If you're like most Americans, you likely subscribe to at least a couple of television streaming platforms—and probably even signed up for a few more during the pandemic. But with more video-on-demand platforms popping up on a seemingly daily basis and traditional cable going the way of the household telephone landline, the number of options for your viewing pleasure can feel overwhelming. To help you sort out which platforms are worth your while, we set out to determine the most—and the least—popular streaming service out there.
To see how the nine biggest streaming platforms resonate with consumers, we evaluated them based on five key metrics. First, we looked at the most recent data available on the number of subscribers to see which platform cast the widest net, as well as the starting price point each service charges for a subscription. Then, we consulted the U.S. News & World Report ranking of the best on-demand streaming services of 2021, which scored each brand using a five-star scale based on a comprehensive analysis of the quality and quantity of programs offered by each platform, as well as consumer reviews.
In addition to that, we factored in how each streaming service fared on the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which scored streaming services on a 100-point scale based on multiple data sets surrounding consumer experience and level of satisfaction. And for further expert analysis of the quality of each platform, we turned to trusted cord-cutting site Flixed, which rated each service on a 10-point scale, based on factors ranging from price to content offered.
Finally, we gave each metric a weighted value before plugging them into our exclusive algorithm to see how each platform scored on our 100-point Unsatisfied Streaming Index. Read on to discover where your favorite television streaming service stacks up against the competition. And for more streaming news, check out If You're Sharing a Netflix Account, the Service Has a New Warning for You.
Editor's note: "N/A" indicates that data was not available for that particular metric. We adjusted the algorithm to ensure that each streaming service was scored fairly and accurately.
9 Netflix
Number of subscribers: 203.7 million
Starting price point: $8.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 4.4 out of 5
ACSI score: 78 out of 100
Flixed rating: 9 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 0.00
And for some helpful tips on what to watch, check out these 13 Netflix Shows You Can Watch From Start to Finish This Weekend.
8 Disney+
Number of subscribers: 94.9 million
Starting price point: $6.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 4 out of 5
ACSI score: 80 out of 100
Flixed rating: 9 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 21.02
And if you're a subscriber, read up on 13 Shows You Can Watch on Disney+ From Start to Finish This Weekend.
7 Amazon Prime Video
Number of subscribers: 150 million
Starting price point: $8.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 4.1 out of 5
ACSI score: 76 out of 100
Flixed rating: 8.5 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 34.46
Looking for something new to watch on Amazon Prime? Check out 12 Shows You Can Watch on Amazon Prime from Start to Finish This Weekend.
6 Hulu
Number of subscribers: 38.8 million
Starting price point: $5.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 3.9 out of 5
ACSI score: 77 out of 100
Flixed rating: 9 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 49.12
5 Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access)
Number of subscribers: 17.9 million
Starting price point: $5.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 3.7 out of 5
ACSI score: 75 out of 100
Flixed rating: 8 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 78.43
4 ESPN+
Number of subscribers: 11.5 million
Starting price point: $5.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 3.7 out of 5
ACSI score: N/A
Flixed rating: 8 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 84.99
3 HBO Max
Number of subscribers: 17.2 million
Starting price point: $14.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 4 out of 5
ACSI score: 74 out of 100
Flixed rating: N/A
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 90.03
And to help you sift through HBO's huge back catalog, check out The Best HBO Show of All Time, According to Critics.
2 Starz
Number of subscribers: 13.7 million
Starting price point: $8.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: N/A
ACSI score: 72 out of 100
Flixed rating: 8 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 93.91
And for more exclusive rankings sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
1 Apple TV+
Number of subscribers: 10 million
Starting price point: $4.99
U.S. News & World Report rating: 3.6 out of 5
ACSI score: 74 out of 100
Flixed rating: 6.5 out of 10
Unsatisfied Streaming Index Score: 100.00
And for more things that are leaving consumers unsatisfied, This Is the Most Unpopular Soda in America, According to Data.
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