Many streaming services, like Prime Video and Hulu, have been around since the early 2010’s.  However, the amount of streaming services have recently skyrocketed and have changed the course of our media consumption. These services allow for quick access and control over what you want to watch and where. However, relying on these platforms for everything you watch can quickly lead to disappointment, much like what viewers are currently experiencing with Netflix.

A poll was released to high school students that asked the question “What is your favorite streaming service?” Though Netflix won the poll with 50.6% out of 167 responses, I truly believe that there are stronger streaming services.

Netflix is the world’s most popular streaming service, with over 200 million subscribers every year. Netflix is the first platform you think of when someone mentions a streaming service, which is why I think most of the responses chose Netflix as an option. 

Recently, it has been announced that Netflix will be increasing their annual prices to $20 a month for a premium subscription. Last year, the average price for a premium subscription was $14 a month. A $6 increase for a streaming service is alarming considering that most streaming services cost roughly between $7-10 per month. This obviously caused a massive uproar from those who pay for the subscription. 

I am not the only one who has this opinion. Many people on social media like TikTok and Instagram have expressed having poor experiences with Netflix. Not only because of the monthly cost increase, but also because of their new password lock regulation, where if you are in separate households, you cannot use the same account. This will cause many issues for households across the world that have shared Netflix profiles. 

Netflix has also recently received much backlash for removing or canceling what viewers see as their best shows. This started in 2020, when Netflix announced that they would not be continuing a Netflix Original with much approval called The Society. This made fans of the show furious and many people started canceling their subscriptions. However, that did not stop Netflix from continuing this pattern of dropping some of their best shows and then canceling it after the first season. This never seems to be an issue for other streaming services, which brings another factor of Netflix’s downfall to the table. 

Personally, my favorite streaming services are HBO Max and Peacock. I feel they have the most variety of content, as well as their prices being more reasonable than Netflix. HBO Max and Peacock offer a wide variety of original pieces as well as many iconic movies and shows that are a staple for streaming services. Peacock’s monthly price is $1.99 a month with ads which is an incredible price for the wide variety of shows and movies that they provide, which is why I like Peacock better than Netflix. 

When it comes to streaming services, many people resort to Netflix because it is the most popular, but if you want high quality television with reasonable prices, I would recommend purchasing other subscriptions that are more worth your money like HBO Max, Hulu, or Peacock.