![Disney+, Apple TV+ or Netflix which streaming service is best worth buying](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2020/06/18/best-streaming-services_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpg?imwidth=680)
Best streaming service: Disney Plus, Netflix, Apple TV+, Now TV and Amazon Prime compared
![Disney+, Apple TV+ or Netflix which streaming service is best worth buying](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2020/06/18/best-streaming-services_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpg?imwidth=680)
The Disney Death Star has entered the streaming wars with the launch of its Netflix-rivaling Disney+ service.
Star Wars and Marvel spin-offs are part of the heavy artillery now that the platform has made its UK debut, but the real shot fired is in its competitive pricing. In the UK Disney+ costs £5.99 per month, matching Netflix UK, but a yearly subscription reduces the cost by over £10.
Disney also indicated it may expand its more adult-oriented Hulu service beyond America – another infinity gauntlet thrown down to Netflix and Apple, which also debuted a streaming service in 2019.
With all this in mind, here’s how the three big beasts of streaming compare.
Disney+
How Much?
Disney clearly has Netflix in its sights with its £7.99 monthly subscription (or £79.99 annually) in the UK, and a $6.99 monthly subscription in the US – almost half the cost of the most popular Netflix plan in the US ($13 allows you to stream to two devices in high definition). It is also lower than the $7.50 predicted by Wall Street analysts.
There is a caveat, though, with Disney chief financial officer Christine McCarthy describing this as the “initial” price point.
Availability?
Disney+ launched in the UK on March 24, 2020 following its US launch last November.
Key Offerings?
Disney+ came out of the gate swinging. Particularly, with Jon Favreau overseeing the super-memed Star War spin-off The Mandalorian. The series stars Pedro Pascal – Oberyn Martell from Game of Thrones – and centres on a Boba Fett-style intergalactic bounty hunter. It is set three years after the original Star Wars trilogy and long before The Force Awakens.
The cast includes Nick Nolte, Giancarlo Esposito (from Breaking Bad), Thor Ragnorak actor/director Taika Waititi (voicing “hunter droid” IG-88) and, somewhat improbably, cult German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
![A scene from Star Wars series The Mandalorian](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/tv/2018/10/05/mandelorian_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqZgEkZX3M936N5BQK4Va8ReVpSgDomDLZ8AADwsgaFEo.jpg?imwidth=350)
There is also going to be a small-screen sequel to the Star Wars movie Rogue One, in which Diego Luna reprises his role as a rough and ready Rebel Alliance operative, and more episodes to come from the final season of the rave-reviewed Clone Wars animated series.
Marvel Studios, acquired by Disney in 2009, is also front and centre. A Loki TV series will see Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as the intergalactic trickster from Thor. Likewise, Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany suit up for a Scarlett Witch and Vision show (with the somewhat clunky name WandaVision). Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) gets his own series.
But wait, there’s more (!) for Marvel fans: a Falcon and Winter Soldier spin-off with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan and an animated series, Marvel’s What If…
The latter will explore alternative universes in which familiar Marvel storylines played out differently. In the first episode, for instance, we’ll see what might have happened if Steve Rogers’s girlfriend Peggy Carter had become Captain America instead. There will also be “unscripted” Marvel offerings.
Of course, Disney also owns Pixar and will debut a Monsters Inc series, Monsters At Work, to the delight of fans young and old. A new High School Musical series and a live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp are also original to the platform.
National Geographic, yet another Disney property, has met the challenge of Netflix’s Our Planet with “The World According to Jeff Goldblum”. Magic of the Animal Kingdom meanwhile follows vets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Epcot theme parks.
- Read more: Best Disney+ movies to stream now
Naturally, Disney has also roped in the millions with its unsurpassable catalogue of animated classics, along with tween hits such as Hannah Montana.
And, having recently acquired the Fox studio, subscribers can enjoy classics such as The Princess Bride and The Sound of Music, as well as thirty seasons of The Simpsons.
All of Disney’s cinematic releases will go straight to Disney+ as soon as their ‘theatrical and home entertainment’ windows close, too, which has afforded subscribers more to enjoy in lockdown than they may have had otherwise. On July 3 both Frozen 2 and Hamilton The Musical were released on Disney+, preceding the live-action remake of Mulan (which, at an additional cost, has caused controversy). All content is downloadable, so you can watch everything offline.
In total, Disney+ launched with 500 episodes of “current and off-air” TV shows; 25 original series; 10 original movies; and its movie library includes over 400 feature films – including 100 “recent theatrical releases”. Phew.
Additionally, Disney has indicated it may roll-out Hulu, its destination for adult-oriented content such as the Handmaid’s Tale, beyond the United States.
Read more: Best broadband deals in 2020
![Elisabeth Moss in The Handmaid's Tale](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/fashion/2017/10/06/TELEMMGLPICT000140345910_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq-wioWl5aH7fAEJ8IWJw2Yw_hdviTmVO3LOKbtZ3uvfI.jpeg?imwidth=350)
Will It Rule the Galaxy?
Star Wars, Marvel and Disney classics add up to perhaps the most powerful triple threats in entertainment. Netflix is long enough-established to hold its own – but Disney may well blow everyone else out of the virtual water.
Is It For You?
If you have kids or enjoy watching superheroes beat one another up, then, without question. And Star Wars fans will consider The Mandalorian unmissable.
But those craving darker content may be ambivalent – assuming Disney doesn’t incorporate Hulu into its international offering. Disney’s family-friendly image means it would never, for instance, dabble in the shocking true-crime documentaries that have drawn crowds to Netflix.
Even the agreeably hokey Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – about a teenager consorting with Satan – would be beyond the pale. Bear in mind that, with Disney, a little saccharine is obligatory.
Netflix
How Much?
Netflix has three UK price-points: basic at £5.99 per month, standard at £9.99, and premium for £13.99. Basic allows you to watch on one screen with standard definition, standard lets you view two screens in high definition while premium allows you to watch on two screens in HD and Ultra HD.
Availability?
Netflix launched its streaming service in the US all the way back in 2007 and rolled out in the UK in 2012.
Key Offerings?
One of Netflix’s selling points is that it has something from everyone – from grisly true crime to life-affirming reality TV (Queer Eye) via mind-melting sci-fi (The OA) and psychological thrillers (Haunting of Hill House). It has also made an aggressive expansion into movies, with the likes of Roma and Marriage Story receiving multiple-Oscar nominations.
Big shows like Stranger Things and The Crown have drawn in millions of subscribers, and conservation-starting offshoots (like this year’s Love Is Blind and Tiger King) tend to set pop culture’s tone for weeks at a time. As of last year, Netflix had 700 original series – with more promised for years to come.
- Read more: Best movies on Netflix
![A scene from Netflix's Oscar-winning Roma](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2018/11/28/ROMA_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqwMpl-Jpdv5EMZZkofEupHIu-2WZJwC2Xa_hRpTZaKrM.jpg?imwidth=350)
Will It Rule the Galaxy?
Netflix is the Darth Vader of streaming – with 139 million subscribers internationally. Which puts Disney’s target, of 60 to 90 million worldwide subscribers by the end of 2024 (two thirds outside the US), into perspective.
Is It For You?
Netflix’s business plan is built on appealing to as many demographics as possible, but with all the big networks and studios ratcheting up their streaming offerings, the lack of third-party titles could be seen as a weakness.
Marvel and Disney movies will be exclusive to Disney+ and, though Netflix has worked hard at building its own franchises, having purchased cult comic book studio Millarworld for instance, it’s an open question whether the average viewer would prefer to watch its Umbrella Academy (which met with a lukewarm reception from critics) rather than the further adventures of Marvel’s Scarlet Witch and Vision.
- Read more: Best TV shows on Netflix
Apple TV+
How Much?
The streaming service will cost you £4.99 a month, after a free seven-day trial, but you can get a year-long subscription comped when you buy a device.
Availability?
Apple TV Plus launched on November 1, 2019 in over 100 countries, including the UK.
Key Offerings?
Apple reportedly spent $1 billion on programming in 2019 and will double that figure in 2020. That’s a large chunk of change - but still a long way behind the $15 billion Netflix lavished on original content last year.
Still, the line-up is intriguing. Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey are said to be collaborating on a series about mental health, coming later this year, and Steven Spielberg is bringing an Amazing Stories sci-fi anthology to the platform.
Already filmed is The Morning Show, a drama about American breakfast television with Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carrell. JJ Abrams and singer Sara Bareilles have produced Little Voice, a romantic comedy about ”the universal journey of finding your authentic voice in your early 20s”.
Jason Momoa, for his part, stars in a dystopian thriller called See about a world gone blind, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Thriller director M. Night Shyamalan is producing a series for Apple, as are La La La director Damien Chazelle and Battlestar Galactica/Outlander show-runner Ronald D Moore. Richard Gere is to star in a remake of gritty Israeli drama Bastards. Perhaps most interesting is ‘Defending Jacob’, a thriller based on the best selling William Landay novel of the same name.
And, because this is a cruel and godless universe, there will be a songwriting documentary featuring Ed Sheeran.
Will It Rule the Galaxy?
Apple’s launch was deemed a bit underwhelming and the sense was that, with iPhone sales in long term decline, the company is scratching around for something new. Would visionary Steve Jobs have tried to hitch Apple to the Netflix bandwagon?
Is It For You?
It is important to remember that Apple TV+ isn’t a one-stop destination along the line of Netflix and Disney+. It will offer lots of original content – but no syndicated television. You will have to purchase those shows, as is presently the case, via iTunes – or else watch on third-party apps accessible through the Apple TV+ portal. We’d suggest letting that seven-day free trial sway you.
Now TV
How Much?
Now TV is a tad more complex than its competitors, as it has multiple services attached to it. The standard Entertainment Pass (12 live channels and over 300 TV series box sets) costs £8.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial available for first-time subscribers.
In addition, the Sky Cinema Pass (11 Sky Cinema channels and over 1000 movies) costs £11.99 per month, Kids Pass (6 channels plus thousands of kid-friendly episodes) costs £3.99 per month, and the hayu Pass (over 250 reality TV box sets added on the same day as their US premieres) costs £3.99 per month.
![Keeping Up With The Kardashians is available with Now TV's hayu Pass, if reality TV is your kind of thing](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2020/06/18/TELEMMGLPICT000219749398_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqgRl8BouVbC6HZnydG5Kn5kvAKebS8KVLguAgxVytstk.jpeg?imwidth=350)
If you’d rather kick back with some Premier League football, Now TV also offers its Sky Sports Pass at a reduced rate of £25 per month (rather than£33.99) at the moment.
Availability?
Now TV launched in the UK on 17 July 2012 and is now available in the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Germany and Spain.
Key Offerings?
The major draw of Now TV is its wide range of prestige classics from HBO, like The Sopranos and The Wire - both of which are still considered some of the best TV shows in history, over a decade after ending. Some of the most binge-worthy come from HBO and Sky’s more recent smashes, like Game of Thrones, Veep, Chernobyl and Watchmen.
As many of the shows on Now TV aren’t available on other streaming services, superfans really only have the choice between buying box sets outright or subscribing to stream them.
Additionally, Now TV’s hayu Pass comes with all sixteen seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, plus Love and Hip-hop, Project Runway and Vanderpump Rules, to keep your household’s reality TV fans happy.
Will It Rule the Galaxy?
Probably not. While the Entertainment Pass comes with a lot of high-end binge bait, Now TV’s specialties are generally limited to drama and reality TV. Compared to Netflix, it simply doesn’t have the catalogue to rule.
Is It For You?
If you’re looking for hard-to-find shows like Sex and The City, Succession, Twin Peak or Big Little Lies and you don’t have Sky On Demand, almost definitely. Access to non-Freeview channels like VICE, Gold and Syfy will certainly appeal to their niche audiences, too, so it’s worth signing up for a seven-day free trial to familiarize yourself with their offering.
Amazon Prime Video
How Much?
Access to Amazon Prime Video actually comes free to Amazon Prime customers. As such, you can pay £7.99 a month or £79 a year for access to thousands of major movies, TV shows, and sports events, plus free one-day delivery on millions of Amazon items.
Availability?
Amazon introduced Prime Video in the UK to replace its previous video on-demand service, Lovefilm, back in 2014.
Key Offerings?
Prime Video’s super-extensive library leaves no genre unturned. In fact, it boasts some of the best films and TV shows from our lifetimes.
![Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens, the Amazon Original based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/on-demand/2020/06/18/TELEMMGLPICT000190584359_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQfy2dmClwgbjjulYfPTELibA.jpeg?imwidth=350)
For movie nights, you could choose between films like Fight Club, Paddington 2 and Dunkirk, then binge through the best of comedy (Broad City and Parks and Recreation), drama (American Gods and Mr Robot) and old-school favourites (like Ally McBeal and The X-Files) in your down-time.
Where exclusivity is concerned, the platform has won awards and praise for Amazon Originals like The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, Homecoming, Good Omens, The Grand Tour, and Star Trek: Picard.
With a fast-growing collection of cult comedy specials, like Ed Gamble’s ‘Blood Sugar’, Prime Video really offers something for everyone.
Will It Rule the Galaxy?
It just might. With an added push towards sports coverage (particularly ATP tennis and Premier League football), Prime Video already spans more niches than the other streaming services combined. It just doesn’t offer everything.
Is It For You?
If you like to discover new films and TV shows, but wouldn’t mind throwing a few episodes of Seinfeld, probably. A subscription also gives you the ability to rent or buy new movies at home, faster than they would ever end up on streaming service otherwise. If you love a bit of online shopping, the Amazon Prime perks don’t hurt, either.
Sign up to Amazon Prime Video today
View the latest deals from Disney Plus and NOW TV