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.
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.
Price: free for 78 channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Sony, TiVo, Vizio, Website, Xbox One
Channel lineup: 21 Jump Street, ABC Localish, ABC News, ACC Digital Network, AFV Family, All Real, Baywatch, Bein Sports XTRA, bein Sports Xtra en Espanol, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Quicktake, Brat TV, BUZZR, Caught in Providence, CBC News, Cheddar, CINEVAULT: 80's, CINEVAULT: Classics, CINEVAULT: Westerns, Circle, Comedy Dynamics, Cosmos, Deal or No Deal, Dove Channel, El Rey, Estrella News, EuroNews English, Fear Factor, FilmRise Classic TV, FilmRise Westerns, Forensic Files, FOX, Fox Deportes, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, fubo Sports Network, Game Show Central, Gordon Ramsay, Heartland, Johnny Carson TV, live now from Fox, Lone Star, Masked Singer Channel, MLB, Moviesphere Free, My Time Movie Network, Mystery Science Theater 3000, NBC News Now, Newsy, NFL Channel, NHRA TV, Nosey, Pac-12 Insider, Pattrn, People TV, Real Madrid TV, REELZ, So Real, Sports Wire, Stadium, Supermarket Sweep, The Biggest Loser, The Bob Ross Channel, The Carol Burnett Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Grio, the NFL Channel, The Only Way is Essex, TMZ, TODAY All Day, Tubi Originals, Unsolved Mysteries, USA Today, Vice, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Weather Nation, Wipeout Xtra
Peacock is a streaming service owned by NBC, with options for paid subscriptions as well as a free plan. The free plan offers about 13,000 hours of ad-supported content, with the option to upgrade to premium for more access to content. The premium options include two plans: $5.99 a month or $60 a year for ad-supported; $11.99 a month or $120 a year for ad-free. With both premium plans, you'll get access to the full catalog of 2,000 movies and shows, including every episode of the original NBC series. You'll also get next-day access to all the new episodes of ongoing NBC shows, and early access to talk shows such as Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on the air night. You can stream Peacock on Apple devices like the iPhone and Apple TV, Google devices like Android phones and Chromecast, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles. But there is still no app available for Roku or Amazon platforms.
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 $5.99/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, AT&T TV NOW, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and EPIX NOW.
Price: $5.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV
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 $10 (with ads) to $15 (no ads) to $20 (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.
Most mobile devices that can stream video support Max, although there is yet no app for Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.
Price: $9.99/month
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox
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.
FXNow is an on-demand app available in the US and Canada, featuring content from the FX, FXX and FXM channels. You can also access it via web browser (fxnow.fxnetworks.com).
It’s free if you're a subscriber of FX or a participating TV provider, but it is supported by ads.
You can also use it as an add-on to other on-demand subscriptions including Paramount Plus, HBO Max and Disney Plus, at varying prices depending on the platform.
The FXNow 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.
Price: $5.99/month
Take streaming and live TV up a notch with FuboTV Elite. This upgraded subscription plan from FuboTV is $84.99 per month which lets you access more than 170 broadcast channels in the main Fubo service, 130 sporting events, and an additional 41 Fubo extra channels. Enjoy 1,000 hours of cloud DVR and watch shows for up to 10 screens at home and 3 devices on the go. With News Plus, NBA TV, and NHL TV among the additional channels, FuboTV Elite is perfect for news junkies and sports enthusiasts alike.
Price: $84.99/month
Free Trial: 7 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, 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, Discovery Channel, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, DUST, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Estrella TV, Food Network, 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 Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, 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, OWN, 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, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, Univision, Univision local channels, USA, VH1, Vice, WGN America, Zona Futbol
Fearless is a Toronto-based streaming service built around inclusivity. Their focus is on showcasing films highlighting stories from LGBTQ+ people, Women, BIPOC, and stories on disability. They also enable creators to directly submit their work on either a Free license basis (for creators only interested in traction) or a paid/exclusive license.
Price: $5/month
Free Trial: 14 days
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, iOS, Website
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.
Price: $69.99/month
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku
Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ACC Network, American Heroes, Animal Planet, Aspire, AWE, Bein Sports, BET, Big Ten Network, Cheddar, CMT, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel, CuriosityStream, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Family, Discovery Life, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, DIY Network, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Fox News, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FS1, FS2, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, GetTV, GSN, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, INSP, Investigation Discovery, Law & Crime, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Longhorn Network, MAV TV, MotorTrend, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NewsNation, NFL Network, NFL Redzone, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, OAN, OWN, Pac-12 national feed, Pac-12 regionals, Paramount Network, QVC, Science, SEC Network, Sony Movie Channel, TeenNick, TLC, Travel Channel, TV Land, UPtv
The Roku Channel can't replace Netflix or a cord-cutting service like Sling, but it's a nice added bonus if you already have a Roku device. The selection of live channels is limited, but there's something for everyone, including news, sports, and entertainment.
Price: free for 1 channels available
Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV, Website
Channel lineup: ABC News Live
Ready to cut the cord? Here are the 12 cheapest Live TV streaming services for cord-cutting.
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.