacock into a paid-only service, Xfinity has followed suit with the changes. Now there are three ways to get Peacock at no additional cost. First, if you're an Xfinity Internet customer with Gigabit speeds, you're entitled to Peacock Premium at no additional cost for two years, after which, you can elect to continue your Peacock subscription for $7.99/month. Second, if you're an Xfinity Internet customer with Diamond or Platinum rewards, you get to redeem Peacock Premium for free. Third, you can always purchase Xfinity's StreamSaver bundles to enjoy even more streaming options. Just remember to enroll at the rewards store before you avail of the offer. Eligible internet plans start at $65/month.

The latest addition to Comcast's streaming offers is Max via the Xfinity + Max bundle, exclusively available to Xfinity internet customers. You can bundle Max with Xfinity's live TV service Now TV, or even with other bundles like the Now TV StreamSaver (which has Peacock, AppleTV+, and Netflix) for the ultimate cord-cutting experience. The bundle only carries the Max ad-free plan, which currently goes for $17/month, so paired with the cheapest X1 plan, $20/month, this bundle will cost you a total of about $37/month. 

WOW Present Plus is an online streaming service that offers a wide variety of LGBTQI+ content, including Drag Race, UNHhhh, and other World of Wonder originals. World of Wonder launched this subscription-based streaming service in 2017. It offers exclusive access to content that concerns pop culture and the LGBTQI+ community. If you love drag, queer shows, and live-streamed events, then this service is for you. According to their website, WOW Present Plus is the only service that offers Drag Race as one of its streaming options as it is no longer available on Netflix.

Similar to the Amazon Prime membership, Walmart+ brings together shopping and streaming into one convenient subscription for $13/month. Apart from free shipping, fuel discounts, and travel-related cashback, subscribers get Paramount+ Essential at no additional cost. The Essential plan, valued at $6/month, gives you access to Paramount originals, CBS shows (but not your CBS local station), and NFL matches. To enjoy this bundle, you'll have to cancel your current account and make a new one with Walmart+. But if you're on the fence about it, that's okay too; Walmart offers a 30-day free trial, no credit card info needed.

For a limited time only, Verizon's +play platform, which is free for all existing Verizon users, is offering Vix Premium at no additional cost for six months. After that period, you're charged the regular no-ads price of $7/month ($5/month with ads) unless you cancel. Vix Premium is home to a host of original Spanish-language shows and films, many of them originals, as well as live gaming events like UEFA and Liga MX. Apart from being a Verizon user, you'd have to be a first-time Vix subscriber to avail of this bundle.

ViX is an ad-supported streaming service by Univision, the largest Spanish-language content provider in the US. Spanning the usual movies, series, and telenovelas, the ViX library also boasts live TV, news, and sports programs. The latter, in particular, comes as a strong suit since the streamer covers events in conjunction with TUDN, Univision's sports arm, as well as hosts football events in many parts of South America. The free-to-watch service also has an on-demand section, meaning you can easily search for a title you want to watch instead of scrolling from the multiple channels available. Vix also has premium tiers that range from $5-$7/month if you want to get rid of the ads.

If you like Korean drama or Asian content any general, this is the platform for you. There are even watch parties so you can feel like you are attending events for your favorite shows. A lot of content is free, but most of the new releases are paid. So you will have to either get a paid subscription or wait until what you want to watch goes free.

Vidgo is for you if you want to get Sports channels for example but want to save a few dollars every month in comparison with Youtube TV and other alternatives. In recent months, Vidgo has suffered many outages, some due to missed payments.

VidAngel is a media streamer that connects to your streaming service of choice and censors profanity, violence, sex, and anything else deemed too unseemly onscreen. In other words, it filters whatever show or film you watch on a streaming platform. As of this writing, it's compatible with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Peacock, Starz, Paramount+, AMC+, and BritBox. Users can also use VidAngel as a management tool to sort and categorize all the titles from connected streaming services into one place. Aside from this, VidAngel also has its own line of original series.

It may be a newcomer in this part of the Atlantic, but the Sweden-based Viaplay has been streaming films and TV shows in Europe for years. Its main attraction is Nordic noir, that distinctly cold and shocking version of the mystery genre. Apart from mysteries and thrillers, it also carries internationally known films like Another Round (starring Mads Mikkelsen) and A Somewhat Gentle Man (starring Stellan Skarsgård). Nordic Americans will find much to enjoy here, but Viaplay also serves as a convenient and affordable option for viewers wanting to dip their toes deeper into European thrillers. Viaplay used to be available as a standalone streaming service, but currently, you can only stream it as a channel or add-on to either Amazon Prime, Sling, Xfinity, Xumo, or Roku.

Verizon's Disney+ bundle offers can be hard to track since they're constantly changing. But basically, you can either get the Disney+ bundle, which includes Disney+ with no ads, Hulu with Ads, and an ESPN+ subscription free for 6 months if you're on the Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate mobile plan, or for only $10/month (as opposed to the regular $22/month) if you're on any other Verizon plan, whether that's a phone line or home internet. That means you can pay anywhere from $45 (Fios plans start at $35/month) to $90, depending on what plan you pick. Either way, you'll be saving at least $12 per month with the Verizon + Disney+ bundle, which can add up to a whole lot as streaming prices continue to skyrocket in the following months.

Univision NOW is a premium streaming service that specializes in Spanish-language content, both live and on-demand. Because it is operated by the largest Latino-targeted network in the United States, Univision NOW boasts a wide and varied catalog of movies, TV series, reality shows, and sporting events (the streamer has exclusive rights to air many football matches, making it a favorite among football fans). Aside from hosting exclusive content, Univision NOW also makes its cable and daytime programs available online and on-demand the next day.

TysonPlus is an internet streaming service that spotlights diverse content from marginalized communities, with a particular focus on queer and Black stories. This provider is for those who don’t want to sift through an overwhelming number of titles just to find quality and thoughtful representation in the media they consume. TysonPlus, first released on Amazon in 2019, is a growing streamer that offers a subscription for $12/month. The company also produces original content, which they release both online and in select film festivals.

True Story is an online streaming service that focuses on documentaries from all over the globe. The nature of the films seem to focus on relationships amongst real-life people in specific and unique contexts. If you enjoy exploring the complexities of interpersonal relationships while also learning surprising things about the world in an interesting and moving way, then this streamer is for you. The subscription is $8.49/month. True Story was launched in 2020.