Much has been made recently of the HBO Max decision to pull dozens of titles from its streaming service, including several original series and almost 200 episodes of “Sesame Street.” In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for the streaming platform said HBO Max was paring down its library in anticipation of an upcoming merger with Discovery+.
Some HBO Max users were understandably frustrated to learn that their subscription would now get them less content, at no reduction in price. At $9.99, a monthly HBO Max subscription is one of the pricier streaming entertainment options. Buit when considering which streaming platforms to subscribe to, potential users have to consider not only the cost, but the quality – and quantity – of shows and movies they will get access to. (These, for instance, are the best Amazon Prime original movies in the company’s history.)
To determine the cheapest major streaming services, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on the price per title on 10 of America’s largest streaming options. Data on the estimated number of titles on each platform and simultaneous streams came from Metacritic and is from July 2022, and data on the starting price for each service came from the services themselves. Bundle options were excluded from our ranking.
It is worth noting that even though some streamers have fewer titles than others, the real value of a platform is how much someone enjoys the content it has. Several streaming platforms on this list focus on one specific type of content – like CrunchyRoll for anime and Shudder for horror. Even though these platforms have fewer options, they may be worth getting for fans of the genres.
Though HBO Max may not have the most titles, its original shows like “Succession,” “Barry,” and the new “Game of Thrones” spin-off “House of the Dragon” are some of the most popular, critically acclaimed, and buzzed about programs of the year – and the platform has an impressive back catalog of classics, as well. Consider, for example, this list of the best HBO Shows of all time.
Beyond the content itself, the streaming platforms have some other key differences. Some (like Disney+, Hulu, and Peacock) may require extra payment for ad-free streaming; others have better picture quality (the best of the six on this list are usually considered to be Disney+ and Netflix); and some platforms only allow two users to stream simultaneously, while others can go up to four.
Click here to see the cheapest streaming services in America
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10. Apple TV+
> Cost per thousand titles: $41.58
> Starting price: $4.99
> Total titles: 120+
> Simultaneous streams: Six
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
9. Showtime Anytime
> Cost per thousand titles: $16.91
> Starting price: $10.99
> Total titles: 650+
> Simultaneous streams: Three
8. CrunchyRoll
> Cost per thousand titles: $9.99
> Starting price: $9.99
> Total titles: 1,000+
> Simultaneous streams: Two
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Shudder
> Cost per thousand titles: $9.98
> Starting price: $5.99
> Total titles: 600+
> Simultaneous streams: One
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Source: Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
6. Disney+
> Cost per thousand titles: $7.26
> Starting price: $7.99
> Total titles: 1,100+
> Simultaneous streams: Four
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
5. HBO Max
> Cost per thousand titles: $2.85
> Starting price: $9.99
> Total titles: 3,500+
> Simultaneous streams: Three
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. Peacock
> Cost per thousand titles: $2.50
> Starting price: $4.99
> Total titles: 2,000+
> Simultaneous streams: Three
Source: David Tran / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
3. Hulu
> Cost per thousand titles: $1.75
> Starting price: $6.99
> Total titles: 4,000+
> Simultaneous streams: Two
Source: kasinv / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
2. Netflix
> Cost per thousand titles: $0.67
> Starting price: $9.99
> Total titles: 15,000+
> Simultaneous streams: One-four
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Source: marcoventuriniautieri / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
1. Prime Video
> Cost per thousand titles: $0.36
> Starting price: $8.99
> Total titles: 25,000+
> Simultaneous streams: Two
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