Netflix Vs. Competitors: Hulu, Disney+ & Others – A Comprehensive Showdown

Quick Links

• Netflix with Ads is Still Really Cheap
• Other Platforms Make Password Sharing Easier
• It’s Still Hard to Beat the Netflix Library
• Netflix Has Equal Downloading and a Couple of Unique Reminders
• Device Compatibility is About Equal Across the Board

Key Takeaways

• The ad-supported plan makes Netflix the cheapest streaming platform among popular competitors.
• Sharing passwords became more expensive due to Netflix’s crackdown—others still allow sharing.
• Despite price hikes and clamping down on sharing, Netflix’s library and features still make it worth keeping.

Like most streaming platforms, Netflix has been cracking down on password sharing and increasing the price of its plans. So, is it worth keeping the OG streaming staple on your roster? The platform still holds up pretty strong against the competition.

Netflix with Ads is Still Really Cheap

With streaming costs constantly on the rise , keeping up with the latest water-cooler shows can really start to hurt your wallet. If you’re culling your list of subscriptions, however, Netflix might just make the cut based on price alone. The ad-supported Netflix plan is still the cheapest content package when compared to the most popular competitors.

Take a look at the price of Netflix when compared to Hulu , Max , Amazon Prime Video , and Apple TV+ .

Other Platforms Make Password Sharing Easier

One area where Netflix doesn’t outshine other services is password sharing. Sure, you can find a way to share your login with people outside your home, but it’s going to cost you . The platform started to really crack down on password sharing in summer 2023 , and by the end of the year, they kicked people off of plans unless they were paid “Extra Members.”

To share an account with Netflix, you’ll have to pay for the Standard plan at $15.49 per month, plus an extra $7.99 per month per Extra Member. You can add up to two people who don’t live with you. Even then, you can only watch on two devices at a time . To allow four devices simultaneously streaming, you’ll need the Premium plan at $22.99 per month plus $7.99 per Extra Member.

The bottom line is that it very quickly makes less sense to share Netflix than it does for your friends and family just to get your own ad-supported plans.

As of March 2024, Hulu also stopped letting people outside your household share your password . By contrast, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, and Apple TV+ still let you share a password and create a profile for people who don’t live with you. If you’re trying to keep costs low by sharing an account, Netflix is more foe than friend.

It’s Still Hard to Beat the Netflix Library

As of January 2023, Statista reported that Netflix had more available titles than every major streamer besides Amazon Prime Video . At that time, Netflix had just over 7,300 titles, which were just about evenly split between movies and TV shows. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video had over 7,400 titles, Hulu had about 6,400, and Max had just 4,200.

Of course, having a lot of titles available doesn’t mean they’re good. Luckily, Statista also compares the quality of TV shows available. As of January 2024, Netflix had the most “high quality” TV shows of all streamers, based on the IMdB ratings for available shows.

When it comes to movies, Netflix comes in third behind Max and Prime Video for the number of high-quality titles. If you’re looking for blockbuster titles and good original films, Netflix may not be your best bet. However, it does have many titles that fit the “quality” category with ratings between 6-7.5 on IMdB.

Netflix Has Equal Downloading and a Couple of Unique Reminders

Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and Apple TV+ all allow you to download some titles and watch them offline . This feature could occupy quite a bit of memory on the device where you download them, but it’s still a convenient feature. It’s worth noting that Hulu only offers this function for people who pay for a “No Ads” plan.

While Netflix doesn’t necessarily stand out when it comes to downloads, it does have the cheapest plan to allow it.

Meanwhile, if you want to know what’s coming up on a streaming platform, Netflix has the best functionality. There is an entire tab on the home screen for “New and Popular” content (the title of the tab may vary depending on your device). If you see something that piques your interest, you can set a reminder.

Enabling push notifications on a smartphone or tablet means Netflix will send a pop-up to your device when a certain title is available. Netflix must be installed on the device. You can also enable email notifications. Hulu allows you to set reminders for new TV shows and movies, but you can’t customize them for certain titles like you can with Netflix.

Netflix also has a “Browse by Languages” tab in its menu, which makes it easier to find titles in Italian, Japanese, Dutch, and more.

Device Compatibility is About Equal Across the Board

Roku

Most streaming services are compatible with the same popular devices. This includes smart TVs, streaming devices, phones, computers, tablets, and gaming consoles.

There are a few exceptions. For example, Netflix and Prime Video are compatible with Vestel Smart TVs, whereas their competitors are not. And, Max is compatible with Cox Contour 2 and Cox Contour Stream Player devices.

The following devices are compatible with most streaming apps, including Netflix:

Before you assume a particular streaming platform is compatible with your device, you should also check the streamer’s website to make sure your device model will work. For instance, Hulu will only work on Apple TVs that are 4th generation or newer.

So, is Netflix still worth it in 2024? The platform still stacks up to its main competitors, especially when it comes to price and number of titles. For people who value choice above all else, Netflix can only be beaten by Amazon Prime Video. If you’re all about that password sharing life to cut costs, on the other hand, Netflix doesn’t come in clutch. Still, overall, Netflix is worth keeping around for many viewers.

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