If the recent global health crisis showed us anything, we will always want to be entertained, no matter what terrible things happen to people.
The novel Coronavirus gave streaming services a chance to show what they could do during a global economic and social disaster. This is not to say that they weren’t famous before the illness.
Best Digital Video Broadcasting Services
#1) Restream
Best for content creators who want to livestream videos.
Restream is a simple tool for livestreaming videos that lets independent video creators livestream to their viewers in high definition. You can chat with your fans and do other things with them in real time while your pre-recorded video is playing.
When you want, you can set your pre-recorded to go live immediately. Restream allows you to record the video and show it whenever it works for you. You can add your official brand name, overlays, and backgrounds to your streams, which is the best thing about this platform.
Features:
- Branding that can be changed
- Keep track of engagement
- Content That Works
- Management of Events
- Setting up automatically
Verdict: Restream is a video streaming service on the same level as Twitch and YouTube. Many independent content makers want to stream their live shows in HD to millions of fans on different platforms. This tool is a godsend for them.
Price:
- Free forever plan
- Standard: $16/month
- Professional: $41/month
Website: Restream
#2) XtremeHD
Best for cheap IPTV service with more than 20,000 live channels to watch.
ExtremeHD IPTV should be at the top of your list if you want to watch shows from around the world in the highest quality. You can watch over 20,000 live stations and VODs by signing up for its services. You can watch famous shows from the US, UK, Canada, and other places worldwide.
Each of its subscription deals comes with an EPG TV Guide that helps you find your favourite shows and movies and use the schedule to plan your viewing. More than that, you can watch movies in Full HD, HD, and SD quality. Additionally, XtremeHD IPTV has anti-freeze technology, which means you can watch video without any breaks.
Features:
- TV Guide
- Technology that stops frost
- Uptime of 99.9%
- Movies and TV shows in real-time
- Supports a lot of gadgets
Verdict: When it comes to IPTV and streaming services, XtremeHD IPTV offers it everything. It features an extremely large collection of high-quality international content with an availability rate of about 99.9 percent. It works on many devices and gives you access to many paid channels. Because of this, this is a service that you should try.
Price: The daily plan costs $15/month, the months plan costs $45.99/month, the months plan costs $74.99/month, the year plan costs $140.99, and the lifetime plan costs $500 all at once.
Website: ExtremeHD
#3) YouTube TV
The best way to stream programming from more than 85 channels.
And it still is: YouTube was and is one of the best free viewing services that many people love. It not only brought a lot of good material to the phones of many smartphone users for free, but it also gave many talented people a chance to become creators themselves by making and posting their videos, which made them famous overnight.
YouTube TV takes this idea bigger by charging subscribers a small fee to get their material without the annoying ads. But more is needed to make people want to use YouTube, so it made its unique shows to compete with Netflix and Prime.
YouTube TV now says it has more than 85 shows, including Sports, News, and Entertainment channels. It gives you six accounts at once and lets you record your favourite shows. The storage space is endless.
Features:
- Recording for free
- No contracts every year
- Six accounts signed up
- Go back and forward in time
Verdict: The price of YouTube TV looks reasonable when weighed against the control it grants its customers over the content they stream and how they use it.
Price: 30 days Free trial, $64.99/month
Website: YouTube TV
#4) Netflix
Best for streaming new and old material online.
Netflix was the first to do everything, so it had to be on this list. When Netflix started showing licenced material, no one could have imagined the changes it would bring to streaming entertainment online. People became hooked on the service it offered because they liked it so much.
In 2021, Netflix will show most of the material made in the United States alone. Working with creators from all over the world, it is also a big player in making its material. House of Cards and Stranger Things are already hugely popular TV shows that have become even more so.
Netflix has to deal with tough competition from both new and old players, but the platform still has an edge because it was one of the first to offer streaming services like the ones we use today.
Features:
- A massive gallery of new and old stuff
- You can pick between subbed and dubbed versions of the show.
- Interface that looks good
- Play, pause, fast forward, and rewind video
Verdict: Many people still choose Netflix as their primary entertainment source because of its extensive library of shows and movies and easy-to-use interface. With a gallery of high-quality original material growing daily, it’s hard to see any other streaming service beating them.
Price: Basic costs $8.99, Standard costs $12.99, and Premium costs $15.99 for 30 days.
Website: Netflix
#5) Sling TV
It is the most cost-effective and easy way to stream material.
Still, Sling TV is the cheapest live TV streaming service people want today. The way it looks and the number of stations it has could be more impressive. In any case, the tool has gained notoriety for offering competitively low prices on widely consumed media.
Live TV, dramas, sports, and news shows are all on the streaming service, and users can watch them in 4k resolution. Some of the features are being able to watch channels like Starz and Showtime.
Features:
- The ability to stream in 4K
- Cloud DVR for free
- Access to 50+ Channels
Verdict: Sling doesn’t have a lot of channels that people would like to watch, but it does have good material at a lower price than any other online service.
Price: Sling Blue for three devices costs $30 a month after the first month of $20.
Website: Sling TV
#6) Apple TV +
The best way to stream original video on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and other devices.
Apple was already very good at making hardware. Finally, it was time for it to get into the streaming business. People have been positive about its move into this uncanny valley so far. There is a hefty price tag on Apple TV+, but it is an excellent streaming service.
You and up to four other people may watch your favourite episodes whenever you want with a single subscription to the streaming service, and you can even save them to watch offline. Just for this feature alone, Apple TV+ is a must-have.
Where it still needs to work on things is the material, though. The platform has gotten big names to appear on their shows and made some good ones, but they have yet to get as much attention as shows on a competing platform.
Features:
- Not online to watch
- Share with five people
- No ads
- Account handling that works well
Verdict: Apple TV still needs much work with its material, but the service works perfectly in every other way. It’s possible that Apple TV + will perform as well as its competitors since more new material is on the way.
Price: Free for seven days, then $4.99 a month
Website: Apple TV +
#7) Hulu Plus Live TV
It’s best to have at least 65 stations available on Hulu.
As a streaming service, Hulu has done well for itself. It competes with big names like Netflix and Amazon Prime, but its original, award-winning content has helped it find its niche following. Without question, Hulu Plus is one of the best ways to stream TV right now.
It goes one step further with Hulu Plus, which adds 65+ channels to Hulu’s already impressive material library. Why wouldn’t you like it? The service allows for simultaneous viewing on many devices and provides 50 hours of recording time for users to keep their favourite episodes.
Features:
- Access to 65+ channels
- Recording that can be stored for 50 hours
- Stream on several devices at the same time
- Add-ons let you make changes.
Verdict: Hulu + is an excellent addition to your streaming service because it has over 65 stations, ranging from sports to news. You can watch whole seasons of many great shows at a price that can’t be beaten.
Price: 7 day’s free trial, $54.99/month
Website: Hulu + Live TV
#8) HBO Max
This is the best place to find award-winning original HBO material.
Before the rise of streaming services, HBO was the gold standard for sophisticated programming. We all know the network that brought us hits like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, and True Detective. Now, they are getting into streaming.
You can watch HBO original shows and films, as well as material only available from Warner Bros. Studios and DC Comics if you have HBO Max. The platform looks incredibly bright in 2021. Since Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated Justice League is set to come out early this year, we can expect a massive increase in the number of people joining the service.
Features:
- An extensive library of films and TV shows
- Apps that look good
- Controlling your kids
- Viewing offline on a phone
Verdict: HBO Max brings to the web everything that made HBO a massive hit with fans, and it does it with such style. The streaming service has hours and hours of excellent material for people to enjoy. Some people might not be interested because they can’t watch in 4k, but the information could be better to pass up.
Price: $14.99/month after seven days of free trial
Website: HBO Max
#9) Acorn TV
The best way to watch British TV.
Nowhere else in the world has better TV shows than the United States. Acorn TV shows this. People worldwide can watch some of Britain’s best drama, crime, and comedy shows on Acorn TV. These shows have great reviews and are great for watching all at once.
Acorn, on the other hand, has a sloppy design that could be more pleasant to look at and easier to use. But it’s just too hard to say no to the deal because of how good the content is.
Features:
- You can watch original and classic British material
- Stream on more than one gadget at the same time
- Streaming on the web, Roku, Apple TV, and Android.
- Simple to sign up
Verdict: The Acorn TV is essential, whether good or bad, based on who you ask. You can find a lot of good material on it, though, if you can get past its strange interface.
Price: Free for seven days, then $5.99 a month
Website: Acorn TV
#10) CBS All Access
The best way to watch Family and Mature Original or Classic content.
Before HBO became known as the channel for mature material, CBS was where you could find more family-friendly shows. When HBO went online, it was clear that CBS would do the same, and that’s how CBS Access came to be.
CBS adds some new shows to its collection of shows. At the moment, Star Trek Discovery and Picard live there, which did not get the response they sought. That could all change when Stephen King’s long-awaited classic The Stand comes out next year. The medium may finally be getting better.
Features:
- Get access to all of CBS’s new and old shows and films
- A clean and complete design
- This app works on all devices
- Easy to change plans
- Price cuts for students on a particular plan
Verdict: CBS Access lets you watch CBS shows online. The live service is excellent and outstanding at the same time. There is still work to be done on the quality of the material on offer, but things could change for the better in 2021.
Price: $5.99/month after seven days of the free trial
Website: CBS Access
Conclusion
Streaming services have made it easier than ever to get to the information. Because of this, it’s hard to picture a world without them. It’s also possible that they will make movie theatres and television networks useless. After reading this list, it makes sense to sign up for at least one of these excellent streaming services.
Regarding our suggestions, Netflix is still the best option, and its library keeps getting bigger daily. YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV are viable alternatives to cable if you’re having problems with your current provider.
