I hear from so many folks about how much they want to cut the cord
and their big cable bills. One of the strengths - and weaknesses - of cutting the cord is the range of options you have for making it happen.
For instance, I gave you a tip recently on 3 ways to get free HDTV, movies, sports and more - click here to read it if you missed it.
Free is good, but at some point to get the shows you want, you'll probably end up paying for a streaming video service like Netflix or Hulu. The upside is that, individually, these services cost almost nothing compared to cable.
For convenience, you might want to drop some money on a streaming video gadget, though. Click here to find out which one is right for you.
Naturally, each service has its own pros and cons. Let's find out which one is going to be right for you.
Note: I'm not going to
include iTunes, Vudu or Google Play because those are pay-per-download
services, not subscription streaming services. I'll cover those in
another Tip.
Netflix
Netflix is the site that made streaming video popular and it still has the best range of movies and shows for most people. It also has a decent recommendation system for finding new shows to watch.In addition to movies and TV shows, it has critically acclaimed original content. You can catch shows like "Orange is the New Black," "House of Cards," and the fourth season of "Arrested Development."
The Netflix app is the nicest to use on every gadget I've tried it on. Families will like Netflix support for multiple users, which keeps queues cleaner and recommendations more helpful for individual family members.
There's also a dedicated "Kids" section. This gives kids their own space on your Netflix account so they can safely browse all kids' content on Netflix without finding anything offensive.
There's plenty more good stuff on Netflix, including some secrets every Netflix user should know.
Streaming plans start at $7.99 a month and there's a one-month free trial.
Pros: Best selection of content for most people, Original programming, Dedicated profiles and kids section, Solid app, Monthly plans, App works on any gadget
Cons: Prices increase more often than other services, Running TV shows not available until months after they air
Amazon Prime Instant Video
Amazon actually has two streaming services, but they're confusingly named. Amazon Instant Video lets you buy TV shows and movies from the full Amazon library - think of it like a digital video store.Amazon Prime Instant Video is Amazon's subscription service and competitor to Netflix. For an annual fee, you can stream unlimited TV shows and movies from a subset of the full Amazon digital library.
Amazon Prime's selection isn't quite as good as Netflix, and its original shows aren't as popular, but it does have some compensations. Because it's part of Amazon Prime, you also get Prime's free two-day shipping, Kindle lending library and Amazon Prime Music streaming. It's also the only service that has a deal with HBO to stream popular HBO shows - that doesn't include Game of Thrones though.
Amazon Instant Video also has a Season Pass feature that lets you buy and watch new TV show episodes shortly after they air. This gives a discount over buying it after the fact. It also occasionally offers movies that are still in the theater.
The Amazon app is decent on many gadgets, although it only recently added video streaming to Android smartphones. It isn't supported on some third-party streaming gadgets like Apple TV. Amazon is really hoping you'll use its Fire tablets and Fire TV streaming box.
One issue that I've had with Amazon is that I was once trying to watch a show covered under Amazon Prime's free streaming service. I accidentally clicked on the "1-click" purchase option, and was immediately charged the pay-per-download price for the show.
I immediately spoke to Amazon's customer service for a refund, but was told that they could only give me an Amazon gift card for the amount which I paid. So, if you're using it, be careful where you click.
Amazon Prime costs $99 a year, or $49 for students. There is no monthly payment option, but there is a free trial.
Pros: Strong library of content, Original shows, HBO deal, Amazon Prime perks, Season Pass with Instant Video for watching on-air TV shows
Cons: No monthly payment option, Confusing overlap between Instant Video and Prime Instant Video, Doesn't work with Apple TV or Chromecast, Running TV shows not available on Prime until months after they air
Hulu/Hulu Plus
One drawback to most streaming services is that they don't have TV shows until months or years after the current season ends. If you're looking for the best way to get access to popular TV shows as they air, Hulu is the place to go.It usually pairs well with Netflix or Amazon Prime.
The free Hulu has plenty of current shows available to watch, but there are a lot of ads and Hulu only carries the five most recent episodes. The paid Hulu Plus has a wider range of shows, more episodes and seasons available per show and fewer ads. There are still some ads, though.
Hulu also has ad-supported movies, as well as original content available. Hulu is probably the closest to an actual streaming TV station, as it was originally built and funded by NBC.
An app is available for most gadgets, however, it only works with the paid Hulu Plus, not the free Hulu.
Hulu Plus costs $7.99 a month and there is a free trial.
Pros: Watch TV episodes shortly after they air
Cons: Lots of ads, even with the paid version, Need Hulu Plus to use the app
YouTube
The most popular video streaming service isn't actually that great for cutting the cord. Don't get me wrong, all major streaming boxes and smart TVs support watching videos on YouTube.If you're a fan of YouTube personalities and channels - like mine - then it's a great way to keep up with them. For movies and TV shows, however, the cost to rent or own is a little higher than other services. It has the same selection as Google Play, by the way.
Pros: Free, Works on any gadget, Endless content
Cons: Ads, Major TV shows and movies are rent/own only
Crackle
If you like comedy, melodrama, or '80s action movies, Crackle is the free streaming service for you. Crackle boasts every episode of Seinfeld ever made, along with a series where Jerry Seinfeld interviews popular comedians of today.Crackle is ad-supported, and feels the most to me like a channel that plays TV movies all day. Not made-for-TV movies, though, these are the attention-grabbing movies that work well with Crackle's ad-supported business model.
It's supported on almost every device, and can run all of its videos in full HD.
Pros: Free
Cons: Ads, Very narrow focus
