The VICE Guide to Streaming Services

In the old days, we were at the mercy of our televisions. Before we entered the home technology upshift of DVDs and Blu-rays and the current Golden Age of Streaming™, we had to simply watch “whatever was on.” After school, we couldn’t just zone out to our favorite TV show; and at night, there was no binging (unless there was a Star Trek marathon or something). Now that I’ve outed myself as a 90s-raised millennial, I have enough cred to declare that we now live in awesome times. You might hate being alive right now, and I’m sorry to hear it, but with an impending new season of Succession coming on HBOMax sometime this spring, I not only love life, but must continue living it!

Through some kind of unbelievable wizardry, we can watch whatever garbage our hearts desire for as long as we want, and at any time of day. That, in and of itself, is pretty wild; but what’s even more amazing is the fact that there are so many streaming services, and all of them offer something different. Into old foreign films? Live NBA games? 00s-era serial TV? Whatever Rick and Morty is? (No, seriously, I’ve never seen it—what is it?) Whatever you are into, there’s a great streaming service that can make all your dreams come true.

Let’s be real: You probably already have at least a couple streaming services (or at least steal them from your friends and family). But with most of them being fairly inexpensive these days, it’s time to access a whole new world of entertainment by gifting yourself a fresh service. So turn on your beloved TV, crank that killer sound bar, and get that email address and strong password ready. Here’s our official ranking of the 10 best streaming services.

10. Disney+

I mean, you already know what it is: Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, and a whole library of stuff from your childhood. New Disney+ shows like The Mandalorian and Andor are excellent, and the streaming channel made the smart choice of taking over the fantastic Daredevil from Netflix, who very stupidly canceled it (sorry, Netflix). Original films are here, like Peter Jackson’s Beatles doc Get Back and, frankly, a bunch of stuff for children that I haven’t seen. On that note, I definitely get a nostalgia watch (I just finished rewatching all the Star Wars prequels, which absolutely rule, don’t @-me), but if you’re an adult, committing to rewatching Boy Meets World, Hannah Montana, Kim Possible, and Even Stevens seems a little hardcore; The Simpsons, however, you should queue up immediately.

Worth it if: you stan Marvel and Star Wars, you are one of those adult Disney freaks, you want to watch every season of The Simpsons (a noble undertaking), or you have kids.

Subscribe to Disney+ for $7.99/month with ads or $10.99/month with no ads here.

9. Sling

Like its predecessor, “Whatever Was On,” Sling is all about live TV: You can get packages that come with CNN, ESPN, Bravo, AMC, VICE (!), TNT, and more, meaning that you can watch all your fave cable stuff and new episodes in real time. Rec Room’s resident sports freak (and senior strategist) Kate Spencer, loves Sling—for sports heads, channels like MLB Network, Tennis Channel, NBA TV, NHL Network, Golf Channel, and more are available.

Worth it if: you only watch things with balls or pucks in them, you remember “flipping channels,” or you love watching new shows as they air.

Subscribe to Sling starting at $20/month here.

8. Peacock

Peacock feels like the wholesome family that lives next door: You might not be into the same stuff as them or live the same way, but it’s hard to dislike them. In addition to having Yellowstone (your dad’s favorite show), you can watch old 2000s and 2010s comedy classics like The Office and Parks and Recreation, or amazing films like Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (underrated, one of Nicolas Cage’s very best), Nope, Uncut Gems, The Godfather, and Step Brothers. It also has every Saturday Night Live episode as well as a bunch of the big Bravo stuff, so if you’re into Top Chef or Real Housewives, this is going to be your haven (if you’re very into whatever falls under the NBC Universal corporate umbrella). Overall, the Must See TV vibe is strong here.

Worth it if: you love classic NBC shows or if you’re obsessed with the Bravo Cinematic Universe (Real Housewives, Project Runway, Vanderpump Rules, Below Deck, et cetera).

Subscribe to Peacock Premium for $4.99/month, Premium Plus for $9.99/month, or for $29.99/year with the code NEWYEAR23 here.

7. Netflix

Netflix was one of the first in the game, and we have to respect that. I remember subscribing to the DVDs-in-the-mail service almost 20 years ago, and it was amazing. This year, however, Netflix is experiencing some growing pains; every new show and film look the same, and seem to have the same filters, cinematography, and general style. That said, the platform created and has acquired some top-tier shows, like Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, I Think You Should Leave, Bojack Horseman, and Dark. But they’ve also canceled plenty of great things (Daredevil, The OA, Glow, Mindhunter), making me less likely to trust the brand and get invested in its series.

Worth it if: you are still attached to Breaking Bad, like watching classic mainstream films (Netflix has a great library of movies), or just have FOMO at the water cooler (read: on Twitter) when you haven’t seen the coolest new show.

Subscribe to Netflix starting at $6.99/month here.

6. Paramount+

Paramount is synonymous with *movies*, and there’s plenty, new and old, to check out here. Some bangers are: Interstellar, The Wolf of Wall Street, Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible films, Minority Report, and Top Gun: Maverick. (Wow, maybe let’s just call it the Tom Cruise channel!) It’s also the home of the Star Trek and Godfather franchises, all the CSI spinoffs, and TV originals like Halo, Star Trek: Picard, Mayor of Kingstown, and Tulsa King. (I heard some older dudes talking about Tulsa King on the Amtrak the other day, and I’m pretty close to clicking that trial button.) Because of the Paramount and Viacom merger, Paramount+ also features a ton of legacy content from MTV, VH1, BET, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon (including Jersey Shore, early seasons of the Real World, Beavis and Butt-Head, and much, much more.)

Worth it if: you love BIG MOVIES, you hang out with your dad a lot, or you need to see the next season of Yellowstone when it drops.

Subscribe to Paramount+ Essential for $4.99/month or Premium for $9.99/month here.

5. Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is like that old hometown friend you have that you still hit up every time you pass through, and while you know you’ll be great friends for the rest of your life, it’s not quite as exciting as it used to be. For me, Prime is best for renting films (they have everything, new and old, and many films can be rented for, like, three bucks) and scoping out the occasional new show. The Boys, Jack Ryan, Reacher, and The Rings of Power are definitely worth keeping up with, and Fleabag (aka one of the greatest TV shows of all time in any genre) is also a notable exclusive. You can also rent/buy new and old shows from other channels, which includes basically all legacy TV shows; some of the ones included with Prime free of charge are Downton Abbey, House, Ally McBeal, The Bernie Mac Show, Mr. Robot (another all-timer IMO), and Billions.

Worth it if: you want access to renting almost any movie, haven’t seen Mr. Robot, Fleabag, and Downton Abbey, or don’t mind paying $1.99 an episode to keep up with new shows.

Subscribe to Amazon Prime for $14.99/month here.

4. Apple TV+

Apple’s TV shows are absolute fire. If you haven’t seen Ted Lasso or Severance yet, I strongly urge you to smash that subscribe button right now. There’s so much here that it’s hard to keep up with—I’ve still got Black Bird, Servant, and Mr. Corman to get through, and I’m eagerly awaiting the new season of The Morning Show, which is one of my favorite shows currently on TV. With Apple TV+, you can also rent new films and shows, meaning it’s pretty much a one stop shop for new media (the tradeoff is that it doesn’t have the huge back-catalog of Hulu, Amazon, or Netflix). Apple also produces some pretty cool original films, like Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks, the Joel Coen/Denzel Washington reading of The Tragedy of Macbeth, and 2022 Oscar winner CODA. Overall, an awesome streaming service.

Worth it if: Ted Lasso exists.

Subscribe to Apple TV+ for $6.99/month here.

3. Hulu

Hulu is the second-most utilized streaming service in my household, and by a huge margin. The film selection is fine, but the TV shows are extensive, especially if you’re into reality TV (Bachelor nation rise up), cooking shows, cool new stuff (Atlanta, Dave, What We Do In The Shadows), old bangers (Homeland, The OC, Friday Night Lights), a wide array of true crime and original documentaries, and big funnies (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Letterkenny, Schitt’s Creek, 30 Rock). Hulu is an oasis of goodness, where you can always find something dope. Hulu also has Frasier, which should seal the deal (it definitely did for Rec Room senior writer Mary Frances “Francky” Knapp).

Worth it if: you keep up with The Bachelor(ette), haven’t seen The Handmaid’s Tale yet (guilty!), need to watch new cable TV episodes the day after they drop, or want access to all 43 seasons of Survivor.

Subscribe to Hulu with ads for $7.99/month or without ads for $14.99/month here.

2. The Criterion Channel

If you love art films, classic Hollywood movies, under-the-radar masterpieces, and foreign films, The Criterion Channel is going to be your new best friend. Not only will you constantly be presented with curated collections and sets that will expose you to awesome new and old movies, but you’ll basically have access to most of the Criterion Collection library. I’m talkin’ films by Tarkovsky, Kurosawa, Varda, Fellini, Akerman, Chaplin, Hitchcock, Bresson, Godard, Lynch, Kiarostami… the list goes on and on. Not much TV on Criterion, but watching through Fassbinder’s 15-hour epic Berlin Alexanderplatz could bring a similar experience.

Worth it if: the thought of experiencing a bunch of modern civilization’s greatest artistic achievements is exciting to you.

Subscribe to The Criterion Channel for $10.99/month here.

1. HBOMax

What can I say about HBO that you don’t already know? From The Sopranos, The Wire, and Sex and the City to Succession, The White Lotus, Game of Thrones, and Euphoria, the cable channel formerly known as “Home Box Office” has become one of the biggest forces in culture of the past 25 years. Hell, there’s literally only two episodes of The Last of Us out so far, and I already know it’s going to be some legacy shit. And the limited series are incredible: We Are Who We Are, Angels in America, I May Destroy You, Band of Brothers, The Night Of… the list continues. Oh, and HBO gets a ton of great (or at least hyped) new films (right now: The Banshees of Inisherin, The Menu, Elvis, The Batman, Don’t Worry Darling) within days of their theatrical release. And it has Degrassi: The Next Generation and Gossip Girl, so there’s that.

Worth it if you still rewatch The Sopranos regularly [raises hand], need to know what all the White Lotus memes are about, want to peep the Lord of the Rings extended editions, or haven’t seen Elvis yet (a masterpiece).

Subscribe to HBOMax with ads for $9.99/month or with no ads for $15.99/month here.

Whether you want to mainline the 5-hour version of Fanny and Alexander, peep the Super Bowl live, or re-watch DuckTales (even though you’re 36 years old), there’s something here for you, and it’ll probably cost just a few bucks a month. For less than the price of almost any meal, why not treat yourself? And feel free to HMU for recs, though I’m currently watching the new seasons of Jack Ryan, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Bachelor and rewatching Friday Night Lights and Curb Your Enthusiasm, so it might take me a minute to reply.

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The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.