Bottom line

Both Disney+ and Netflix are top-tier streaming services, but if you have to choose only one, you should stick with Netflix for now. It costs more, but it also offers a significantly larger content library and a wider variety of movies and TV shows.

Of course, it depends on what you want to watch. If your kids are demanding a Frozen marathon, you’ll need that Disney+ subscription. And Disney+ is still fairly new—it will probably only get better from here.

Disney+ and Netflix vs. the competition

Disney+ and Netflix packages

Disney+ is simply cheaper than Netflix, and it lets you stream in 4K and on up to four screens without upgrading. To get that with Netflix, you’d need Premium, which costs $84 more per year than Basic and $36 more per year than Standard.

Disney+ plans and prices

Data effective 10/02/23. Not all offers available in all areas. Prices subject to change.

Disney+ offers packages with different bundling options with Hulu and ESPN+. You can also choose between watching with ads or for a few extra dollars more you can watch without ads. This is similar to Netflix which also has tiers of service.

Disney+ Premium is pretty inexpensive, and you get a nice discount if you pay for a full year instead of paying monthly. Prepaying for a full year saves you a little more than a dollar every month, for a total savings of $27.89 over the course of a year.

You can “upgrade” Disney+ (with ads) by bundling it with Hulu and ESPN+ for an additional $7 per month. That’s less than the cost of a Premium Netflix package, and it gives you a much broader range of content than Disney+ alone.

Netflix plans and prices

All Netflix packages have access to the same content library, but paying a little extra per month opens up perks like no ads, higher-resolution options, and the ability to watch on more screens at the same time. “Extra member slots” options let you add a second account for users who don’t live in your household.

Some Netflix packages cost less per month than Disney+, and Netflix also gives you a larger library and more variety of content. Netflix lets you jump from true crime documentaries like Abducted in Plain Sight to feel-good reality TV like The Great British Baking Show. Then you can jump to an action-packed drama like The Witcher or a stand-up comedy special like Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial.

Movies and shows

Original content

If you’re looking for pop culture content, Disney+ has both the Marvel and Starwars universes to pull from for original content. Disney+ also gives you access to classic Disney movies like Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story. Netflix has its own impressive line up with The Witcher, Stranger Things, The Crown, Bridgerton, You and many more.

Fan favorites

Netflix started its streaming service without original content by licensing movies and shows from other entertainment companies, including Disney. Licensed media accounts for a hefty chunk of the platform’s most popular shows, including The Office and Grey’s Anatomy.

That model was all fine and good when there was limited competition. Now that everyone has jumped into the on-demand video streaming game, things are a little more complicated. For example, Netflix lost the ever-popular Friends at the beginning of 2020 to Max.

Of course, Netflix has always had rotating content. Favorites come and go, with the only constants being Netflix Originals.

Disney+, on the other hand, has the advantage here. The Disney nostalgia is real—not only with the classic animated movies but also with Disney Channel shows like Lizzie McGuire, Pixar movies, and franchises like Marvel and Star Wars.

Disney (and all the other companies it owns) has decades’ worth of content in the vault. And it supposedly won’t have a rotating library like Netflix, outside of having to pull content for pre-existing licensing deals.

Availability and compatible devices

You want to be able to watch your content anywhere on any of your devices, right? Netflix has a bit of an advantage here, just because it’s been so ubiquitous for so long.

Disney+ is still available on a ton of devices, but it doesn’t have native compatibility on some older devices, like some previous-generation gaming consoles.

Availability

Disney+ is not yet available in most of the world. It is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. It’s slated to launch in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain at the end of March 2020. The content library will vary a little in different countries.

Netflix is available in 190 countries around the world, but the content library varies in different regions.

Compatible devices

Sharing accounts, multiple screens, and downloads

Sharing accounts

Ok, we know that a lot of people do it, but Netflix really doesn’t like it when you share your account login with other people. In its terms of use, Netflix states, “The Netflix service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.”

Disney+ is a little more understanding of reality. Its subscriber agreement states:

“You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your username and password and for all activities that occur on or through your Disney+ and ESPN+ accounts. However, if you allow others to access your Disney+ or ESPN+ account, this Agreement, as well as any specific consents you may have provided, also applies to their access, use and disclosure of information.”

Basically, that means you’re on the hook for making sure no one uses your account for anything illegal, but it doesn’t forbid account sharing.

Watching on multiple screens

Disney+ lets you watch on up to four devices at the same time, so there’s no need to argue when one person wants to watch Star Wars Resistance and someone else wants to watch Moana for the twentieth time.

Netflix Premium also lets you watch on up to four devices at the same time, but Standard Netflix cuts that number in half. Basic Netflix allows for only one screen at a time.

With both services, you’ll get cut off if too many users try to watch at the same time. Be wary of sharing your login with too many people—or else you might not be able to watch the latest episode of The Mandalorian as soon as it drops.

Downloading movies and shows to watch offline

We love that Disney+ is generous with its download allowances. You can download unlimited movies and TV episodes on up to ten mobile devices. And your downloads never expire.

Netflix has a lot more rules about downloads. You can have a max of 100 downloads per device on up to four mobile devices. And there are some extra restrictions on certain types of content, depending on the licensing agreement Netflix has with the company that owns the IP (intellectual property):

• Some pieces of content can be downloaded only a certain number of times per year.
• Some licensing companies allow only a few titles to be downloaded at a time.
• Many downloads expire after a certain amount of time that varies depending on what it is.

User interface

Both streaming services open to a home screen with several sliding bars full of ready-to-watch content, recommended based on your viewing history. And finding something to watch on either service is easy and intuitive.

User profiles

Disney+ lets you set up to seven user profiles, so you don’t have to live in the same recommendation algorithm as your Forky-obsessed little sibling. You get to choose a Disney-character avatar, and there’s a specific “kids” setting for viewers, which filters out content unsuitable for young children.

Netflix allows for up to five total profiles, no matter your subscription level. Probably because it has a wider variety of content and content ratings, Netflix has three levels of filter. You can roll without an age filter for access to all content on the platform. Plus there are “For Kids” and “For Teens” options, which filter out age-inappropriate content.

Parental controls

Beyond making a kids profile on Disney+, there aren’t other parental controls. And the kids profile thing can be easily circumvented by choosing a different profile. Of course, there isn’t a lot of inappropriate content on Disney+—it’s specifically intended to be family-friendly—but there are perhaps some lines from The Simpsons that you don’t want a two-year-old repeating.

Netflix has more robust content filters and parental controls, which is good because it has a lot of not-family-friendly content. Don’t go unintentionally scaring the children with A Nightmare on Elm Street, folks.

You can set each Netflix user profile to automatically filter out content not suitable for kids or teens, and you can lock content that’s above specific maturity ratings with a pin on all profiles.

Pros and cons

Our verdict: Netflix is better than Disney+.

While Disney+ has amazing, family-friendly titles and a growing library of original content, Netflix still holds on as the top streaming service. It’s Premium package is a little more expensive, but it’s worth it for the much larger library and better assortment of content.

Of course, you don’t have to choose one or the other. Netflix and Disney+ cater to different needs and offer different movies and shows. They also both operate on month-to-month billing cycles, so if you can’t spring for both at the same time, you could alternate months to get the best of both worlds.

Disney+ and Netflix FAQ

Does Disney+ have R-rated movies?

Disney+ does not (and will not) have R-rated content. The platform is dedicated to keeping its content library family-friendly. All of the movies on Disney+ are rated PG-13 and below, and all TV shows are rated TV-14 and below.

Does Disney+ include Hulu?

Disney+ does not include Hulu, but you can bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ for a discounted price. Bundling the three streaming services together costs $24.99 per month.

How to cancel Netflix?

You can cancel your Netflix subscription at any time from your Account page. If you don’t see that option, you can just cancel the payment with your bank or credit card.

When you cancel Netflix, you can continue to watch until the end of your current billing period. And Netflix keeps your viewing data for 10 months after you close your account, so you can resume your subscription with your algorithm intact if you sign up again within that time.

How to cancel Disney+?

You can cancel Disney+ in a web browser by going to the Billing Details tab from your Account page.

In iPhone settings or through the Google Play Store, you’ll need to navigate to Subscriptions from the main menu, select Disney+, and cancel.

When you cancel, you still have access to Disney+ shows and movies until the end of your billing cycle (or the end of your free trial). After that, Disney+ keeps your account information on file in case you want to come back.

For a positive viewing experience, streaming video needs fast internet. Fortunately, Hulu is one of the more forgiving services, recommending at least 16Mbps speeds to take advantage of everything the service has to offer.

Of course, there’s more to an internet connection than just download speed, but that’s a good place to start if you’re looking for the best internet connection for watching shows on Hulu.

Is your internet connection fast enough for Hulu?

Take our speed test to see if your connection is fast enough to get the most out of your viewing experience.

What download speed do I need to watch Hulu?

Hulu was one of the first big streaming platforms and is accessible through either its website or through its apps, which are available (and often pre-installed) on many smart TVs and other devices.

All Hulu’s minimum recommended speeds are below the FCC’s threshold for broadband internet, which is currently 25Mbps. So anyone with a broadband connection should have more than enough speed to watch anything on the platform.

It’s worth noting that most streaming services recommend 25Mbps as the bare minimum speed for 4K content, so Hulu is a notable outlier. Although it is encouraging that Hulu is confident enough in its service to claim its subscribers can have a good 4K viewing experience at these lower speeds, we suggest giving yourself some wiggle room with a speed of at least 25Mbps.

This brings us to another important point that these recommendations are for a single device. If you stream on multiple devices simultaneously, you need enough total speed on your connection for each device. So if you’re on the couch watching Letterkenny in 4K while two other people are watching live shows in other rooms, you need a connection with download speeds of at least 32Mbps to watch without interruption.

Get low-latency fiber or cable for live content

One aspect of internet speed that people often don’t consider is latency, or the delay between your device and the remote server that causes lag. Latency has the biggest impact on anything happening in real time, such as online games or video chat. Latency can also be an issue when watching live TV, causing the stream to pause, skip, or buffer while you try to watch.

Fiber and cable connections usually offer the lowest latency for fans of live television. They’re also some of the most stable connections, which means you don’t have to worry about your bandwidth going up and down, potentially dropping below minimum requirements for smooth video playback.

Best internet plans for Hulu

A reliable, low-cost fiber connection is the best choice if you have that option in your area. Google Fiber is an excellent pick, though if the most intensive activity you do is watching Hulu, you can easily get by on an even cheaper fiber plan from a different provider like AT&T—or a cable plan like those from Xfinity or Spectrum.

With relatively low requirements, Hulu gives viewers a lot of flexibility to shop around for the best deals on home internet connections. While costs most likely are your main concern, you also want to avoid data caps, which video content can eat up quickly.

Hulu viewers should avoid data caps

Data caps are unpopular in general, but they specifically pose problems if you use streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Video uses more data than almost any other online activity, especially when watching in higher resolutions like 4K. It’s easy to lose track of how much data you have and run up huge overage charges when you’re burning through several megabytes every second.

The best way to avoid racking up additional charges on your monthly bill is to choose an internet plan that offers unlimited data. These unlimited plans are most common in wired connections like cable and fiber, though some wireless plans also offer unlimited data. In general, however, wireless plans usually have much lower data caps, so make sure you read the fine print before you sign up to a plan that doesn’t meet your needs.

If you don’t have any unlimited data plans available in your area, look for the plans with the highest data caps. Plans with over 1,000GB of data per month are usually workable, though you’d be surprised how fast you can burn through a terabyte of data with a couple of kids watching Bluey on repeat on their iPads.

Download Hulu shows to save on data

One way to get around data caps is to download shows onto your device rather than streaming them. Downloading uses roughly the same amount of data as streaming, but you only have to download a show once, after which you can watch it as much as you want without using any additional data. Streaming a show essentially downloads it again each time you turn it on, so this can be a good strategy for saving data if you have shows that you go back and watch over and over again.

You can also download shows while you’re out and about in an area with public Wi-Fi, which means you don’t have to use your data at all. Public Wi-Fi isn’t usually the fastest connection, so this works best if you’re going to be somewhere for a while, like working from a coffee shop or waiting at an airport. If you’re downloading to a phone, it’s also a good idea to double-check that you’re connected to Wi-Fi and not on your normal cellular connection, or you’ll just end up burning through your phone data, which defeats the whole purpose.

Unfortunately, downloading Hulu content is now restricted to Hulu’s No Ads plans, so those on the cheaper ad-supported plans don’t have this option. Of course, if you’re on an internet plan with restrictive data caps, it might be cheaper to upgrade your Hulu subscription, rather than paying for additional data every month.

How to watch Hulu in rural areas

Streaming video can be particularly challenging in remote areas. Rural internet providers often have low speeds and restrictive data caps—both of which are terrible for streaming services like Hulu.

If you’re looking for a rural internet plan that can handle Hulu and similar services, you probably want to look at wired plans like DSL first. Although not as fast as fiber or cable, DSL offers reliable connections, and most DSL providers offer speeds fast enough to meet Hulu’s minimum requirements.

If DSL isn’t an option in your area, 4G and 5G home internet plans are usually the next best option. Speeds are a bit more variable for these plans, but most providers offer speeds above 25Mbps, which should be plenty. But  watch out for data caps, which quickly evaporate with any regular TV watching.

Satellite internet is the least desirable choice for watching video, but you can make it work if you have to. Starlink is by far the best choice, as its data plans are the least restrictive compared to the competition. HughesNet also offers “Bonus Zone” data in the middle of the night that doesn’t count against your normal data caps. If you have a Hulu subscription that allows you to download videos, downloading shows after 2 a.m. to watch the next day saves on data, though it doesn’t do much for your sleep schedule.

The bottom line: Hulu gives you a lot of flexibility in your internet plan

Hulu has reasonable bandwidth requirements compared to other streaming services, so you don’t need to shell out for the most cutting-edge internet plan just to watch your favorite shows. Data is still a big issue, so internet plans without data caps definitely win over limited ones. Otherwise, you don’t have much to worry about from Hulu, so you’re free to choose a plan that fits your budget and the other needs of your household.

Our pick: Which internet provider is best for streaming?

Google Fiber is the best internet provider for streaming. It’s extremely reliable and offers some of the fastest speeds available in the US. It even ranks as the fastest provider nationwide in our Fastest Internet Providers report.

But Google Fiber is still hard to get. It’s limited to 18 locations for now, including Atlanta and Salt Lake City. We list other options for the best internet provider for streaming if you can’t get Google Fiber.

Compare provider prices and speeds

Unlike many other online activities, streaming video is really reliant on only two things: bandwidth and reliability. Fortunately, internet providers are good at delivering both.

Most internet providers now offer Gigabit download speeds, which is enough bandwidth for everyone in your house to watch a different TV show or movie simultaneously. You can also calculate exactly how much speed you need for each streaming service that you use, but a Gigabit internet plan will always keep all your bases covered.

Best overall—Google Fiber

Best for cable internet—Xfinity

Best for fiber internet—AT&T

Best for low latency—Verizon Fios

Best for availability—Spectrum

What makes an internet connection good for streaming?

You need a good internet connection to stream video, especially if you stream in Ultra HD (4K). But you don’t need to worry about all the technical details that make a big difference in playing games online or video conferencing.

Most internet providers have improved their networks over the years to better handle the bandwidth needed for video streaming. The software on your televisions and computers has also gotten better at preloading (buffering) behind the scenes, so you get smooth video, even if there are fluctuations in the network.

These factors make picking the best internet for streaming video much easier and also give you a lot of options. Let’s take a look at two of the most important considerations: download bandwidth and reliability.

Download bandwidth

Bandwidth is the total amount of data you can send and receive in one second across a wired or wireless connection. Think of it as a one-inch pipe and your data is the water flowing through it.

A single video stream doesn’t require a lot of download bandwidth, but when you have multiple devices streaming video simultaneously, all that downloading gobbles up your total bandwidth and brings your streaming to a stuttering mess.

Internet bandwidth

To avoid all the buffering woes, you need an internet plan with a little more bandwidth than you intend to use. You can sign up for a 500 Mbps plan and have tons of bandwidth left over for other applications while you stream those two Ultra HD movies. If you don’t need all that leftover bandwidth, you can always downgrade to a slower plan.

Confused? Picture bandwidth as a playground slide. You can push more kids down a seven-lane slide at once than you can with a single-lane slide.

Wi-Fi bandwidth

Wi-Fi bandwidth is different from internet bandwidth. Routers use streams to deliver data to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other wireless devices. A single band can only handle so much bandwidth, so if you have tons of devices connected to that band accessing the internet simultaneously, you may experience buffered video. Disconnect, switch off, or move all devices interrupting your video streams to a different band.

Reliability

You need an internet service with a reliable connection. Network congestion and faulty equipment cause video streams to drop in quality or pause, which can bring movie night to a screeching, popcorn-tossing halt. It doesn’t matter if you have the fastest plan on the earth if your connection is utter garbage.

Some types of connections are inherently more reliable than others. Fiber-to-the-home is by far the best internet for streaming video you can get, as it isn’t slowed by faulty electrical equipment or distance.

Look to customer surveys and other online ratings to gauge a provider’s reliability. They can give you a feel for not only the reliability of a connection throughout the day but also how often maintenance, natural disasters, and other service outages impact the network.

Our verdict: Get Google Fiber if you can

Google Fiber is one of the fastest and most reliable connections you can get, and it’s reasonably priced. Get it if it’s available in your area. If not, Verizon Fios or another local fiber internet provider is your best second choice.

FAQ about the best internet for streaming

If you do a lot of livestreaming, the best solution is to get a connection like fiber that has symmetrical upload and download speeds.

How much speed do I need to stream Netflix or Hulu?

Here are the recommendations for Netflix:

Here are the recommendations for Hulu:

Keep in mind these minimum requirements apply to a single device. If you have multiple devices streaming Netflix in 4K simultaneously, you’ll need 50 Mbps or more.

For more information, see our guide to how much speed you need to stream video.

Sources

1. Federal Communications Commission. Fixed Broadband Deployment map. Accessed August 26, 2020.
2. Federal Communications Commission. “Fixed Broadband Deployment.” Accessed December 14, 2021. 
3. Twitch. “Broadcasting Guidelines.” Accessed December 14, 2021.
4. Comcast, “Comcast Completes World-First Live 10G Connection Delivering Multi-Gig Symmetrical Speeds,” December 12, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023.
5. Google, “Ready for Faster Internet? Be a Trusted Tester for Google Fiber’s New 5 Gig and 8 Gig Plans,” October 13, 2022. Accessed January 30, 2023.
6. AT&T, “AT&T Fiber Now with Multi-Gig Speeds,” Accessed January 27, 2023.

Is the Xumo Stream Box right for you?

The Xumo Stream Box is an affordable media streamer you can use instead of your Spectrum or Xfinity cable TV box. It’s compatible with Spectrum TV and Xfinity Stream, plus it includes loads of free content from Xumo Play and similar platforms. Sure, you can find better media streamers with faster performance and more options, but there’s a lot to love here for the money.

The best plans for the Xumo Stream Box

If you can get Spectrum or Xfinity and you’re ready to switch or upgrade your current plan, here’s what you can expect from each. But keep in mind the Xumo Stream Box doesn’t fully support Spectrum Internet® Gig, Xfinity Gigabit, or Xfinity Gigabit Extra.

Spectrum Internet plans

Xfinity internet plans

Xumo Stream Box standout features

The Xumo Stream Box doesn’t have any major callout features. It feels pretty standard for a budget streamer.

Compare the Xumo Stream Box to the competition

The Xumo Stream Player is the most affordable device on the list, but it lacks the Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and built-in mic and speakers of Amazon’s latest Fire TV Cube. It also lacks the processing power of all three competitors on the list, explaining the slow app-loading speeds we noticed during the review.

The Roku Ultra and Apple TV 4K include a rechargeable remote, whereas the included remote for the Xumo Stream Player and Amazon Fire TV Cube require batteries.

Our Xumo Stream Box scoring breakdown

* out of 5 points

We found the performance a little lackluster compared to the Apple TV 4K unit we had on hand. The Prime Video app took 12 seconds to load on the Xumo unit versus six seconds on Apple TV. Meanwhile, Disney+ took even longer to load on the Xumo at 20 seconds, whereas the same app opened on the Apple TV 4K unit in six seconds. We already installed both apps on both units, so there’s a clear difference in the speed between the two devices.

App loading aside, making changes to the settings felt near instantaneous. Loading pages like My List and Movies opened quickly, so our only real performance issues were with the app load times.

There’s enough going on with the Xumo Stream Box to give it a good score. You can use the remote to control your TV and speaker bar, play games, and search for apps and content using voice commands or text input.

The streamer doesn’t support user profiles, so you’ll need to set a PIN along with the parental controls supplied with each service. You can create up to five personal My Lists containing all the movies and shows you want to add, but you can’t pin specific apps.

The overall design is large enough to host a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and a power connector, so it’s relatively small compared to a cable TV box. It’s similar to the original XiOne launched in 2021, a joint venture between Comcast (NA) and Sky (Europe). In fact, it uses Sky’s Entertainment OS (v1.2) platform layered with the new “global” user interface Comcast revealed in its Q4 2022 earnings call. The casing and remote are different, but from what we can tell, the internal setup is similar.

Based on the specs we could gather, the Xumo Stream Box has everything you’d expect from a modern 4K streamer: Dolby Vision, support for HDR10 and HDR10+, Dolby Atmos, and more.

From plugging the Xumo Stream Box into our TV to finally reaching the home screen, we counted 24 steps to get this device up and running. Part of it is setting up the remote to control your TV and external speakers, which can be tedious if you don’t have the make and model of either one handy.

What’s surprising here is you can’t use this device without a Xumo account, which is free, even if you received the device from Xfinity or Spectrum. We tried to get around this roadblock, but you end up in a continuous, if not highly annoying, setup loop when you select Skip & Set Up Later. That option doesn’t mean you can go ahead and use this device—it means you can’t use the device until you log in or create a Xumo account.

All this also means Xfinity and Spectrum don’t pre-configure this streamer before it arrives on your doorstep. You must link the provider like any other streamer and sign in to all your premium channels, like Max and Paramount+ with Showtime, with your Spectrum or Xfinity account.

After using the Apple TV 4K media streamer for years, the Xumo interface was initially jarring.

For example, Apple’s streamer uses the familiar tablet presentation where apps are central to the user experience. Want to see what’s new on Paramount+ with Showtime? Just open the app. Apple also has its own standalone apps for getting more apps, purchasing and playing games, and accessing paid and free content curated from all your connected services, including Apple TV.

In contrast, the Xumo Stream Box uses a ribbon layout similar to Prime Video or Google TV, although it lacks tabs like Live TV and Apps. The highlights ribbon displays your recently used apps, what you should watch, and so on. Other ribbons divide content by category, popularity, and collections.

The Xumo Stream Box also doesn’t have an app store. Instead, you have an app ribbon listing all the available media and gaming apps you can install from the device’s internal storage. Any media you want to rent or purchase must be made through Amazon, Apple, or the other third-party platforms available on this device. You can add a credit card to your Xumo account, but we presume that’s only for subscribing to streaming services.

Finally, you can adjust your settings by pressing the “gear” button on the remote or scrolling down to the Settings button at the bottom of your screen. There you can change the video and audio settings, enable accessibility options, set a PIN, connect the device to Wi-Fi, and more.

Using the remote

While we aren’t a huge fan of the Apple TV remote, we’re also not keen on the Xumo remote.

Our beef is with the volume buttons placement. They need to swap places with the four media buttons (Netflix, Peacock, Xumo, and Prime Video), which are currently positioned in the thumb-friendly area. You’ll adjust the volume more often than you open Xumo, so it makes sense to place the volume buttons in the middle versus the top.

We like the rubberized navigation pad, though—it’s a far more controlled experience than that wacky touchpad on Apple’s 1st-gen Siri Remote we have in-house. And we like how you can open apps and media with voice commands. The number buttons are easy on the eyes for entering PINs and changing to a specific channel.

Are there any additional costs?

Your additional costs include the media you rent or purchase within each streaming platform and any monthly subscription payment you make to these platforms.

Our Xumo Stream Box review: The verdict

Look, we know what’s going on here. Comcast (Xfinity) and Charter (Spectrum) are teaming up to kick you off the traditional cable TV box, which ten years ago would have been a real eye-opening shocker because they made a good chunk of change from the rentals.

So, why the new change of heart? To give you more internet bandwidth (speed). As it stands now, your cable connection pipes cable TV channels and internet data channels to your modem. By moving TV services over to the digital internet lanes, more channels are open for internet use, and that means more speed.

Now, enter devices like the Xumo Stream Box that include apps for streaming the same channels you get through the old-school cable TV box. Technically, you can use any media streamer to access your provider’s standard and premium TV channels, like Apple TV and Roku Ultra, but you can get this through Spectrum and Xfinity by paying a monthly fee for 12 months or buying it outright.

Overall, it’s a decent media streamer, but you may find the interface a little jarring if you’ve spent a lot of time using Apple TV. The Xumo’s ribbon design can get a little overwhelming if you’re not used to it, and the lack of a properly organized app store is a little disappointing. Still, it’s not bad for what you pay for, and hopefully, future updates will improve your overall user experience.

FAQ about the Xumo Stream Box

Disclaimers

The NFL kicked off its 2023 season on Thursday, Sept. 7, so it’s time to pull on your team’s jersey and fire up the smart TV to settle in for some football.

There are approximately ten gajillion ways to watch NFL games in 2024, but you can get almost all of the action from two streaming services: Paramount+ and YouTube TV. See our guide for the best ways to stream all the gridiron glory. We also have deals on NFL Sunday Ticket and networking tips to make sure your Wi-Fi is fast enough to catch every trick play.

What’s the best streaming service for NFL games?

Paramount+ and YouTube TV with NFL Sunday Ticket are the two best options for streaming NFL games. These two platforms give you the lion’s share of broadcasts, including kickoffs in your local market, hundreds of Sunday-afternoon NFL matchups, and  Super Bowl LVIII, of course.

Since NFL games are broadcast over multiple networks, you unfortunately can’t get one streaming option to cover every single game happening over the entire season. But other streamers can get you special games and broadcasts, including Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and ESPN+.

You can also tune in with a cable TV plan, which may be more reliable if you don’t have the best internet connection. (See our tips below for Wi-Fi speed recommendations and ways to optimize your streaming for live sports.)

Best for streaming in-market games and Super Bowl LVIII: Paramount+ gets you access to games in your local market, which are streamed live on CBS. You can also use the platform to watch CBS’s Super Bowl broadcast in February 2024.

Best for streaming out-of-market games: YouTube TV holds exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, an add-on that gets you most of the NFL’s out-of-market games for your lazy Sunday afternoons. You also get the major channels that broadcast football, including NBC, FOX, ESPN, and NFL Network.

Best for streaming everything else:

• Amazon Prime Video is the home to Thursday Night Football, showing 16 matches that include the NFL’s Black Friday game.
• Peacock, the streaming service of NBC, gets you the NFL season’s 18 Sunday Night Football The lineup includes a Peacock-exclusive match in Week 16 and a Thanksgiving throwdown.
• ESPN+ lets you watch Monday Night Football, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling 22 games. Peyton and Eli Manning will be on deck for 10 alternate “ManningCasts” too.

Best for streaming games free: The NFL’s mobile app gives you free access to live local and prime-time games. You can also watch highlights and breaking news, and you can sign into NFL Sunday Ticket through the app for out-of-market matches.

TV channels with NFL:

• CBS
• ESPN
• FOX
• NBC
• NFL Network
• NFL RedZone

Football season means hot deals from internet providers to reduce the cost of your NFL needs. See the best NFL deal below, and find more in our Best Internet Deals guide.

Frontier customers can get $50 off NFL Sunday Ticket: Sign up for a Frontier internet plan, order YouTube TV by September 19, and add NFL Sunday Ticket to your YouTube TV plan. You can redeem the $50 offer after confirming your YouTube TV subscription.

You need speeds of at least 100Mbps to comfortably watch NFL games—and ideally more if you share your Wi-Fi with a lot of people.

Streaming takes up a lot of bandwidth, and it’s extra important to have sufficient speeds if you want to keep up with the fast pacing of live sports. The Super Bowl typically broadcasts in 4K, an ultra high-def resolution that demands a fast and reliable connection.

Take a speed test to see if you’re getting ample bandwidth for your football fix. Try running the speed test at different times throughout the day, and during the usual kickoff times to see how your Wi-Fi holds up.

You need a smart TV and a set-top box like a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV, which support the streaming platforms that broadcast live NFL games. Of course, you also need an active subscription to your preferred streamer or a cable TV plan that gives you channels like CBS and ESPN.

If you’re looking forward to a big game, the last thing you want is a spotty Wi-Fi connection buffering two seconds before a touchdown or lagging behind your neighbor’s stream. You don’t want their cheers next door to spoil the surprise of a big play, and you need a reliable connection to keep up with CBS broadcaster dynamic duo Charles Davis and Ian Eagle too.

Here are some troubleshooting measures you can take to ensure your Wi-Fi doesn’t make a fumble.

Update your router

An out-of-date router means slow speeds and occasional restarts. Vamp up your equipment with a router featuring the Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E standard. See our best routers guide for recommendations.

Move your router

If your router’s shoved into a back closet or cabinet, the signal is going to have trouble making a connection with your TV. Put the router in a centralized place, such as your living room or wherever you’ll plan to watch the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Test your speeds

A speed test is the stethoscope of your Wi-Fi network, letting you know whether you’re getting the bandwidth you’re paying for from your internet provider. Run speed tests regularly (and download our speed test app!) to make sure your Wi-Fi isn’t under the weather by game time.

Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.

Limit other devices

Sorry kids, you don’t need to watch Frozen II for the 15th time if it means the parents might risk missing Justin Tucker kicking a game-clinching field goal. When an important game is coming up, politely ask your children or roommates to cool it on excess app and browser usage—or kick everyone off the Wi-Fi using your router’s admin settings.

The amount of internet speed you need for Prime Video depends on the devices you use and how many of them access the service simultaneously. Some devices support 4K Ultra HD playback, while others are locked to HD content. We’ll help you decipher everything so you can get the best experience in streaming Prime Video.

Is your Wi-Fi fast enough?

Take our speed test to see if your internet is fast enough to support your Paramount+ needs.

Prime Video speed basics

You don’t need a lot of bandwidth to stream 4K Ultra HD content from Prime Video. We know this from watching our wired Xbox Series X game console use up to 18Mbps to stream M3GAN in 4K Ultra HD (2160p).

So, based on that number, if we have five consoles streaming the same movie simultaneously, they would only use 90Mbps. Double that number to give every streamer breathing room, and you still only use up 180Mbps.

Live streams are a different story. Amazon states you need a minimum download speed of 5MB per second for HD broadcasts, which converts to 40Mbps. That’s 200Mbps total if five people watch live content simultaneously—double that to 400Mbps for breathing room.

But let’s get real here, folks. The chances of five common household members streaming 4K content or watching live events simultaneously are slim at best. Plus, not every device supports 4K playback, which we’ll get to in a bit.

Here are your minimum speed needs for Prime Video

Amazon doesn’t list recommended minimum speeds for content playback. Instead, it provides multiple support articles listing platforms with specific resolution limits. But we also discovered they’re not quite on the mark, as Amazon says web browsers support HD content but we can clearly stream movies in Full HD.

That said, the best we can do is decipher Amazon’s video quality settings based on its stated resolution limits to get an idea of the speeds you need. The only minimum speed requirements we actually dug up are for live broadcasts.

What do you need to stream 4K Ultra HD content on Prime Video?

First, let’s start with your internet speed. Based on our tests, a 4K video in Best mode streams at up to 18Mbps. If you have five people streaming simultaneously, that’s 90Mbps. Double that number to 180Mbps just in case.

But there’s more to the equation than choosing a fast internet plan. Web browsers don’t support Prime Video’s 4K playback. The Prime Video App for Windows, MacOS, iPhone, and several other platforms doesn’t support 4K video playback either. It’s all a little confusing honestly, even more so with Amazon’s Best/Better/Good Video Quality modes thrown into the mix.

Also, you need a Wi-Fi router that can handle multiple devices simultaneously. If it can only download chunks of video to a few devices at a time, imagine the traffic jam if you have five. Generally, local congestion and Wi-Fi range are your big streaming bottleneck, not your internet plan. We tested and listed the best Wi-Fi routers for streaming to give you some ideas.

Get fiber internet or a fast cable plan for the best 4K performance

We already suggested you should have at least 200Mbps if five people stream Prime Video in 4K simultaneously. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to go a little higher, especially if someone needs to download a 10GB file quickly.

Fiber internet is the best connection you can get, but you don’t need gigabit internet—sorry, but that’s just overkill for most homes. Honestly, as a homeowner with five streamers and gamers in the house, 500Mbps internet fits the bill just right.

Best internet plans for 4K video streaming

What if you have slow internet? Never fear—you can still watch Prime Video

Five people streaming 4K content simultaneously use around 90Mbps. That’s not a lot, but we like to double that bandwidth just in case. You can feasibly get by with a 200Mbps plan, but you may want to factor in other things that will use your total bandwidth, like silent device downloads and so on.

Best internet plans for budget Prime Video users

Yes, you can stream Prime Video over a satellite internet connection, but do so sparingly since data is limited. Prime Video automatically adjusts the resolution and quality in most cases based on your device, screen, and connection, but you can manually adjust the video quality in a web browser and on some platforms.

Here’s how to adjust the video resolution for Prime Video

Despite what you may read elsewhere, you can’t adjust the video resolution. Switching the stream between the four quality modes doesn’t convert a Full HD video into an HD one. You’re definitely not going to squeeze out 4K streaming by selecting the Best video quality mode on a device or screen that only supports Full HD. Nope. Not happening.

For example, when we tested M3GAN playback on an iPhone (which has a weird 2,778 x 1,284 screen resolution), the movie remained in HD resolution no matter what visual quality setting we used—even when we disabled the Use Highest Quality on Wi-Fi feature. But we did notice a clear drop in the stream’s framerate and fidelity.

In other words, the Best mode produced a sharp image and fluid motions, while the Data Saver mode was less sharp and movements were less smooth. But you’ll never see a higher video resolution until Amazon updates the Prime Video App with support for Full HD video playback or better.

In most cases, you can’t manually adjust the video quality anyway (despite what other guides tell you). We noticed a few exceptions, however, in desktop web browsers and the apps for iPhone and iPad. We presume Amazon is quietly removing the video quality setting on devices that don’t use cellular data.

In a web browser:

Step 1: Start the video.

Step 2: Move the mouse cursor over the video to activate the overlay.

Step 3: Click on the Gear icon.

Step 4: Select Best, Better, or Good on the drop-down Video Quality menu.

In the Prime Video App:

Step 1: Tap on your profile icon.

Step 2: Tap on the gear icon.

Step 3: Tap on Streaming & Downloading.

Step 4: Tap on Streaming Quality.

Step 5: Select Best, Better, Good, or Data Saver*.

* The Data Saver mode presumably only appears on devices that use cellular data, like smartphones and 5G-capable tablets.

Choose the best Prime Video plan

You can get Prime Video two ways: for free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, or as a standalone streaming service if you don’t.

The chart is based on streaming and downloading content from one account. Here are the major differences between the full Standard and Mobile plans:

Mobile Edition subscribers can upgrade to the full Standard Edition plan to stream and download more content. Currently, Prime Video Mobile Edition is not offered in the US.

FAQ about Prime Video

Disclaimers

You don’t need the fastest internet speeds to watch all the premium content on Max (formerly HBO Max). But it sure helps to have fast speeds.

Aim to get an internet plan that gives you 25Mbps per person if you plan to sign up for the streamer’s Ad-Free or Ultimate plans. Max is an expanded version of HBO Max, loaded with content from HBO, Warner Bros., and Discovery. Technically, you can get away with streaming movies and TV with slower speeds than that. But 25Mbps ensures you get an über-smooth connection and avoid buffering issues when you’re binging House of the Dragon or running HGTV’s home makeover shows on a constant loop.

Keep reading for our rundown of how to get the best streaming performance possible on Max.

Max speed basics

You need Wi-Fi speeds fast enough to cover not just your streaming needs, but also those of everyone else in your household. The more people streaming video on their own devices, the faster speeds you need to accommodate all these hungry content viewers. By the way, the same principles apply when you use other streaming services as well, including Netflix, Apple TV+, and many digital live TV options.

If you have an Ultimate account, you also need speeds that can handle the massive bandwidth demands of 4K resolution. That said, you can get away with much slower speeds if you’re signed up for one of Max’s lower-tier plans, such as the Ad-Free plan, which delivers max resolution of 1080p. You can also adjust the video settings in your Max app to stream content at a lower resolution.

Three golden rules for Max/HBO Max streaming:

• The more users and devices you have, the more internet speed you need.
• For 4K streaming, reduce buffering with a fiber-optic or cable internet plan.
• For slow connections and hotspots, save money and reduce buffering with the Ad-Free or With Ads plan.

Here are your minimum speed needs for Max

Max (which still goes by the name HBO Max outside the United States) officially recommends minimum speeds of just 5Mbps for its two basic plans, one with ads and the other ad-free. It recommends minimum speeds of 15Mbps for its Ultimate plan, which gives you the ability to stream video in 4K resolution.

You can probably steam video on your smart TV with those speeds, but those are lowball estimates. If you really had internet that slow, you’d likely experience a lot of buffering and slowdowns in 1080p resolution, and you would have to revert to a much lower video quality for a better viewing experience. Streaming 4K with 15Mbps would also be a struggle, since 4K takes up exponentially more bandwidth and data than 1080p does.

You should aim to get 200Mbps speeds or faster if you want to stream in Ultra HD 4K resolution.

Having a speed of 200Mbps allots 25Mbps per person (or streaming device) for up to eight people in your household. You can accommodate that many users without fear of endless buffering.

Ultra HD 4K resolution gives you stunning detail in every frame, making for awesome viewing as you settle in for a visual extravaganza like Avatar: The Way of Water. But that quality comes at a steep price, as 4K puts a much larger burden on your bandwidth and data usage.

Here’s a breakdown of the facts: 

• 4K needs 15Mbps minimum speeds for a single user to stream Max smoothly—3X faster than what you need to stream video in Full HD 1080p resolution.
• Watching a two-hour film in 4K consumes a whopping 16GB per hour—4X the amount of data you use streaming video in HD.

Lots of people stream movies on Max while playing on their phones or tablets at the same time. There are also plenty of households where multiple people regularly stream content on separate devices in different rooms. You want to make sure you have enough bandwidth to cover all those bases.

Get fiber or cable internet for the best 4K performance

Fiber internet is the fastest and most reliable internet you can get, so it’s also the best for streaming. Outages and slowdowns are much less common on fiber connections, and even baseline fiber plans typically come with excellent minimum speeds of 200Mbps or faster. You don’t ever have to worry about a buffering blowout ruining your Sex and the City marathon when you have enough bandwidth and then some.

Most cable internet plans work excellently for streaming, too. Although cable gets slower upload speeds than fiber, download speeds are often just as fast—ensuring smooth viewing even on less expensive cable internet plans.

Best internet plans for 4K Max streaming

What if you have slow internet? Worry not—you can still enjoy Max

Although we usually recommend fast speeds, you don’t need to be the fastest to enjoy Max. You can have a budget cable or 5G internet plan (or even satellite internet) and still catch up on Succession or Euphoria. But you need to adjust your expectations.

Max’s With Ads and Ad-Free plans both give you video resolution of up to 1080p, but depending on your speed, the platform may adjust to a lower resolution—either HD (720p) or SD (420p). Lower video quality doesn’t look as good, but it comes with some advantages: it saves you a ton of bandwidth and doesn’t put as much of a dent in your data.

Can you manually change your video settings on Max?

Max doesn’t have an option to manually adjust video settings on its app. The platform automatically sets the resolution, giving you the best-quality image available based on your network bandwidth and internet speeds.

Best internet plans for budget Max users

Can you stream Max with satellite internet?

Yes, you can stream Max with satellite internet. However, satellite has much slower speeds and extremely limited data compared to other types of internet, so you may experience buffering issues on Max more often.

Choose the best Max plan

Max offers a few plan options. The basic Ad-Free plan is the best for most people because it lets users stream on two devices at once and offers excellent 1080p video quality without requiring you to break the bank.

The Ultimate Ad Free plan is the better option for big households and streaming buffs. You get access to 4K resolution, and you can stream on up to four devices at once—twice as many as you get with any other plan.

Max plan options

FAQ

Disclaimers