Which streaming platforms are the most valuable during lockdown

By Aidan Janssen, Reporter & Designer

        Streaming has taken over the visual media market. Millions of people have been using streaming platforms to gain access to thousands of hours of entertainment right at their fingertips, and uncertainty during the COVID-19 lockdown has meant that many still need a convenient way to pass the time. However, right now not everyone can afford every platform on the market; some might only be able to afford one or two. The remainder of the article will be dedicated to revealing the value of various streaming platforms, and which ones I believe have proven to me that they have plenty of value for the money.

Graphic by Aidan Janssen

Netflix - $12.99 per Month
       Netflix has been around for a while and is widely considered to be the king of streaming- and for good reason. Netflix has acquired a massive number of TV shows and movies over the years, and anyone can watch them for a fairly reasonable price at $12.99 per month. The streaming giant also has many exclusives. While Netflix is a very solid package, I feel that it falters a little bit from a lack of consistency. With such a large archive, there are bound to be a lot of less-than-stellar titles. This includes the exclusives, the vast majority of which are not super impressive. Some are exceptional however, such as the highly regarded “Stranger Things” and “The Witcher” series.

Prime Video - $8.99 per month / Comes with Amazon Prime
       Amazon Prime Video is a very solid choice with plenty of features. The streaming service included with an Amazon Prime subscription offers a large variety of titles and exclusives. The service also includes a feature called X-Ray, which shows actors, facts, and other film information upon the pausing of most titles. And while there might not be as many highs as Netflix, there are a lot fewer lows, many of which are actually worth your time (such as “Human”s and “The Expanse”).

Hulu - starts at $5.99 per month
       Hulu has been silently picking up steam over the past few years, and now is a pretty sweet deal. Hulu offers three different packages: a $5.99 version that has access to most titles but has ads, an $11.99 version without ads, and has access to all movies and shows. For a $59.99 monthly subscription, you get access to Premium Hulu and over 50 channels of live TV. The $5.99 version is also bundled alongside Spotify Premium. Hulu also has its own original exclusive titles, though not as many as other services, and very few that are notable. Due to the pricing options for the service, Hulu makes a compelling case as a secondary streaming platform.