Apps Like Netflix: 12 Streaming Services Worth Switching To
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About Netflix
Founded
1997
USA
Ships to
Worldwide
Editor-reviewed
Every recommendation read and refined by hand
Honest tradeoffs
Drawbacks listed, not hidden
No paid placements
Brands cannot pay to be ranked
Who is Netflix actually for now — the person who canceled cable to escape ads, or the person who just got an ad tier shoved at them while their password stopped working across two households?
For years the answer was simple. Netflix was the friend with the remote who always had something. Stranger Things and the Hawkins montage everyone quoted, The Crown's period wardrobe, Squid Games that turned into a Halloween costume overnight, the little tudum sound that meant the couch night had officially begun. The autoplay that knew you'd watch one more. It felt bottomless, and for one flat price it mostly was.
Then the price crept, then it jumped. The password-sharing crackdown turned a shared login into a billing conversation with your sister. The cheapest plan now comes with commercials — the exact thing people left cable to avoid. And the library churns so fast that the show you meant to finish quietly vanishes.
What's left is a service that still makes great television but no longer feels like a bargain or a gift. If you want the deep back-catalog of HBO prestige or the ad-free calm of a smaller subscription, Max and Apple TV+ are built around exactly the things Netflix keeps sanding off.
For years the answer was simple. Netflix was the friend with the remote who always had something. Stranger Things and the Hawkins montage everyone quoted, The Crown's period wardrobe, Squid Games that turned into a Halloween costume overnight, the little tudum sound that meant the couch night had officially begun. The autoplay that knew you'd watch one more. It felt bottomless, and for one flat price it mostly was.
Then the price crept, then it jumped. The password-sharing crackdown turned a shared login into a billing conversation with your sister. The cheapest plan now comes with commercials — the exact thing people left cable to avoid. And the library churns so fast that the show you meant to finish quietly vanishes.
What's left is a service that still makes great television but no longer feels like a bargain or a gift. If you want the deep back-catalog of HBO prestige or the ad-free calm of a smaller subscription, Max and Apple TV+ are built around exactly the things Netflix keeps sanding off.
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The 12 Best Alternatives to Netflix
1
Max
Est. 2020
New York, USA
≈
similar
Prestige TV lovers who want Succession-tier writing over volume
HBO's prestige catalog plus Warner films — the closest thing to Netflix's 'always something good' promise, with better dramas.
Pros
- Deep HBO back-catalog: Sopranos, The Wire, Succession
- Same-day Warner theatrical releases
- Strong documentary and Studio Ghibli library
Cons
- Interface reshuffles and rebrands constantly
- Price tiers keep changing
- Has its own ad tier now
2
Disney+
Est. 2019
Burbank, USA
$
cheaper
Families and franchise fans
A single flat-fee library with tent-pole originals — Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar — that rivals Netflix's franchise pull.
Pros
- Unbeatable for kids and family co-viewing
- Entire Marvel and Star Wars catalog in one place
- Bundles cheaply with Hulu and ESPN+
Cons
- Thin on adult prestige drama
- Library skews heavily to franchises
- Less original churn than Netflix
3
Hulu
Est. 2007
Santa Monica, USA
$
cheaper
People who want current-season network shows
Next-day network TV plus originals like The Bear — the everyday habitual watching Netflix used to own.
Pros
- Next-day episodes from ABC, FX, NBC
- Strong FX originals: The Bear, Shogun
- Cheap ad tier and live-TV add-on
Cons
- Ad tier is the default and heavy
- US-only, no international access
- Interface overlaps awkwardly with Disney+
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Full guide: Apps Like Hulu
4
Amazon Prime Video
Est. 2006
Seattle, USA
≈
similar
Existing Prime members wanting more for their money
Massive originals budget and a huge catalog, bundled into a subscription many people already pay for.
Pros
- Comes free with a Prime membership
- Big-budget originals: The Boys, Reacher
- Huge rent/buy store for new releases
Cons
- Now shows ads unless you pay extra
- Mixes rentals into search confusingly
- Catalog quality is uneven
5
Apple TV+
Est. 2019
Cupertino, USA
$
cheaper
People who hate ads and want quality over quantity
Carbon Neutral
Small, ad-free, prestige-only library — the quiet opposite of Netflix's ad tier and endless scroll.
Pros
- Completely ad-free at every tier
- Critically loved originals: Ted Lasso, Severance
- Gorgeous 4K and Dolby Atmos as standard
Cons
- Small library, easy to exhaust
- No deep back-catalog
- Few licensed movies
6
Peacock
Est. 2020
New York, USA
$
cheaper
Budget viewers who want The Office and live sports
NBCUniversal's library plus live sports and cheap tiers — a value play for people fed up with Netflix's price hikes.
Pros
- Cheapest premium tier of the majors
- The Office, Parks and Rec, Universal films
- Live Premier League and NFL games
Cons
- Interface is sluggish and buggy
- Ad tier is unavoidable at low prices
- Originals are hit-or-miss
7
BritBox
Est. 2017
London, UK
$
cheaper
Anglophiles and mystery-drama fans
Deep British drama and comedy catalog for viewers who binged The Crown and want more of that register.
Pros
- Enormous BBC and ITV back-catalog
- Classic mysteries, panel shows, dramas
- Cheap and ad-free
Cons
- Almost entirely British content
- Few big-budget originals
- Dated titles alongside new ones
8
Criterion Channel
Est. 2019
New York, USA
≈
similar
Serious film lovers and classic cinema fans
For the Netflix subscriber who actually used it to discover film — a curated cinephile library done right.
Pros
- Impeccably curated arthouse and classic films
- Rich supplements: essays, interviews
- Rotating themed collections
Cons
- No TV series or mainstream blockbusters
- Library rotates monthly
- Niche appeal only
9
Mubi
Est. 2007
London, UK
≈
similar
Adventurous viewers tired of algorithmic sameness
A hand-picked rotation of independent and world cinema — the antidote to Netflix's algorithmic scroll.
Pros
- Curated global and indie films daily
- Acquires festival breakouts theatrically
- Beautiful, ad-free, no autoplay clutter
Cons
- Small rotating library
- No mainstream TV
- Requires effort to browse
10
Paramount+
Est. 2021
New York, USA
$
cheaper
Star Trek, Yellowstone-verse and NFL fans
CBS, Star Trek, Taylor Sheridan westerns and live sports in one flat-fee bundle rivaling Netflix's breadth.
Pros
- Full Star Trek universe and Sheridan dramas
- Live NFL and Champions League
- Bundles with Showtime
Cons
- Interface and app stability lag rivals
- Originals depth is thin
- Content spread thin across genres
11
Tubi
Est. 2014
San Francisco, USA
$
cheaper
Cord-cutters who want free movies and don't mind ads
A genuinely free, ad-supported library so large it out-titles Netflix — for people who resent paying more.
Pros
- Completely free, no subscription
- Massive catalog, tens of thousands of titles
- Surprising cult and genre gems
Cons
- Ads throughout every title
- No big new releases
- Search surfaces a lot of filler
12
Crunchyroll
Est. 2006
San Francisco, USA
$
cheaper
Anime fans wanting the widest, freshest catalog
The definitive anime destination for viewers who came to Netflix mainly for its anime slate.
Pros
- Simulcasts new anime episodes from Japan
- Deepest anime catalog anywhere
- Cheap ad-free tiers
Cons
- Anime only, nothing else
- Dub availability varies
- App can be buggy on some TVs
Cheaper than Netflix (or free)
If the price hikes are what pushed you out, Tubi costs nothing at all and still has a larger catalog than Netflix's paid library. Peacock and Paramount+ undercut Netflix on their premium tiers, Disney+ is cheaper per month, and BritBox and Crunchyroll both offer affordable ad-free plans. None of these will bill you for a second household the way Netflix now does.
Ad-free and quality-first
Netflix made ads the price of its cheapest plan. Apple TV+ stays completely ad-free at every tier and leans on originals like Severance and Ted Lasso. Max carries the deep HBO prestige catalog. Criterion Channel and Mubi are curated, autoplay-free havens for people who actually want to choose what they watch instead of being nudged into it.
Best for a specific taste
Netflix tried to be everything and got expensive doing it. If you mostly watched anime, Crunchyroll goes far deeper. British drama fans get more from BritBox. Franchise and family viewers are better served by Disney+, and cinephiles by Criterion or Mubi. Picking one or two focused services often costs less than one Netflix plan.Which Alternative Is Right for You?
Leaving over price? Start with Tubi (free) or Peacock and Paramount+, both cheaper than Netflix with real libraries. Sick of the ad tier? Apple TV+ never runs commercials and its originals punch far above its small size. Want the deep prestige catalog Netflix never had? Max is the obvious move — Succession, The Wire, same-day Warner films. Came to Netflix mostly for anime? Crunchyroll simulcasts new episodes from Japan and dwarfs Netflix's slate. Film obsessives who used Netflix for discovery should try Criterion Channel or Mubi, both curated by humans instead of an algorithm nudging you toward autoplay. Families and franchise households get more per dollar from Disney+. The smartest play post-Netflix is usually two focused services rotated month to month — still cheaper than one flat Netflix bill. Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat's the cheapest alternative to Netflix?
Tubi is genuinely free — ad-supported with a huge catalog and no subscription. Among paid options, Peacock's entry tier and Paramount+ both undercut Netflix, and Disney+ is cheaper per month. Rotating one or two of these beats a single Netflix Premium bill.
QWhich streaming service is most like Netflix for original shows?
Max comes closest for prestige originals, with the HBO catalog and same-day Warner films. Apple TV+ matches Netflix on award-quality originals but with a much smaller, ad-free library. Prime Video offers the nearest thing to Netflix's sheer volume of big-budget originals.
QHow do I avoid ads now that Netflix pushes its ad tier?
Apple TV+ is fully ad-free at every price. Max, Disney+ and Paramount+ all still sell ad-free tiers. Criterion Channel and Mubi are ad-free by design. Only Tubi and Peacock's cheapest plans force ads.
QWhat can I switch to after the password-sharing crackdown?
Every major service now has household rules, but bills vary. Disney+, Peacock and Paramount+ tend to be more forgiving and cheaper for shared use, and Tubi has no login limits at all since it's free.
QIf I only used Netflix for anime, what's better?
Crunchyroll is the clear upgrade — it simulcasts new episodes straight from Japan, carries a far deeper catalog than Netflix, and offers cheap ad-free tiers. Netflix's anime is a curated slice; Crunchyroll is the whole shelf.
Our Verdict
The Best Netflix Alternative For You
Leaving over price? Start with Tubi (free) or Peacock and Paramount+, both cheaper than Netflix with real libraries. Sick of the ad tier? Apple TV+ never runs commercials and its originals punch far above its small size. Want the deep prestige catalog Netflix never had? Max is the obvious move — Succession, The Wire, same-day Warner films. Came to Netflix mostly for anime? Crunchyroll simulcasts new episodes from Japan and dwarfs Netflix's slate. Film obsessives who used Netflix for discovery should try Criterion Channel or Mubi, both curated by humans instead of an algorithm nudging you toward autoplay. Families and franchise households get more per dollar from Disney+. The smartest play post-Netflix is usually two focused services rotated month to month — still cheaper than one flat Netflix bill.