The Best Streaming Platforms for Documentaries

MGM dominated the film industry in the 20th century, and despite a slight dip in the early 2010s, it has proven to be a strong contender in the streaming era. With MGM+, the production company continues to put out originals like the dystopian series From, the crime thriller Godfather of Harlem, and Western shows like Billy the Kid. And this is on top of their extensive collection of classic films—it has everything from the 12 Angry Men to Stripes to Ghost World to Babel. All this makes for a significant add-on: MGM+ costs a reasonable $6.99 to add to your existing Amazon Prime subscription. With this bundle, you get to combine MGM+'s decades-long list of content with Prime's top-tier features like offline downloads, parental controls, 4k viewing, and Dolby surround sound.

Amazon Kids+ is a streaming service for kids 3 to 12. it features animation content from Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street and Cartoon Network, but also access to educational apps, games, and e-books. It costs $5.99/month if you already have Amazon Prime or $7.99/month if you don't.

You can buy nearly everything on Amazon, including movies and TV shows. Amazon's video storefront (not to be confused with its on-demand streaming service Amazon Prime) allows you to either rent or buy thousands of titles, including new releases, blockbuster hits, niche indies, and international gems. 

You'll have to sign in using your Amazon account to start renting or purchasing, and Amazon allows you to redeem gift cards, promo codes, and points if you have them upon checkout. Like most video stores, Amazon gives you 30 days to start watching a rental and 48 hours to finish it, while unlimited access is granted to purchased titles. Lastly, you should know that a rented title is only viewable on one device, so sharing options will be limited. 

Originally launched as "UMC" (Urban Movie Channel), allblk is a premium streaming service that offers users access to a wide variety of Black-centric movies, TV shows, and original programming. The service is owned by AMC, and was originally started by Robert L. Johnson, the founder of BET.

If you have an Air TV streaming device, you'll automatically have free access to 1oo local channels from affiliates like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS all in HD. To be clear, the local channels are free in the sense that you don't have to pay a monthly bill to watch them, as you would on a cable or live TV subscription, but you do have to pay a one-time fee that sets you up with an Air TV device and an HD antenna. Depending on the bundle you pick, that can cost you anywhere from $150 to $250. It seems like a lot, but it makes sense when you consider that it comes with DVR, the ability to watch local channels anywhere, and for Sling TV subscribers, seamless integration in all your devices. 

Although you don't need to be a Sling TV subscriber to start using Air TV, the two are perfect complements that save you a lot of money, in the long run. Sling TV has live TV channels equipped for sports, entertainment, and nationwide news, while the one-time-payment Air TV gives you constant and uninterrupted access to your local channels. If you do combine them, Sling takes care of any overlaps to ensure you're getting the best of both streaming worlds in all compatible devices.

While programming depends on your geographical location, Acorn TV in the US focuses on TV shows from dozens of international networks in countries of the Commonwealth, from British channels like the BBC and ITV as well as Oceanic shows from Australia and New Zealand. Aside from British shows, there’s also a solid selection of content from other major European networks from France, Italy and Ireland.

7 Plus is a free, ad-supported streaming service that gives viewers the very best from Network Seven, one of Australia's major broadcasters. It has entire seasons of popular shows, movies, live coverages, and old and new content alike as the service's library is constantly updated. Because Network Seven is comprised of many channels, including those entirely dedicated to news, films, and sports, 7 Plus also has one of the most extensive catalogs of content out there. It's also fairly easy to use and available on a number of devices.