The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (2024)

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • RELATED:
  • Best Video Streaming Services
  • Best Documentary Streaming Services
  • Best Free Video Streaming Services

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (1)

Best for Original Movies

Netflix

4.5 Outstanding

  • High-quality original programming
  • Excellent apps and features
  • Offline downloads on mobile
  • Free mobile games
  • Ad-based tier doesn't include full library
  • Little to no information about changes to the availability of content

Netflix is the standard-bearer for streaming video services. It hosts an impressive selection of content, with new titles exchanged for older ones on a monthly basis. Then there's Netflix's constantly growing library of premier, original programming that outclasses every other streaming service's offerings. Apart from its original movies, such as El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and The Irishman, Netflix has the most high-quality movies of any streaming service.

Netflix is a premium service for people willing to pay premium prices. Netflix recently raised the price of its subscription plans, and not for the first time. However, a cheaper, ad-supported version is also available.

Starting Price $6.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 2 or 4

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Netflix Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (2)

Best for Movie Variety

Hulu

4.0 Excellent

  • Excellent TV series selection
  • Extensive live TV channel lineup
  • Robust cloud DVR option
  • Available on nearly every media streaming device
  • Appealing bundle deals
  • Base plan includes ads
  • Offline downloads require a premium account
  • Missing all Bally Sports and most SportsNet RSNs

Hulu is one of the best, all-in-one options for cord cutters, given its diverse set of streaming options. Movies are a key part of its content library, alongside on-demand streaming and live TV.

Hulu’s film library especially shines as part of the Disney bundle. This discounted collection also includes subscriptions for Disney+ and ESPN+. Disney movies and sports are great, but Hulu provides the thoughtful entertainment for adult audiences that's desperately missing from those other services.

Starting Price $9.99 per month; $81.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices)

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Hulu Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (3)

Best for Affordable TV and Movie Streaming

Peacock

4.0 Excellent

  • Affordable base tier has no major limitations
  • Popular movies and network shows
  • Flexible plan pricing
  • Live sports
  • Supports multiple account profiles
  • New users can't create a free account
  • Constantly changing movie library

NBC'sPeacockoffers two plans: an affordable base tier with 20,000 hours, some live sports, and clips-based channels; and a Premium Plus option that builds upon the previous tier by removing ads when you stream on-demand titles. Peacock's streaming library includes hundreds of movies, and some Hollywood blockbusters are available just a few weeks after their theatrical runs.

Who doesn't appreciate quality, low-cost films? Peacock is an Editors’ Choice pick because of its generous affordable tier, but you can upgrade to Premium Plus if you want an even better experience.

Starting Price $7.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Starts at $7.99 Peacock TV

Learn More

Peacock Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (4)

Best for Free Movies

Tubi

4.0 Excellent

  • Free
  • Extensive library of movies and shows
  • Live TV
  • Modern apps and interfaces
  • Supports watchlists
  • Parental control features
  • 720p streaming resolution cap
  • Lacks an ad-free option

Tubi is a free video streaming service that claims a collection of 50,000 movies and TV shows. Its film catalog includes popular hits such as A.I. Artificial Intelligence; Black Hawk Down; Donnie Darko; Legally Blonde; Memento; Minority Report; Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; Rain Man; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and We Need to Talk About Kevin. Note that Tubi's library regularly changes.

Tubi is for people who want a free service that doesn't feel cheap. Tubi's web interface and mobile apps have clean designs that neatly organize everything into descriptive categories. Unfortunately, the streaming resolution has a 720p cap, and you can’t download movies for offline viewing. On the upside, the service keeps track of the content you've watched, and lets you manage a watchlist.

Starting Price Free

Concurrent Streams Unlimited

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

$0.00 Tubi

Learn More

Tubi Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (5)

Best for Popular Movies

Amazon Prime Video

4.0 Excellent

  • Excellent original content
  • 4K and HDR streaming
  • Live Thursday Night Football and WNBA games
  • Supports offline downloads, multiple viewer profiles, and audio descriptions
  • Lets you rent or buy movies and TV shows
  • Streams select movies currently in theaters
  • Continues to lose third-party content to other services
  • Not as many high-quality TV shows as competitors

Amazon's streaming video library includes many popular and classic movies, either from a subscription, rental, or purchase. In addition, Amazon's $8.45 billion MGM acquisition considerably improved the movie selection.

Although it has a subscription option, Prime Video is also for people who want to buy or rent movies a la carte. That’s where you’ll find the biggest selection. Don’t sleep on the subscription option, though. You can view video content in one of two ways: a standalone Amazon Video subscription or an Amazon Prime subscription. Either way, you'll find numerous films to enjoy.

Starting Price $8.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Amazon Prime Video Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (6)

Best for Family-Friendly Movies

Disney+

4.0 Excellent

  • Central hub for Disney-owned content
  • Lets you watch Hulu programming within the app
  • 4K streaming
  • Good performance in testing
  • Mostly relies on existing franchises
  • Hulu content costs extra
  • Offline downloads locked to Premium tier

Star Wars. Marvel. Pixar. Disney+ is the exclusive streaming home for family-friendly blockbusters that continue to leave everlasting impressions on generation after generation. Forget films, Disney makes entire cinematic universes. Although these movies may be best enjoyed on the big screen, Disney+ is where you can watch them again and again.

If you have even a passing interest in just one of the many beloved properties under the Disney corporate umbrella, Disney+ is for you. Select Disney+ films are even available in "IMAX Enhanced" quality, bringing the fidelity of the large-format film theater resolution to displays that support it.

Starting Price $9.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 4

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Disney+ Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (7)

Best for WarnerMedia Movies

Max

4.0 Excellent

  • Huge catalog of popular shows and movies from many sources
  • Attractive apps
  • User profiles and parental control tools
  • Ad-free tier lets you download content for offline viewing
  • Live news and sports
  • Ultimate tier includes far more 4K content than HBO Max
  • Relatively expensive
  • Ad-supported tier doesn't support offline downloads
  • Potentially dramatic library changes

Max bundles an impressive collection of popular movies from Warner Bros. Discovery's portfolio (DC Comics, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros.) and other sources (such as The Criterion Collection and Studio Ghibli). HBO, in particular, has a long history of offering new and classic movies from across the industry. That’s why it’s the home box office.

Max has one of the best and most well-rounded streaming libraries, thanks to Warner’s deep bench of brands ranging from Cartoon Network craziness to HBO prestige to Discovery reality trash. However, its impressive film library is especially appealing to mainstream cinephiles who care about movies beyond what was released this century.

Starting Price $9.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 4

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Max Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (8)

Best for International Films

KweliTV

4.0 Excellent

  • Well-curated, independent, international library
  • Flexible pricing options
  • Offline downloads on mobile platforms
  • Merchandise shop and discounts for Black-owned businesses
  • Inconsistent subtitles
  • Community still growing

KweliTV is your destination for films from Africa and beyond. The service features more than 400 total curated entries, including Africa United and Black Enuf, along with other documentaries and titles you might find at an indie film festival. There’s a free, live streaming component, and you can rent individual films.

KweliTV is for anyone who celebrates the fact that incredible cinematic art exists outside their own borders. Apart from access to KweliTV's streaming library, a subscription grants you discounts with more than 35 Black-owned brands, plus invites to members-only events.

Starting Price $5.99 per month

Concurrent Streams Unlimited

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

$5.99/Month KweliTV

Learn More

KweliTV Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (9)

Best for Free Popular Movies and Family Titles

Amazon Freevee

3.5 Good

  • Free
  • Decent movie collection
  • Reliable streaming performance in testing
  • Supports many popular platforms and devices
  • Cool, info-packed X-Ray feature
  • Small selection of original programming
  • Few notable TV shows
  • Disjointed navigation experience on the web

Previously known as IMDb TV, Freevee is Amazon’s free alternative to Prime Video. You can watch ad-supported versions of popular movies, such as The Invisible Man, Logan, and Undercover Brother. Freevee also has original movies, such as Love Accidentally.

Freevee is just one more reason to step into the Amazon ecosystem. When you aren’t buying products or enjoying the company’s other subscription services, you can watch movies without forking over cash.

Starting Price Free

Concurrent Streams Unlimited

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

$0.00 IMDB.com

Learn More

Amazon Freevee Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (10)

Best for Classic Films

The Criterion Channel

  • On-demand streaming of curated Criterion Collection films
  • Offline downloads on mobile devices
  • No ads
  • Tons of video extras, including interviews, features, and other commentary
  • Not all Criterion Collection movies are available for streaming
  • Lacks parental controls or user profiles
  • Some aggressive DRM and HDCP restrictions

True cinephiles love the Criterion Collection for its lovingly curated collection of classic films. The Criterion Channel offers that same artistry and historical preservation as a convenient streaming service.

The Criterion Channel doesn’t feature the entire Criterion Collection, but it has more than enough content to appeal to serious film fans. It may not replace a physical edition, but you can download movies to mobile devices for offline viewing. The Criterion Channel even includes extras, such as interviews and commentary, to provide even more insightful historical context.

Starting Price $10.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

$99.99 for 1 Year Gift Subscription The Criterion Collection

Learn More

The Criterion Channel Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (11)

Best for Independent Films

IFC Films Unlimited

3.5 Good

  • Strong selection of indie movies
  • No ads
  • Supports offline downloads on mobile devices
  • Inexpensive
  • Only available through Prime Video or on Apple TV and Roku devices
  • Doesn't include a lot of older, classic independent films

IFC Films Unlimited lets you stream a strong selection of independent movies, without ads, for a very reasonable price of $6 per month. Note that you must use it as an add-on channel to another service, such as Apple TV or Roku. However, you can download videos for offline mobile viewing.

Movie fans tired of Hollywood pablum always want a chance to catch the latest, unknown indie flicks. Even if you don’t have the most adventurous film palette, IFC Films may be a gateway to broader movie horizons.

Starting Price $5.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

Learn More

IFC Films Unlimited Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (12)

Best for MGM Movies

MGM+

3.5 Good

  • Fantastic library of modern movies, classics, and original shows
  • Offline downloads on mobile
  • Available as an affordable add-on for other streaming services
  • Desktop version lacks many navigation features
  • Some confusing gaps in the catalog

As more streaming services opt to produce low-quality original shows, it’s great to see MGM+ highlight fantastic films straight from the theaters. Its mainstream catalog includes modern hits and classic movies that have withstood the test of time. The service has a few original shows, too, and they feature Hollywood talent like Forest Whitaker.

MGM+ used to be known as Epix, so if you were a fan of that premium channel, then MGM+ is a fine replacement. It’s an excellent and affordable service for any film fan, especially if you love James Bond or Rocky.

Starting Price $5.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 6

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

Learn More

MGM+ Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (13)

Best for Cinephiles and Movie Discovery

Mubi

3.5 Good

  • New film added every day to curated lineup
  • Extensive catalog of films
  • Community features
  • 1080p streaming
  • Offline downloads on mobile
  • No support for multiple viewing profiles
  • Limited closed captioning options

Mubi curates its streaming lineup so that you'll frequently encounter films you've never seen. Hundreds of films span diverse categories, such as Adaptations, Brief Encounters, Debuts, First Look, The New Auteurs, Undiscovered, and Weimar Germany.

Along with its streaming catalog, Mubi lets you join an enthusiastic, online film community powered by Mubi’s database. You can view critics' accolades alongside user reviews, plus create watch lists (the lists can include movies that Mubi doesn’t offer). Building on the community angle, Mubi lets you follow other fans and compare your tastes.

Starting Price $14.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 2

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

$29.99 For Three Months Mubi

Learn More

Mubi Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (14)

Best for Network Shows and Sports

Paramount+

3.5 Good

  • Broad library of on-demand content across many genres
  • Premium tier now includes Showtime
  • Live sports coverage
  • Supports offline downloads and 4K streaming
  • Allows three simultaneous streams and six profiles per account
  • Excellent closed captions options and parental control tools
  • Fewer high-quality originals than competiing services
  • Offline downloads and 4K streaming are restricted to premium tier
  • Only premium subscribers get local CBS broadcast channels

Paramount+ is betting its powerful corporate backing can make it become a new major streaming service. Its brands include Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and Star Trek. The service has hundreds of movies that include original streaming flicks and content pulled from Paramount’s prestigious back catalog.

The transition from CBS All Access to Paramount+ left this service with a bit of an identity crisis. But now that everything's aligned, fans of the studio's various brands have much to enjoy. All Paramount movies are now exclusive to this service.

Starting Price $7.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

7-Day Free Paramount+ Streaming Service Trial Paramount+

Learn More

Paramount+ Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (15)

Best for Movie Channels

Philo

3.5 Good

  • Inexpensive
  • More than 70 channels
  • Free channels
  • Good mobile apps
  • Easy-to-use DVR
  • No major sports coverage
  • Few news channels
  • Lacks parental control options
  • Some saved and on-demand content has ads

Philo’s relatively pricey streaming plan offers dozens of live channels. The service focuses on lifestyle and entertainment, so you’ll find popular movies from AMC, IFC, and other recognizable channels.

Live streaming still has its place in an on-demand streaming world. After all, sometimes you just want to watch whatever is on instead of making a choice. Plus, Philo’s impressive entertainment channels help ensure you catch a movie that’s actually worth watching.

Starting Price $28 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Philo Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (16)

Best for Indie Films and Documentaries

Ovid.tv

3.5 Good

  • Inexpensive
  • Extensive streaming collection
  • Excellent web interface and mobile apps
  • Offline downloads on mobile devices
  • Limited to the US and Canada
  • Subtitles are not customizable

Ovid.tv brings together indie movies and documentaries to create a streaming service with appeal beyond more mainstream offerings. Its collection includes films from all over the world. Note, however, that you can only watch it in the US and Canada.

Indie streaming services sometimes ask you to put up with a mediocre interface to reach the compelling content. Ovid.tv does not. Besides a great collection of indie movies and documentaries, Ovid.tv has excellent apps for browsers and mobile devices.

Starting Price $6.99 per month

Concurrent Streams 3

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Starting at $6.99 OVID.tv

Learn More

Ovid.tv Review

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (17)

Best for Horror Fans

Shudder

3.5 Good

  • Large collection of horror films and shows
  • Charming interface and style
  • Inexpensive
  • No ads
  • Missing some classic suspense and horror films
  • Not all content is available in 1080p
  • No offline downloads on mobile platforms
  • Closed captions are not customizable

Shudder lets you stream a huge collection of scary movies, from old-school schlock to top-tier terror. The streaming service even produces original documentaries highlighting overlooked parts of horror film history.

When it comes to film lovers, horror fans are a different breed. They’ll take in everything the genre offers, from the extremely gory to the extremely cheesy. Shudder helps horror fans—and anyone looking to become one—stay on top of the many fright-filled films.

Starting Price $6.99 per month

Concurrent Streams None

Live TV

On-Demand Movies and TV Shows

Original Programming

Anime

Ads

Offline Downloads on Mobile

GET IT NOW

Today’s Best Deal

Learn More

Shudder Review

Buying Guide: The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024

Which Movies Can You Stream Online?

The movies available for streaming on a service depend on the distribution rights. It's similar to how live TV streaming services negotiate with cable channel owners to get streaming rights. The services that own the rights to huge catalogs of content (or have the money to get streaming rights) have an advantage. Take, for example, four of the biggest names in the media business: Comcast (Peacock), Disney (Disney+), ViacomCBS (Paramount+), and Warner Bros. Discovery (Max).

Comcast owns several movie studios, including DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Universal Pictures. Disney+ has classic Disney films, Marvel movies (but not all Marvel movies), Pixar animations, and Star Wars films. ViacomCBS owns Paramount Pictures. Warner's Max includes movies from Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, plus has exclusive streaming rights to Studio Ghibli films in the US.

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (18)

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (19) Video Streaming Services: What You Should Know

Netflix and Prime Video aren't backed by traditional media behemoths, but they have large (albeit constantly changing) libraries of movies. Check out our features on what's arriving on Netflix and Prime Video to stay up to date with the streaming offerings.

Both companies produce original movies, some of which have earned critical acclaim. Some of the top Netflix original movies are El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story, I Care A Lot, The Irishman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Roma, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Prime Video's best original movies to date include Honey Boy, I Am Not Your Negro, Manchester by The Sea, One Night in Miami, Sound of Metal, and The Big Sick. Part of the reason that Amazon and Netflix need to produce their own titles is that some of the traditional media powerhouses are making movies exclusive to their own services. Hulu doesn't produce many original movies, but it is owned by Disney, which likely has some financial upside.

Apple TV+ doesn't license content from traditional media giants and thus is in the unenviable position of creating most of its content in-house, though it has acquired some films and documentaries. This means that its movie library is minimal compared with other streaming services. On top of that, Apple TV+'s focus appears to be on creating original series more so than original movies. The most notable Apple TV+ films available for streaming are The Banker, The Elephant Queen, Greyhound, Hala, and Wolf Walkers.

Other services have a more specific focus. The Criterion Channel focuses on classic and foreign films. Filmatique, Mubi, and Ovid.tv curate a rotating library of indie movies and documentaries. Angelika Anywhere lets you rent or purchase streaming films curated by the arthouse theater chain. If that is your primary interest, check out our roundup of the best documentary streaming services.

KweliTV is one of the best video streaming services for celebrating Black art. Tubi and Crackle, which are free services, offer popular movies from years past, though you probably won't recognize a good portion of the titles in their libraries.

Note that you won't be able to watch the latest movies from traditional film giants on these services; often, a film has a theatrical release period, which lets it qualify for awards.

Do Movie Streaming Services Support 4K, HDR, and Surround Sound?

Some video streaming services support high-end audio and video standards. For example, Apple TV+, Disney+, Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video all support 4K streaming. Other streaming film services top out at 1080p streaming, among them The Criterion Channel, Filmatique, KweliTV, Mubi, Ovid.tv, Peacock, and Shudder. Crackle and Tubi have maximum streaming resolutions that top out at 720p.

Some services, such as Apple TV+, Disney+, Max, Netflix, and Prime Video, support HDR streaming (either HDR10 or Dolby Vision). Support for higher-end audio standards (5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Atmos, or Dolby Digital Plus) is more common. Apple TV+, Disney+, Max, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, and Tubi all support at least one of these standards.

Note that not every movie on these services is available to stream at the absolute highest quality. The best way to find content that supports these high-end video and audio standards is to search for them in a service's interface.

You also need a playback device that supports these standards. Check out our roundups of the best media streaming devices, projectors, smart TVs, and soundbars to find all the top audiovisual gear, keeping in mind that some services restrict the highest playback standards to certain devices. For instance, Netflix subscribers on macOS only recently gained the ability to stream in 4K. Prime Video restricts 4K streaming to select media streaming devices and smart TVs. No streaming service we've reviewed offers 8K content, so don't feel like you have to go out and buy an 8K TV to enjoy movie streaming services. You don't have to spend a fortune to create the perfect backyard movie night, either, but higher-end components will help you get the most out of the movie streaming service you choose.

Movie Streaming Accessibility Options

Most of the video streaming services in this roundup include closed captions for the vast majority of their content, but only a few let you fully customize them. Disney+, Max, Hulu, IFC Films Unlimited, IMDb TV, Netflix, Peacock, Prime Video, and Tubi support subtitle customizations.

Only a few services support audio descriptions, which are audible narrations of on-screen events that would not be discernible through dialogue alone. Apple TV+, Disney+, Max, Hulu, IMDb TV, Netflix, and Prime Video have this accessibility feature.

Streaming vs. Blu-ray

There's one major reason to consider a video streaming service over physical media for watching movies: potential savings. If you buy one or more 4K UHD Blu-rays every month (typically $15 to $30, depending on how recently they were released), it's likely cheaper to subscribe to a video streaming service—at least as far as watching movies goes. However, if you only buy 4K UHD Blu-rays occasionally or only feel the need to buy standard DVDs or Blu-rays, you might end up paying less over the same period compared with subscribing to a video streaming service.

Max's Ultimate Ad-Free and Netflix's Premium plan (the only tiers supporting 4K streaming) cost the most of the on-demand services we've reviewed at $19.99 and $22.99 per month, respectively. Apple TV+ is $9.99 per month, The Criterion Channel is $10.99 per month, and Mubi is $12.99 per month. At the lower end of the price range, Paramount+ Essential and Peacock are both $5.99 per month as is KweliTV. Prime Video is $8.99 per month, Disney+ and Hulu charge $7.99 per month, and Shudder and Ovid.tv is $6.99 per month.

Recommended by Our Editors

3 Easy Steps to Build the Best Home Theater System for Under $1,000

5 Simple Tweaks to Get the Best Picture Settings for Your TV

What Is Surround Sound? 5.1, 7.1, Dolby Atmos, and More Explained

Crackle and Tubi are free. Philo, a live TV service, is $25 per month, but that's inexpensive for the category. No matter what you want to pay each month, our guide to the best video streaming services for every budget has a specific category for movie lovers.

On the one hand, the services' constantly changing libraries may not appeal to people who like to rewatch movies from time to time. Presumably, when you buy a physical disk, it's because that movie is one you specifically want to watch many times or otherwise keep for collection purposes. The fact that a service might not have all the movies you want to watch is also problematic. Other people may just like the prospect of having physical disks offline for eternity. If you buy a digital movie from iTunes or Amazon, a recent lawsuit reminds us that digital content ownership may still be subject to factors outside your control.

Still, the opportunity to discover new films is a definite benefit of a changing library of movies. Mubi, for instance, updates its Now Streaming section of 30 curated films every day, so you always have something new to watch. There are ways to use video streaming services offline, too. Many services support offline downloads on mobile devices, for example. Watching a movie on a mobile device's small screen may not be ideal, but it's still more convenient than carrying around a portable Blu-ray player or laptop with a compatible disc drive.

There are other options for people who don't like the prospect of streaming services but who still want to go digital. For example, you could purchase digital copies of movies online and organize them in one place with Movies Anywhere. Alternatively, you can upload any films you already own to a Plex server and enjoy them anywhere.

Which Movie Streaming Service Is Best?

When you pay for an on-demand video streaming service, you generally aren't limited to just watching movies. Some of the best new shows are exclusive to on-demand services. For example, Netflix is the only place to watch Squid Game, Disney+ is Hawkeye's streaming home, and Prime Video is the place to catch The Wheel of Time. These all-you-can-watch subscriptions make it easier to justify the services' costs.

Video streaming services may not be perfect for watching movies, but those with the best features, large movie libraries, and support for high-end standards are viable alternatives to purchasing physical discs or paying an exorbitant amount of money for movie tickets.

Ben Moore contributed to this roundup.

The Best Movie Streaming Services for 2024 (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Terence Hammes MD

Last Updated:

Views: 6777

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terence Hammes MD

Birthday: 1992-04-11

Address: Suite 408 9446 Mercy Mews, West Roxie, CT 04904

Phone: +50312511349175

Job: Product Consulting Liaison

Hobby: Jogging, Motor sports, Nordic skating, Jigsaw puzzles, Bird watching, Nordic skating, Sculpting

Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.