2020 really did bring out the best in all the streaming services. It survived through one of the deadliest pandemics on earth and are still thriving.
But out of all of them, which one managed to lead the list?
Out of the lot, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ consistently made a great impression on the audience and bagged the most subscribers this year. But there is alot more to a streaming service than just their subscriber count.
This blog will enlighten you and tell you all that you need to know about Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ side by side. So dive in and pick the best of the best for yourself if you haven’t already yet.
Streaming Comparison
Availability
This factor is pretty underrated; the availability and reach of a specific streaming service matter quite alot. We believe that it is the real backbone behind the success of any service. The bigger the reach, the bigger the awareness regarding the service and, of course, the subscriber count.
In this regard, Netflix takes the lead as it is available in over 180 countries, basically all over the world, even in the Middle East and South Asian countries. Netflix has a separate catalog for each country, which makes the selection more audience-centric and localized.
Despite being over a decade old Hulu, is exclusively available in the US and Japan only. And though the exclusivity may be a positive thing, it has cost Hulu it’s subscriber count by millions. Hulu is known worldwide, but users have to take extra measures directed by ScreenBinge via a VPN to stream the service on their respective devices.
Disney+ is a star in the making; only a year old, Disney+ has managed to spread its wings across America, Canada, numerous parts of Europe, and a little bit of South Asia. But the journey doesn’t end there. Disney+ is on the run to reach its goal of spreading the service across the globe by 2021, covering the Far-East and the Asia Pacific completely.
Content
When we talk about content, Netflix is again in the lead here with one of the biggest catalogs for viewers to watch. Since it always adds and subtracts the shows on the service, it is hard to get an exact figure. Apart from that, Netflix is known for its record-breaking original shows and movies preferred over Hollywood produced pieces.
Next in line is Disney+, which strictly features its own content from all the companies it has under its name, like Pixar, Marvel Studios, Star Wars, Disney Channel, and Nat Geo. From the oldest Disney content to the latest, it has it all along with all the Marvel and Star Wars franchise. And each month, they add a new set of shows and movies for viewers to enjoy.
Since Hulu is a US and Japan only service, it does fall short in the number of movies and shows compared to Netflix by half. And when we talk about the original content, Hulu does have a few nominated and award-winning shows, but the list doesn’t go that long.
Price
Prices are a no-brainer when comparing the services, Netflix may be best in other things, but it is the most expensive of the lot, starting from $8.99/month to $17.99/month, depending on what plan you choose for yourself.
Disney+ has a simple cost of $6.99/month and $69.99/year. It has an additional bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
Hulu comes with two monthly plans, with and without ads. Starting from $5.99/month (With ads) and $11.99/months without ads. Hulu also has a TV subscription service, which costs around $54.99/month.
Screen & Quality
You can watch Hulu on up to 2 screens at the same time with no additional costs attached. Both the plans offer 2 screen connection in HD quality.
Disney+ offers up to 4 simultaneous streaming connections in HD and 4K with no additional costs.
Netflix offers 3 plans, the basic plan lets you stream on one screen at a time, the standard plan offers 2, and the premium plan provides 4 screen connections simultaneously. And the quality varies in each plan. You can get 4K in the premium plan only.
Device Availability
Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ are all available on all major setups and external streaming devices like Roku, Chromecast, Firestick, and gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.