- Netflix has the most expensive monthly fee at £8.99, while Shudder costs just £3.99
- Amazon Prime Video has the largest library with over 21,500 titles and costs £7.99 per month, equating to just £0.03 per title
- Apple TV+ costs just £4.99 a month, but only has 39 titles in its library, equating to £14 per 100 titles
While a simple price check can help you identify which video streaming services have the lowest subscription fees, Currys PC World, in conjunction with Phillips TV has revealed the real value for money each offers. For example, at surface level, Netflix appears to be the most expensive option at £8.99 a month. However, with such a large library of films and TV shows (5,900 titles to be exact), that works out at just £0.15 per 100 titles. Though this still works out to £1 more than Amazon Prime, which has a larger library. Platforms with smaller libraries, such as Apple TV+ (39 titles) and Hayu (254 titles), have lower fees to reflect this (both £4.99).
The service that suits you best may depend on whether you prefer to have an extensive list of options or would rather keep costs down and choose from a more refined selection of titles.
The best streaming service for specific genres
- Shudder specialises in horror films and TV shows, while Hayu focuses entirely on reality TV
- Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ and BFI Player all have more drama entertainment than any other genre
- Now TV Entertainment has more documentary content than any other genre, while Disney+ is family-focused
Do you want your streaming service to cater for a specific interest, or would you like variety that serves your every mood? Depending on your taste, there’s a service to suit you.
Bigwigs of the streaming world – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Now TV Entertainment – all boast large libraries spanning every genre. This said, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have more drama content than any other genre, while Now TV Entertainment has more documentaries.
For more tailored viewing, Shudder specialises in horror, Hayu focuses on reality TV and BFI Player celebrates critically acclaimed cinema, particularly within the drama genre. New kids on the streaming service block, Disney+ and Apple TV+, both offer variety, although Disney+ concentrates on family-friendly entertainment while Apple TV+ deals largely in drama and comedy.
| Genre with the most content | Most popular genre (based on most popular titles on each platform) | |
| Netflix | Drama | Sci-Fi |
| Amazon Prime | Drama | Documentary |
| Disney+ | Family | Action & adventure |
| AppleTV+ | Drama | Comedy |
| Shudder | Horror | Horror |
| BFI Player | Drama | Drama |
| Now TV – Entertainment | Documentary | Drama |
| Hayu | Reality | Reality |
The best streaming services for brand-new vs. classic film and TV
- Apple TV+ sells itself on its library of brand-new, original films and TV shows, with 66% of titles released in 2020
- BFI Player specialises in critically acclaimed cinema, with 61% of the titles over 25 years old
- Netflix and Now TV Entertainment deal in newer titles, with classic content making up only 5% of their libraries
Do you admire the charm of a classic movie or are you more partial to the technological advancement of a brand-new TV production? Based on your preference, you may wish to choose a streaming service that serves your taste.
~Novel Serialisation: Heavens Fire~
Specialising in critically acclaimed cinema, the majority of the BFI Player’s titles (61%) are classics (over 25 years old). A quarter of Disney+’s titles (26%) and just under a third of Shudder’s content (31%) also fall under the classic category. On the other hand, all of Apple TV+’s titles are brand-new releases, produced by Apple, exclusively for their viewers. 66% of these titles were released in 2020.
The best services for movies vs. TV shows
- Hayu and the Now TV Entertainment package specialise entirely in TV content
- The BFI Player is one for the film fans, as an entirely film-focused service
- Netflix offers the most even split of film and TV, with 68% movies and 32% TV shows
In many cases, people enjoy TV shows and movies in equal measure – they simply suit different moods or occasions. This said, if you favour one over the other, you’ll probably want a streaming service that caters for your preference.
Most platforms offer a mix of the two. That said, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Shudder and Disney+ all boast more movies than TV shows, while Apple TV+ has more TV content than film. On the other hand, the Now TV Entertainment package deals solely in TV, as does Hayu. For the film buffs, BFI Player has a library made up solely of movies.
