Which streaming service available in Ireland is the best? That can be difficult to determine and largely depends on which criteria you consider most important.
Naturally, value for money is at the forefront of everyone's mind. How much can I get for as little as possible? Meanwhile, other factors to consider are the amount of content available, the types of movies and shows you can watch and which platform has the best original content.
The best way to determine which streaming services are worthy of subscribing to, and which ones could probably be left out, is to look at these various categories and decide which fit the bill in terms of optimum TV and movie viewing.
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Which streaming service is the cheapest?
Netflix: Plans range from €8.99 to €20.99 a month.
The basic plan, which was €7.99, now costs €8.99. The standard plan which lets users view content on two screens at the same time is €14.99 per month.
Meanwhile the premium plan, which lets you stream TV shows and movies on four devices at the same time, costs €20.99.
Amazon Prime Video: Amazon Prime Video costs just €5.99 per month.
Disney+: Disney+ Ireland costs €89.90 a year or €8.99 a month, so it works out cheaper to pay upfront.
NowTV: NowTV has a range of different price packages available with each getting you a different experience. The Entertainment Membership costs €7.50 per month for the first four months but increases to €15 per month after that. The Cinema Membership costs the same.
NowTV also offers a Hayu Membership which costs €6 per month.
Apple TV+: Apple TV+ costs €4.99 per month
What can you watch on each streaming service?
Netflix
Netflix has one of the largest if not the largest catalogues of popular TV shows and movies.
In terms of original shows, the streaming service offers smash hits such as Stranger Things, Money Heist, Squid Game, Emily in Paris, Narcos and Better Call Saul, to name a few.
Netflix also houses a host of original blockbuster movies featuring huge Hollywood actors such as Bird Box, Don't Look Up, Uncut Gems, Marriage Story and more.
Plus, there are TV favourites such as Friends, The Vampire Diaries, The Big Bang Theory and Gilmore Girls.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is also home to some great original content. In terms of original and exclusive shows, there is the likes of The Wheel of Time, Nine Perfect Strangers and Modern Love.
Other hit TV shows available to stream on Amazon Prime Video include Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Charmed and House.
Amazon original movies include The Tomorrow War and Infinity, although it's the blockbuster movies that are the real draw here.
There is an abundance of family favourites such as Sing and The Croods available on the platform, as well as massive blockbuster flicks such as The Joker, The Hunger Games and The Devil Wears Prada.
Disney+
Naturally, Disney+ is home to all of the Disney flicks and TV shows as well as titles from Marvel, Star Wars and Natural Geographic.
Although it started off somewhat niche, the addition of Star to the platform has made the streaming service more appealing to Irish customers with shows such as The Walking Dead, Pam and Tommy, The Dropout and Dopesick available on the platform.
With the ever expanding universes of Marvel and Star Wars, Disney+ has become a must-have subscription for fans of these franchises, with many of the streaming service's original shows tying into the movies released in cinemas.
Other hit movies available to watch on Disney+ include The French Dispatch, The Kings Man, 500 Days of Summer and 27 Dresses.
Now
Now has its fair share of must-watch content that has boosted the appeal of the service, from shows like Euphoria to The Equalizer to Bel Air.
With its cinema package, a massive catalogue of flicks become available such as Lord of the Rings, Tenet, Wonder Woman, Indiana Jones and Terminator.
The Hayu membership available with Now is more for the super fans of reality TV with shows such as Queer Eye and Jerry Springer available.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ regularly releases some great original series and movies starring huge Hollywood names, but doesn't have many classic favourites or cinema releases.
Which one is the best?
Which streaming service available in Ireland you consider the best depends on your taste in TV and movies.
While Netflix has long dominated the streaming game, its days at the top aren't as certain as they once were with the likes of Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ constantly adding to their catalogues of content.
In terms of the amount of content available, it cannot be denied that Netflix reigns supreme with popular shows such as Stranger Things, Squid Game and Tiger King, shows that everyone seems to have watched.
In saying that, Disney+ becomes more and more appealing as time goes on, especially with hit shows such as Dopesick gaining traction. Priced the same as Netflix, it might be coming for the crown with the backing of huge blockbuster franchises.
Meanwhile Amazon Prime Video has released some highly reviewed shows lately such as Nine Perfect Strangers, and plays host to an array of familiar favourites from the last few decades.
NowTV does appeal to those who enjoy a blockbuster flick after it has come out in the cinema, but its range of original shows doesn't seem to hold as strong as its competitors yet.
Meanwhile AppleTV+ may be appealing for those who like discovering something new and niche, but doesn't offer much appeal in terms of popular titles.
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