Subscription services like Netflix, Hulu or Apple Peacock make great presents that last beyond Christmas Day. Each platform offers access to thousands of movies and TV shows that they have available.
Hulu offers an expansive library of older sitcoms, making it the perfect option for anyone wanting to rewatch them. Furthermore, it features NBC shows the day after they air and an impressive portfolio of original content.
1. Netflix
Netflix provides entertainment across a range of devices – TV, smartphone, tablet and gaming console alike. Their impressive library boasts original shows like Stranger Things and Orange Is the New Black as well as Oscar contenders.
Plus, the brand collects extensive user data and puts it to good use. While certain shows have been cut from its library, new content continues to be added regularly; more affordable options such as Peacock and Max offer familiar network TV shows as well as live sports – making an ideal present for anyone who enjoys binge watching!
2. Hulu
Hulu provides viewers of all demographics access to an expansive library of shows and movies. They offer both an on-demand subscription as well as live TV options.
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This streaming platform is widely praised for offering ad-free viewing as well as offering original content, such as Margaret Atwood’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale or Wu-Tang: An American Saga – to name just two examples of such titles.
3. Amazon Prime
Disney+, the newest streaming platform to hit the market, exceeded subscriber projections in its initial months and offered both nostalgic classics and brand new favorites to subscribers. Available on many smart TVs and mobile devices, this is an ideal option for children of all ages.
Hulu offers family-oriented content similar to other competitors, featuring Freevee and Amazon originals as well as popular shows like Animaniacs from Nickelodeon and Dreamworks aimed at young viewers. However, its selection may be less expansive compared to competitors; Peacock offers more mature titles from NBCUniversal studios.
4. HBO
Newer streaming services such as NBC’s Peacock and HBO Max have quickly cemented themselves into the market this year. Peacock offers originals, sitcom favorites and live sports (including Premier League soccer ) while HBO Max brings an extensive library of WarnerMedia titles to bear.
These services both offer gift options for subscribers, such as prepaid cards that can be applied towards new and existing memberships. Apple TV Plus recently unveiled ad-free CBS shows and a live TV plan; though no dedicated gift card exists for Apple TV Plus you can still buy an Apple gift card and give it as a present to someone special.
5. HBO Now
HBO Max differs from some other services on this list in that it does not provide gift cards to subscriber, however users can purchase physical and digital gift cards for other streaming platforms that feature HBO content.
HBO introduced HBO Now this spring as an independent service to compete with Netflix and Hulu for cable subscribers. The service boasts an expansive catalog of HBO original movies and shows such as Game of Thrones; as well as many WarnerMedia shows and films. Users can access it across devices.
6. Sling TV
Sling TV stands out from other streaming services by offering physical gift cards and pre-paid subscriptions through resellers, plus offering new subscribers a limited-time free trial and discounts on add-on channels.
The service’s channel lineup includes reality programs (Love Island and MasterChef), comedies (Broad City, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Scrubs) and dramas (The Orville and Killing Eve). Unfortunately, FX, HGTV Food Network TruTV NASA channels are absent.
Sling TV can be enjoyed on various devices, such as smart TVs and media streaming boxes. Furthermore, its Watch & Win rewards program gives users the chance to win months of free membership!
7. Showtime
Showtime boasts an extensive library of original television programs, as well as movies spanning genres ranging from thrillers and documentaries to documentaries like Django Unchained and Ex Machina.
Hulu offers reality TV enthusiasts many viewing options, from a live TV tier and daily prime-time NBC shows, to original series such as The Bear, Reservation Dogs and Only Murders in the Building. Plus, they offer both digital and physical gift cards at retailers like Best Buy and Target!
8. Shudder
Shudder offers hardcore horror fans hours of spine-chilling programming. Its library is filled with original horror films that go beyond gory slashers and jump-scare blockbusters to explore how directors subvert genre tropes and create truly innovative works of horror cinema.
Shudder offers innovative horrors like Zoom (an unsettling seance gone wrong) and The Dead Thing, a terrifying dating drama set against an urban landscape. Available as either standalone streaming service or add-on channel to Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.
Streaming enthusiasts can try Shudder risk-free for seven days.
9. Sony Crackle
Crackle has quickly become one of the go-to streaming services among movie and TV enthusiasts, providing access to a vast collection of films and shows that appeal to multiple demographics.
Peacock from NBC is another rising streaming platform, boasting an impressive catalog of originals and sitcom favorites as well as next-day episodes from ABC and Fox series like Abbott Elementary or 9-1-1 without cutting the cord – it makes for an excellent gift idea!
10. Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the premier streaming service for anime enthusiasts, offering an expansive library and same-day simulcasts of Japanese titles. Additionally, premium subscribers enjoy an ad-free experience and mobile downloads.
Fan and Mega Fan subscription tiers each provide users with various features, such as offline viewing and multiple streams on different devices simultaneously. Furthermore, Fan users gain access to a Crunchyroll Game Vault as well as store discounts.
Don’t disappoint the anime enthusiast in your life–give them the gift of premium subscription! Choose a 1-, 3- or 12-month plan and they will thank you when they can follow assassins in Hell’s Paradise; pirate battles in One Piece; or death tournaments in Fate!