Best streaming services UK 2024 — including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+
All the top TV and movie subscriptions for cinephiles, sports fans, binge-watchers and families.
Deciding which of the best streaming services in the UK to buy will depend on what you enjoy watching the most.
Are you someone who wants to binge a current series like The Umbrella Academy on Netflix, or do you like to revisit old favourites like The Sopranos on Sky Stream? Are you keen to keep up with the latest blockbuster movies like Killers of the Flower Moon on Apple TV+, or are you more interested in old-school animations like Toy Story on Disney+? You may also be looking for something more specific, like anime on Crunchyroll or Star Trek on Paramount+. Whatever you’re after, there will be a streaming service that suits you.
Before you sign up for one of the top streaming services, there are a few other things to consider, like the price – TV and movie subscriptions can range from less than £5 a month for basic plans to over £100 if you buy a complete TV package. Some offer a free trial to test the waters before you spend any money.
If you live in a big household, you should consider how many devices can be streaming at any one time. Picture quality is worth factoring in too. If you own one of the best TVs, it makes sense to pay for a service that supports 4K. But if you intend to use one of the best tablets, that won’t be necessary. You can also take into account which streaming device you’re going to use and what level of definition that supports.
Best TV streaming services 2024
To help you in your hunt, our team of experts has tried and tested every TV and movie subscription available in the UK. We’ve narrowed them down to 10 of the best streaming services available to buy or access right now in the UK.
1. Netflix
Pros
- Easy-to-use app and website
- Lots of original content across TV and movies
- Stream in 4K HDR with the Premium plan
Cons
- The Premium plan is pricey
- TV shows and movies regularly get taken down
Price per month: £4.99 Standard with Ads, £10.99 Standard with 1080p, £17.99 Premium with 4K | Free trial: No | Catalogue size: 7,700 titles | Playback quality: SD, HD and 4K
Everyone has heard of Netflix, and for good reason. Netflix is the original streaming service, creating and popularising a new way of watching TV. It has a huge library of TV shows and movies — if you like to keep up with what everyone’s talking about on social media then more often than not it’ll be on Netflix.
Original content is one of the reasons to buy Netflix – there are tonnes of TV shows and movies that you won’t find anywhere else including The Crown, Stranger Things and The Irishman. To add to that, there are lots of other options from networks across the world like Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders and The Office US.
The biggest downside to Netflix is the price. If you want 4K streaming on more than 2 devices at once, you’ll have quite a hefty bill every month. Netflix is also making it harder to share accounts between households. To add to that, content is regularly taken down, so you could be left in the lurch halfway through a series.