Comparing Streaming Services

Which one should you be using?

Devilman Crybaby is a Netflix original that I have recently watched and enjoyed. (jolin Daughety)

There are plenty of different streaming services that can be used to view older television shows as well as new, original ones. Deciding which streaming service to use can be difficult because of the variety of platforms. Some of the most popular streaming services includes Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Disney +. Each  has its own unique features that can either improve or hinder the viewing experience.

Netflix is an extremely popular streaming service that offers  original shows, documentaries, and classic movies and tv shows. For the monthly price of $8.99 viewers have access to all shows and movies, and can add separate accounts for multiple users. They offer subtitles and a variety of different genres.

I prefer to use Netflix mainly for the originals that they create, but I do enjoy most of the classic content that they provide. On the other hand, I feel like Netflix takes off a lot of really good shows and updates new seasons of shows really slow. Netflix also provides a kid’s safety feature which can be very helpful when protecting younger audiences. I think that having this feature is important especially when you have young views using the service unsupervised.

Hunter x Hunter is a show I am currently watching and it is very entertaining. (Jolin Daughety)

Hulu is also a very popular streaming service that provides original shows and movies, documentaries and classic shows and movies. For $5.99 you have access to a variety of options, but you are also stuck with ads and you are unable to have the option to view certain movies and TV shows.  On the other hand, you can pay to upgrade your account, but with just the standard account your options are very limited. For the most part, the ads are not too bad because you can skip them. Hulu also has a child safety feature, and the shows and movies they have available contain a lot of variety.

Another option is Crunchyroll. Only be useful for viewing anime related shows and movies, it costs $7.99.  Subscribers can watch different shows and movies, but have to view the ads. Crunchyroll also offers different genres of anime to help viewers explore. There are plenty of shows and movies, and with certain shows you can stream an episode as soon as it is released. Unfortunately for someone using the basic subscription, you still have to deal with ads and sometimes it tends to lag. Crunchyroll does not give you the option to skip opening and outros which can be inconvenient if you are trying to binge watch a show, though some enjoy those parts, too. For the price it is definitely worth it because you can view certain episodes of shows as they are being released.

Crunchyroll’s website offers plenty of shows and is really well organized. Photo by Jolin Daughety

Disney+ is another streaming service that has exclusive shows and movies. There is a good variety of genres within Disney-related movies and tv shows. For $6.99 a month you can view nearly every past and present Disney TV show and movie. It is a great streaming service for reliving memories and catching up on newer ones, but it does not have all of the classics. For the comparatively low price of $6.99 I think that Disney + is definitely worth it if you want to relive your childhood, or even catch up on some shows and movies you might have missed.

Overall with the variety of streaming services you have plenty of options and the opportunity to see different shows. All four of these streaming services offer different viewing options for different prices and, while they are all similar and are used for the same thing they all have their style and have something special about them. Out of all four my favorite would be Netflix because it is reliable and you get a lot for the price. I think that the price is reasonable, but sometimes Netflix does not work and the issue can be out of your control so you are unable to fix it. However when Netflix is running smoothly it is defiantly my favorite. Hulu would probably be my least favorite because aside from ads you have to upgrade your account in order to view certain shows and movies. Despite Hulu being my least favorite I think that the layout and the aesthetic of the app is really nice. The color scheme is visually pleasing and the layout of the app is nicely organized. Overall, everyone has their own preference because people prefer certain things, but I think it is important to compare your options and see what streaming service is the best for you.