Netflix vs. Disney Plus vs. HBO Max vs. Paramount Plus vs. Peacock vs. Discovery Plus

Streaming is more popular than ever and shows no signs of slowing down. Disney Plus has already passed 100 million subscribers, HBO Max recently launched a new, cheaper tier and is adding major theatrical releases nearly every month, while Peacock has added The Office and signed a deal to stream the WWE. Quibi quickly came and went (and is now kind of back again), but new choices just keep coming, including Discovery Plus and Paramount Plus. And don’t forget Apple TV Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Showtime and Netflix.

Table of Contents

Yes, that’s a big list of some of the best streaming service options and the number of new choices can be overwhelming. In this article we’ll help you stop, take a deep breath and navigate the crowded streaming landscape. Here’s a breakdown of where a few of the major new streaming service options stand right now and how it all compares.

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The players

There are a lot of streaming services competing for your time and money in 2021, and we’re not going to cover them all here. In an effort to keep this list more manageable we’re going to focus on how the five newer big-name streamers — Disney Plus, HBO Max, Peacock, Discovery Plus and Paramount Plus — compare to Netflix, the biggest name in streaming.

Here’s a little on each.

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When you think of streaming you probably think of Netflix. The service that inspired this list remains the most dominant player on the field with over 200 million subscribers, a wide and ever-growing catalog of films and TV shows and integration on nearly every major connected TV or smart device. At $14 per month for its most popular Standard plan (its cheapest option is $9), it isn’t the most affordable TV streaming service on this list, but it is the bar all other services compare to.

Read our Netflix review.

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Disney has an insane amount of popular characters and franchises and is flexing all of its muscles on Disney Plus. The home for Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic and all the classic Disney films and TV series, at $8 per month it’s not hard to see why people have been flocking to the streamer. Those looking to add Hulu and ESPN Plus can grab a bundle for $14 per month.

Read our Disney Plus review.

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The successor to HBO, WarnerMedia’s HBO Max builds on the popular cable channel by adding in more original series and films as well as a greater library of other properties including reruns of Friends and The Big Bang Theory, Sesame Street and DC Comics fare, including the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. At a regular rate of $15 per month it is among the priciest options, but for 2021 it does mean you’ll be able to watch all Warner Bros. theatrical releases from home instead of going to a theater. A less-expensive, $10 per month ad-supported version of HBO Max arrived in June but it won’t have those theatrical movies like Suicide Squad, Matrix 4 or Dune, and it doesn’t allow mobile downloads.

Read our HBO Max review.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Whereas HBO Max is among the most expensive options, Peacock is alone on this list with a tier that’s actually free. NBCUniversal’s streaming offering has a growing library that consists of reruns of past NBC hits like The Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, new originals including a Saved By The Bell revival, and films like Kick-Ass, Apollo 13 and The Big Lebowski. Live news and sports are also available, and the WWE joined the fun in March. While some of this is available for free, the full experience requires either a $5-per-month subscription to watch with ads or $10-per-month to go ad-free.

Read our Peacock review.

ViacomCBS

The new name for CBS All Access, Paramount Plus takes that experience and adds programming from MTV, BET, Comedy Central, CBS and other ViacomCBS channels and brands, plus films from the Paramount Pictures studio and some originals, such as Picard. Like CBS All Access, the new offering will also let you stream your local CBS station, including live sports and local news, in most markets. The starting price is $6 per month for an ad-supported subscription, with ad-free streaming available for $10 per month.

Note the new $5 base plan drops access to live CBS local channels. To keep your local CBS station you’ll need to step up to the $10 ad-free plan.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

Discovery Plus

Discovery joined the streaming wars in January with a new service aptly named Discovery Plus. Running $5 per month with ads or $7 per month without, the new service brings together content from its variety of networks including the Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet and HGTV. It also offers content from A&E, The History Channel and Lifetime.

How they stack up

Device support

Netflix

Disney

HBO Max

Peacock

Paramount Plus

Discovery Plus

Android app

Yes

iOS app

Yes

Roku

Yes

Amazon Fire TV

Yes

Apple TV

Yes

Android TV

Yes

Chromecast

Yes

Xbox

Yes

PlayStation

Yes

Part of the reason why Netflix remains the champ isn’t just the massive catalog and first-mover status (though both help). It also is frequently the best at rolling out new features. It offers mobile downloads and has been releasing its originals in 4K HDR for years (though you need its priciest Premium plan to watch in the higher quality). Netflix also benefits from having its app available on nearly every smart TV and streaming platform you could think of.

Disney Plus, however, is right on the tail of the current streaming king. The Mouse House’s streamer has mobile downloads, a wide collection of 4K HDR content, allows for more people to watch and does so for an $8-per-month price that is cheaper than even Netflix’s most affordable non-HD plan. While its content library remains more family-friendly in the US, those looking for anything Disney/Marvel/Lucasfilm/Pixar (a not small net) will be very happy with Disney Plus.

Marvel Studios’ WandaVision is a Disney Plus exclusive.

Marvel Studios

HBO Max got off to a rocky start, lacking features like 4K HDR, mobile downloads or even apps for Roku or Amazon Fire TV, but with time it has begun to find its footing. Major releases like the 2021 Warner Bros. theatrical slate and Zack Snyder’s Justice League will stream in 4K HDR, the mobile app allows for downloads and apps are finally available for all major TV platforms. It has yet to release a “Max Original” to match the success of recent hits like Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit or Disney’s The Mandalorian, but HBO Max does have a strong library offering everything from Friends and Game of Thrones to Sesame Street and Looney Tunes.

Like HBO Max, Peacock got off to a slow start but has improved in recent months. In June it finally added an app for Amazon Fire TV to round out its presence on all major platforms, and it even has 4K HDR on some titles. Mobile downloads are also present, and the additions of The Office, Modern Family and the WWE Network are sure to be welcome boosts for its otherwise still lacking library. The upcoming Olympics should also add more content and it also gets points for being the only service with a free offering.

Paramount Plus, the new name for CBS All Access, is among the oldest in this group, and parent ViacomCBS is hoping the rebrand will give it fresh life to compete with the others. It already has apps on all the major services and offers mobile downloads plus 4K HDR for some titles. The home for Star Trek and SpongeBob — plus local CBS streams — makes it an interesting option, but it will need more to rival the others. New shows announced for the service include Halo, Yellowstone spinoff 6666 and an iCarly revival.

Discovery Plus is the other major new player. It has apps on most platforms, but not all, and some 4K HDR content. It does not, however, have mobile downloads and its content library lacks the mainstream hits offered by all the others. That said, if you’re a fan of Pawn Stars, House Hunters or Cake Wars it is the option for you.

Discovery and HBO Max-owner WarnerMedia announced a $43 billion merger in May, but what exactly that means for the two companies’ respective streaming services is not yet clear.

Device support

Netflix

Disney

HBO Max

Peacock

Paramount Plus

Discovery Plus

Android app

Yes

iOS app

Yes

Roku

Yes

Amazon Fire TV

Yes

Apple TV

Yes

Android TV

Yes

Chromecast

Yes

Xbox

Yes

PlayStation

Yes

HBO Max, Netflix and Disney Plus are among the biggest names in the “streaming wars.”

Sarah Tew/CNET

What about free trials?

In the early days of streaming, free trials were plentiful. Now, not so much.

All three of the major streaming heavyweights — Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max — offered free trial periods in their early days and all have since abandoned the option. Paramount Plus has a one-month free trial right now, while Discovery Plus offers a one-week trial.

Thankfully, however, regardless of which service or services you sign up for, you can still cancel your subscription at any time.

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