Top 10 Best Netflix Alternatives That’ll Keep Your Binge-Watching in Check!

When we speak about online streaming, many will say that Netflix is the uncrowned king of the seven kingdoms. It is the go-to option for people of all ages and has subscribers all around the world. With HD streaming of movies and shows of its own, Netflix has been killing it for at an affordable price. And truth be told, we love our time on Netflix! However, a lot of viable alternatives have cropped up over the years. Some of them are paid, and some are free. So, let’s take a look at some of the best Netflix alternatives.

Before we get any deeper, you need to know that many of the following media streaming services are restricted to certain countries. This means that you will be blocked from accessing some websites if you come from an 'unsupported' country. Of course, there is a solution to this problem. We recommend you to take a look at our overview of the best VPNs for media streaming. These are simple applications that connect you to a secure server, giving you a new IP, and allowing you to access blocked websites. Even if you continue to stick to Netflix, take a look at the best Netflix VPNs to ensure the security of your Web connection.

Top 10 Best Netflix Alternatives - Free & Paid Options!

There are tons of apps and websites that promise to be the best Netflix alternatives. Honesty, the thick bunch of them reeks of mediocrity. And you are better off, striking them off your bucket list first. Here are some of the best sites like Netflix available right now.

1. Amazon Prime Video

Guess who is offering the steadiest competition to Netflix. Amazon perhaps makes the largest revenue on a single website. And yet the brand has this insatiable urge to do even more. That is why we now have Amazon Prime Video. That is right. Amazon has rolled out paid video streaming in numerous countries. They are offering HD quality for a number of shows and videos, and they are also said to stream faster. Plus, there is a bundle of benefits if you are already an Amazon Prime member. That could translate into a significant cost advantage as well.

Just like Netflix, Amazon is offering viewers a bunch of exclusive shows. To give users a glimpse of what is on offer, Amazon has smartly launched a 30-day free trial. Even after the trial is over, you only need to pay $99 a year. Amazon Prime Video is supported across platforms, and the company has doubled down on customer support. Out of the blue, the subscription price also includes a year of free Amazon Prime membership. Now, that’s how you win customers. And finally, you should know that this service is available worldwide but offers different catalogs for different markets. So, here's how to watch Amazon Prime Video from anywhere.

2. Vudu

If Amazon has got its hand-painted in video hues, how could Walmart stay behind? Yes, you guessed it. Vudu is owned by Walmart and is currently one of the best Netflix alternatives. And with a truck full of features, it could well be on its way to becoming the next big thing. The reason we say this is because Vudu is not all about paid subscriptions only. There are lots of free videos too (that you can watch with ads). While buying movies on Vudu is fun as always, there’s also a deals section for you.

At the time of writing, movies like The Machinist and Terminator: Judgment Days are absolutely free. Rango and 33 are available for a deal price of $6.99. Along with the high streaming quality, you also get remarkably good sound. Furthermore, Vudu introduces deals and discounts to the video world. That could be the chink in the armor of the other big brands. And since Vudu is available in the USA only, here's how to access Vudu from outside the USA.

3. Hulu

If you are looking for a Netflix alternative only for TV shows, Hulu is a great place to hang around. Even though it's only available in the USA and Japan, you can still watch Hulu from anywhere. It comes packed with the latest episodes of some of the newest shows. Do not have a TV? No problem. Hulu allows you to stream content right away to a number of different devices. Apart from customized suggestions, you also get a healthy dose of ad-free content. While Hulu also has a free service, the users often complain of lots of ads in free shows.

How well does Hulu hold the fort when it comes to movies? Well, it is safe to say that Hulu should not be your first choice when it comes to watching movies. While it does have a sizeable collection of movies, they are often not the latest and most popular. However, there are quite a few hidden gems that other popular video interfaces seem to miss out on. Like any honest service, Hulu allows users to cancel services anytime. And you can do it from any of the devices you are using.

4. Box TV

Box TV is the perfect start if you are looking for best Netflix alternatives that excel in Indian content. It offers movies in nearly a dozen languages including Urdu, Kannada, Hindi, and Bhojpuri. In addition, Box TV promises to add more languages soon. Box TV is essentially built to offer Indian content to people living in places Singapore, UAE, US, and the UK. Of course, it is available in India as well. And unlike most other services, it is very budget-friendly – costing no more than $4.99 every month. That is less than a cup a coffee at Starbucks.

The obvious and serious disadvantage with Box TV is that it offers only Indian content. However, it can be a serious boon if you are in the market for customized Indian TV. Aside from TV shows, Box TV also gives you a healthy collection of Bollywood movies. That is right. You will not need to pay a dime extra for watching fresh Indian movies as well. The UI is pretty nice too. You will like how simply the available content has been arranged through the interface.

5. iTunes Movie Store

Not many would look at iTunes as a pertinent streaming alternative to Netflix. But the truth is that iTunes is really one of the most viable movie collections if you are an occasional movies person. You can rent movies in high and standard definitions for 48 hours at an affordable price. Again, this only works in your favor if you are generally enclosed in your profession or studies and have a movie hunch only once in a while.

If you watch movies or shows by the tons, iTunes might not be your cup of coffee. It will cost you way too much money if you are looking to rent out a movie every other day. Apart from movies, iTunes allows you to buy and rent music videos, TV shows, music albums and even individual songs. The biggest advantage of using iTunes is that you do not have to pay any monthly subscription charge. All the movies you need are already there. Plus, all iTunes purchases are legally bound and you never have to worry about copyright infringement.

6. Acorn.TV

There’s been a lot of global hype around British shows in the past few years. Some of the popular shows make in the U.K. are Outnumbered, Queer as Folk and Holy Flying Circus. If you are looking to stream these shows easily in countries like Canada and the US, Acorn.TV does it for you. Apart from the HD quality, you also get lots of bonus features, weekly releases and new trailers of upcoming seasons and shows.

Acorn.TV is a must for British ex-pats living in other parts of the world even though it's available in the USA and Canada (but you can unblock Acorn TV easily). However, the collection of shows is rather limited as it turns out. But with a rather low price tag, you can easily add it to the range of TV shows that you watch on Netflix. Two standout features of Acorn.TV would be its totally ad-free nature and its multi-device compatibility. That is right. The platform is brought you on Amazon Fire, Smart TVs, and iOS. Thanks to this, Acorn.TV is one of the best Netflix alternatives.

7. Stan

To be honest, Netflix is widely considered to be the best streaming service in Australia. However, Stan is right out there, ready to make a run for the spot. Toward its aim of creating a unique experience for users, the company has struck a deal with a number of content providers. That allows it to offer a lot of exclusives to subscribers. This includes shows like Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. And before you know it, Stan is also making their own original content. That will put it straight in contention with premium contenders like Netflix.

Since Australian viewers are willing to pay the extra buck, Stan’s subscription cost of $10.00 is being widely accepted as a mid-level bang. There is a decent variety on the card as you get to view shows from a number of providers including some produced by Amazon. Now, these are the kind of shows that will never make their way to the Netflix catalog. So out of the blue, Stan gives you something that Netflix cannot. And also, you can unblock Stan easily since it's restricted to Australia right now.

8. Fandor

If you are a fan of foreign movies, Fandor gets you all the assurance you will need. This service also works for those looking for best Netflix alternatives in terms of indie movie releases. You can start with indie flicks like Blind and Insomnia. Then, there are some splendid documentaries like 5 Broken Cameras and Propaganda to catch your fancy. At the end of it, there are a few quirky classics like Dark Star and Ichi the Killer. Furthermore, the collection on Fandor is typically unique content that you will not find on other streaming platforms.

The subscription cost for Fandor is also quite darn cheap. If you manage to unblock Fandor and watch it from outside the USA, you can get started by paying only $10.00 per month. The great thing is that half of what you have paid will go straight to the owner of the indie or foreign movie. So you can always be sure that you have supported the right cause as well. We think the recommendation engine of Fandor is thoroughly underrated and deserves appreciation. It tends to smartly adapt to your viewing habits. Special thumbs up for that!

9. Sony Crackle

Crackle is a free online streaming service brought to you by Sony and currently available in 20+ countries (but you can unblock Crackle from anywhere in the world). While the service in itself is a free one, you will have to watch a few advertisements. Crackle could be your best bet if you are trying to cut costs but still want to enjoy some great free content. While there is no guarantee that what you are looking for will be there, a lot of content is already there. The list includes Van Wilder, National Lampoon’s, Seinfeld, District 9 and House of Flying Daggers.  

As you can see, Crackle gives you a lot of free content that is also well-organized. So it can be a perfect replacement if you are already using a service. Things like Startup, Spy Game and Inception are good enough to get you started with one of the best Netflix alternatives – at least in terms of free-of-charge services.

10. Fandango NOW

Fandango NOW is a fresh entrant to the online streaming scene but can already be considered as one of the best Netflix alternatives. It promises to be the one place where you can get all your content. Since this streaming service is still new, there isn’t a great selection that you will see right now. But the site is definitely growing quickly, adding new content almost every week. It’s worth having a look if it’s available in your region.

This service seems to be packed with all the ingredients that will help it become a prime video streaming contender in the future. The biggest advantage of the service is the site itself. It is organized pretty well and offers some relevant recommendations. And it finds you a lot of things that you may not have found with a general search on the web. It functions more like iTunes where you can buy movies and shows that you like.

Final Thoughts

What do you think about our list of the best Netflix alternatives? Have you tried any of these? Feel free to share your thoughts using the comments section below.

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