With the advancement in Technology, the OTT Live streaming during the pandemic has changed the dynamics of entertainment & showbiz industry. Gone are those days when television was the only source to watch your favourite shows. With easy access to internet-based devices, the growing popularity and increasing use of OTT platforms allows delivery of videos directly to the customer without linking with any third-party platform are proving the arrival of a new age that is quite fast, easily accessible, contributing towards a massive change in the entertainment sector.
Although, the market is flooded with multiple online video platform providers, few of them top the list for their niche services and wide range of offers in OTT delivery with a focus on both OTT streaming and Video-On-Demand.
Netflix – Stream Unlimited Movies, TV shows & more
Netflix opened the gates of opportunities for the “Over the Top” (OTT) media by offering the option to stream movies & TV shows through the internet. Undoubtedly, there is always something new to discover at Netflix with new TV shows and movies added every week. Touted as one of the leading OTT providers holding 35% of the global OTT streaming share, the platform holds a massive library of original and On-Demand video content on a large number of OTT devices.
Ways to watch: Stream unlimited movies and TV shows anywhere & anytime on:
- Smart TVs
- Play Station
- Apple TV
- Xbox
- Chromecast & more
| Pros: | Cons: |
| 1. High Video quality 2. Includes exclusive anime shows 3. Massive On-demand library & original content 4. Multi-lingual content 5. Download your shows to watch offline | 1. The platform doesn’t offer Free Trial 2. Pricey Subscriptions 3. No access to Live TV |
Although, the Netflix subscription plans vary from country to country, with the basic subscription starting from $8.99/m in USA, it shines globally due to the high-quality content, especially its originals.
Peacock TV
Peacock is another name which requires mention among the US based live-streaming channels in 2022 offering video on demand in the same vein as Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. With a major advantage of gaining 13,000 hours of content available on free tier, all US users need to do, is to create an account by signing up via an email account & enjoy streaming. Fans of NBC produced films & series are going to love this platform as it offers a vast range of films, series and NBC originals.
Expect to view Peacock content on supported Devices such as:
- Apple TV
- iPhone
- iPad
- Chromecast
- Xbox One S & more
| Pros : | Cons : |
| 1. Affordable premium plans 2. Excellent selection of Free content 3. Streams sports & Live content | 1. No offline downloads 2. Doesn’t support 4K streaming yet |
Giving subscribers different pricing plans according to their preferences, if you are looking to unlock more content without ads, then you can upgrade to the premium plan at an extra cost of $10. Spreading its wings worldwide, Peacock is now also available to SKY & NOW subscribers in UK, Austria, Germany, Ireland & Italy.
Hulu
Get endless entertainment at this video streaming platform currently holding a very prominent place in the market covering 11% of the market share globally. Hulu stands out by the wide assortment of content it offers. From some most-loved original content like Castle Rock, An American Saga and many more to streaming full seasons of exclusive series subscribers even get access to comedy shows, blockbuster movies, documentaries & more.
The Devices listed below will allow access to all the content that you subscribe.
- Android Phones & tablets
- Chromecast
- Echo show
- Apple TV (4th Gen or later)
- iPhones & iPads
- VIZIO smartcast TV & more
| Pros : | Cons : |
| 1. Free trial available 2. Third-highest OTT service in US 3. Excellent bundle with Disney+ & ESPN+ 4. Live Package 5. Switch plans or cancel anytime | 1. Offline downloads accessible only on higher subscription plans 2. Extra charges on Ad free streaming |
Hulu stands out from Netflix in the sense that, if you wish to have early access to the content which is going to be on air, then this platform is something that you need. That’s not all, Hulu also offers Student discount for just $1.99/m with the ads-supported plan.
HBO Max
This OTT video service provider streams content from Warner media offering more than 2500 popular shows and Warner exclusives. Although, it doesn’t support Live TV, yet HBO Max has got you covered in watching all the newest movies, in fact even the ones that are still running in theatres at no additional cost. Giving HD delivery of content, HBO Max platform supports 4K streaming as well.
Digital media Players supporting HBO Max
- Roku TV
- Amazon Fire stick
- Chromecast
- Apple TV
| Pros : | Cons : |
| 1. Premiering new films without extra charges 2. Great collection of original & popular shows 3. treaming shows in Languages: Spanish, Polish, Danish, Portuguese | 1. Extra cost for ads free content 2. No Live TV 3. Limited sports content |
The streaming service is available in 39 Latin American & Caribbean territories and still going strong to expand in other countries as well.
Disney+
This Over-the-Top streaming service is a favourite choice for many due to its memorable cartoons worldwide, offering more than 7,500 pieces of video content produced by Marvel, Disney, Pixar besides other renowned brands. From new releases to old classics, and exclusive originals the platform hosts a wide variety of animated & family feature films alluring more than 116 million subscribers globally.
| Pros : | Cons : |
| 1. Accessible on multiple devices 2. Discover excellent bundle with other streaming services 3. Offering its share of 100+ shows in 4K HD 4. Language support & subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Dutch | 1. Lacks free trial 2. Not available in smaller countries 3. No Live TV 4. Shortfall of drama & Thrillers |
Subscription starts from $6.99/m and $79.99/ per year for ads-free online streaming.
OTT is here to stay & with the rapid pace with which it is evolving, the expansion of its wave is guaranteed to skyrocket in a phenomenal way, and it is indeed the ideal time to be part of it, where you could truly find something that can help you make the most of your video content.
