The Best Streaming Platforms for Documentaries

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 the first time, Apple TV+, Peacock, and the usually deal-shy Netflix are partnering to create an affordable bundle exclusively available to Xfinity customers. Called the Xfinity StreamSaver, the bundle combines Peacock and Netflix's ad-supported plans with Apple TV+ for just $15/month, which is 30% less than the actual price of subscribing to them individually. Of course, each platform has its own set of popular originals, from Ted Lasso to The Traitors to Bridgerton, but this bundle is also a plus for live sports fans who'll get access to MLB on Apple TV+, Premier League and Big Ten on Peacock, and starting 2025, WWE and NFL on Netflix. You might have to cancel your current subscription to Peacock to enjoy this bundle, but you're free to use your login credentials for AppleTV+ and Netflix. Since the lowest Xfinity plan goes for $20/month at the moment, total bundle prices start at $35/month.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 $55 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.

There is a newcomer to the world of live TV that we thought to include: Venu Sports is a new streaming service set to launch in some time in the future and which will have 16 sports channels for $42.99. It comes as a joint venture between Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Launch was briefly set for "fall 2024" before being moved to indefinetly due to an ongoing legal dispute with Fubo.

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 seems to focus on relationships among 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 interestingly and movingly, then this streamer is for you. The subscription is $6.99/month. True Story was launched in 2020.

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/month in the US and Canada and just $0.99/month 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 is free (though not ad-free) and contains the latest shows The CW network is airing.

TCL is one of the leading TV brands out there, so it makes sense the company would come up with a flagship streaming service. TCLtv+ is a streaming app that features more than 300 FAST channels and a couple of on-demand movies and TV shows, all for free. It's easy to get overwhelmed when a service has that many to offer, but there are some notable channels on TCLtv+, including ION (which has NCIS, FBI, Chicago Fire, and countless other procedurals), Dateline 24/7, Cinevault Westerns, Waypoint TV, Estrella TV, Canela.TV, NBC Sports, and Fox Sports. TCLtv+ is, of course, available on most TCL TVs, but you can also download it on iOS and Android-powered streaming devices. Thanks to an agreement with Roku, it can also be found on the homepage of newer Roku devices.

Tablo TV is a free live TV streaming service that lets you watch local channels like ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS, as well as 70 fast channels, including HSN, ION, Grit, MeTV, and CourtTV. It's exclusively available to those with a Tablo device—the latest already comes with a built-in indoor antenna—which itself requires a one-time payment of about $70 to $130, depending on what version you get. It's free in the sense that you don't have to pay a monthly subscription fee, as you would on usual live TV streaming services since it streams channels that are already airing for free via broadcast towers near you. A Tablo device lets you watch Tablo TV on up to 4 devices connected to your home Wi-fi and record shows while watching a different channel. If you're on the go, you can also control the DVR via the Tablo TV app. You can download the app on all major smart TVs and mobile devices.

If you're a T-Mobile customer, you've likely already heard of the phone service's "Netflix on Us" bundle. Depending on your T-mobile plan, you're eligible for a Netflix subscription at no additional cost, regardless of the streamer's price hikes. The most common Netflix plans it provides customers with are the Netflix Basic subscription (valued at $10/month), which is ad-free and available to watch on a single device, and the Netflix Standard subscription (valued at $16/month), also ad-free and available to watch on two devices. T-Mobile says you can upgrade your phone plan to get a free Netflix Premium subscription. Eligible T-Mobile plans start at $100/month with a single line of the Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta MAX plan.

If your T-Mobile's Go5G Next plan is starting to weigh your wallet down, you might be happy to know that at least now the $100/month phone plan offers Hulu with ads (normally $9.99/month) at no additional cost. This is on top of the free Netflix and Apple TV+ Go5G Next users already get to enjoy. If you have an existing Hulu subscription, you'll have to cancel it and redeem your free subscription via T-Mobile's promotions portal. Note that T-Mobile only provides Hulu's standard with ads plan for free, so you'll have to shell out if you want to upgrade your Hulu plan.

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 (which start at $100/month) can access all of Apple TV+'s original films and TV shows at no additional cost. They can also share their subscriptions with up to five other people. 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 Apple TV's regular $9.99/month price, unless canceled.