The Best Streaming Platforms for Documentaries

Documentaries, second only to horror, are a divisive genre: people either love and watch non-fiction, or completely avoid it. 

If you are in the first group, you probably wonder which of the most popular streaming services has the best offering for you. So here, we have ranked the most popular streaming services by which ones have the most documentary movies. 

Our recommended three best streaming platforms for documentaries:
Philo $28 Watch
DirecTV Stream $86.99 Watch
Sling Orange + Blue $60.99 Watch

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.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Fire Tablet, Android Phones, Chromecast, iOS, Roku, Website

ESPN+

One important thing to know: ESPN+ will not allow you to watch ESPN channels live. However, it has a lot of on-demand content that has aired on the channels and is a good way to watch some sports live. Namely: UFC events, many soccer leagues (such as LaLiga and Bundesliga), golf, tennis, and MLB. For the price, ESPN+ is worth at least a try if you are a fan of any of these sports.

Price: $11.99/month

Device availability: Android Phones, Chromecast, Fire TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Oculus, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Website, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xfinity Flex

Channel lineup: ESPN

Crunchyroll is a video-on-demand streaming service that specializes in all things anime. It's also recently absorbed a competitor, FUNIMATION, offering an even bigger catalog. You can opt for either a free ad-supported plan or subscribe to one of its paid tiers, which starts at $7.99. These tiers remove ads out of the picture and feature episodes that are simulcast from Japan. for the longest time, you could try these plans free for 14 days, but it's since shortened that trial period to 7 days. You can access Crunchyroll via a web browser or app, the latter of which is available on all major streaming devices.

Price: free for channels available

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, and Xumo Stream Box, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Roku, Xbox, Xfinity Flex, Xfinity X1

Criterion Channel

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.

Price: $10.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

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.

Price: $4.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Roku

FuboTV is the only sports-focused streaming service out there, and with three tiers of packaging, users can decide how dedicated they want to be to the sports world. For the die-hards, FuboTV’s Elite package is the most all-encompassing version they offer.

Price: $94.99 $74.99

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Roku

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, AccuWeather, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Bein Sports, BET, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Curiosity Channel, CW, Destination America, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, DUST, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Estrella TV, FETV, FMC, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, Fuse, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Galavision, Game Show Network, GetTV, GINX Esports TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, Intravel, Local Now, Logo, Magnolia Network, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, MTVU, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBATV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCSN, Newsmax, Newsy, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, NickMusic, Nicktoons, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Pac-12 Network, Paramount Network, People TV, Pop, REVOLT, Revry, RSNs, Science Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Movie Channel, Stadium, SYFY, Tastemade, TeenNick, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, Tennis Channel, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WGN America, YES Network, Zona Futbol

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.

Price: $129.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, AHC, American Heroes Channel, Animal Planet, Aspire, BBC News, Bein Sports, Bein Sports 4, Bein sports 5, Bein Sports 6, Bein Sports 7, Bein Sports 8, BET Her, BET Jams, BET Soul, BIG Network, Big Ten Network, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, Comedy Central, Comet, Cooking Channel, Cozi TV, Curiosity Channel, CW, Destination America, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, DUST, E!, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Estrella TV, Fanduel TV, FMC, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, Fuse, FX, FYI, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, GetTV, GINX Esports TV, Golf Channel, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, Heroes & Icons, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime Movie Network, Local Now, Logo, Magnolia Network, MeTV, MLB Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV Live, MTV2, MTVU, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBATV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, Newsy, NFL Network, NHL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, NickMusic, Nicktoons, Olympic Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Pac-12 Network, Paramount Network, PBS local channels, People TV, Pop, Pop TV, Pursuit Channel, REVOLT, Revry, RSNs, Science Channel, SEC Network, Showtime FamilyZone, Smithsonian Channel, Sony Movie Channel, Sportsman Channel, Stadium, Start TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TeenNick, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, Tennis Channel, The Weather Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, UPtv, USA, VH1, Vice, WE tv, WGN America, Zona Futbol

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.

Price: $6.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, iOS, Roku

Pluto TV Live

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.

Price: free for 33 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Virgin Media, Vizio SmartCast, webOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Channel lineup: 60 minutes Pluto, BBC Food, BBC Home, Bein Sports XTRA, Bloomberg TV+, Bodas+, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, Check with Pluto TV for the full channel lineup, Cheddar News, CNN Headlines, CNN Originals, Crimen, DAZN Ringside, ET Live, Family Feud, Food TV, Fox desportes, Fox Sports, Hallmark En Espanol, Hip Hop Family, Hip Hop Family VH1, Hit Sitcoms by WBtv, La Familia del Barrio, Love & Hip-Hop VH1, Major League Soccer, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, MLB, MotorTrend FAST TV, Mythbusters by WBtv, NBC News Now, Newsmax, NFL Channel, NFL Super Bowl Classics, No Reservations by WBtv, Nosey, People TV, PGA Tour, Pluto Channels, Queens of Reality, Real Disaster, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sky News, Smithsonian Channel, Stories AMC, TBN, The Twilight Zone, Today, TuDiscovery, TuWarner, TV Land Drama, WeatherNation, WOW – Women Of Wrestling, WPT

CuriosityStream is an American streaming service that focuses on documentary movies and shows and is available in more than 175 countries. In the US, pricing starts at $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year for the basic plan, with an upgrade to the 4K Monthly plan available for $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. CuriosityStream can be accessed via web browser as well as Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, and has a mobile app that is compatible across Apple and PC computers, and Android and iOS phones and tablets.

Price: $4.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

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.

Price: $8.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV

Plex

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.

Price: free for 85 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google Daydream, iOS, LG Smart TV, Nvidia SHIELD, Oculus, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Website, Xbox

Channel lineup: 80s Party, AFV Espanol, AFV Family, AsianCrush, BAMBU, Beast Mode, Bedroom Beats, BET Tyler Perry Comedy, Buzzer, CBS News, CBS Sports HQ, Channel With, Choppertown, CNN Originals, Comedy Dynamics, CONtv, Cooking Panda, DarkMatter TV, Deal or No Deal, Docurama, Dove Channel, DrinkTV, EDGEsport, Electric Now, Electro Anthems, ENTERTAINMENT Tonight, ESRevolution, FailArmy, FIFA Plus, Footballers Live, Friday Feels, Friends, fubo Sports Network, Game Show Central, Garfield, Glewed TV, Gravitas Movies, Hip Hop Bangers, Hollywire, Hollywood Classics, Hometalk TV, Hot R&B, Hottest of the Hot, IGN TV, Kidoodle.TV, KidsFlix, KMTV, Kweli TV, Law & Crime, Like Yesterday, Love Destination, Made In Hollywood, MAV TV Select, Maverick Black Cinema, Midnight Pulp, Monster jam, Monster Kids, Neural Focused, Nosey, Only 90s Kids Will Understand, Party, Party Tyme Karaoke, People Are Awesome, PlayWorks, PLL Network, Popstar!TV, Real Nosey, RetroCrush, Reuters TV, Revry, Revry 2, RevryNow, So…Real, SportsGrid, SQAD, Startalk TV, SURF NOW TV, Tankee, Tastemade, TG Junior, That 70s Channel, That’s Hot, The Archive, The Boat Show, The Connors, The Design Network, The Film Detective, The Martha Stewart Channel, The Mr Bean Channel, The Pet Collective, Toon Goggles, Trending, TV Classics, UFC, Unidentified, Unwind, WASH TV, Wipeout Xtra, Wu Tang Collection, Yacht Rock, Yahoo! Finance, YUYU TV

NOW TV Latino

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+.

Price: $10/month

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.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Roku, Website

Zeam

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.

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Website

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.

Price: $102.98/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Sharp, Vizio, Xbox

Channel lineup:

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. 

Price: free for channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense, Hisense TV, iOS, LG Smart TV, Nvidia SHIELD, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sharp, Sony, Sony TV, Vizio, Website, Xbox

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.

Price: $24.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, Google TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung, Website

Xumo Play

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.

Price: free for 13 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Panasonic, Roku, Samsung TV, Visio TV, webOS, Xfinity Flex

Channel lineup: ABC News Live, AccuWeather Now, Bloomberg, CBC News, CBSN, Cheddar News, Fox Sports, ION, NBC Comedy Vault, NBC News Now, NBCLX, PGA Tour, Today, USA Today

Xfinity Choice TV

Choice TV with Xfinity Flex is for people looking to stay connected to big-name live networks, without getting bogged down by a slew of niche channels. Xfinity Choice TV customers keep things light with HD live TV and 20 hours of DVR storage, but still have the opportunity to add genre channel bundles for more variety.

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

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.

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

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.

Price: Varies depending on your location and account history.

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.

Price: $4.99/month

Device availability: Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Website, Xbox One

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.

Price: $12.95/month

Free Trial: 30 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xfinity Flex

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. You'd have to be a first-time Vix subscriber to avail of this bundle. Of course, you'd also have to be an eligible Verizon plan, the prices of which start at $30/month.

ViX

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.

Price: free for 1 channels available

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Website

Channel lineup:

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 (called "The Viki Pass") or wait until what you want to watch goes free.

Price: $7.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Samsung TV

Vidgo

With Vidgo, your live TV channel access is vast. Whether you opt for a Spanish or English language plan, you get 95 live channels for just $70 a month. Prioritizing channel selection, Vidgo doesn’t offer on-demand content or DVR capabilities. But if you’re just looking to add a live option to your streaming portfolio, it’s all upside. In recent months, however, Vidgo has suffered many outages, some due to missed payments.

Price: $69.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku

Channel lineup: A&E Network, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Aspire, AWE, Baby TV US, Bandamax, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg TV, BYUtv, Cheddar News, CineLife, Classic Reruns TV, CMT, Comedy Central, Curiosity Stream, Disney Channel, Disney Junior US, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Family Movie Classics, FETV, ForoTV, Fox, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FX Movie Channel, FXX, FYI Channel, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Great American Family, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, History, i24 News English, Impact Network, INSP, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Longhorn Network, MavTV, MLB Network, Motor Trend, MTV - Music Television, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Newsmax, NewsNation, NFL Network, NHL, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OAN, Paramount Network, QVC, SEC Network, Sony Movies, Sports Grid, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telehit Musica, Telenovelas, Tennis Channel, TUDN, TV Land, TVOne, Unimas, Univision, UPtv, VH1, Viceland

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.

Price: $9.99/month

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS

Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 18 live TV streaming services that offer a free trial.

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The streaming services on this page were chosen by our editors. If you choose to subscribe to a streaming service we recommend as a result of our research, analysis, and curation, our work is sometimes (but not always) supported by an affiliate commission from the streaming service when you make a purchase.