Do you love binge-watching? Do you like web series? Do you like Netflix? Well, I daresay you will continue to love it even after reading this article. Well, indeed, Netflix is the most excellent platform to watch a web series.
But just like every other thing in this world, it has many flaws too. Some of these flaws include a monthly subscription pack, which is costly. Well, you might think that what is terrible is charging people for providing all that entertainment but well, the bad thing is about the cost.
Netflix differentiates its content quality on the money you pay. So, if you have a low-cost subscription, you might only be able to view the shows or movies in 360p or 480p while if you pay them high, you will be able to access High Definition content.
Netflix also doesn’t provide much content. Well, if you are talking about Netflix originals, you can find them easily, but for other series, there is no surety that you will find them here.
One more thing bad about Netflix is that it requires a massive amount of data. So, if you are watching a High Definition movie on your phone app, I prefer you switch to a 360p stream.
The last thing is that Netflix is not available in some countries and so if you are using a VPN and your VPN changes your connection server to such a state, the website will block you from viewing any content. Although, there are a few good VPN providers that bypass Netflix firewall fitlers.
But still, if you want something apart from Netflix, there is no need to worry about it. Well, we bring you the best alternatives for Netflix, and what more, some of them are free.
The Top Netflix Alternatives
All these alternatives can be directly accessed through your web browser. Some of them can be accessed by downloading an application of your phone too.
Amazon Prime Video
Well, offering the steadiest competition, the Amazon Prime service offers streaming services that rival that of Netflix. There are many TV shows and movies to choose from, not only the Amazon Prime originals but also from other productions.
The service is available in more than 200 different countries and gives a fantastic watching experience. You can watch a video in any quality you want without even paying extra for it, and the interface also tells you about the amount of data it will consume per hour for viewing the content in a particular quality.
This way, you can decide if you want to watch it in High Definition or switch it to lower quality. If you are not sure about switching from Netflix to this service, you can try the 30 days free trial.
If you take this subscription, your prime membership subscription for Amazon services will automatically be renewed. The Amazon Prime membership includes many benefits such as one-day delivery and even free of cost delivery.
Vudu
Well, when amazon got his hands on the video streaming services, why would Walmart stay behind? So, well, Vudu, being one of the best Netflix alternatives, is a Walmart product and is full of amazing features. Well, the best thing about Vudu is that it’s not only about paid subscriptions, but there is also plenty of free content too, you can watch it by viewing an advertisement.
Vudu also offers many deals if you want a subscription. The only disadvantage of this service is that you can only access it if you are in the United States. But well, even if you are outside of it, you can still access it by using a Virtual Private Network service.
Hulu
If you love TV shows more than anything, Hulu is the best alternative you can get. It comes all equipped with the latest episodes of almost all TV shows. Well, Hulu will fill your demand for television, and you can access it on several devices. Hulu has both a paid and a free subscription for users.
Although the free subscription doesn’t cost you any money, it can be clingy with all those advertisements. Well, the only bad thing about Hulu is the section of movies. The movie content on Hulu is not much popular or even updated too. Although you might find several videos on it, they might be of the older school.
Hulu also allows the user to cancel its service at any instance of time from any device. This service is only available in the USA and Japan. But still, you can access it from anywhere using a VPN.
Box TV
If you are a hardcore Indian or if you love Indian content, Box TV is for you. It provides the latest Indian content for TV shows and movies as well in many parts of the world. Well, what more, unlike other services, it is more affordable and more comfortable to access.
The content on Box TV is available in many languages, and the company also promises to add more languages shortly. The only and distinct disadvantage of Box TV is that it provides the user with only Indian content.
So, you will be able to watch Indian TV shows and Bollywood movies. If you want to watch something else, you will have to switch to others.
iTunes Movie Store
Although you might think that subscribing to an Apple streaming service might cost you a lot. But believe me, if you are an occasional movie watcher, this can be the best.
You can rent movies on this streaming store for about 48 hours and high and even standard definitions at very affordable prices. But well, if you are a binge-watcher and are fond of watching a lot of movies and TV shows, this will be the worst option. The best thing about the iTunes store is that this offers you a lot of content.
You can rent movies, TV shows, music albums, music videos, and even individual songs. The worst thing about this service is that it is not the best for people who watch a lot of movies, it will cost you a lot.
Acorn.TV
Acorn.TV is the best streaming service for British users. Being on the list, this service features amazing and latest content of TV shows and all your favorite movies. It also features bonus content, weekly releases, the streaming originals, and even trailers of upcoming seasons and films. The subscription cost is also affordable.
The best feature about Acorn.TV is that it has ad-free content and also features multiple device compatibility.
Stan
Collaborating with several producers, Stan fills the spot for the best alternative for Netflix by even featuring the content that is not yet available on Netflix.
Stan also offers its users with Stan originals (shows and movies created by the company itself). Although the service might cost you a little more than your Netflix subscription.
But believe me, the money is worth the price. After subscribing to Stan, you will never want to switch to your old streaming service.
Fandor
Where Box TV only showed Indian content, Fandor crossed all the boundaries of viewing. Fandor allows its subscribers to view amazing foreign content from many countries. Whether it is a TV show or a movie from another country, you can watch it on Fandor easily.
Featuring some fantastic content, including various TV shows, movies, and even documentaries, Fandor provides the user with the unique content you will never get on any other streaming platforms.
The subscription charges for Fandor are also relatively cheap and affordable. The only bad thing about this service is that it only works in the United States and the Canada region. So, if you are trying to access it from outside, you might need to use a Virtual Private Network.
Sony Crackle
Well, when companies such as Walmart and Amazon are in the race, why should Sony be left behind? The platform provides free online streaming and, so far, is available to only 20+ countries.
Since the content is free, you might have to watch a few ads to access the videos. And since it is new, there might not be a lot of content present right now. Since it is free of cost, it is among the best Netflix alternatives.
Fandango NOW
Although this service is new, it still is among the best alternatives for Netflix for a reason. You might not be able to get a lot of your content, but you will be able to find most of it. It’s still growing and adds new content every week.
The only disadvantage of this service is that it is only available to United Stated viewers. You have to use a VPN if you want to watch it in some other region. The biggest advantage of this service is that you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription.
You can rent movies on Fandango, just like iTunes. So, it’s worth giving a try if you are an occasional viewer and will not work out if you are very much fond of watching movies.
Comparing all The Streamers
Well, let us examine all those streamers mentioned above in little but essential and easy to understand details as a quick overview.
Streamer |
Platforms Supported |
Type of Content |
Availability |
Pricing |
Amazon Prime Video |
Web, Amazon Fire Devices, Game Consoles, iOS, Android, Roku, Google TV, TiVO, Nvidia Shield |
Plenty of original programming (movies, TV shows, documentaries, cartoons) |
200+ countries |
USD 12.99 per month; USD 99 per year |
Vudu |
Web, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Game Consoles, Streaming Devices |
Movies & TV Shows (Latest blockbusters & classics) |
USA |
Rentals from USD 0.99; Movie purchases from USD 4.99 |
Hulu |
Web, Android, iOS, Chromecast, Fire tablets |
Movies, TV Shows, Original programming, Live streams in specific plans |
USA and JAPAN |
Starting at USD 7.99 per month |
Box TV |
Web, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Amazon Fire devices |
Indian content (movies & TV shows in Urdu, Kannada, Hindi, and Bhojpuri) |
INDIA, SINGAPORE, UAE, UK, and the USA |
Starting at USD 4.99 per month |
iTunes Music Store |
macOS, iOS, Apple TV, and Windows |
Movies, TV shows, Podcasts, Audiobooks, Original programming |
Entire World |
Rentals start from USD 0.99; Movie purchases from USD 9.99 |
Acorn.TV |
Web, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire devices, Roku, Smart TVs |
British movies and TV shows |
USA and CANADA |
Starting at USD 4.99 per month |
Stan |
Web, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Gaming Consoles, Media Streaming Devices |
Movies, TV Shows, Original Programming |
AUSTRALIA |
USD 10 per month |
Fandor |
Web, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Media Streaming Devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku) |
Independent movies, Documentaries, Classics, Foreign movies |
USA and CANADA |
USD 10 per month; USD 90 per year |
Sony Crackle |
Web, iOS, Android, Windows UWP, Amazon Fire, Smart TVs, Gaming Consoles |
Movies and TV shows |
USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, and 18 other countries in LATIN AMERICA |
Free |
Fandango NOW |
Web, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Media Streaming Devices, Amazon Fire |
Movies and TV Shows |
USA |
Rentals start from USD 0.99; Movie purchases from USD 4.99 |
Final Verdict
So, here was all about the best alternatives. Well, there can be more of them, and if you have any suggestions, let us know in the comments section below.