The way people subscribe to streaming services has completely changed over the past couple of years. Instead of sticking with one or two platforms year-round, many viewers are now “subscription cycling”. This basically means rotating through services depending on what’s worth watching that month, meaning you’re only paying for what you actually watch.
Netflix, once the king of streaming, has seen itself swamped by competitors in recent years. In fact, there has never been a bigger selection of streaming platforms than there is in 2026.
The arrival of HBO Max in March has effectively restructured the UK streaming landscape, pulling big-name shows into a new home, while Sky now bundles multiple streaming services into one single package. Almost every streaming service now also has an ad-supported tier, making it cheaper (though slightly more annoying) to subscribe.
Whatever you’re in the mood to watch, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best streaming services to suit a range of tastes, taking into consideration their cost, ease of use, and their best exclusives.
Read more: Best TVs of 2026, tried and tested by a tech expert
Netflix
How to watch: Compatible TVs, PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, iPad, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, PlayStation 3/4/5, Xbox One/360/Series X/S, compatible set-top boxes and blu-ray players, Sky TV, Sky Glass and Sky Stream
Price per month: From £5.99 (basic tier with ads)
Price per year: From £71.88
How many devices can stream at one time: One (basic tier with ads), two (standard tier), four (premium tier)
Downloads possible: Yes
4K available: Yes (premium tier)
Free trial: No
Standout shows: You, Adolescence, The Four Seasons, Bridgerton, Squid Game, The Crown, Stranger Things, The Witcher, You, Inventing Anna, Sex Education
The king of streaming services is still the best all-round streaming service for watching TV shows and movies on demand. New releases on the platform include War Machine, a sci-fi action thriller about a group of elite army recruits whose training exercise turns into a fight for survival against a deadly alien machine, alongside a steady stream of original films and series landing throughout 2026.
While it’s one of the more expensive streaming options on our list (Netflix premium is £18.99 per month), the company’s ad-based tier is now a core part of its offering, coming in at £5.99 a month. Still, a near-psychic recommendation algorithm, unbeatable exclusive shows and a constantly refreshing library of new and classic content ensure you’re never short of something to watch.
With the platform’s push into original programming, Netflix is also now the only place to watch some critically acclaimed TV shows, including animated comedy BoJack Horseman, Eighties horror hit Stranger Things, and high-concept comedy-drama Russian Doll. You have to sift to find the real gold, however – a recent spate of Netflix Original turkeys might make you hesitate before hitting that subscribe button.
Buy now £5.99, Netflix.com
Disney+
How to watch: Compatible TVs, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, iPad, Amazon Fire tablets, Windows 10 and 11 tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th generation onwards), Chromecast, Now, PlayStation 4 and 5, Roku, Sky, Xbox One and Series X/S
Price per month: From £4.99
Price per year: £89.90 (standad)
How many devices can stream at one time: Four
Downloads possible: Yes
Free trial: No
Standout shows: The Bear, Andor, Doctor Who, Bluey, The Simpsons, The Mandalorian, plus Disney, Marvel and Pixar films
Launched to deafening fanfare in the UK in 2020, Disney+ has continued to grow in popularity. Major shows such as The Bear and the Star Wars prequel Andor have been some of the biggest attractions on the platform, while the voracious media empire’s catalogue includes almost every entertainment franchise going, from The Simpsons and animated Disney films both classic and modern to box office blockbusters from the Marvel and Star Wars universes.
Such a broad selection of favourites, from Frozen to Captain America, makes Disney+ the best streaming service for families, plus Handmaid’s Tale spinoff The Testaments will also be streaming on the platform. There are some holes in the content library – not everything under the Disney umbrella is on here – but if you, or someone in your home, is already a huge fan of Disney, this platform has plenty to offer.
Buy now £4.99, Disneyplus.com
Paramount +
How to watch: Compatible with smart TVs, Sky Cinema with Sky Q, Sky Glass or Sky Stream, iOS, iPad, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Xbox One, Series S, and Series X, PlayStation 4 and 5
Price per month: From £4.99
Price per year: From £59.88
How many devices can stream at one time: One, but up to four with the premium plan
Downloads possible: Yes, with the premium plan
4K available: Yes
Free trial: Yes
Standout shows: Criminal Minds, Hysteria, Dexter: Original Sin, Yellowjackets, Billions
Paramount+ launched in the UK and Ireland in 2022 and offers content from channels including CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Showtime. Big-ticket blockbusters like Gladiator and Transformers make up a strong cinematic offering, alongside family-friendly content and original series, from sci-fi action hit Halo to gritty drama Landman. Criminal Minds fans have also flocked to the platform for its reboot, while Star Trek: Strange New Worlds remains one of its biggest ongoing draws.
As for pricing, its cheapest plan is one of the more affordable available. Prices start from £4.99 per month with ads, while ad-free costs £7.99, which also lets you stream on two devices at once. The premium tier offers more streams, and higher video and audio quality.
Buy now £4.99, Paramountplus.com
Amazon Prime Video
How to watch: Amazon Fire TV devices, Amazon Echo Show, Fire tablets, compatible TVs and blu-ray players, Android, iOS, iPad, PC, Mac, PlayStation 3/4/5, Apple TV, Xbox One and Series X/S
Price per month: £8.99
Price per year: £95
How many devices can stream at one time: Three (but the same content to just two)
Downloads possible: Yes
4K available: Yes
Free trial: 30 days
Standout shows: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Vikings, Mr Robot, The Boys, The Man in The High Castle, Star Trek: Picard, Clarkson’s Farm
While Amazon’s own streaming service initially crept in through the back door, as anyone paying for an Amazon Prime subscription for its one-day shipping option also unlocked full access to Prime Video and Amazon Music, it can now stand on its own two feet.
Since its launch, Amazon Prime Video has grown to become one of the biggest streaming platforms in the UK, expanding its catalogue to include a bunch of highly rated original programming, such as The Boys, Reacher and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Amazon Prime Video interface is tricky to navigate and persistently highlights paid content ahead of free streams, but learn to negotiate its menus and your reward is a streaming service excellent enough to rival Netflix.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon.co.uk
HBO Max
How to watch: Compatible TVs, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, games consoles and selected TV providers
Price per month: From £4.99 (basic tier with ads)
Price per year: N/A
How many devices can stream at one time: Two (basic and standard), up to four (premium)
Downloads possible: Yes (standard and premium tiers)
4K available: Yes (premium tier)
Free trial: No
Standout shows: The Last of Us, Succession, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, The Pitt, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
HBO Max is the latest streaming service to come to the UK, bringing together HBO, Warner Bros and Max originals into a single platform. Launched in March 2026. it’s now the main home for many of the most talked-about US dramas, alongside a growing catalogue of films and exclusive series.
Titles include prestige dramas like Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, The White Lotus and Succession, as well as new shows such as The Pitt, a high-intensity hospital drama that unfolds over a single shift. The platform also pulls in content from across Warner Bros’ entire catalogue, including One Battle After Another and Sinners, as well as the entire Harry Potter film franchise.
With pricing starting from £4.99 per month for the ad-supported tier, it’s competitively priced, though you’ll need to pay more for ad-free viewing, higher-quality streams and the latest films just out of the cinema. Still, if you’re after big-budget, critically acclaimed TV and films, HBO Max is the streaming service you want.
Buy now £4.99, Hbomax.com
Apple TV
How to watch: Compatible TVs, Apple TV (4th generation onwards), Mac, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Google TV, iOS, iPad, Mac, Windows, Chrome OS
Price per month: £8.99
Price per year: £49.99
How many devices can stream at one time: Six
Downloads possible: Yes
4K available: Yes
Free trial: No
Standout shows: Silo, Ted Lasso, Severance, Hijack, The Morning Show, Trying, Long Way Up, For All Mankind, Foundation, 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything, Little America
Apple doesn’t make it easy to understand the difference between Apple TV and its streaming service, so let’s try to clear up that confusion. There’s the Apple TV product, a physical set-top box you plug into your TV. There’s the Apple TV app, which comes installed on iOS devices and pulls together content from other streaming services into one place. And then there’s Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+), a stand-alone, Netflix-style service where you can watch Apple’s own original programming.
The choice of shows to watch on Apple TV is growing rapidly. The streaming service still focuses on its own, self-made, big-budget originals, though there are ongoing reports it may expand its catalogue with licensed content. If you’ve bought an Apple device recently, you’ve likely been given free access. If you have, it’s worth checking out some of the better-rated shows in the library, such as the Jason Sudeikis-fronted comedy Ted Lasso, workplace satire Severance, the action-packed thriller Hijack and newer releases like Pluribus.
Buy now £8.99, Apple.com
Now
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How to watch: Compatible TVs and blu-ray players, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV (4th generation onwards, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One and Series X/S
Price per month: From £6.99 for 6 months, then £9.99 per month
Price per year: N/A
How many devices can stream at one time: Three
Downloads possible: Yes
4K available: Yes
Free trial: Yes, seven days
Standout shows: The Last Of Us, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Succession, Game of Thrones, True Detective, Chernobyl, The Sopranos, Broadwalk Empire, The Wire, Billions, live sport from Sky Sports.
Now (formerly called Now TV) is a streaming service operated by Sky, whose catalogue includes Sky originals, US imports and premium TV shows. The service soared in popularity at the height of Game of Thrones mania, when it became the only place in the UK for non-Sky customers to watch the show live (it became so popular in fact, that the streaming platform infamously crashed during the season finale).
However, with HBO Max now available in the UK, it might not be the go-to service it one was. Shows that would once have landed on Now are no longer exclusive, and in many cases are now available through HBO Max instead. The HBO Max platform is now built into the Now streaming service (for those who still want Now TV). Now Entertainment comes with Sky Originals, as well as HBO Max shows.
Now still uses membership passes to give viewers access to different sections of Sky’s library of movies and TV shows, as well as live entertainment and sport, so you can mix and match depending on what you want to watch, all without locking into an annual contract. It remains a flexible option, particularly if you want access to Sky content without committing to a full package.
Buy now £6.99, Nowtv.com
National Theatre at Home
How to watch: Compatible TVs, iOS, iPad, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku
Price per month: £9.99
Price per year: £99.99
How many devices can stream at one time: One
Downloads possible: Yes, but not all content
4K available: No
Free trial: No
Standout shows: The Other Place, Life of Pi, Present Laughter, The Wind in the Willows, Death of England: The Plays
Like every other live venue across the country, the pandemic left the National Theatre facing an existential threat. When audiences were unable to attend in person, the company turned to new ways to fund itself and continue paying actors and staff. And so National Theatre at Home – a streaming platform allowing viewers to watch beautifully produced live recordings of a selection of stand-out plays from a handful of associated London theatres – was born. Its success was such that the theatre has continued running the service even after venues reopened.
There’s the option to rent a single show or subscribe to unlock the full catalogue, which changes from month to month. National Theatre at Home might not be the ideal way to watch theatre, but it’s a great option for those who can’t visit in person or who missed out on some incredible live entertainment.
Buy now £9.99, Nationaltheatre.org.uk
What’s the best streaming service in the UK?
There’s no longer a one size fits all when it comes to streaming services. It all comes down to what you want to watch and how much you’re willing to spend. Netflix is still the best all-rounder in terms of content, Disney+ is the obvious pick for families and HBO Max is now the go-to for prestige TV. But with prices creeping up and more platforms competing for your attention, the best approach is to mix and match, or even rotate subscriptions, so you’re only paying for what you actually watch.
For more, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about HBO Max
