50 Best Streaming Services on iPhone

Pluto TV is a modern take on traditional cable: it has hundreds of channels streaming live, a huge library of on demand content, and it’s supported by ads. But the key difference from the competition? It’s totally free.

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.

NFL+ is the league's official streaming service that gives you access to live and local regular season and postseason games, on-demand programs, and even tools for your next fantasy football game. As of 2023, NFL+ also offers the NFL Network and NFL Redzone channels in its plans, making it a solid option for true-blue football fans hoping to finally cut the cord. A regular subscription costs $6.99/month and includes everything in the above, except for NFL Redzone and replays of full games, highlights, and all-22 coaches films, which are only available in NFL+'s premium subscription, priced at $14.99/month. Both plans offer free trials and are available on most major streaming devices, with the exception of live local and primetime regular season and postseason games, which can only be viewed on phones and tables.

If you purchase a one-year subscription of STARZ on Verizon's +play platform, you can get 12 months of Netflix Premium for free via the Netflix & Starz bundle. This saves you up to $240 in annual costs, since you'll only have to pay $75 (or about $6/month) for both Starz and Netflix for an entire year. After the 12 months are up, Verizon automatically charges you the regular monthly price of Netflix Premium, which is now $23/month. If you have an existing Netflix account, you can link it to this offer and transfer your billing to +play. 

The +play platform is an online hub that centralizes subscriptions so you can access them all in one neat place. At the moment, it's only available to Verizon wireless, 5G Home, and LTE Home customers.

If you're a hardcore baseball fan, you'll be delighted to know that you can tune in to your favorite pastime via MLB.TV, the league's official streaming service. A subscription allows you to watch out-of-market games, as well as Minor League matches, local Pregame and Postgame shows, and expert commentary through MLB Big Inning, on all major streaming services live and on-demand. If you want to follow every team, you can pick their All Teams package for $25/month ($70 yearly) but if you're only interested in a single team, you can pick their Single Team package for $20/month ($60 yearly). It's important to note, however, that only out-of-market games can be watched live. Due to blackout restrictions, you'll have to wait 90 minutes after a local or national game has aired before viewing it. Another important reminder: if you're still on the cord and have the MLB Extra Innings cable TV package, you're likely entitled to a free MLB.TV subscription. Contact your provider to check whether you're eligible.

Kanopy is an on-demand streaming service that schools and public libraries all around the US offer students and members for free. All you have to do is enter the details of your participating institution and you can start watching as you please. Because of the academic nature of the platform, Kanopy makes sure it streams only the most essential and important content available, which could mean hard-hitting films like Moonlight, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Lady Bird, Dogtooh, Memento, and Howard's End for certain viewers, or The Adventures of Paddington, Richard Scarry, and The Monster Math Squad for even other, younger viewers. There are also storybooks, documentaries, and educational programs available to watch as Kanopy makes sure to cater to every learner regardless of leaning or age.

The Hulu + Max bundle gives you the ultimate entertainment experience. On the Hulu front, you get a constant stream of lighthearted comedies, hard-hitting documentaries, and the occasional prestige drama, while on the Max front, you get a bundle within a bundle: HBO hits, Discovery documentaries, Warner Bros. blockbusters, and even BBC imports. 

To access Hulu + Max, you'll have to pick a Hulu base plan, which starts at $7.99/month, and add $15.99/month for the Max add-on. With this, you get everything under one platform and pay for just one bill. Plus, you can use your Hulu credentials to log into the Max app, in case you want to watch your favorite shows on the go. It's quite the deal if you're looking to tune into the most critically-acclaimed originals streaming has to offer.

If you have an existing DirecTV subscription, or if you're considering getting one, you might have heard of the DirecTV + Max bundle. It exists because Max, a premium service that's home to TV series like Game of Thrones and Succession and film franchises like the DC Cinematic Universe and Harry Potter, doesn't come pre-installed in most DirecTV packages, except in its $155 Premier plan. With this bundle, however, you're free to choose from any of DirecTV's plans, which begin at $64.99/month, and bundle in Max for free for the first three months. After that, you're automatically charged the usual ad-free price, which is $15.99/month. The bundle also gives you access to HBO channels, which will be added to your current lineup, and to the Max app, which you can sign into using your DirecTV credentials. Considering Max itself doesn't offer free trials, subscribing to this bundle could save you a considerable amount.

Crunchyroll is a video-on-demand streaming website that specializes in anime and is available in 170 countries. It has also recently absorbed a competitor, FUNIMATION, offering an even bigger catalog. You can opt for either a free ad-supported plan or subscribe to the paid tier. The free version doesn't include simulcasts or access to all of Crunchyroll's content, but for $7.99 per month the premium tier removes those limitations. You can access Crunchyroll via web browser (www.crunchyroll.com), while the Crunchyroll app is also available on all major platforms, mobile devices including Android and iOS, and media streaming devices including Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV Chromecast, and Android TV, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Criterion Channel is a curated movie-streaming service that offers ad-free and on-demand access to films from The Criterion Collection in HD. It is currently only available in the US and Canada. The subscription costs $10.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Like Netflix, the Criterion Channel also offers a physical rental service. The number of movies you can rent each month, for a flat monthly rate, depends on how quickly you can return them. You don't need to subscribe to The Criterion Channel to buy or rent physical media on DVD and Blu-ray, but subscribers may get discounts. With the introduction of Criterion24/7, Criterion Channel also entered the Live TV world, offering a great alternative to channels like Turner Classic Movies.

Now TV is the new cable alternative from Comcast (owner of Xfinity). For $20/month, you get over 40 live channels, 20 hours of DVR, and watch on up to three devices. You also get Peacock Premium included. And of course, no minimum commitment and you can cancel anytime. To get it, you have to first subscribe or already be a subscriber to Xfinity internet. You can then add it at checkout. At $20, it is one of the cheapest cord-cutting services out there, especially considering the channels that it offers.

Britbox is a streaming service born out of an alliance between two British broadcasters: BBC and iTV. If you like British humour, British detective shows, or anything British TV, it's the place for you. You won't be the only one, by October 2020, the platform had 1.5 million subscribers, a number that's growing.

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), Paramount+ with 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 blockbusters, and Discovery's many wildlife features. But coupled with Paramount+ 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.

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.

With people overwhelmed by the onslaught of mammoth streaming services, companies like Xumo are having a moment. A free, ad-supported hub for both live and on-demand content, Xumo is gaining ground in the streaming landscape.

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. Thankfully, however, it hasn't completely canceled its Peacock-related bundles, so now there are currently two ways an Xfinity user can get Peacock Premium at no additional cost. 

The first is available to Xfinity Internet customers with Gigabit speeds. With this level of service, you're entitled to Peacock Premium at no additional cost for two years, after which, you can elect to continue your Peacock subscription for $5.99/month. The second is available to Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum rewards members. At this level, you can redeem a reward from Xfinity's reward store, which then gives you access to Peacock Premium for free. Just remember to enroll at the rewards store before you avail of the offer. In both cases, you do not need a TV Box to start enjoying the bundle.

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.

Vudu is an on-demand streaming service that allows users to rent or purchase more than 200,000 new releases. Founded in 2007, it's one of the first companies to offer digital films in HD. Vudu's main strength is its ease of access and jam-packed catalog of movies and TV shows, but it also boasts free content, which they run on ads. In 2020, media and ticketing firm Fandango acquired Vudu and merged both companies' streamers into one. They decided to keep the Vudu name because of its large and loyal customer base. 

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.

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.

As the name suggests, VidAngel is a media streamer that gives users the option to block profanity, violence, sex, or anything else deemed too unseemly for the screen. Once you add an existing subscription service, you can start watching and filtering your favorite titles within your VidAngel account. As of the moment, it's compatible with major services like Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, and Amazon add-ons like Showtime, Starz, and AMC. Interestingly, users also have the option to see all the content from their subscriptions in one place or categorize them per streamer. Aside from this, VidAngel also has its own line of original series.

It may be a newcomer in this part of the Atlantic, but 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. Based in Sweden, Viaplay is one of the top producers of noir, but 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.

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. 

Toon Goggles is an on-demand service dedicated to streaming kids' shows, including popular cartoons like PJ Masks, live-action features like Guinness World Record, and even games like Angry Birds. There are hours upon hours of content here, not to mention pre-screened ads and strict parental controls, making it a suitable service to leave the children with. 

Some of Toon Goggles' shows can be streamed for free, but if you want full access and no ads, you'll have to subscribe to its premium tier, which costs $1.99 in the US and Canada and just $0.99 everywhere else.

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 it offers free (though not ad-free) and which contains the latest shows The CW network is airing. The latter part is what sets The CW apart from its other official streaming service, CW Seed, which only covers the network's past shows. 

If you join any of T-Mobile's Metro unlimited 5G plans, which start at $40/month, you get a free one-year subscription to Vix Premium as part of the T-Mobile & Vix bundle. Vix is a specialized streaming service that has hundreds of telenovelas, films, news programs, and live channels catered to Hispanic viewers, making this bundle perfect for Spanish-speaking viewers. Vix also has the distinction of being the streaming home of fútbol leagues like Liga MX and UEFA Champions League, so if you ever want to watch tournaments on the go with unlimited data, definitely consider this bundle. 

As of the moment, it's available to new and existing Metro customers alike, just make sure you register for the code and redeem it within 30 days. The cheapest tier of this bundle includes a ScamShield plan, while the more expensive tiers, which range from $50-$60/month, include all this plus a 100GB Google One membership. 

Much like its longstanding "Netflix On Us" bundle, T-Mobile's "Apple TV+ On Us" bundle gives select customers a free subscription to Apple TV+. Specifically, those with Go5G Next or Go5G Plus lines in good standing are eligible to watch all of Apple TV+'s original films and TV shows at no additional cost and share their subscriptions with up to five other people. In all, the bundle saves you up to $10 each month. Meanwhile, customers of T-Mobile's Go5G plan, while not eligible for a free Apple TV+ subscription, are qualified for a six-month free trial. After that, the plan automatically renews at $9.99/month unless canceled. 

Strong Voices TV (SVTV) Network is a subscription-based internet streamer specifically catered to and created by members and allies of the LGBTQI+ community. Not only does it offer inclusive films and TV shows, but it also provides exclusive access to podcasts, music, and video games. If you're looking for a queer community-based streamer and would love to expand your entertainment horizons by adding unique elements into the mix, then you may want to consider subscribing. The website invites you to “join the movement” for just $5.99/month. SVTV was founded in 2016.

Stirr is an American ad-supported streaming service owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. It was launched in 2019. Not only is it free, but it provides access to live local news, 120+ TV shows, and 8,000+ hours of on-demand movies. This service is for viewers who don’t want to commit to a cable fee and don’t mind intermittent ads when watching their favorite movies and shows.