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To get paramount performance out of Paramount+, you need decent internet speeds.

Aim to get download speeds of at least 25Mbps per person in your household to ensure smooth streaming when you cue up your favorite movie or TV series on Paramount network’s streaming platform. So if you have four people in your household, an internet speed of 100Mbps is right on the money.

Internet speed is crucial to a good viewing experience, because streams with video resolution of 1080p and 4K take up a lot of bandwidth. Still, everyone’s speed needs are different. Take a look at our guide below to get the full look at the best internet for Paramount+, including the best internet providers to pick from.

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Paramount+ speed basics

Although you’re technically capable of watching Paramount+ with speeds as low as 4Mbps, you want to factor in the totality of your internet usage when deciding the speeds you need to enjoy all the content on the Paramount network.

Many people tend to surf online with their phones or tablets while watching stuff on their smart TVs, and many households are home to multiple users who may all log into the same streaming service on separate devices. (Think: You’re enjoying The Lost City while your kids have PAW Patrol on in the next room.)

To get the best performance out of Paramount+, you should aim to set aside a chunk of bandwidth per every user in your household. If you have 100Mbps for a family of four, that gives you 25Mbps each—that’s adequate speed to cover all your streaming (and gaming and studying and Zooming) needs. Consider bulking up these speeds to 50Mbps per person or more if you also regularly do bandwidth-guzzling things like hosting Twitch livestreams or uploading influencer content to YouTube.

Three golden rules for Paramount+ 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 Paramount+

According to Paramount+, you need at least 4Mbps speeds to stream content on its platform. That’s enough to support a shoddy 480p stream on one device at a time, but the reality is you need significantly faster speeds if you want to stream on multiple devices at once or do other things online while streaming. You also need faster speeds to support 1080p or 4K video quality.

Paramount+ plan	Video formats	Minimum required speed*	Minimum recommended speed for optimal streaming	Sign up online
Paramount+ Essential (with ads)	1080p, 4K	4Mbps	100Mbps	Sign Up
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (no ads)	1080p, 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10	4Mbps	100Mbps	Sign Up

Recommendations from Paramount+’s speed requirements page. Cancel at any time. Free trials are for new subscribers only.

Our experts say: The same principles apply to all video streaming apps

Even if you have individual Wi-Fi speed needs for other platforms like Netflix, Max (formerly HBO Max), Apple TV, or YouTube TV, the same rules apply. You want ample speeds to support a variety of users and tasks, and you want to be thrifty with pricing and video resolution on slower Wi-Fi.

What speed do you need to stream movies in 4K, Dolby Vision, or HDR10?

You need much faster speeds than normal to stream video in 4K, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 video formats. In most cases, Paramount’s purported minimum of 4Mbps simply doesn’t cut it. Instead we recommend at least 50Mbps per person, if not more.

Paramount+ offers select TV shows and movies in these three premium video formats. They give you much better video resolution, greater depth, striking contrast, and a carnival of color—vastly improving your viewing experience for the high-flying fighter jet scenes in Top Gun: Maverick and the fast-paced excitement of Paramount’s live sports broadcasts.

But you’re going to need premium internet to match premium video quality—and to do that we recommend getting a fiber or fast cable internet plan.

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

Fiber internet gives you incredibly fast speeds over a reliable connection. Not only is it ideal for streaming, but it’s also excellent for gaming and working from home.

Even a basic fiber plan gives you ample bandwidth to cover a range of activities—including streaming on multiple devices at once. Best of all, fiber plans often cost as much as (or even cheaper than) cable and DSL plans with slower speeds. That means you’ll have more money to set aside for streaming subscriptions and an upper-tier Paramount+ plan.

If you can’t get fiber internet, cable internet comes in second place as an ideal pick. Cable providers have come a long way in improving their network speeds, and a cable internet plan gives you excellent download power for all the streaming you like.

Best internet plans for 4K video streaming

Plan	Price	Speed	Order online
AT&T Internet 300	$55.00/mo.*	300Mbps	Zip code View Plan
Verizon Fios 500 Mbps	$74.99/mo.^† ^{w/ Auto Pay}	500Mbps	View Plan
Google Fiber Core 1 Gig	$70.00/mo.^‡	1,000Mbps	View Plan
Xfinity 1 Gig	$70.00/mo.^§ ^{for 12 mos.}	1,000Mbps	View Plan

Read disclaimers.

Find fast internet for smooth streaming

Need a killer Wi-Fi plan to binge Yellowjackets? Run a search with your zip code below to see what internet providers and plans are available in your area.

What if you have slow internet? Never fear—you can still watch Paramount+

Paramount+ still works even if you have slow internet—you just don’t get the same video quality as you would on a top-speed Wi-Fi plan.

When you’re watching content on Paramount+, the platform automatically adjusts the video resolution based on the capabilities of your home internet. A cheaper plan means lower speeds; to compensate, your app adjusts to a lower video resolution, either HD (720p) or even SD (480p). The video still can look good that way, but you’re not as likely to enjoy full 4K or Dolby Vision capabilities, which may put a damper on visually-striking movies.

Best internet plans for budget Paramount+ users

Plan	Price	Speed	Order online
Astound Broadband 300Mbps Internet	$20.00/mo.*	300Mbps	View Plans
Xfinity 300 Gbps	Check Xfinity for price^†	300Mbps	View Plans
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Unlimited	$50.00/mo.^‡	72–245Mbps	View Plans
T-Mobile Rely Internet	$50.00/mo. ^{w/ Auto Pay}	87–318Mbps	View Plans
Verizon 5G Home	$60.00/mo.^§ ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 300Mbps	View Plans
Verizon 5G Home ^{with select 5G mobile plans}	$35.00/mo. ^§ ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 300Mbps	View Plans

Read disclaimers.

Can you stream Paramount+ with satellite internet?

You can definitely stream Paramount+ when you have a satellite internet plan, but you won’t get the same video quality as usual. You also need to be mindful of how much data you use. Satellite internet comes with strict data limits, and you can easily burn through a month’s supply of data in a couple days if you’re not careful.

Check with your satellite internet provider to see how much data you get and use the Armstrong data calculator to budget out how much you can watch on Paramount+ every day before burning through your data limit.

Pro tip—Get more streaming plan recommendations

Take a look at our guide to the best internet for streaming for a breakdown of top Wi-Fi plans to meet your streaming needs.

Here’s how to adjust the video resolution on Paramount+ app downloads

There is no way to manually adjust Paramount+ video quality on a browser or TV app, but you can manually switch between different resolutions for video downloads on Paramount’s cell phone app. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open the Paramount+ app.

Step 2: On the Paramount+ homepage, tap the More menu button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Tap Settings and scroll to Download Video Quality.

Step 4: Choose between High Definition or Standard Definition.

Choose the best Paramount+ plan

Parmount+ has two plans to choose from: Essential and with SHOWTIME. The Essential plan costs only about $6 a month, but it comes with ads. The version with SHOWTIME costs $12 a month, doesn’t have ads, and, of course, includes a ton of extra content from SHOWTIME.

The Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan is the best deal overall, since it comes with an extra service while costing a bit less than the premium plans of a lot of other streamers. But stick with Essential if you want to save some money—a few ads while watching movies is a small price to pay for great value.

Paramount+ plan	Price	# of screens you can watch simultaneously	Video formats	Sign up online
Paramount+ Essential (with ads)	$7.99/mo. or $59.99/yr.	3	1080p, 4K	Sign Up
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (no ads)	$12.99/mo. or $119.99/yr.	3	1080p, 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10	Sign Up

FAQ

Does Paramount+ have live TV?

What is the difference between Paramount and Paramount+?

What's the best router for streaming Paramount+?

I have the best internet and equipment. Why is Paramount+ so choppy?

What is the best VPN for using Max?

Disclaimers

Best internet plans for 4K streaming (return to table)

Data effective 03/20/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

* Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas.

† Consumer data usage is subject to the usage restrictions set forth in Verizon’s terms of service; visit: https://www.verizon.com/support/customer-agreement/ for more information about 5G Home and LTE Home Internet or https://www.verizon.com/about/terms-conditions/verizon-customer-agreement for Fios internet.>

‡ Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.

§ For 12 months, no term contract. Restrictions apply. Autopay w/ stored bank account and paperless billing req’d. Taxes and fees extra and subj. to change. Reduced speeds after 30 GB of usage/line. Data thresholds may vary.

Best internet plans for budget users (return to table)

Data effective 03/20/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

* 24 Month Internet Pricing. No contract required. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.

† For 12 months, no term contract. Restrictions apply. Autopay w/ stored bank account and paperless billing req’d. Taxes and fees extra and subj. to change. Reduced speeds after 30 GB of usage/line. Data thresholds may vary.

‡ w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.

§ Consumer data usage is subject to the usage restrictions set forth in Verizon’s terms of service; visit: https://www.verizon.com/support/customer-agreement/ for more information about 5G Home and LTE Home Internet or https://www.verizon.com/about/terms-conditions/verizon-customer-agreement for Fios internet.

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.

Is your Wi-Fi fast enough?

Take our speed test to see if your internet is fast enough to support your Max streaming needs.

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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.

Max plan	Max video resolution	Minimum required speed*	Minimum recommended speed for optimal Max streaming	Sign up online
With Ads	Full HD 1080p	5Mbps	100Mbps	Sign Up
Ad-Free	Full HD 1080p	5Mbps	100Mbps	Sign Up
Ultimate	4K UHD, Dolby Atmos on some titles	15Mbps	200Mbps	Sign Up

Recommendations from Max’s speed requirements page.

How Much Internet Speed Do You Need?

Est. Time: 60 seconds

Answer 6 questions and get a personalized internet speed recommendation!

Question 1/6Speed need: 0 Mbps

How many people in your household use the internet/WiFi on a daily basis?

How many devices in your home connect to the internet, including tablets, gaming consoles, and smart devices?

How many people in your household work from home?

What video quality do you use for streaming TV and movies?

How intensely does your household participate in online gaming?

Does your household download large files from the cloud or via the internet?

Our minimum speed recommendation for you:

00 mbps

Compare Providers

Our experts say: Get 5Mbps per person at minimum for a better viewing experience

Although we don’t recommend speeds this slow generally, we also acknowledge that some users are on a budget and can’t afford the fastest Wi-Fi plans around. Still, these minimum speeds are much more accurate if you think of them as a per person recommendation.

For example, if you have three people in your household, ideally you would have at least 15Mbps speeds. If you have four people, the ideal would be 20Mbps speeds. That’s still not enough to truly accommodate 1080p viewing, but it’s solid enough to let you stream with a lower video quality.

What do you need to stream Ultra HD 4K movies on Max?

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

Plan	Price	Speed	Order online
AT&T Internet 300	$55.00/mo.*	300Mbps	Zip code View Plan
Verizon Fios 500 Mbps	$74.99/mo.^† ^{w/ Auto Pay}	500Mbps	View Plan
Google Fiber Core 1 Gig	$70.00/mo.^‡	1,000Mbps	View Plan
Xfinity 1 Gig	$70.00/mo.^§ ^{for 12 mos.}	1,000Mbps	View Plan

Read disclaimers.

Find fast internet for smooth streaming

Need a killer Wi-Fi plan to binge The Sopranos? Run a search with your zip code below to see what internet providers and plans are available in your area.

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.

Pro tip: Avoid Max’s Ultimate plan with budget internet

Max’s Ultimate plan comes with some distinct advantages—you can stream on twice as many devices as once and download as many as 100 videos to watch on the Max app.

It also gives you 4K video quality. But it’s hard to stream video with that high of a resolution on an internet plan with speeds under 100Mbps. You have a higher chance of dealing with slowdowns and buffering issues, and you might not be able to enjoy streaming on multiple devices at once.

If you want Ultimate for the best video quality possible, consider investing in a faster internet plan. That, or stick to HBO’s basic ad-free plan to save your mun-muns.

Best internet plans for budget Max users

Plan	Price	Speed	Order online
Astound Broadband 300Mbps Internet	$20.00/mo.*	300Mbps	View Plans
Xfinity 300 Gbps	Check Xfinity for price^†	300Mbps	View Plans
T-Mobile Rely Internet	$50.00/mo.‡ ^{w/ Auto Pay}	87–318Mbps	View Plans
Verizon 5G Home	$60.00/mo.^§ ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 300Mbps	View Plans
Verizon 5G Home ^{with select 5G mobile plans}	$35.00/mo. ^§ ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 300Mbps	View Plans

Read disclaimers.

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.

Pro tip—Get more streaming plan recommendations

Take a look at our guide to the best internet for streaming for a breakdown of top Wi-Fi plans to meet your streaming needs.

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

Plan	Price*	# of screens you can watch simultaneously	# of downloads you can watch on mobile app	Max video resolution	Sign up online
With Ads	$9.99/mo. or $99.99/yr.	2 devices at once	None	Full HD 1080p	Sign Up
Ad-Free	$16.99/mo. or $169.99/yr.	2 devices at once	30	Full HD 1080p	Sign Up
Ultimate	$20.99/mo. or $209.99/yr.	4 devices at once	100	4K UHD, Dolby Atmos on some titles	Sign Up

*No cancellation or contract fees

FAQ

What's the best router for streaming Max (formerly HBO Max)?

I have the best internet and equipment. Why is Max so choppy?

What is the best VPN for using Max?

What is HBO Go?

Disclaimers

Best internet plans for 4K Max streaming (return to table)

Data effective 03/20/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas.

‡Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.

Best internet plans for budget Max users (return to table)

Data effective 3/20/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

* 24 Month Internet Pricing. No contract required. Equipment priced separately. Includes $5 discount for 12 months w/ ebill & autopay. Experienced speeds may vary. New residential customers only.

‡ w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.

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.

Download speed
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Upload speed
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Latency (ping)
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Jitter
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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.

Video Type	Recommended sustained speed
Hulu streaming library	3Mbps
Live TV streams	8Mbps
4K content	16Mbps

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.

How Much Internet Speed Do You Need?

Est. Time: 60 seconds

Answer 6 questions and get a personalized internet speed recommendation!

Question 1/6Speed need: 0 Mbps

How many people in your household use the internet/WiFi on a daily basis?

How many devices in your home connect to the internet, including tablets, gaming consoles, and smart devices?

How many people in your household work from home?

What video quality do you use for streaming TV and movies?

How intensely does your household participate in online gaming?

Does your household download large files from the cloud or via the internet?

Our minimum speed recommendation for you:

00 mbps

Compare Providers

Best internet plans for Hulu

Plan	Price	Speed	Type	Order online
Google Fiber Core 1 Gig	$70.00/mo.*	1,000Mbps	Fiber	View Plans
Xfinity 300 Gbps	Check Xfinity for price^†	300Mbps	Cable	View Plans
AT&T Internet 300	$55.00/mo.^‡	300Mbps	Fiber	Zip code View Plans
Spectrum Internet Premier w/ Spectrum Advanced	$60/mo.^§ ^{for 12 mos.}	500Mbps ^{(wireless speeds may vary)}	Cable, fiber	View Plans

Data as of 3/21/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

* Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.

† Pricing and plan names may vary by region. For 12 month, no term contract. Taxes and equipment not included. Incl. up to $10/mo. auto-pay & paperless bill discount.

‡ For 12 months, no term contract. Restrictions apply. Autopay w/ stored bank account and paperless billing req’d. Taxes and fees extra and subj. to change. Reduced speeds after 30 GB of usage/line. Data thresholds may vary.

§ Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit spectrum.net/modem. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.

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.

Shop around to find the best deals on high-speed internet in your area. Enter your zip code below to compare the best options available in your neighborhood.

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.

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.

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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.

Prime Video feed	Minimum speed*	Recommended speed	Sign up online
2160p video (4K UHD)	18Mbps	36Mbps	Get Prime Video
1080p video (Full HD)	15Mbps	30Mbps	Get Prime Video
720p video (HD)	13Mbps	26Mbps	Get Prime Video
480p video (SD)	6Mbps	12Mbps	Get Prime Video
720p live stream	40Mbps	80Mbps	Get Prime Video
480p live stream	8Mbps	16Mbps	Get Prime Video

Recommendations from the video settings and Prime Video’s speed requirements page.

How Much Internet Speed Do You Need?

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Our experts say: The same principles apply to all video streaming apps

Even if you have individual Wi-Fi speed needs for other platforms like Paramount+, Max, Apple TV, or YouTube TV, the same rules apply. You want ample speeds to support a variety of users and tasks, and you want to be thrifty with pricing and video resolution on slower Wi-Fi.

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

Plan	Price	Speed	Type	Order online
AT&T Internet 500	$65.00/mo.*	Up to 500Mbps	Fiber	Zip code View Plan
Frontier Fiber 500	$44.99/mo.^†	Up to 500Mbps	Fiber	View Plan
Optimum 500 Mbps Fiber Internet	$60.00/mo.^‡	Up to 500Mbps	Fiber	View Plan
Spectrum Internet Premier w/ Spectrum Advanced	$60/mo.^§ ^{for 12 mos.}	Up to 500Mbps ^{(wireless speeds may vary)}	Cable, fiber	View Plan
Verizon Fios 500 Mbps	$74.99/mo. ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 500Mbps	Fiber	View Plan
Xfinity 500 Mbps	$55.00/mo.^# ^{for 12 mos.}	Up to 500Mbps	Cable	View Plan

Read disclaimers.

Find fast internet for smooth streaming

Need a killer connection to binge The Boys on Prime Video? Search your zip code below to see what internet providers and plans are available in your area.

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

Plan	Price	Speed	Type	View on provider’s site
AT&T Internet 300	$55.00/mo.*	Up to 300Mbps	Fiber	Zip code View Plan
Frontier Fiber 200	$29.99/mo.^†	Up to 200Mbps	Fiber	View Plan
Optimum 300 Mbps Internet	$40.00/mo.^‡	Up to 300Mbps	Cable, fiber	View Plan
Spectrum Internet Advantage	$30/mo.^§ ^{for 12 mos.}	Up to 100Mbps ^{(wireless speeds may vary)}	Cable, fiber	View Plan
Verizon Fios 300 Mbps	$49.99/mo. ^{w/ Auto Pay}	Up to 300Mbps	Fiber	View Plan
Xfinity 300 Mbps	Check Xfinity for price^#	Up to 300Mbps	Cable	View Plan

Read disclaimers.

Can you stream Prime Video with satellite internet?

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.

Pro tip—Get more streaming plan recommendations

Take a look at our guide to the best internet for streaming for a breakdown of top Wi-Fi plans to meet your streaming needs.

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.

Plan	Price	# of simultaneous streams	# of simultaneous downloads	Video formats	Sign up online
Amazon Prime	$14.99/mo. or $139.00/yr.	3 (standard) 1 (mobile)	2 (standard) 1 (mobile)	4K Ultra HD	Get Amazon Prime
Prime Video	$8.99/mo.	3 (standard) 1 (mobile)	2 (standard) 1 (mobile)	4K Ultra HD	Get Prime Video

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

	Standard Edition	Mobile Edition
# of devices:	Multiple	One
Platforms:	Web browser Smart TV Blu-ray player Set-top box Fire tablet Game console Mobile device	Android iPhone iPad

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

What's the best router for streaming Prime Video?

I have the best internet and equipment. Why is Prime Video so choppy?

What does the Video Quality setting do?

What's the maximum resolution I can get on my device?

How much data does Prime Video use?

What free channels do you get with Prime Video?

What premium channels can you add to Prime Video?

Disclaimers

Best internet plans for 4K streaming (return to table)

Data effective 2/04/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

* Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.

† w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 500/500 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.

‡ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.

# For 12 months, no term contract. Restrictions apply. Autopay w/ stored bank account and paperless billing req’d. Taxes and fees extra and subj. to change. Reduced speeds after 30 GB of usage/line. Data thresholds may vary.

Best internet plans for budget users (return to table)

Data effective 2/04/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

† w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 200/200 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.

‡ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas. Terms apply.

§ Offer based on eligibility requirements. Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.

Most people get their news and entertainment through streaming. For years, more people have watched video over the internet than over broadcast television. Good quality streaming is a basic expectation most people have for their internet service, but it’s one that remains elusive to satellite internet customers.

Traditional satellite internet services are not well designed for streaming video, but with a few data-saving tricks, you can make it work. Read on to see if any of these tips and tricks work for you.

Best satellite internet for streaming: Starlink Residential

Best Satellite Internet for Streaming

Starlink Residential

Price: $120.00/mo.*

Speed: 30–150Mbps

View Plan

Data as of 6/11/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 6 months or more to fulfill.

Starlink Residential is the best way to stream video over satellite. Starlink download speed estimates have gone up and down over the years, even dropping below the suggested minimum for 4K at times, but their standard Residential plan currently advertises a minimum speed of 30Mbps, which should be enough for a single device streaming video.

Importantly, the Starlink Residential plan has unlimited data. Streaming video is one of the most data-intensive activities people engage in, so even plans with high data caps can run through your monthly allowance with just a single streaming device. Starlink Residential’s unlimited data gives you the peace of mind to watch as much as you want without worrying about your data running out.

For more information, check out our in-depth Starlink review.

Pros:

Fastest satellite download speeds
No data caps

Cons:

High upfront cost
Long waits for equipment

Popular satellite providers

Satellite speeds up to	Introductory price	Order online
30–150 Mbps	$50.00–$165.00/mo.*	Zip code View Plans for Starlink
Up to 150 Mbps	$$119.99/mo.^†	Zip code View Plans for Viasat
Up to 100 Mbps	$49.99–$94.99/mo.^‡	Zip code View Plans for Hughesnet

Data as of 6/11/2025. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 6 months or more to fulfill.

^†Prices and availability vary by location. Installation fees, monthly equipment lease fees, and taxes may apply. After 100 GB of High-Speed Data usage, you still have unlimited access to Standard Data, which may result in slower speed.

‡Offer for 12 months. Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Equipment Lease or Purchase fees extra. Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Equipment Lease or Purchase fees extra. Stated speeds are not guaranteed.

Viasat is pretty close to Starlink in both speed and cost, plus both offer unlimited data. If you use video chat or play online games, Viasat can cause issues with its much higher latency, but if you only care about video, Viasat is an excellent alternative.

Hughesnet has slightly lower top speeds than the other satellite providers, but it’s enough to stream movies and TV—at least in theory. When we tested Hughesnet plans first-hand, we found that it couldn’t maintain enough speed to stream most content. The most we could manage were YouTube videos at 480p resolution, which is less than most people expect from their phones.

How much speed do I need to stream video?

Video can use a lot of bandwidth, but it depends heavily on the quality of the picture and the number of devices that are streaming at the same time. Different video services have different bandwidth recommendations, though they’re usually pretty similar. Watching high definition 4K video on a single device, for example, usually requires about 25 Mbps of download speed, which is technically doable over satellite.

For a more detailed breakdown of speed requirements for different platforms, check out our guide to How Much Speed Do I Need to Stream Video.

One nice thing about video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu is that the software itself is really good at buffering your signal. When you’re watching a movie, your device downloads the data a few seconds ahead of what’s actually playing on the screen. That means if the speed of your connection fluctuates or there’s a brief disruption, your movie keeps playing smoothly off that pre-downloaded data without any pauses.

Naturally, live content can’t do this as well without putting a huge delay between the live content and when it appears on your screen, so you’re more likely to encounter buffering issues watching a Twitch stream or a live newscast than with pre-recorded content.

Streaming and data caps

Streaming video over satellite isn’t an ideal situation. While most satellite plans meet the speed requirements for streaming video, data caps usually pose the bigger problem. Satellite data caps are incredibly low compared to other types of internet. Although a plan with 50 GB of data might seem like a lot, you could easily run through four or five GB of data for one movie night.

If watching a show in the evening is part of your daily routine, a 50 GB data plan might only get you halfway through the month. Throw in a couple of kids that want to watch Bluey on their iPads every day after school and you could find yourself running out of data in a matter of days, which isn’t very practical.

Choose unlimited data

The best choice for anyone who watches a lot of online video is to choose an internet plan that offers unlimited data. Right now, the only satellite service that does this is Starlink Residential , making it the clear choice for rural Netflix fans. Starlink speeds are also high enough that you shouldn’t have any bandwidth problems, even if streaming on multiple devices simultaneously.

Lower your picture quality

Although it’s not the most visually appealing option, lowering your video resolution drastically reduces the amount of data it uses. Even just dropping the quality from 4K UHD to HD can make your data last around five times longer.

If you watch everything in standard definition, you could probably watch video every day and still make it through the whole month on an average data plan. You can change the resolution of videos on a service like Netflix through its settings menu.

This is also the same principle behind how things like Video Data Saver work. By automatically throttling your speed when you watch a video, it forces lower resolution playback that uses less data.

Get satellite TV

Getting a satellite TV plan like DirecTV in addition to your satellite internet may sound like an expensive solution, but in some situations, it could actually save you money. Unlike satellite internet, satellite TV prices depend primarily on the number of channels you get, not how much data you use or how much time you spend using it. For those who watch video all day, every day, paying for a second satellite service could be cheaper than buying all the extra data needed every month to support your TV habit.

Of course, satellite TV works a lot differently from a streaming service, and if the channels you want only come in the most expensive packages, it may not be worth it. For some people, however, satellite TV can be a way to watch as much video as you want without worrying about how much data you’re using.

The bottom line: Streaming on satellite is tricky but doable

If you’ve dealt with slow, grainy video or massive data overage charges in the past, you might have given up on trying to watch online video at all. Fortunately, new developments in satellite technology have been emerging in the last few years and there are several ways for satellite customers to access high-quality video without incurring outrageous data rates.

Want to know what other internet options are available in your area?

Enter your zip code below to see what’s available to you.

Streaming on satellite FAQ

Can you stream video with satellite internet?

Is satellite internet good for Netflix?

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The first NFL game of the 2025-2026 season kicks off Thursday, Sept 4. at Lincoln Financial Field. But what’s the best way to find out whether the Philadelphia Eagles still have what it takes to defeat the Dallas Cowboys?

Watch in real time, of course! Tune in on NBC, the streaming service Peacock, or the NFL+ app.

Need fast internet so you can stream in high-def?

Enter your zip code for a list of local providers.

What’s the best streaming service for other NFL games in 2025?

To catch every NFL game all season, you need both live TV and streaming services. The premier experience is YouTube TV with the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on and separate subscriptions for Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. But you’ll pay out the nose.

If you don’t need every single game, we recommend Paramount+ and Peacock for Sunday afternoon games and Amazon Prime Video for Thursday Night Football. You can watch anything that airs on Fox on Tubi, its free streaming service. ESPN+ lets you watch Monday Night Football.

You can also watch for free on the NFL+, but you’re limited to live local and prime-time games, highlights, and breaking news.

NFL 2025-26 broadcast partners

We’ll learn more about the rest of the NFL schedule on May 14, 2025, but we already know where the games will be aired. Here’s a quick list of the big broadcast partners:

NFL Kickoff game: NBC (Peacock)

Thursday Night Football: Amazon Prime Video

Sunday afternoon games: split between CBS (Paramount+) and Fox (Tubi) with one alternate broadcast on Nickelodeon

Saturday afternoon games in December: NFL Network

Sunday Night Football: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

Monday Night Football doubleheaders: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

Doubleheader in week 18: ESPN/ABC (ESPN+)

International games: NFL Network, Paramount+

Black Friday game: Amazon Prime Video

Thanksgiving games: Fox, CBS, and NBC (Tubi, Paramount+, and Peacock)

Christmas Day: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video

Which TV channels carry the NFL?

If you’re a football fan signing up for a cable TV or live TV streaming service, look for the following channels:

CBS
ESPN
FOX
NBC
NFL Network
NFL RedZone
Nickelodeon

What equipment do you need to stream the NFL season?

You need a smart TV and a streaming device like a Chromecast, 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.

Tips for optimizing your NFL streaming experience

If you’re looking forward to the next 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.

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

Replace 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,Wi-Fi 6E, or Wi-Fi 7 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 your favorite team.

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 a game-clinching field goal. When the big 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.

1. Subscription Price

Amazon Prime: You can get lots of extra perks with your subscription.

Amazon offers three different subscription options for Amazon Prime customers: Prime Video, Prime Monthly, and Prime Yearly.

Prime Video offers only Prime’s video streaming features, and it costs $8.99 per month.
Prime Monthly gets customers all the benefits of Amazon Prime, including video streaming and free two-day shipping. It costs $14.99 per month.
Prime Yearly is the same as Prime Monthly but billed on an annual basis instead. It’s $139.00 per year, which is just over $40.00 cheaper than Prime Monthly over the course of twelve months.

How easy is it to cancel your Amazon Prime subscription?

Amazon Prime customers can change or cancel their subscriptions at any time. If you do cancel, your services will continue until your paid time runs out. For example, if you paid for a year membership up-front and cancelled after three months, you could still use the benefits for those remaining nine months.

What other services do you get with Amazon Prime?

Unless you opt for the basic Prime Video subscription, you’ll get access to a host of benefits in addition to video streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription:

Free 2-day and discounted 1-day shipping
Free same-day shipping in select areas
Unlimited photo storage in the cloud
Amazon Prime Music streaming service
Prime Reading book-borrowing service

Start your free trial of Amazon Prime

Netflix: You pay for the quality of content you want.

Netflix offers a few subscription options and pricing tiers. This allows customers to get only the features they need without paying for things they won’t use. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect from each option:

	Standard with Ads	Standard	Premium
Price	$7.99 per month	$19.99 per month	$24.99 per month
HD Streaming	Yes	Yes	Yes
4K Ultra HD Streaming	No	No	Yes
Number of Simultaneous Devices	2	2	6

Netflix offers a one-month free trial on any of its tiers, so new customers can test-drive the service and see if it’s something they want to shell out cash for every month. And since there’s no contract or long-term commitment with Netflix, cancellation is a breeze. You can log in to cancel your subscription any time you want.

The Winner: Amazon Prime

Although Netflix’s pricing is competitive for how much content you can stream, the additional features and benefits you get with Amazon Prime make it a no-brainer in the value department. Video streaming coupled with free two-day shipping on anything under the sun is a convenience that’s hard to beat.

2. Content Availability

Amazon Prime: There’s plenty of family-oriented content.

Amazon has a wide selection of content, including an ever-expanding collection of original shows. While it doesn’t boast quite the same amount as Netflix, it’s growing. The selection also tends to rotate less often, which could be a big deal for some long-term users.

However, Amazon does beat out Netflix in children’s programming. Because of its licensing deals with Viacom (the company that owns Comedy Central and Nickelodeon), Amazon has a wide selection of comedies and kid shows. Netflix has made strides with recent original releases like Llama Llama, but Amazon Prime still has the lead. So, if you’re looking for a streaming service that’ll suit the whole family, Amazon Prime just might be it.

The Best TV Shows and Movies on Amazon Right Now

A selection of top titles, trending shows, and movies currently on Amazon Prime.

Gen V
Jack Ryan
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Wheel of Time
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Power
I’m a Virgo
Dora the Explorer
Good Omens 2
Daisy Jones & the Six

Netflix: There’s an unbeatable selection of popular content.

Netflix generally offers the best content selection of any streaming provider, with more movies, TV shows, and original content than any other. Its original content is among the best of any streaming provider (but more on that later).

The biggest issue with Netflix’s selection is that non-original content tends to rotate out fairly frequently. While new shows are added often, it can be frustrating to have a favorite show removed from the lineup when you’re in the middle of watching it—it happened to us recently with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The Best TV Shows and Movies on Netflix Right Now

A selection of top titles, trending shows, and classic movies currently on Netflix.

Stranger Things
Wednesday
Black Mirror
The Fall of the House of Usher
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Better Call Saul
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Band of Brothers
Our Planet
Arnold

The Winner: Netflix

Netflix still has more content than its competitors, and it’s quality content too. Amazon is catching up, though—and if you have kids, it may already have the lead.

3. Original Content

Amazon Originals: You might discover some up-and-coming favorites.

Amazon has greatly expanded its original content lately, and several shows have become both fan and critic favorites.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

This comedy-drama premiered in November 2017 and follows a housewife from New York City with a talent for stand-up comedy. It’s set in the 1950s, which brings an interesting dynamic to her untypical career pursuit. The series has received excellent reviews from both fans and critics.

Watch with Prime

The Grand Tour

This show stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May of the British car show Top Gear. The trio travel the world and present the show to live audiences on a “Grand Tour,” discussing automobiles.

Watch with Prime

Other popular Amazon Prime Originals:

The Tick

Mozart in the Jungle

Bosch

Netflix Originals: Netflix is hard to beat when it comes to original content.

Netflix was one of the first streaming providers to produce its own original content, and it remains one of the best choices for great shows you won’t find anywhere else.

Stranger Things

Set in a small town in Indiana during the 1980s, Stranger Things follows the story of a young boy’s disappearance. This supernatural horror/drama has earned outstanding critic ratings and has quickly become a fan favorite.

Watch on Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Following the life of former cult member Kimmy Schmidt, this Netflix original comedy has been nominated for numerous Primetime Emmy awards.

Watch on Netflix

Other popular Netflix Originals:

Master of None

Orange Is the New Black

House of Cards

The Winner: Netflix

This may change as other streaming providers like Amazon Prime continue to gain footing with original content, but what Netflix offers currently tops the competition. Many of its original series have gained loyal followings, leading to renewed seasons year after year.

4. Streaming Quality

Amazon Prime: You don’t have to pay extra for high-quality video.

Amazon Prime offers both 1080p Full HD and 4K Ultra HD resolutions for streaming, as well as HDR video support. Unlike Netflix, both 1080p and 4K are included in the same package price. In other words, you don’t have to pay extra for 4K video, which is great. Considering how popular 4K is becoming, we predict it will likely become an expected standard in all plans.

In terms of audio quality, Amazon offers Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound, which outputs sound to five channels: left, right, center, left surround, and right surround. This is a standard surround-sound protocol, but it’s still nice to see here.

What devices does Amazon Prime Video work with?

Amazon Prime works with most streaming players, like Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV, as well as most web browsers. There are also apps available for Android and iOS, so you can stream on the go.

According to Amazon, Prime Video works on these devices:

Smart TVs
Blu-ray players
Set-top boxes (Roku, Google TV, TiVo, NVIDIA SHIELD)
Amazon Fire TVs
Fire TV Sticks
Game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Wii)
Android devices (Prime Video app for Android phones and tablets)
iOS devices (Prime Video app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch)
Amazon Fire phones
Amazon Fire tablets

Netflix: High-quality streaming comes at a price.

Netflix offers 1080p and 4K Ultra HD video quality, but there’s a catch—you have to pay extra for 4K. Netflix’s various service tiers are primarily differentiated by three things: how many devices you can watch Netflix on at once (called simultaneous streams), what maximum resolution you can stream in, and whether or not you see Ads.

Standard with Ads: $7.99 per month (standard definition only)
Standard: $17.99 per month (up to 1080p Full HD)
Premium: $24.99 per month (up to 4K Ultra HD)

When it comes to audio, Netflix slightly one-ups Amazon Prime Video by offering up to Dolby 7.1 surround sound on select content. Dolby 7.1 takes 5.1 surround sound and adds two additional side speakers to give your audio greater dimension.

What devices does Netflix work with?

Netflix has been around for a while, and it works on pretty much any smart device you can think of at this point. The company provides an extremely thorough page detailing all the devices you can stream on if you want to check it out but rest assured that if you have a device and want to watch Netflix on it, there’s a really good chance you can.

The Winner: Netflix

Netflix has been in the streaming game for a while, and its experience shows. Although getting a higher-quality picture is easier with Amazon Prime, Netflix has the versatility and accessibility that’s enough to keep millions of streamers satisfied. Even still, it’s a close call.

5. Features and User Interface

Amazon Prime: It features easy-to-use categories with side-scrolling and robust parental controls.

Amazon Prime Video features a familiar interface with side-scrolling categories for content. You can dive deeper into a genre or search for specific titles if you already know what you want. The service will also make recommendations based on your viewing history.

Prime Video lets you select titles for offline viewing so you can watch without an internet connection. And, in keeping with its family-oriented theme, Amazon features robust parental controls to limit what your kids can watch.

If you need subtitles, Prime Video offers several language choices:

English
French
Italian
Spanish
German
Japanese
Portuguese

Netflix: You can create separate accounts for kids.

If it weren’t for the branding, you might get Prime Video and Netflix mixed up—the user interfaces are almost identical. The Netflix home page features recommendations and genres, with side-scrolling thumbnails for various titles. The specifics of the interface vary slightly depending on which device you’re streaming on, but they all follow a similar theme.

Netflix also allows offline viewing of select titles and provides strong parental controls, including the ability to set up a separate kid profile that shows only age-appropriate content.

Netflix also offers an impressive seventeen languages for viewing and subtitles, though not every title is available in every language. Here are some included options:

English
French
Spanish
Italian
Korean
Chinese
Arabic
German
Japanese

The Winner: Netflix

However, this one is really more of a tie. The services are very similar in everyday use and offer nearly identical features, but Netflix is available in more languages, which puts it slightly ahead for us.

6. The Verdict

Amazon Prime Video is the better service for families with young children. It also makes a lot of sense if you use Amazon for shopping regularly—the savings on shipping can pay for the service on its own, making the various other benefits, including Prime Video, more like free bonuses than paid services.

Start your 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime

Netflix is generally the better service for people who are less concerned with kid-friendly programming and more concerned about elite original content. There are more original shows and movies, new content is added faster, and it works on more devices. That said, Prime Video is catching up—fast.

Start your 1-month free trial of Netflix

Our recommendation is to get both if you can. Every streamer should have a Netflix subscription—the original content is too good to pass up—and Amazon Prime comes with so many additional benefits that it’s a no-brainer for modern life. Plus, Amazon’s up-and-coming original content is excellent and promising for the future.

Subscribing to both services gets you each one’s unique benefits without settling, and if you add their monthly subscriptions to a fast internet package, you’re still likely to come in under the cost of a cable subscription. When you consider that you’d also miss out on a tremendous amount of original content and past episodes of popular shows with just a cable subscription, cable doesn’t look so great.

Ready to get started? Both services offer free trials, so you can experience what it would be like to cut the cord without any of the commitment.

The Winner: Get both Netflix and Amazon Prime if you can afford it.

If you need a faster internet connection for smoother streaming with less buffering, check out what internet packages are available in your area.

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Netflix is the original streaming king, but can it keep Hulu from stealing the crown?

Better original content

Plans start at $7.99/mo.
- Award winning original content
- Multiple pricing tiers
- No live TV
Get Netflix
Better cable TV alternative

Prices start at $7.99/mo.
- Large library of licensed content
- Unlimited DVR
- Higher subscription costs
Get Hulu

The Bottom Line

Netflix offers top-tier original shows and movies and a frequently updated library, making it perfect for viewers who like on-demand entertainment and lots of it. But it has no live TV and the revolving door of popular shows might prove frustrating for some.

Hulu shines in the TV department, with rapidly updated episodes and a live TV option. It’s affordably priced and also offers its own stellar original programs. The downside is frequent commercials that can sour the experience, and you have to pay to get rid of them.

Price

$7.99–$33.98/mo.

Price

$17.99–$81.99/mo.

Live Channel Count

N/A

Live Channel Count

90+

On-Demand Content

Yes

On-Demand Content

Yes

Resolution/Quality

Up to 4K Ultra HD

Resolution/Quality

Up to 1080p Full HD

Simultaneous Streaming

Up to 4 with Premium plan

Simultaneous Streaming

Up to 2 included (unlimited with add-on)

Cloud DVR Storage

N/A

Cloud DVR Storage

Unlimited

Get Netflix

Get Hulu

Price

$7.99–$33.98/mo.

Price

$17.99–$81.99/mo.

Live Channel Count

N/A

Live Channel Count

90+

On-Demand Content

Yes

On-Demand Content

Yes

Resolution/Quality

Up to 4K Ultra HD

Resolution/Quality

Up to 1080p Full HD

Simultaneous Streaming

Up to 4 with Premium plan

Simultaneous Streaming

Up to 2 included (unlimited with add-on)

Cloud DVR Storage

N/A

Cloud DVR Storage

Unlimited

	Get Netflix
	Get Hulu

Packages and Pricing

Free Trials

Hulu offers a 30-day free trial so you can take it for a test drive before committing. Netflix used to offer a 30-day trial, but now no longer offers a free trial for any length of time.

Netflix No free trial offered
Hulu offers a one-month free trial on its ad free plan, and a one-week free trial on the Hulu + Live TV service.

The best part about streaming providers is that contracts just aren’t much of a thing. Even when you do subscribe, you can always change your mind. You have to commit just one month at a time.

Netflix Packages

	Pricing	Resolution	Multiple Streams	Livestreaming
Standard with Ads	$7.99/mo.	SD only	2	No
Standard	$17.99/mo.	Up to 1080p HD	2	No
Premium	$24.99/mo.	Up to 4K Ultra HD	6	No
Standard w/extra member slots	$26.98/mo.*	Up to 1080p HD	2 + 1	No
Premium w/extra member slots	$33.98/mo.^†	Up to 4K Ultra HD	6 + 2	No


Standard with Ads
Pricing	$7.99/mo.
Resolution	SD only
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	No


Standard
Pricing	$17.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 1080p HD
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	No


Premium
Pricing	$24.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 4K Ultra HD
Multiple Streams	6
Livestreaming	No


Standard w/extra member slots
Pricing	$26.98/mo.*
Resolution	Up to 1080p HD
Multiple Streams	2 + 1
Livestreaming	No


Premium w/extra member slots
Pricing	$33.98/mo.^†
Resolution	Up to 4K Ultra HD
Multiple Streams	6 + 2
Livestreaming	No

Data effective 02/04/2025. Not all offers available in all areas. Prices subject to change.
*Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Extra members have their own account and password, but their membership is paid for by the person who invited them to share their Netflix account.
† Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Extra members have their own account and password, but their membership is paid for by the person who invited them to share their Netflix account.

Netflix offers three service tiers. All three get you access to the full Netflix library. The differences are in watching with ads and how many devices you can use simultaneously.

You can stream on just two devices with both Standard plans. However, the Standard plan isn’t ad supported and you can add on additional members to stream for an extra cost.

The Standard tiers both have streaming in Full HD resolution while Premium brings the resolution up to Ultra HD and the simultaneous devices up to four, so it could be good for large families who want a sweet picture.

Hulu Packages

	Pricing	Resolution	Multiple Streams	Livestreaming
Hulu	$7.99/mo.	Up to 1080p	2	No
Hulu (No Ads)	$17.99/mo.	Up to 1080p	2	No
Live TV only	$81.99/mo.	Up to 1080p	2	Yes
Hulu + Live TV	$74.99/mo.	Up to 1080p	2	Yes
Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads) and ESPN+ (With Ads)	$87.99/month	Up to 1080p	2	Yes


Hulu
Pricing	$7.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 1080p
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	No


Hulu (No Ads)
Pricing	$17.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 1080p
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	No


Live TV only
Pricing	$81.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 1080p
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	Yes


Hulu + Live TV
Pricing	$74.99/mo.
Resolution	Up to 1080p
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	Yes


Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads) and ESPN+ (With Ads)
Pricing	$87.99/month
Resolution	Up to 1080p
Multiple Streams	2
Livestreaming	Yes

Data effective 10/21/24. Offers and availability subject to change.

The basic Hulu plan gets you the on-demand streaming library for just $7.99, which is a great price. There’s a catch though: you’ll get commercials. If you’re not a fan of commercials, you can remove them for an additional $10.00 per month with Hulu (No Ads). Spoiler alert: it’s totally worth it.

Hulu + Live TV is also a sweet deal since it now come with both Disney+ (with ads) and ESPN+ (with ads). And if you don’t like commercial breaks every few minutes, upgrade to the plan with no ads.

You should also know that, unlike Netflix, all Hulu plans stream in HD (1080p), so you can take full advantage of your TV’s high resolution with a smooth picture. Many Hulu Originals can be watched in 4K Ultra HD.

TV Shows and Movies

Original Series

Netflix and Hulu doubled down on original programming, and both services crank out hits like nobody’s business. No matter what type of shows you’re into, you shouldn’t have any problem finding some great originals to watch with both providers.

Netflix Originals

Netflix pours millions of dollars into creating Netflix Originals, and it’s resulted in some of the most popular shows in the business:

Bridgerton
Stranger Things
The Haunting of Hill House
Black Mirror
Orange Is the New Black
Making a Murderer

Hulu Originals

Although not as prolific as Netflix, Hulu also has several majorly successful originals:

The Great
The Handmaid’s Tale
Only Murders in the Building
Difficult People
Harlots
Future Man

On-Demand Shows and Movies

Netflix and Hulu both started out with just on-demand content, and it’s still the majority of what’s available on each service—even with the rise of live streaming TV. But there are some key differences between how each provider curates its library.

Netflix

Netflix started with movies (remember getting the DVDs in the mail?), but it’s since shifted its focus to TV, acquiring popular series like Arrested Development and creating original phenomenons like Stranger Things. It’s become so common that “streaming” is practically synonymous with “Netflixing”. Unlike Hulu, Netflix releases entire seasons of a show at once rather than trickling them out episode by episode over the course of several months. For binge-watchers, this is great. But for those of us that like watching the newest stuff? Not so much.

Hulu

Hulu’s on-demand streaming library is often more current than the Netflix library. Many shows are available to stream just a day or two after they air—you’ll have to wait longer than that on Netflix. Hulu also keeps shows around longer than Netflix (remember what we said about it being a revolving door?).

Another major difference between Hulu and Netflix is that Hulu shows commercials during on-demand shows. Even if you upgrade your plan to get rid of commercials, they’ll still show on some programs because of streaming rights.

Live Channels on Netflix vs. Hulu

Netflix doesn’t offer live TV and hasn’t announced any plans to do so. Meanwhile, Hulu does have a live streaming service called Hulu + Live TV. The service costs $44.99 per month and includes all the regular Hulu on-demand programs as well.

The base Hulu + Live TV service includes 60+ channels, and there are a handful of add-ons that can increase this to about 70 total channels. Here are some of the options:

Entertainment add-on with channels like DIY Network and Science
Español add-on with Spanish-language channels
Premium channel add-ons like HBO and Paramount+ with Showtime

Hulu + Live TV also has the best local channel selection of any live streaming provider. It’s free to try for a week, so it’s worth taking it for a spin even if you’re not ready to cut the cord quite yet.

Compatible Devices

	Netflix	Hulu
Amazon Fire TV	✓	✓
Roku	✓	✓*
Apple TV	✓	✓*
Chromecast	✓	✓
Roku TV	✓	✓
PlayStation 3	✓	✓*
PlayStation 4	✓	✓*
Android Mobile	✓	✓
Android TV	✓	✓*
iPhone	✓	✓
iPad	✓	✓

*Hulu is only available on select models of Android TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Apple TV, and LG TV. Live TV is not supported on PlayStation 3 and 4.

Netflix is available on basically any device you want to watch it on, whether it’s a PC, smart TV, or even your PlayStation. This makes it one of the most versatile streaming options available.

Because they all have different interfaces, streaming devices have a big impact on the experience. We like Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV best.

Apple TV has a large catalog of apps and gives you access to the iTunes Store for music and movie purchases. Amazon Fire TV works seamlessly with Alexa for voice control, and you can grab the Fire TV Stick for a device that’s easy to take to a friend’s house or on vacation. It also works well with Amazon Prime Video (not much of a surprise there).

Cloud DVR

You don’t need a DVR for on-demand shows on Netflix. You can just download episodes for long flights, road trips, or any other time you don’t have a good Wi-Fi connection—no DVR required. Select Netflix TV shows and movies are available to download to iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and PCs running Windows 10. Hulu reportedly has plans to launch a similar feature, but it hasn’t been released yet.

Hulu + Live TV is a different story—they offer a cloud DVR for this service. It records live TV programs to watch later and your subscription comes with an Unlimited amount of storage.

Resolution/Quality

	Resolution
Netflix	Up to 4K Ultra HD
Hulu	Up to 1080p Full HD

Although Netflix offers some 4K entertainment, you have to choose the Premium plan to get it. Before you choose Premium for the 4K support, make sure your favorite shows are actually available at that resolution—not all programming is supported. Hulu offers HD streaming on all its plans, and while it’s only 1080p, that’s plenty for most users.

Recommended Internet Speed

Netflix recommends the following internet speeds for best results:

Standard Definition (SD): 3 Mbps per user
High Definition (HD): 5 Mbps per user
4K Resolution: 25 Mbps per user

And here are Hulu’s internet speed recommendations:

Hulu: 3 Mbps per user
Hulu + Live TV: 8 Mbps per user

A sluggish connection could be a sign you need more speed. Find out just how much speed you need to keep your connection from glitching, buffering, crashing, and doing anything else unpleasant.

Simultaneous Streams

Netflix lets you stream on up to four devices at once, depending on the plan you choose:

Standard (with ads): 2 device
Standard: 2 devices
Premium: 4 devices

Hulu lets you stream on two devices at once with the base plans, and this can be upgraded to unlimited devices on your home network with a $14.99 add-on. But even with that add-on, you’ll be limited to three simultaneous streams on devices outside your home.

Pros and Cons of Netflix vs. Hulu

Pros

- Multiple pricing tiers
- Outstanding original shows and movies
- 4K streaming

Cons

- No live TV
- Frequent library changes

Get Netflix

Pros

- Excellent live TV package
- Bundle options with Disney+ and ESPN+
- Great local channel selection

Cons

- Costs more to remove ads
- No 4K Ultra HD options

Get Hulu

Have your Netflix and Hulu too.

Each of these services is so close to streaming perfection—but not quite. What’s a binge-watcher to do? Well, if you’re like us, you’ll end up with both. Since the on-demand prices are so reasonable, there’s no reason you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Which provider is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

FAQ about Netflix and Hulu

Are there any shows on Hulu that aren’t on Netflix?

Yes. Netflix tends to cycle through programs frequently, so there are several popular shows that you’ll find only on Hulu:

Seinfeld
South Park
Rick and Morty
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

And of course, you can only get Hulu Originals on Hulu.

Does Hulu have movies?

Hulu does have movies! Most people know it as a TV service, but Hulu offers some serious cinematic classics:

Aquaman
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Magic Mike
The Shawshank Redemption
Ghost World

Check out its current movie library to get the full list of what’s available.

Does Netflix have live TV?

Netflix doesn’t have live TV, and we’re not aware if it has any plans to offer live TV in the future. If you want live TV, go with Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Philo, or Sling TV. They’ll hook you up.

Curious about other streaming services? Check out our streaming guides.

Get faster internet so you can take full advantage of your new streaming service. Find the best packages and prices in your area.

Max or Netflix: Which is better? Both have powerhouse originals and on-demand streaming, but it depends on what you’re looking for.

✓
HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery content
✓
Discount for annual plans
✘
Higher price for baseline plan

✓
Wider range of content
✓
4K playback on some titles with Premium
✘
Rotating content

Bottom line

Max (formerly HBO Max) is perfect for movie lovers and fans of HBO’s original shows and movies. There are some excellent titles that you just can’t find anywhere else, like Game of Thrones, Last Week Tonight, and Westworld. You can also tap into Discovery’s ambient TV classics like House Hunters and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, perfect for those nights when you just want to turn off your brain or do the dishes with the TV on.

Netflix has a greater overall selection of content with must-see originals of its own, including The Witcher, Orange Is the New Black, Stranger Things, and Black Mirror. The OG streaming service also has a constantly rotating library of films and shows, so you always have something new to watch. The platform also has a lot of foreign films you can’t find anywhere else.

This is a tough comparison because both services offer such great exclusives. If you have to choose, go with Max. It’s a slightly better overall choice simply for the huge on-demand library and wide variety of shows and movies.


Price $9.99–$20.99/mo.	Price $7.99–$30.98/mo.
HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery content	On-demand shows and movies
Resolution Up to 4K	Resolution Up to 4K
Multiple streams 2–4 devices at once	Multiple streams 1–6 + 2 devices at once
Sign Up	Sign Up

Data effective 1/24/2025. Offers and availability subject to change.

Max (formerly HBO Max) packages

Plan	Pricing	Resolution	Multiple streams	Downloads	Sign up
With Ads	$9.99/mo.	Full HD	Stream on 2 devices at once	N/A	Sign Up
Ad-Free	$16.99/mo.	Full HD	Stream on 2 devices at once	Up to 30	Sign Up
Ultimate Ad-Free	$20.99/mo.	4K Ultra HD when available	Stream on 4 devices at once	Up to 100	Sign Up

Data effective 10/28/24. Offers and availability subject to change.

Max has a few plans to choose from, with basically the same features and a similar price as Netflix’s options. There’s budget-friendly plan with ads, a standard plan for ad-free streaming, and the Ultimate plan that gives you more downloads, more devices to stream from, and access to 4K viewing.

Cable packages that include Max

Some cable packages include HBO at no extra cost. A cable package is a great way to get streaming access to HBO without paying extra monthly fees. Here are some cable packages that include HBO:

Netflix packages

Plan	Pricing	Resolution	Multiple streams	Downloads	Sign up
Standard with Ads	$7.99/mo.	1080p	Stream on 1 device	No	Sign Up
Standard	$17.99/mo.	1080p	2	No	Sign Up
Premium	$24.99/mo.	4K (on select titles) and 1080p	6	No	Sign Up
Standard w/extra member slot	$23.48/mo.*	1080p	2 + 1	Yes	Sign Up
Premium w/extra member slots	$30.98/mo.^†	4K (on select titles) and 1080p	6 + 2	Yes	Sign Up

Plan	Standard with Ads
Pricing	$7.99/mo.
Resolution	1080p
Multiple streams	Stream on 1 device
Downloads	No
Sign up	Sign Up

Plan	Standard
Pricing	$17.99/mo.
Resolution	1080p
Multiple streams	2
Downloads	No
Sign up	Sign Up

Plan	Premium
Pricing	$24.99/mo.
Resolution	4K (on select titles) and 1080p
Multiple streams	6
Downloads	No
Sign up	Sign Up

Plan	Standard w/extra member slot
Pricing	$23.48/mo.*
Resolution	1080p
Multiple streams	2 + 1
Downloads	Yes
Sign up	Sign Up

Plan	Premium w/extra member slots
Pricing	$30.98/mo.^†
Resolution	4K (on select titles) and 1080p
Multiple streams	6 + 2
Downloads	Yes
Sign up	Sign Up

Data effective 01/24/2025. Not all offers available in all areas. Prices subject to change.
*Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Extra members have their own account and password, but their membership is paid for by the person who invited them to share their Netflix account.
† Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Extra members have their own account and password, but their membership is paid for by the person who invited them to share their Netflix account.

With Netflix, you’ll need to decide whether you want to spring for the Premium subscription—with 4K content and up to four simultaneous streams—or stick with Standard (the most popular subscription). We recommend skipping the Standard with Ads plan entirely because ads are no fun these days. Plus, it allows for streaming on only a single device, which can get frustrating.

Keep buffering at a distance:

For the best streaming experience, don’t skimp on your internet plan. You’ll need at least 5 Mbps for reliable HD streaming, and at least 25 Mbps to watch Netflix in 4K.

If it’s time to upgrade your internet service, we can help. Simply enter your ZIP code below to see the best plans in your area.

TV shows and movies

Max (formerly HBO Max) and Netflix both have some outstanding shows and movies that you can’t find anywhere else. How can you choose?

HBO and Discovery original series

Here are some of the most popular originals you can find on Max:

Last Week Tonight
Game of Thrones
Succession
Barry
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
House Hunters
Deadliest Catch
Mythbusters

Netflix Originals

Here’s a taste of the Netflix Originals you can look forward to with a Netflix subscription:

Black Mirror
Narcos
Stranger Things
The Haunting of Hill House
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
The Witcher
The Crown

On-demand shows and movies

Max and Netflix are both on-demand services, so that’s where the bulk of the goodies are at. The main difference is that Max does offer a semi-live TV experience, since new episodes are generally available to stream right when they air on the cable channel.

Max

While it isn’t normally considered a livestreaming service, Max allows you to catch new episodes of shows as they air. The only exceptions to this are shows that are filmed live, like Last Week Tonight and Real Time with Bill Maher. These episodes are usually available to stream within 24 hours of when they air live.

Netflix

Netflix doesn’t offer live TV programming—everything is available on-demand. And that’s just fine with us! But depending on what you’re into, that could start to feel boring after a while.

Compatible devices

	HBO	Netflix
Amazon Fire TV	✓	✓
Roku	✓	✓
Apple TV	✓	✓
Chromecast	✓	✓
Roku TV	✓	✓
PlayStation 3	✘	✓
PlayStation 4	✓	✓
Android Mobile	✓	✓
Android TV	✓	✓
iPhone	✓	✓
iPad	✓	✓

You can get Netflix and Max on pretty much everything, including popular choices like Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. Most users won’t have any trouble finding a device for either service.

Best streaming devices

The device you stream on can be just as important as the service itself. That’s because apps and interfaces vary from one platform to another, so Netflix on an Apple TV may look a bit different from Netflix on another device.

For the best all-around experience, we recommend Apple TV. Nearly every streaming service supports it, so you should be covered with all your streaming services. Plus, you get access to the iTunes Store, which is a great alternative for shows and movies that aren’t available to stream. For future-proofing purposes, we’re fans of the Apple TV 4K.

Resolution and quality

Service	Resolution
Max	Up to 4K Ultra HD
Netflix	Up to 4K Ultra HD

Both Max (formerly HBO Max) and Netflix provide up to 4K streaming quality, but you have to spring for the deluxe, $20.99 per month plans to get video that good. With 4K, your picture is about four times sharper than 1080p—that’s 24 times sharper than a DVD. With TVs getting larger every year, 4K can make for a noticeably better picture.

However, 4K also uses up a ton more data, and most people will be perfectly happy with the 1080p video quality available on Max and Netflix’s standard ad-free plans.

Recommended internet speed

Fast internet is vital to a good streaming experience. You’ll get less buffering on your shows, and it can have a major impact on streaming quality as well (like in the case of Max).

Max recommends at least 5 Mbps per user for streaming reliably.

Netflix recommends these minimum speeds:

3 Mbps per user for SD
5 Mbps per user for HD
25 Mbps per user for 4K

Keep in mind that these are minimum speeds for one instance of streaming. So if you and your kids want to watch different shows, make sure you have enough internet speed (and the right Netflix package) to support multiple streams.

Go faster

Is your internet connection feeling the strain? Learn how much speed you need to support all your online adventures.

Pros and cons

Pros:

Awesome original series
Discount on annual plans
4K quality on Ultimate Ad-Free plan

Cons:

Higher price than Netflix for baseline plan
Confusing interface following HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery merger

Pros:

Wider range of shows and movies
Expanding selection of original series and movies
Cheaper plan with ads

Cons:

Rotating content
Tiered service plans

Why choose just one?

Max and Netflix both offer excellent streaming platforms with outstanding original programming, but the content is totally different. This makes choosing just one much harder. For that reason, we recommend grabbing both if you can swing it. That way you won’t miss out on any of the watercooler conversations about who did what on TV.

FAQ about HBO and Netflix

What is Max?

Max is the streaming service that used to be HBO Max. It combines all of HBO’s content with the library of series and movies from Warner Bros. Discovery.

How much 4K content is available on Netflix?

Netflix boasts a pretty hefty 4K content library, including big titles like Breaking Bad, The Umbrella Academy, Bird Box, and Mindhunter. And most Netflix Originals are now available in 4K. To find 4K content, search for the terms “4K” or “Ultra HD.” Another way to find it is to keep an eye out for an Ultra HD icon next to shows in the library.

Can you watch HBO shows on Netflix?

Unfortunately, you can’t watch popular HBO titles on Netflix. You have to purchase an HBO subscription through your TV provider, HBO NOW, or an HBO digital channel through another streaming service in order to see why everyone suddenly stopped talking about Game of Thrones after being obsessed with the franchise for a decade.

Curious about other streaming services? Check out our streaming guides.

Streaming platforms like Netflix and HULU have become an essential entertainment cornerstone of countless households. But can they replace a cable TV subscription outright? We’ve seen fewer TV subscribers year after year in our annual customer satisfaction surveys, likely due to decreasing discounts for internet and TV bundles.

However, that doesn’t mean cable is on its deathbed — far from it. There’s still a lot of convenience that comes with combining your services under a single provider. Xfinity® makes it especially easy to bundle Internet services with TV plans, allowing customers to experience the best that cable programming and streaming services have to offer.

For those unsure as to which option best fits their viewing tendencies, this guide offers a succinct comparison between Xfinity TV and streaming service options.

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Streaming services pros and cons
Streaming pros and cons
Xfinity cable TV pros and cons
Verdict

Streaming services pros and cons

Service	Pros	Cons
Xfinity TV	Robust channel lineup Bundle discounts More convenient billing and management	Annual contracts	View Plans
Streaming Services	Cheaper Month-to-month	Fewer channels

Pros:

Streaming services have their fair share of advantages. The most prominent benefit is price. Some streaming options, like Netflix and Hulu, are much more cost-effective than basic cable packages — running anywhere from $7.99 to $24.99 per month. Sling TV is slightly more expensive, starting at $45.99 per month, but it also offers total access to over 30 channels.

Beyond the fact that individual streaming services cost less than cable, cancellation fees aren’t a part of the equation. Consumers aren’t subject to the same terms and conditions found with cable. There are no contracts, simply subscriptions. Users can purchase and cancel their accounts when and if they wish.

Streaming also offers high levels of convenience, allowing users access to shows wherever they have internet service. And with devices like the Google Chromecast, users aren’t confined to streaming on small screens, either — they can easily broadcast streamed media from their connected device onto any screen with an HDMI input.

Cons:

Streaming services don’t offer as much variety as cable — there isn’t a one-to-one exchange in terms of shows and channel lineups. For consumers who want regular access to sports channels or have to know who wore what to the Oscars, that lack of access can be a deal breaker.

Additionally, streaming video relies on an Internet connection. For subscribers enrolled in a slower DSL service — or even a lower tier cable Internet package — viewing capabilities may be limited. If the Internet connection can’t handle the load, the show quality will deteriorate.

Finally, users may be somewhat restricted by the device they use to stream or broadcast content. Apple TV’s apps are limited, and Chromecast only works via the connected device. If kids want to watch Saturday morning cartoons but don’t have access to the requisite app or device, they’re out of luck.

Xfinity Cable TV pros and cons

Pros:

Xfinity features a robust channel lineup, showcasing one of the greatest benefits of cable TV packages: channel selection. Cable customers have access to more shows and dedicated channels like ESPN and HGTV.

Another advantage is that cable subscribers can somewhat customize the package they want. Premium channels like HBO® are add-ons to the more basic packages. While it’s not quite comparable to the a la carte options recently developed in Canada, U.S. customers can opt out of certain packages, thereby saving money on their monthly bill.

For those interested in mobile viewing opportunities, Xfinity has an additional benefit — many channels offer cable subscribers remote streaming options via app or Internet connection. Customers just need their Xfinity username and password to access live content from a host of channels.

If price is a deterrent, subscribers can also bundle Xfinity TV with Internet and other services. Xfinity is one of the few cable ISPs still offering internet and TV bundle discounts. It’s also convenient, as users have to pay only one bill instead of dealing with two or three separate statements every month.

Cons:

Certain Xfinity plans do require contracts, which means that there may be an associated fee for early termination. Other costs, such as equipment rental expenses, may also be included.

In addition, some package pricing can be confusing. Many plans feature a low introductory rate that expires after a certain length of time, leaving subscribers with higher bills than they originally planned for.

The Verdict

When it comes to accessing TV and video today, it’s a buyer’s market. The cable industry’s efforts to keep pace with streaming services have given consumers a wide range of options.

For those ready to cut the cord, Xfinity offers reliable standalone Internet services, with some areas seeing speeds up to 2 Gbps . These faster speeds will ensure consistent streaming and a better viewing experience across all devices.

Viewing doesn’t have to be all or nothing, though. Consumers who can’t access their favorite local news program via streaming services may want to augment their current Netflix subscription with a basic cable plan, for example. In that case, Xfinity has competitive bundling packages for Internet and TV, allowing subscribers to leverage the advantages of both options.

In order to choose the service that’s right for them, consumers should consider the pros and cons of both options carefully. Once they’ve analyzed their viewing habits, they can find the Xfinity service package that fits their needs exactly.

*Pricing and speeds are current as of writing. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.

Chromecast is different from other streaming devices, including Roku and Amazon Fire. While Roku and Amazon Fire typically come preinstalled with a couple of channels, Chromecast doesn’t. Instead, it pairs with an existing smart device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and turns the device into a sophisticated remote control for the TV screen. From there, you “cast” specific mobile applications onto the larger screen.

Compare the Top Streaming Devices

What devices support Chromecast?

Chromecast works with the latest Android and iOS devices. It also supports Chrome on Windows and iOS operating systems. Most Android devices receive an additional capability: mirroring. This ability allows you to cast the Chrome browser from a computer or connected device in a single step. Google continues to grow the number of devices supporting Chromecast, with the list of devices now including speakers, televisions, and Google’s voice-activated assistant.

Find Chromecast devices on Amazon

Is Chromecast plug and play?

Chromecast is plug and play in that you plug the device into the television’s HDMI port to play. But if you expect to watch Netflix or Hulu Plus from the get-go, don’t. First you’ll need to pair a connected device with Chromecast and configure the Netflix or Hulu app to stream content.

What other requirements should I know about?

To get Chromecast up and running, you need to know about Google Home, accessories, and Wi-Fi.

1. You’ll need the Google Home app to set up sharing between your connected devices and Chromecast. This can be a bit confusing since “Google Home” is the name of not only Google’s voice-activated assistant but also the mobile app. For the purposes of Chromecast, ignore the assistant—unless you own one—and focus on the application.

Get Google Home on iTunes or Google Play.

2. You may need to purchase additional accessories, particularly if you decide to “Chromecast” throughout your home. Each Chromecast attaches to an individual screen, meaning you’ll need to buy one Chromecast per television. And, if the television lacks an HDMI port, you may need to buy a Chromecast USB cable.

3. Chromecast requires a wireless connection. You likely use Wi-Fi in your home already, so you’d think you’re good to go. But beware—Chromecast may be the tipping point that tanks Wi-Fi speed and connectivity. If that occurs, you may need to purchase a router with dual- or tri-band capabilities or make sure you have the best internet service plan available in your area for your streaming needs .

Test your current internet speed and find out how much internet speed you need to satisfy your family’s internet and streaming needs by clicking the buttons below.

What’s the difference between Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra?

Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra both stream content from a smart device to a television screen but at different resolutions. Chromecast works on the standard spectrum of 1080p. Chromecast Ultra supports resolutions up to 4K Ultra HD and high dynamic range (HDR). If you own an older television, you should purchase the basic Chromecast. A newer television most likely needs the Chromecast Ultra to stream photos, videos, and other content at the right frame rate and quality. The two devices also differ in price. Chromecast Ultra comes in at a higher price point ($69) than Chromecast ($35).

Top Chromecast Apps

If you need somewhere to start in your hunt for the best Chromecast apps, start here. We’ve listed the top two apps in each category as well as popular content available through that app.

TV & Movies

Netflix streams movies and television shows to any internet-connected viewing device for a fee. If you already subscribe to the streaming service, download the app to cast shows to your television. Be sure to check out the popular shows Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Freaks and Geeks, Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development.

To watch Doctor Who or Father Brown, download the BBC Media Player. The app offers almost all the British shows you could ever want. People usually enjoy EastEnders, Poldark, Panorama, and Murdered for Being Different.

Music & Audio

Spotify claims a large share of the streaming music market, likely because it works across multiple devices. You can’t go wrong with Spotify, but if you want something with a higher sound quality, check out Tidal. The top five albums on Spotify are Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, Melodrama, How Did We Get So Dark?, Crack-Up, and Life’s About to Get Good.

Podcasts come to the big screen with Pocket Casts. This app carries over 200,000 shows. The top five podcasts are Make Me Smart, Seriously . . ., Horizon Line, My Favorite Murder, and Melanin Millennials.

Games

Not all mobile games cast well, but Tricky Titans is designed exclusively for Chromecast. In this game, you square off against two or more of your friends to determine the top Titan.

Angry Birds are back with a vengeance. The Angry Birds Friends version of the game puts you in an arena-style competition against other players.

Sports

PlayStation Vue competes with other streaming services, delivering live-streamed television shows and sports. It can hog the bandwidth, though, so come prepared with a high-speed internet plan. The Vue’s pricing tiers start at $29.99 per month.

Sling TV offers a similar service to the PlayStation Vue but at a lower price point. Its monthly subscriptions start at $45.99 per month. But be careful—its add-on channels can increase costs quickly.

Photos & Videos

Google Photos will be your best bet for casting photos from a phone or tablet to the television screen. If you don’t use Google Photos, don’t worry about it. The Google Home app periodically looks for new photo and video sources before nudging you toward a Chromecast-compatible app.

Think of AllCast as the Swiss Army knife of Chromecast apps. It streams content like local photos, videos, and audio files, as well as files found in a cloud storage service like Dropbox

Miscellaneous

If you enjoy watching TED Talks on your phone or desktop, think of how much better the experience will be on the large screen. Settle back with the app and prepare to be inspired. Be sure to check out “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are,” “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” “The Power of Vulnerability,” “My Stroke of Insight,” and “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”

Meet your fitness goals with Daily Burn. The app finds “the perfect workout for you,” and you receive a thirty-day free trial. The price after that is $14.95 per month.

Chromecast augments your smart devices and home entertainment center by joining the two together. Just plug in Chromecast, pair it with your smart device, and install Google Home. And whatever you want to do with Chromecast, there’s probably an app for that.

Need more speed? Find and compare faster internet service plans available in your area below.

Come November 12, Disney+ might be the most stacked streaming service out there—especially if you buy the Hulu and ESPN+ bundle. But is it good enough to ditch your Netflix subscription?

At HighSpeedInternet.com, we surveyed 400 Americans about their streaming habits. A whopping 60% said they would keep Netflix over Disney+ if they had to choose between the two.

Two streams are better than one

Spoiler alert: you don’t have to choose one over the other. Thank goodness. Over 70% of those surveyed already have two or more streaming options, so adding a third service is just a drop in the bucket.

In our survey, 69% of Americans say they think content is more important than price when it comes to choosing streaming services.

The Disney+ base plan costs $9.99 per month, and to bundle in Hulu and ESPN+, you’re looking at $15 per month—not bad at all.

The average live TV package is around $65 or more per month. Most of the Americans we surveyed said they spend between $11 and $20 per month on streaming services.

So what’s one more streaming service for $9 or $15 a month compared to a cable or satellite TV package? It’s chump change for all that you get.

Adding more than Disney to your mix

About 67% or two-thirds of surveyed Americans say they will sign up for Disney+ in November. That’s no surprise to us. Disney+ is getting a ton of exclusive content that’s hard to pass up.

Disney+ is like The Avengers of family entertainment: You’re getting shows and movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. And they even managed to wrangle in all 30 seasons of The Simpsons.

Image © Disney

Including all of that content is going to pay off for Disney. Of those surveyed, 60% of those planning to sign up for Disney+ say Marvel and Star Wars content influenced their decision. We can’t blame them.

But with so much good stuff in the pipeline, what are we most excited about with Disney+? Well, besides the absolute glory that will be The World According to Jeff Goldblum, we’re stoked for the following shows:

The Mandalorian: A new Star Wars series that will give us all the bounty-hunter action we want.
Muppets Now: We like Muppets any time, especially now.
A Lizzie McGuire reboot: Hilary Duff, if you’re reading this, hit me up.

The future of Disney+ and Netflix

It’s clear people remain loyal to Netflix. But they’re also willing to pay to bring other streaming services on board too.

Disney+ will certainly give Netflix a run for its money, but we don’t see Netflix dropping out of the race any time soon. For now, it looks like we’ll be subscribing to both services.

Methodology

HighSpeedInternet.com surveyed 400 Americans on their opinions and thoughts regarding their current streaming services and Disney+. We then compiled a report to summarize the findings.

SD	HD and Full HD	Ultra HD
Echo devices with a screen	Windows 10 / 11 MacOS Big Sur and newer iPhone iPod Touch iPad Fire tablet PlayStation 3 Xbox One Oculus Xiaomi	Android Fire TV Fire TV Stick Blu-ray players PlayStation 4 / Pro PlayStation 5 Xbox Series S / X Xbox One S / X Smart TVs Dish Network Nvidia Shield Roku Google Chromecast* Comcast X1* Cox Contour* TiVo* Apple TV*

	Gigabytes per hour	Megabits per hour	Megabits per second
Best	5.8	46,600	13
Better	2.9	23,200	6
Good	1.8	14,400	4
Data Saver	0.6	4,800	1.3

	Gigabytes per hour	Megabits per hour	Megabits per second
Best	6.84	54,720	15
Better	1.40	11,200	3
Good	0.38	3,040	0.84

Is your Wi-Fi fast enough?

Paramount+ speed basics

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FAQ

Does Paramount+ have live TV?

What is the difference between Paramount and Paramount+?

What's the best router for streaming Paramount+?

I have the best internet and equipment. Why is Paramount+ so choppy?

What is the best VPN for using Max?

Disclaimers

Max speed basics

Here are your minimum speed needs for Max

Our experts say: Get 5Mbps per person at minimum for a better viewing experience

What do you need to stream Ultra HD 4K movies on Max?

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Max plan options

FAQ

What's the best router for streaming Max (formerly HBO Max)?

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What is HBO Go?

Disclaimers

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Get low-latency fiber or cable for live content

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Hulu viewers should avoid data caps

Download Hulu shows to save on data

How to watch Hulu in rural areas

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

Is your Wi-Fi fast enough?

Prime Video speed basics

Here are your minimum speed needs for Prime Video

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

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

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

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What does the Video Quality setting do?

What's the maximum resolution I can get on my device?

Web browsers

Prime Video App

How much data does Prime Video use?

Prime Video Mobile App

Prime Video Web App

What free channels do you get with Prime Video?

What premium channels can you add to Prime Video?

Disclaimers

Best satellite internet for streaming: Starlink Residential

Pros:

Cons:

Popular satellite providers

How much speed do I need to stream video?

Streaming and data caps

Choose unlimited data

Lower your picture quality

Get satellite TV

The bottom line: Streaming on satellite is tricky but doable

Streaming on satellite FAQ

Can you stream video with satellite internet?