Honestly, if you feel like you’re paying more for a list of streaming services than you ever did for cable, you aren’t imagining it. It’s a mess. We were promised a cheaper, more flexible future, but now we’re staring at a dozen different apps, each with their own rising monthly fees and "ad-supported" tiers that feel a lot like... well, commercials.
The reality of 2026 is that the "big" services are basically turning back into cable packages. They’re bundling up. They’re raising prices. And if you aren’t careful, you’re just lighting money on fire for content you’ll never actually watch.
Most people look at a list of streaming services and just pick the ones with the most famous logos. Netflix, Disney+, maybe Max. But that’s usually a mistake. To actually get your money's worth, you have to look at how these platforms have changed in the last twelve months. It’s not just about who has Stranger Things anymore; it’s about who has the sports rights, who lets you share an account without a "tax," and who has actually kept their library worth the $20-a-month price tag.
The Big Three: Are They Still Worth It?
Netflix is the elephant in the room. They’re still the king of the list of streaming services, but they’ve become incredibly aggressive. The Standard plan without ads is now $17.99, and if you want that crisp 4K for your new OLED TV, you’re coughing up $24.99 for the Premium tier. That’s a lot. Especially when you consider they charge an extra $8.99 just to let your sibling in another house use the account.
Then you have Disney+. It used to be the cheap option for parents. Now? If you want the "Trio" bundle with Hulu and ESPN+, you're looking at a base price around $13 with ads, or a much higher jump if you want to skip the breaks. Disney+ has leaned heavily into its franchises, but unless you're a die-hard Marvel or Star Wars fan, the content gaps between big releases are starting to feel wider.
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Amazon Prime Video is the weird one. Most people have it because they want free shipping on toilet paper. But as a standalone service, it’s actually become one of the most powerful players on any list of streaming services because of sports. They’ve locked down Thursday Night Football and have been snatching up NBA and MLB games too. If you’re a Prime member, you get the video library "free," but they recently started charging an extra $2.99 a month just to remove the ads they forced into the service.
The Best List of Streaming Services for Live TV
If you’re trying to kill your cable box entirely, the list of streaming services you care about is "vMVPDs"—Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributors. Fancy name, simple concept: live TV over the internet.
- YouTube TV: Still the most balanced. It’s about $83 a month now. The unlimited DVR is the killer feature here. You can basically record everything that ever airs and never worry about space.
- DirecTV Stream: This actually dethroned YouTube TV in some recent satisfaction surveys. Why? Because they have the regional sports networks (RSNs) that everyone else dropped. If you want to watch your local baseball or basketball team, this is often the only way, though it'll cost you $95 to $115 a month.
- Fubo: Specifically for the sports junkies. It’s around $75 to $90. They’ve been aggressive with 4K sports broadcasts, which look incredible compared to the compressed 720p you often get on standard cable.
- Philo: The "I don't care about sports or news" option. It’s $33. You get HGTV, Discovery, Hallmark—basically all the "comfort food" channels.
The Underdogs and Niche Picks
This is where the real value is. If you’re bored with the same three shows everyone is talking about on Twitter, you need to look at the specialized list of streaming services.
Apple TV+ has become the "prestige" choice. It’s $12.99 a month. They don't have ten thousand titles, but almost everything they put out—Severance, Silo, Slow Horses—is actually good. They don't have an ad-supported tier yet, which is a blessing in 2026. Plus, they’re the new home for Formula 1 starting this year, which is a massive win for racing fans.
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Crunchyroll is the undisputed home for anime. If you like Japanese animation, it’s $7.99 and essential. They recently finished absorbing Funimation’s library, so it’s basically a monopoly for that genre now.
The Criterion Channel and Mubi are for the "film bros." If you want 1950s French noir or obscure indie films that won awards at festivals you’ve never heard of, these are your spots. Criterion is about $11 a month, and it’s like having a master’s degree in cinema in your pocket.
Don't Forget the Free Stuff
We call them FAST services—Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV.
- Tubi: It’s owned by Fox and has an absurdly large library of "oh, I remember that!" movies. No sign-up, no credit card.
- Pluto TV: Owned by Paramount. It feels like 90s cable. You flip through channels that play Star Trek or CSI 24/7.
- Plex: Great if you have your own media library, but their free live TV section has grown a lot lately.
How to Actually Manage Your Subscriptions
The biggest mistake people make with a list of streaming services is "set it and forget it."
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You should be rotating. There is zero reason to pay for Max, Paramount+, and Peacock all year long. Max is great when House of the Dragon or The Last of Us is airing. Paramount+ is essential during the NFL season because it has the local CBS games. Peacock is basically the "Olympic and WWE" app.
Sign up for one, binge what you want, and hit cancel. They will almost always send you a "please come back for $2" email three months later.
Actionable Next Steps to Save Your Budget
- Audit your bank statement: Look for that $15.99 or $22.99 charge you haven't thought about in six months. If you haven't opened the app in 30 days, kill it.
- Check your cell phone plan: T-Mobile still gives away "Hulu and Disney+" packages, and Verizon often bundles Max or Netflix. You might be paying for something you already "own."
- Use a "Watchlist" app: Apps like JustWatch or Reelgood allow you to search for a movie and see exactly which service it’s on. It prevents you from scrolling through five different apps just to find out The Matrix moved to a different platform yesterday.
- Go "FAST" for a month: Try using only Tubi and Pluto TV for 30 days. You’d be surprised how much high-quality stuff is available for free if you can handle a few minutes of ads.
The streaming wars aren't about who has the best content anymore; they're about who can keep you subscribed the longest without you noticing the price hikes. Be a difficult customer. Cancel often. Stay mobile.