Compare the best TV and Film Streaming Services

Streaming services and prices at a glance

Free UK streaming services

You don't have to pay for a monthly or yearly membership to watch TV. There are a few streaming services available from major broadcasters that don't require any subscription - you'll just need to create a free account:

• BBC iPlayer
• ITVX (the non-premium version comes with ads)
• Channel 4 (comes with ads)
• Channel 5 (comes with ads)

With these services, you can watch live and on-demand TV on any smart TV or streaming device, as well as on your mobile or tablet via Android and iPhone/iPad apps.

Do bear in mind, though, that you'll need to pay for a yearly TV licence to watch shows on BBC iPlayer. Our guide Do I need a TV licence? has more information.

Which streaming services can I get bundled with broadband?

With streaming services being the most common way to enjoy entertainment at home and on the go, many broadband providers now offer the likes of Netflix and Prime Video as add-ons to their Pay-TV services, or as standalone subscriptions that can be bundled with broadband.

Sky Store

Whether it’s sports, cinema or original shows, Sky TV has the widest choice of channels on the market. If you’re a Sky broadband customer, it’s easy to bundle your broadband with TV – and you can throw in a Netflix subscription while you’re at it, too.

If you don’t have Sky broadband but want to get Sky channels, there are ways to do that. NOW Broadband, TalkTalk broadband and BT broadband customers can add a NOW TV membership, which gets you access to certain Sky channels including all Sky Sports channels (depending on your membership).

And a few of Virgin Media’s top bundles come with Sky Sports included.

NOW TV

NOW TV memberships are pretty handy. For example, its Entertainment Membership includes plenty of live and on-demand Sky channels, while the Sports Membership gives you all 11 Sky Sports channels.

It’s a more flexible and cheaper way of getting Sky streaming services, without having to sign up for a long contract.

You can bundle it with NOW Broadband, which can often help you score discounts on your NOW TV membership. There’s also the option to get NOW TV through your BT TV box, too. Otherwise, you can buy NOW TV memberships as a standalone service.

Apple TV+

Apple’s own streaming service, Apple TV+ is home to exclusive Apple Originals, such as Ted Lasso and Severance. And there are a few ways to get it bundled with your broadband.

Vodafone has a Vodafone Xtra deal, which gets you an Apple TV 4K and free three-month Apple TV+ subscription along with your broadband.

Similarly, if you have EE TV and broadband, you can add Apple TV 4K and get three months of free Apple TV+.

Like other streaming services such as Netflix, you can also buy Apple TV+ as a standalone service.

BT TV

BT is one of the best options for live sports, thanks to its TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) channels. So you’ll be pleased to know that you can bundle it with your BT broadband package.

If you have EE TV and broadband, you can add TNT Sports to your plan.

With Sky, you can add TNT Sports to your plan – either directly from BT, or through your Sky+/Sky Q box.

And some of Virgin Media’s top bundles come with both TNT Sports and Sky Sports in one neat package.

Are there streaming services that include everything?  

Currently, there isn't a single streaming service that provides absolutely everything there is to watch.

If you're interested in both live sports and the latest TV shows, you'll have to subscribe to separate services - for instance, getting TNT Sports in addition to a Netflix or Amazon Prime Video subscription, or signing up to multiple NOW TV services. 

The good thing is that with smart TVs and set-top boxes, you can access all your subscriptions and apps in one place. But it can be inconvenient keeping track of different subscriptions and payments.

So, if you're looking for a one-stop shop for all your entertainment needs, your best bet is to get a comprehensive TV plan from the likes of Virgin Media or Sky.

With these providers, you can bundle your broadband with TV and customise your TV package to include all the channels and services you want.

What's more, you'll only have one bill to deal with.

What internet speed do I need to stream TV?

It partly depends on the image quality you need. Live 4K broadcasts require a faster connection than watching catch-up content in standard definition, for instance. But you may be surprised to find out that you don’t actually need top speeds to stream TV.

For example, Netflix recommends a speed of just 1Mbps to watch content in standard definition. But you’ll need a faster connection for better image quality: at least 5Mbps for 1080p high-definition, and 15Mbps for 4K/Ultra HD.

Other streaming services, like Amazon Prime, recommend a minimum of 25Mbps to watch content in ultra-high definition (UHD, 4K or 2190p).

If your internet speed isn’t fast enough, you may have to deal with buffering, lag and poor video quality. And if you live in a household where people are streaming video on multiple devices, you’ll need a better connection to handle this.

In general, fibre optic broadband with speeds of at least 36Mbps or 59Mbps should be more than enough to comfortably stream 4K/Ultra HD video. What’s more, these speeds are widely available across the country.

If you can get it in your area, you could even consider ultrafast or gigabit broadband. With speeds up to and over 1000Mbps, it’ll ensure the best possible connection for streaming UHD video across all your devices.

Not sure what your speed is? Use our handy internet speed checker.

How much data do I need for streaming TV?

Like internet speed, how much data you need for streaming TV depends on the video quality. 4K Ultra HD will use up more GB of data than watching in standard definition.

To give an example, streaming Netflix uses up about 1GB per hour for standard definition video, 3GB for HD video and up to 7GB for an hour of 4K Ultra HD video.

Many streaming platforms, like Netflix and YouTube, have the option to adjust the video quality. So you can pick the lowest quality and save on your data usage.

The good news is that if you’re watching over a fixed-line home broadband connection, you’ll almost certainly have an unlimited usage allowance.

But if you’re often using your phone to stream TV on the go, it’s well worth considering unlimited data SIMs. This way, you can stream the highest quality video for hours on end, without worrying about having to pay extra for going over your data allowance.

What are the most popular streaming sites?

According to Finder.com, these are the top five most popular streaming services in the UK: