During Netflix’s recent earnings call, the company reported that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter. Netflix further said that the streaming platform is expected to lose more than 2 million subscribers in Q2 of 2022. Several analysts have argued that the high pricing and deteriorating content quality have led people to look for sites similar to Netflix. Consumers are looking for cheaper streaming sites like Netflix that offer a better viewing experience and quality content. So in this article, we have compiled a list of the 20 best Netflix alternatives that you can try. We have added both paid and free alternatives to Netflix in the list below.
We have included both premium and free Netflix alternatives for a broad range of users in this article. Expand the table below and move to any streaming platform you wish to read more about. You can also read our explainer on why you should look to switch away from Netflix before you check out the alternatives.
Paid Alternatives to Netflix
1. Hulu
If you are looking for a streaming platform like Netflix but one that is affordable and has a good library of movies, TV shows, and originals, Hulu should be your first pick. In terms of catalog size, Hulu is nowhere near Netflix with just 3000+ titles. However, it has partnered with top studios to bring classic shows like The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Frasier, etc to its platforms. Among the new and popular ones are Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid’s Tale, How I Met Your Father, The Dropout, Abbott Elementary, etc., which have received great applause from viewers and critics alike.
The base plan starts at $6.99 per month, which is ad-supported and can be streamed on two screens simultaneously. However, I would suggest you get the bundled plan that brings all Disney+ and ESPN+ content along with Hulu shows and movies for $13.99 per month. In case you want a streaming platform like Netflix with live TV channels, in that scenario too, Hulu is a better pick. Under the $75.99 monthly plan, you can access content from Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and live TV with unlimited recording.
Pros Cons 3000+ titles (movies and shows) Shows ads under the base plan Popular shows and originals available Disney+, ESPN+, live TV available
Pricing: 30 days free trial, Base plan starts at $6.99 per month
Supported Regions: US
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2. Apple TV+
In my opinion, Apple TV+ is churning out much better original shows and movies than Netflix. Sure, Apple TV+ does not have a massive collection of shows and movies right now, but it brings original shows that go on to win awards and accolades. Some of the popular Apple TV+ shows are Ted Lasso, the recently-released Severance, Tehran, and more. I love Apple’s original films, including the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Coda, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Greyhound, The Sky is Everywhere, etc.
In terms of quality content, Apple TV+ is simply much better than Netflix. And the best part is that Apple TV+ is very cheap at $4.99 per month and is available on almost all platforms, unlike other Apple services. You can stream Apple TV+ on your browser, PC, gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, smart TVs, streaming devices, and of course all Apple devices. I will highly recommend Apple TV+ in place of Netflix for an affordable and equally entertaining viewing experience.
Pros Cons Excellent selection of Originals Smaller catalog than Netflix Quite cheaper than Netflix Available on almost all platforms
Pricing: 7 days free trial, Paid plan at $4.99 per month
Supported Regions: Check the list
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3. Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is one of the valuable Netflix alternatives that offers a vast collection of movies and shows without breaking the bank. With around 26,000 titles, it beats Netflix’s record, so you will find both familiar and new content on this streaming platform. From shows like Fleabag to Community and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it has a ton of content to keep you entertained. Prime Video is also quick in buying streaming rights of theatrical releases, so you can access new movies on this platform much earlier than on other platforms. Films like No Time to Die, A Quiet Place, and The Report are available on Prime Video.
In terms of pricing too, Prime Video beats Netflix. If you pay $14.99 per month, you get Prime benefits on Amazon along with Prime Video. In case you just want Prime Video without the Prime membership, you can pay only $8.99 per month, and you will get 4K HDR support with 3 simultaneous streams. That’s amazing, right? So if you are looking for the best Netflix alternative that is cheap, comes with a huge library, and has no restrictions on streaming quality, well, Prime Video is perfect for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Value for money, Amazon Prime benefits | None |
| Massive library of content | |
| Rent and buy available |
Pricing: 30 days free trial, Standalone plan at $8.99 per month, Bundled plan at $14.99 per month
Supported Regions: Available in over 200 countries except for Mainland China, Syria, North Korea, and Iran
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4. HBO Max
HBO Max’s top-tier plan ($14.99) costs almost like Netflix’s mid-tier plan ($15.49), but it hosts some of the best TV shows and movies. You can find popular shows like Succession, Euphoria, Game of Thrones, Chernobyl, Big Little Lies, Barry, and Tokyo Vice on HBO Max. As for movies, you can watch the recently-released films on HBO Max from the last six months. That’s quite good, right? For example, you can catch up with the Robert Pattinson starrer The Batman, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Drive My Car, and a lot more.
In comparison to Netflix, HBO Max has an exciting catalog to offer. With the top-tier plan, you can watch 4K content on HBO Max with 3 simultaneous streams. And the base plan at $9.99 per month comes with ads and FHD support. To sum up, if you are looking for a streaming platform like Netflix, but with exciting new originals and recently released movies, HBO Max tops the list.
Pros Cons Excellent titles, movies, and shows Base plan is ad-supported Cheaper than Netflix Watch recently-released movies
Pricing: 7 days free trial, Base plan starts at $9.99 per month
Supported Regions: In 61 regions across Europe, the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean
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5. Disney+
Disney+ was launched recently, but it has quickly become one of the popular streaming platforms and now stands as a potential alternative to Netflix. Its catalog size is huge, with movies and shows from Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, Walt Disney, and more. You will also find movies of the Star Wars franchise on Disney+ and critically-acclaimed shows from HBO like The Wire in India. As for kids, there are an endless number of classic Disney content from the yesteryear days.
In summation, Disney+ offers a broad range of content you won’t find on Netflix or other streaming services. Not to mention, Disney+ is affordable in comparison to Netflix. It offers just one plan that costs $7.99 per month and it unlocks 4K content and four simultaneous streams. That’s incredible value for money, right? Netflix offers content at 720p with just one stream under its $9.99 base plan. Simply put, Disney+ has a growing and diverse library of content and it’s much cheaper than Netflix.
Pros Cons Huge catalog size None Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars — content for all age Very affordable
Pricing: 7 days free trial, Base plan starts at $7.99 per month
Supported Regions: The US, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, India, UK, and 41 other countries.
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6. Mubi
Mubi is not a free Netflix alternative, but it houses some of the best worldwide cinemas that you won’t find anywhere. The main selling point of Mubi is art-house cinema, documentaries, and film festival movies that generally don’t find a theatrical release. Basically, it’s a hub of indie movies, and for cinephiles, Mubi serves the rarest and most curated list of films.
To name some, Mubi hosts Portrait of a Lady on Fire (listed in our best LGBTQ movies list), The Godfather, 2001: A Space Odyssey (a good movie like Interstellar), Drive My Car, and much more. Its subscription costs $10.99 per month, which is still lower than Netflix’s mid-tier plan. I would say if you are a cinema-lover, Mubi offers you a better experience than Netflix.
Pros Cons Hub of Indie movies Not for mainstream users Niche content Houses cult classics as well
Pricing: 7 days free trial, Pain plan at $10.99 per month
Supported Regions: In more than 195 countries
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7. Paramount+
For users who are on the lookout for a streaming app like Netflix that hosts sports, live TV, and local news, Paramount+ is a great pick. Earlier it was known as CBS All Access, but now it has been rebranded to “Paramount+” with content from ViacomCBS and Paramount Pictures. Along with sports and live TV, you will also get access to shows from MTV, Viacom network, Comedy Central, CBS, etc.
As for sports, you can watch NFL football, basketball, soccer, and more. Paramount+ subscription price is low as compared to Netflix and offers a base plan of $4.99 per month that is ad-supported, and you won’t get content from CBS. To unlock all the content without ads, you need to upgrade to the monthly $9.99 plan.
Pros Cons Sports, live TV, local news Shows ads in the base plan Hosts CBS, Paramount, etc. content Quite affordable
Pricing: 7 days free trial. The base plan starts at $4.99 per month
Supported Regions: Australia, Canada, Latin America, Middle East (as a pay TV channel), Nordics, and United States
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8. Discovery+
Discovery+ is a new streaming app like Netflix, and it houses content from Discovery network’s vast catalog. This includes documentaries and shows from Animal Planet, Science, Discovery, Food Network, TLC, DIY Network, etc. It’s owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, so you get many cable TV networks operating in your region. For example –with Discovery+, you will also get channels like History, Lifetime, BBC, and more. If you like having access to traditional channels along with online content, Discovery+ will be a match for you.
In India, it has developed many Originals, which include documentaries and shows on nature, crime, history, mythology, science, and adventure. Not to mention, the service is cheap in comparison to Netflix. With an ad-supported subscription, you will have to pay $4.99/ month and $6.99/ month if you don’t want ads. It also has 4K content for many titles, and you can play simultaneous streams on two devices.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Content from all Discovery Network channels | Shows ads in the base plan |
| Documentaries and shows of nature, crime, adventure, science, etc. | |
| Quite cheap |
Pricing: 7 days free trial. The base plan starts at $4.99 per month (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: The US, UK, Canada, India, Europe, and some Asia-Pacific countries
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9. Sling TV
If you are looking to replace Netflix with a streaming television service, Sling is one of the best options out there. In essence, this is a cable TV alternative to Netflix, where you can watch some of the most popular TV networks such as ESPN, BBC, CNBC, CNN, Disney, Cartoon Network, Food Network, and more. Bear in mind that Sling TV is just available in the US and lets you stream live TV channels from its region only.
As for pricing, the base plan that comes with 31 channels costs $35 per month. The subscription cost goes up to $50 per month with a total of 47 channels. Yeah, it’s more expensive than Netflix but users who miss traditional TV programming can get Sling TV for an online experience. Plus, you can also record live TV and sports with Sling TV.
Pros Cons Live TV channels and sports Quite expensive All major TV networks included DVR recording available
Pricing: 3 days free trial. The base plan starts at $35 per month
Supported Regions: The US
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10. Shudder
If you are an avid horror movie lover, Shudder is the one-stop destination for you. Shudder is one of the fastest-growing OTT platforms thanks to horror fans all over the world. It has everything a horror fan needs. You can find all the sub-genres of horrors such as monsters, ghosts, zombies, aliens, and the list goes on. Shudder offers you renowned horror movies/shows as well as new originals produced by them.
They also have other language movies such as Korean and Japanese Horrors which you might not find on any other platform. Thus, it’s a no-brainer that you should go for Shudder without a doubt if your sole preference is only horror. It should be noted that Shudder was highly lauded by critics as one of the best platforms for horrors.
Pros Cons All Horror movies under one roof No genres other than Horror All sub-genres of Horror available Affordable Plans
Pricing: 7 days free trial. The base plan starts at $5.99 per month/$56.99 per year
Supported Regions: The US, Canada, The UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand
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11. Peacock
NBC’s Peacock is another great OTT service that offers you a great catalog of movies and shows. They have all the well-known movies, tv shows and they keep updating their library with the new releases. They also offer live sports in addition to movies and shows. Thus, the Peacock is one all-rounder of a platform that will be very useful for one.
Much like the other OTTs they also have their own Peacock originals which you may like. WWE is also being hosted on this platform which is a big plus for all wrestling fans. You can also try Peacock before you subscribe as they present you with content that can be streamed for free (with ads of course).
Pros Cons Great collection of movies and shows Premium Plans can be expensive Offers Live Tv You can stream WWE
Pricing: 7 days free trial. The base plan starts at $4.99 per month/$49.99 per year and the Premium Plus plan starts at $9.99 per month/$99.99 per year
Supported Regions: The US, Canada, The UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland
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Free Alternatives to Netflix
Hope you have found some best-paid alternatives and now its time to take a look at the free alternatives that are available:
12. The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a popular streaming service and it is one of the best free Netflix alternatives you can choose to watch movies and TV shows. You can get popular HBO titles like Westworld, Raised by Wolves, The Nevers, free live TV channels, and more. The free streaming service regularly expands its catalog and adds popular movies and TV shows for viewers to enjoy. It has partnered with big names like Sony and Lionsgate along with some local content providers. Unlike other Netflix alternatives in this list, The Roku Channel is not just limited to the US. It is also available in the UK and Mexico.
The interface of The Roku Channel is quite clean but it goes without saying that you’ll have to watch ads but thankfully, the ads are not intrusive in nature on the platform.
Pros Cons Free Netflix alternative Shows ads Live news Popular HBO titles
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: The US, UK, Mexico
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13. Amazon Freevee
Earlier known as IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV, and then finally renamed to Amazon Freevee, this is one of the best free alternatives to Netflix. Believe me, you will find some of the best movies and shows on this streaming service without paying anything. Yeah, you don’t need a Prime subscription or anything to watch premium content on Amazon Freevee. Amazon has partnered with Sony, Lionsgate, Disney, Universal, etc. to bring popular movies and shows on Freevee.
To name some, you can watch Logan, Shrek, Deadpool, The Revenant, Zero Dark Thirty, etc. Freevee also has its originals, including Bosch: Legacy, Judy Justice, Timewasters, and more. Basically, you get a complete package with Amazon Freevee without costing a dime. That said, the service is ad-supported, and you will have to watch a few commercials in between movies and shows. To sum up, if you are looking for a free Netflix alternative that offers a great range of films and shows, Amazon Freevee is a fantastic choice.
Pros Cons Free Netflix alternative Shows ads Popular movies and shows from mainstream studios No Prime subscription needed
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: The US and UK
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14. Plex
Plex has long been known as one of the top media server apps, but in 2019, the company launched its free online streaming service similar to Netflix with an ad-supported model. It offers more than 50,000+ titles and 200+ live TV channels for free, which is just amazing. You can head over to its website, search for the movie or show, and click on “Play” to start watching content for free. No need to even create an account. In case a movie or show is not available on Plex for free, it will display where it’s available, and you can connect your streaming service and continue watching on Plex.
Basically, apart from being a free streaming platform, it also lets you connect to other streaming services, which is excellent. You can even buy or rent movies from Amazon, Apple TV, or Google Play Movies within Plex. Some of the popular shows and movies available here are A Cook’s Tour, 72 Hours, Popeye the Sailor, Judge Jerry, and more. Sure, it does not host much mainstream content, but the library is only getting better. So if you are looking for a free alternative to Netflix with a massive library, Plex is a great pick.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free Netflix alternative | Shows ads |
| More than 50,000 free titles | Lacks mainstream movies and shows |
| Buy or Rent content or connect other streaming services |
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: More than 220 countries
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15. Sony Crackle
Crackle is one of the completely free Netflix alternatives that you can find in the online streaming space. It’s co-owned by Sony, so you will get content from Sony’s studio along with cult classics, popular Hollywood movies, and loved sitcoms. Some of the popular shows and movies on Crackle are Sherlock, Snatch, Melancholia, Train to Busan, The Chosen, Monster, Hell’s Kitchen, etc.
Crackle also hosts movies and shows from partner studios. Keep in mind that it’s ad-supported, and you will have to watch a 30-second commercial before watching a movie or show. All in all, Sony Crackle is a worthy and free Netflix alternative, and you can give it a try.
Pros Cons Decent collection of Hollywood movies and shows Ad-supported Free to use Limited content
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: USA, Canada, Australia, and 18 countries in Latin America
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16. YouTube
YouTube may seem like a video-sharing site, but it offers a lot to make it a viable alternative to Netflix. The company has developed several YouTube Originals that include Wayne, Impulse, Best Shot, Origin, Weird City, Cobra Kai, and a lot more. Most of these original shows can be watched for free on YouTube but shows with a “Premium” tag would require a YouTube Premium subscription, which costs $11.99 per month. Note that in January 2022, YouTube shut down its Original Content Group.
Apart from that, YouTube also offers live TV channels under the YouTube TV service. It offers more than 90 channels and major networks like ABC, FOX, CBS, PBS, and BBC are all available here. You can also watch live sports with YouTube TV on channels like ESPN, NFL, CBS Sports, etc. Best of all, you also have the DVR feature, using which you can record live sports and events without any restrictions. That said, YouTube TV is an entirely paid service and starts at $64.99 per month.
YouTube is one of the biggest ad-supported streaming platforms, where millions of creators put out their work for free. You can watch as much content as you want without paying anything. Major studios also offer select movies and shows for free on YouTube. So no matter if it’s original content, free videos, or live TV channels, YouTube has you covered from all sides.
Pros Cons Decent collection of Originals Ad-supported Free for the most part No more Originals from YouTube Offers live TV but it’s paid-only A bit expensive
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported), YouTube Premium starts at $11.99 per month, YouTube TV starts at $64.99 per month
Supported Regions: Almost everywhere except China, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, and Turkmenistan
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17. Tubi
Tubi is again one of the top free alternatives to Netflix, and it does not require a credit card to register on the website. It has a wide library of content from studios like Paramount, Warner Bros, MGM, and Lionsgate. Some of the popular movies on Tubi are Fist of Fury, Crazy on the Outside, Freedom, Origin Story, Kill Plan, and more.
Sure, it does not have mainstream content, which is much-talked in public discourse, but you will find niche content on this platform. All you have to do is sign up for a free account, and you are done. So if you are looking for a legally free platform like Netflix, Tubi is a great pick.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free Netflix alternative | Shows ads |
| Decent selection of content | no mainstream content |
| Partnership with Paramount, Warner Bros., etc. |
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: United States, Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand
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18. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a streaming platform like Netflix, but it’s completely free. You don’t need to add your credit card details, just sign up for a free account, and you are ready to explore the vast catalog of Pluto TV. It offers free streaming options from cable TV providers around the world in an ad-supported model.
Apart from that, you can watch live sports, shows, and movies without paying anything. There are more than 250+ TV channels on Pluto TV. It’s powered by Paramount Streaming and available in the US, Australia, Europe, the UK, and Canada.
Pros Cons Live TV, sports, shows Shows ads Free-to-use channels More than 250 channels
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported)
Supported Regions: US, Australia, Europe, the UK, and Canada
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19. Vudu
Vudu is another streaming app like Netflix on this list that lets you watch movies and TV series for free. It’s ad-supported, and you will encounter a few ads in between a show or a movie. Vudu brings a decent collection of content from the house of Warner Bros, Discovery, and NBCUniversal. Some movies are paid-only, where you can rent or buy to stream the movie.
There are many popular movies from Marvel Studios and Warner Bros., which you can buy at a lower price than the competition. I think for free movies and shows, Vudu is a pretty good service, and you can definitely consider it in place of Netflix.
Pros Cons Free for the most part Shows ads Content from Warner Bros., Discovery, etc. Buy and Rent available at a cheaper price
Pricing: Free (Ad-supported), Rent and Buy available
Supported Regions: The US and Mexico
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20. Kanopy
Kanopy is a niche alternative to Netflix and is in line with a service like Mubi. It does not host mainstream cinema, instead, Kanopy brings classic cinema, indie films, and top-notch documentaries – all available to stream for free to individual users. Basically, if you are fed up with Netflix’s poor selection of movies and shows and want to watch meaningful and thought-provoking cinema, Kanopy is the best pick.
Public libraries and universities provide the content so you get an ad-free experience without any cost. Having said that, you will need a library card or university login to register on Kanopy. To name a few titles available on Kanopy, you have got one the best LGBTQ+ movies like Moonlight, The Bookshop, Captain Fantastic, Colette, Lady Bird, and much more. If you are a film student, Kanopy is a better choice than Netflix.
Pros Cons Free Netflix alternative to watch indie cinema Requires a library card or university login Free to use No ads
Pricing: Free
Supported Regions: UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore
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Why You Should Switch Away From Netflix?
In the last few years, Netflix has been continuously increasing its prices and changing its subscription plan tiers. Apart from that, the bad content selection is also being cited for Netflix’s poor performance and decline in subscriber count. Here, we have discussed the issues in detail:
Password Sharing Policy
Netflix’s new policy on people sharing their accounts with those, not in their households is a major point of contention across Netflix’s user base. If you’re one of the people who strongly disagree with the new policy on cracking down on password sharing, you might be looking to switch over from Netflix to other streaming websites that can offer you a better experience.
Expensive Pricing
Analysts note that pricing is one of the major reasons why people are looking for a Netflix alternative that provides quality content without having to pay a hefty monthly price. Currently, there are hundreds of online streaming services that offer content as good as Netflix, if not better at almost half the price.
For example – in 2018, Netflix’s mid-tier plan (HD, 2 screens) was priced at $10.99 per month, which saw a hike again in 2019 and moved to $12.99. And in 2022, the mid-tier plan costs $15.49 for viewing content in 720p with just two simultaneous streams. That’s laughable. You can check out how much a Netflix subscription costs worldwide from our list attached here.
If we talk about the top-tier plan, it currently costs $19.99 per month (up from $15.99 in 2018) to have 4K playback with four simultaneous streams. The base plan (480p, 1 screen) has seen a hike of $2 from 2018 to $9.99 per month. Very recently, this ad-free base plan has been bumped up to $15.49 per month in the US. This figure is mad expensive if you take competing streaming services into account. You can get 4K streaming with four simultaneous streams from other services at the same price or for cheap as compared to Netflix’s base plan.
Not just that, with the new Netflix password-sharing rules having been introduced, things are certainly not looking good for the streaming service. This recent chain of events has definitely started to make Netflix seem pretty anti-consumer.
Poor Content Selection
Talking about the content, Netflix has not won an Oscar yet, whereas Apple TV+ has already bagged the Best Picture Award for Coda in 2022. Yes, Netflix won 44 Emmys (11 from The Crown alone) in 2022, but HBO Max, with its much smaller catalog, bagged 19 awards, and Apple TV+, with just 60+ titles, took home 10 Emmys. To give you a number, Netflix currently has over 17,000 titles (movies and TV shows) available for streaming.
All I’m saying is that Netflix is considerably hiking the price without offering quality content. Whereas the competition is consistently bringing more thought-provoking content at half the price of Netflix’s top-end premium plan. There is enough reason why you should look for a Netflix alternative right now.
In my opinion, The Roku Channel and Amazon Freevee (formerly known as IMDb TV) are the two best free alternatives to Netflix. Both offer mainstream movies and shows best suited for a large number of users.
Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Disney+ are some of the best-paid alternatives to Netflix for their amazing selection of shows and movies.
Yes, there are a number of streaming services like Netflix with a huge library of content, and they are completely free. You can browse The Roku Channel, Amazon Freevee, Plex, Crackle, etc.
