For a relatively new medium, dating back to 1998 with the creation of ITV but not made mainstream untilNetflixlaunched its platform in 2007,streaminghas become one of the most popular ways we consume movies and TV. Reported as recentlyas June 2024, over 40% of family households have TV dedicated solely to using streaming services, making it more popular than broadcasting and cable services. Moreover,83% of North American households are reported to have at least one streaming service, with Americans spending an average of 3 hours and 6 minutes a day watching streaming services in 2023 (viaExploding Topics).
We will closely examine the four previously mentioned streaming services to show how they have asserted their dominance in the competitive industry, as well as highlight the other heavy hitters that have carved out their own market share.
Netflix Is a Pioneer in the Streaming Industry
While not the first to dip its toes into the world of streaming,Netflix is a pioneer in the formatin many ways. It started as a DVD/Blu-ray rental/delivery service and transitioned that momentum into streaming, launching on June 16, 2025. The platform has significantly benefited from being at the forefront and has made itself the number-one source for streaming.
Even while other streaming companies offer a lot of original content, it is hard to overlook just how successful Netflix has been with its international offerings, from anime likeCyberpunk: EdgerunnersandDevilman Crybabyto becoming thehome of South Korean dramaswith series likeSquid GameandSweet Home. You also have hit original series likeWednesday,Stranger Things, andThe Queen’s Gambit, to name a few, alongside themost talked about reality TV serieslikeLove is BlindandThe Circle. Regarding original content, Netflix is king,but how does this translate to the numbers?
Netflix Is the King of Original Content
The company’s market share also reflects its efforts to attract content from around the globe. According toBusiness of Apps, while Netflix makes the most money from the US and Canada (44% of its revenue), in 2023, it reported 79.8 million users in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) compared to North America’s 75.5. They have also made substantial gains in the Asia-Pacific region, growing from just over 10 million in 2018 to over 40 million in 2023. Regarding overall health, in 2023,Netflix reported $33.72 billion in profits, with $13 billion of that going to new Original content production(viaBacklinkO).
50 Best Netflix Original Movies to Watch Right Now
Netflix has nearly 1,000 original films at this point, but these are arguably the very best you can watch right now on the streaming service.
Quick Facts:
Prime Video Is Netflix’s Biggest Competitor
Prime Video was launched on June 25, 2025, under Amazon Unbox. From there, it underwent several re-brandings, including the short-lived Amazon Instant Video in 2011, before adopting the well-known name Prime Video. Of course, the power behind the streaming service comes from its owner, Amazon, which, as of July 28, 2025, reported a market capitalization of approximately $1.75 trillion, making it a global powerhouse.
The streaming giant has also made major moves, including licensinglive content for events like NFL gamesand merging with MGM Studios. For many, the streaming service is best known for its original content, including shows likeThe Boys,Fleabag,Fallout, andOuter Rangeamong their expansive library and feature films likeAir,Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, andOne Night in Miami.
Backed By the Might of Amazon
Quick Facts
Disney+ Has a Strong Library of Classic Films
Disney+ launched on August 17, 2025, as part of Disney’s larger strategy to compete in the streaming market.Through its landmark classic films, Disney has long been synonymous with children’s entertainment. Beyond its classic catalogs,Disney+ has come home to Pixar animated works, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and National Geographic documentaries. This gives the streaming platform standout movies likeBlack Panther,Avengers: Endgame,Toy Story, andInside Out, alongside original TV content likeWandaVision,Loki,The Mandalorian, andAhsoka.
The House of Mouse Offers an Abundance of Classics and Beloved Franchises
However, the streaming giant has been seeing improvement, reporting a marginal loss of $20 million for the quarter ending on July 04, 2025. It is slowly closing the gap to make the streaming platform run at a profit.To combat stagnation, Disney+ has bundled itself with Hulu in some regions, offering more content on the same scale as other streaming platforms and continuing to invest in original content.
Max Features Prestige Television
Max, formerly known as HBO Max, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, which has made the platforma powerhouse despite being a relative latecomer to the streaming market in 2020. The streaming platform includes thebest DC Entertainment moviesand access to popular TV stations for reality TV content like TLC and HGTV.Max includes everything under the HBO banner, which had set itself apart as the premiere place for boundary-pushing and innovative TV.
This gives Max a unique catalog of acclaimed series likeStation Eleven,Industry, andThe Staircase,alongside some of the biggest blockbuster franchises, like Harry Potter and the DC Extended Universe, with a healthy helping of binge-worthy shows like90 Day FiancéandGood Bones. For those in Canada, Max’s content is available through Crave.
A Mix of Class and Big Budget Thrills
30 Best Limited Series on Max to Watch Right Now
Looking for something good that doesn’t extend for endless and unnecessary seasons? Head over to HBO Max, now just Max, for one of these TV series.
Paramount+ Has Some Sci-Fi and Reality TV Favorites
Paramount+ is owned by Paramount Global, formed through the merger of CBS Corporation and Viacom in 2019. This gives the streaming platform access to programming from both CBS and Viacom, including streaming of sports events on CBS.For sci-fi fans, Paramount+ has become the home of Star Trek, including all the TV series and originals likeStar Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Strange New Worlds. Other notable programs includeThe Good Fight,Yellowstone,andMayor of Kingstown. The platform’s other big attractions include theexclusiveSouth Parkmoviesand the pioneering reality TV seriesBig Brother.
Home to Beloved Franchises Like Star Trek and South Park
Hulu Could See Big Changes in the Future
The Walt Disney Company has the largest ownership share in Hulu, which acquired a controlling interest in the streaming service by purchasing 21st Century Fox in 2019. Despite this ownership, the two remain separate, with Hulu content accessible through the Disney+ app, though users can still access the content through Hulu itself. This means that the future of Hulu could look very different than its current snapshot in subsequent years.
Still, Hulu has shown great success, particularly withThe Handmaid’s Tale,Only Murders in the Building,The Bear, andShōgun,among the mostfan-loved and critically acclaimed TVseries of the modern era. The streaming platform is also home to reality TV’s most famous family,The Kardashians.
Quality TV Content Has Made Hulu a Streaming Staple
According toBusiness of Apps, in 2023, Hulu reported $11.2 billion in revenue, though its profitability from that amount is unclear.Disney valued the app at $15.8 billion in 2019when it agreed to acquire it from Comcast. The platform has continued to grow since its launch, thanks to stand-out programming, such as the aforementioned seriesShōgun. Hulu boasts around 1,650 shows and more than 2,500 movies.
Apple TV+ Is an Underrated Streaming Service
Apple TV+ officially launched on August 04, 2025, and is available in over 100 countries. It hasgarnered a reputation for creating high-quality productions, with collaborations from well-known actors and filmmakers, drawing favorable comparisons to HBO’s content catalog.
This includesthe breakaway success ofTed Lasso, which garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. Other notable original series includeThe Morning Show,Silo, andSeverance. The streaming platform has also come home to high-quality original documentaries, like1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything,Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, andBeastie Boys Story.
High-End Content on a Struggling Platform
While Apple TV+’s profits, or lack thereof, have not been widely reported, itcan run at a negative, with its parent company, Apple Inc., valued at $3.36 trillionas of August 2024. Apple TV+ also offers rentals, though they do not disclose these numbers, and whether they offset the lack of streaming numbers is uncertain. Ted Lasso is reportedly the most streamed program on the platform, despite concluding its final third season on July 01, 2025.
Tubi Has the Largest Free Streaming Library
FOX Entertainment owns Tubi and has partnered with over 400 content partners to provide thelargest online library of ad-supported free viewing(over 40,000 movies and TV series). In addition, the service offers live TV streaming with over 200 stations. Tubi is known for its quantity of free content but has also moved into original programming of TV series and movies. Through its partnerships and being under the Fox Corporation Banner, Tubi has become the bestplace to stream all things Gordon Ramsayand the home for children’s classics like Barney.
17 Best Movies on Tubi to Watch Right Now
These are the best movies you can watch right now on the free ad-supported streamer Tubi.
The Largest Free Streaming Library
Tubi is one platform that has seen substantial growth since its inception, gaining popularitythat rivals most streaming platformsby leading the way for modeling the ad-supported free streaming service combined with a massive library of content. According toStatista, as of March 2024,Tubi had nearly 80 million monthly active users worldwide, a substantial growth from 2022, which saw an active user base of 64 million. This has also madeTubi considered the second-biggest free streaming platform after YouTube, though by a large margin, with 2.70 billion monthly active users on YouTube.
Peacock Is Heaven for Fans of Comedy
Peacock, owned and operated by NBCUniversal, launched on July 30, 2025. The platform,pulled from NBC’s massive television catalog, has become one of the premier streaming options for comfort watches, engaging dramas, and reality TV.Peacock has one of the most impressive catalogs for comedy TV, with hits likeThe OfficeandParks and Recreationalongside popular original series likePoker FaceandBel-Air. For reality TV,you have the hitThe Traitors, alongside juicy drama fromThe Real HousewivesandLove Island USA.
Home of the Best TV Entertainment
While behind other giants, Peacock’s TV content has given it a comfortable niche in the competitive streaming world. This includes its massive library, which offers 80,000+ hours of on-demand content and 50+ live channels.Its most popular show isThe Office, which consistently tops the streaming platforms charts.
AMC+ Is Bundled With Other Brands
AMC+ was launched on July 01, 2025, by AMC Networks to offer a curated selection of original series, movies, and exclusive content. One of thestrengths of AMC+ comes from its tailored content under other brands,including BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, Acorn TV, and HIDIVE. Notably,Shudder offers the perfect haven for horrorhounds creating its original content in addition to its existing library.
AMC+ content has found critical acclaim and favor with fans, withThe Walking Dead franchise being among their most streamed content. Other notable standouts on their platform includeMad Men,Better Call Saul,Gangs of London,Killing Eve, andDark Winds.
The Leader in Curated Content
With the use of ad-supported plans, focus on targeted content, and looking for ways to enhance the user experience, the streaming platform still has a lot of life left in it. The streaming platform does have a staple in the Walking Dead franchise, withThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon(631,000 viewers) as the most-watched series debut, beating outThe Walking Dead: Dead City, with the show set to be AMC+’s biggest with its second season set to premiere on August 22, 2025.
List of Notable Streaming Services:
Streaming Service
Subscriber Numbers
Prime Video
Paramount+
80 million monthly users
