Back in the early 2000s, Blockbuster was booming, and Netflix was just kicking off. When the streaming giant hit 1 million subscribers—Blockbuster was still the king of home entertainment. But we all know what happened from there.
Just a few years later, Blockbuster sent out its last rental tape, and Netflix took center stage. These days, however, there’s another shift in the streaming industry. Netflix is just one of several streaming services available, and the number of streaming platforms is growing by the day—as are the number of bundle deals they offer.
So, how do you find the best one to fit your budget and needs?
Well, we’ve got your back and compared them so you don’t have to. We checked out some of the best streaming services bundles and put them head to head to see what they offer.
What features should streaming services have?
With the sheer amount of streaming services on the market today, you have to wonder what to keep an eye on. Besides price and the on-demand content vault, here are 3 key features that we personally can’t live without.
#1 - Simultaneous streams
If you have a big household or just want to share your account with friends, you better take note of a streamer’s simultaneous stream feature. Thanks to simultaneous streams, you can share your account across different devices and watch separate content concurrently.
Usually, 3 simultaneous streams are the minimum you should consider. It's the industry standard and lets most families enjoy content without getting in each other’s way. But, some streamers have more robust features.
The more generous platforms might include a 10-device simultaneous stream limit. It might seem a bit overkill, but who knows? It’s a nice feature to have in your back pocket. Especially if your extended family is in town.
#2 - Device compatibility
Besides price, device compatibility should probably be your primary concern. After all, subscribing to a service you can’t watch from your phone or tablet means you’re just throwing money in the trash. Screen whether your home devices have app support when considering a streaming platform. Most streaming services say which devices work with their supported apps.
Otherwise, you could also check out your device’s app store to find the streaming app and check whether your device is listed under its compatibility list.
These days, most streamers have a wide range of support spanning from Android to iOS. But, device support usually stretches across all devices like:
- Smart devices
- Mobile devices
- Streaming devices
- Game consoles
Before you commit to a service, ensure your favorite devices are supported.
#3 - DVR and offline viewing
Do you know what’s the worst thing about online streaming? Losing access to a streaming platform when experiencing an internet outage. Or worse yet: losing access to your entertainment avenue on a long trip. DVR is another critical feature to consider. While not exactly a new development, DVR is a feature you should keep an eye out for.
You also want to make sure DVR and offline viewing are available if you do a lot of travelling. After all, we all hate buffering on airport wifi. These features let you save your favorite content to your local storage. That way, you won’t need the internet to use the service you paid for.
The industry standard DVR is usually around the 200-hour mark. But more feature-rich platforms get more robust DVR and some even offer you unlimited DVR. Always be sure to check out a platform’s DVR functionality before subscribing.
Which streaming platforms have great bundles?
Now that you know the crucial features to look for let’s check out which streaming platform gives the best bang for your buck. Then, to help you figure out which streaming platform best fits your needs, here’s our list of the best streaming bundles.
#1 Hulu + Live TV
Another huge problem with dedicated streaming platforms?
It's easy to get bored of all the similar content. Disney+ is great and all, but sometimes you want different flavors of entertainment. In the same vein, ESPN+ is a great platform for catching up on sports entertainment, but even the most hardcore sports fans will get tired if that’s everything they consume.
But with Hulu + Live TV, you get all that and more.
Hulu (with ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
$9.99/month
Hulu (no ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
- No ads
$18.99/month
Hulu Live TV only
- 90+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$81.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$82.99/month
Hulu Live TV (some ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$87.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$95.99/month
Eyeing Disney+? You get that free with Hulu + Live TV. How about ESPN+? Same deal. Between all the standard content that’s bundled with Hulu + Live TV, and the free subscriptions to Disney+ and ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV can be THE all-in-one entertainment bundle for you.
And working in parallel with the diverse content, comes the generous Hulu + Live TV simultaneous stream features. With its Unlimited Screens functionality, even a hundred people can enjoy Hulu + Live TV side-by-side.
Interested in bundling ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu but don’t feel like paying for live TV? For $14.99, you can bundle ESPN+ and Disney+ with Hulu’s on-demand content library.
Disney+ Basic
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- On demand content
- Stream on four screens
- HD and 4K video quality
$7.99/month
Disney Bundle Duo Basic
- Includes Disney+ and Hulu
- On demand content
- Stream on four screens
$9.99/month
Disney+ Premium
- No ads
- Stream on four screens
- HD and 4K video quality
- Offline viewing
$13.99/month
Disney Bundle Trio Basic
- Includes Disney+ Hulu and ESPN+
- On demand content
- Stream on four screens
$14.99/month
Disney Bundle Duo Premium
- Includes Disney+ and Hulu
- On demand content
- Stream on four screens
- Offline viewing
- No ads
$19.99/month
Disney Bundle Trio Premium
- Includes Disney+ Hulu and ESPN+
- No ads
- On demand content
- Stream on four screens
- Offline viewing
$24.99/month
And if this isn't enough to convince you about Hulu + Live TV or the Hulu bundle deal, you can read more about Hulu in our review.
#2 DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream is one of the more expensive internet TV services, but that doesn’t mean it can’t give you some bang for your buck.
With its most expensive plan, the Premier package, you get over 150+ channels, and you also get Max, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax free of charge with your subscription. And, when you factor in how much it would cost to subscribe to these premium networks individually, this package becomes a pretty sweet deal.
If you’re still not sold on the Premier package, for a limited time only you can get 3 free months of Max, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, and MGM+ with any other subscription tier. You can also include 3 free months of DirecTV Sports Pack too.
If you’re interested in learning more about DirecTV Stream, read our review.
DirecTV Stream Entertainment
Try 5 days free
- 75+ channels
- Stream on unlimited devices at home
- Unlimited DVR space
$84.99/month
DirecTV Stream Optimo Mas
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Three months of Max free
- Unlimited DVR space
$86.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice
Try 5 days free
- 105+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$114.99/month
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
Try 5 days free
- 140+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$129.99/month
DirecTV Stream Premier
- Unlimited DVR space
- 150+ channels
- Includes Max Cinemax SHOWTIME and STARZ
- Includes regional sports networks
$169.99/month
#3 Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is pretty special in that the subscription itself is offered as a bundle.
You can subscribe to Prime Video on its own, but for $6 more a month, you can subscribe to Amazon Prime, which includes Prime Video and free 2-day shipping on eligible products.
Prime Video
- On demand content
- Stream on three screens
$8.99/month
This isn’t the only deal offered from the streamer. You can also get a week long free trial of Max through Prime Video, something that’s not even offered on Max’s website!
You’ll also find other streamers you can subscribe to through Prime Video, including Starz, AMC+, and Paramount+—all of which also come with free trials. So it may be worthwhile to try them out to see how you like them.
You can check out our full Amazon Prime Video review here.
Having trouble picking a streaming bundle? There’s no wrong choice
With all the prime streaming platforms on the market today, choosing the right service for you can be like shopping for a new car. Finding the right particulars can take a lot of work and much of your time.
Fortunately, with any of these choices, you can’t go wrong. From Hulu + Live TV to DirecTV Stream, you won’t feel disappointed.
If you need more in-depth comparisons, you can check out other Flixed content like our Philo vs. Sling TV review.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
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