Which Streamers Are Worth Your Money?

Spring often brings the urge to declutter and your list of streaming subscriptions could be a good place to start. With so many platforms rotating content and releasing new originals at different points in the year, there are plenty of opportunities to pause what you aren’t using and try something new. This not only saves money, but content overload too.

Instead of paying to be overwhelmed with choice, here’s a breakdown of major streaming services and their upcoming releases to help you decide which subscriptions to keep, pause or replace.

Netflix

From £5.99/month Keep: If you’re a die hard Netflix fan, you’ll want to stay loyal for now, as many of the platform’s popular series are returning this spring, including One Piece season 2, XO, Kitty season 3 and Bridgerton season 4, which dropped earlier this year. March originals include new Peaky Blinders movie, The Immortal Man and offbeat comedy Vladimir, starring Rachel Weisz and One Day heartthrob, Leo Woodhall. Meanwhile, animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 will premiere exclusively on the platform in late April.

K-Pop fans will also want to hold on to their subscriptions, as BTS will return for their first performance in three years, streaming live and exclusively on Netflix on 21 March. An accompanying documentary is set to follow less than a week after the live performance on 27 March.

Disney+

From £5.99/month Keep: If you’ve been charmed by the on-screen chemistry between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in FX’s Love Story, or gripped by the drama of Paradise season two, you’ll want to stay put for the remaining episodes, dropping weekly in the UK until the end of March. Season two of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again will also hit the platform at the end of the month, while those using the service for a dose of nostalgia won’t want to miss the exclusive premiere of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on 26 March.

Just arrived on the streaming service, only three months after its cinema run, Zootopia 2 is now available on Disney+, meaning that for less than the cost of a single digital rental, you can keep the whole family entertained over the Easter holidays with the platform’s entire catalogue.

HBO Max

From £4.99/month HBO Max is set to launch in the UK and Ireland on 26 March, and it could be a worthy replacement for some of your existing subscriptions. Previously available in the UK through Now TV, HBO programming will now live on HBO Max, which will also bring together content from Warner Bros, DC Studios and Max originals.

The service will host popular titles such as The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Euphoria (including its highly anticipated third season arriving in April) alongside beloved boxsets such as Friends, The Sopranos and the entire Harry Potter film franchise. New original content will also debut on the platform, including the upcoming Steve Carell comedy Rooster and medical drama The Pitt.

Prime Video

From £7.99/month Pause: Prime Video’s spring menu mainly mixes crime drama and superhero content, including the likes of Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock and original crime-thriller adaptation Scarpetta (both streaming now) which stars Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis. Meanwhile, hit superhero series The Boys will be returning for its fifth season at the start of April. If these genres aren’t your thing, perhaps press pause for now.

Apple TV+

£9.99/month Pause: Apple TV+’s upcoming originals include psychological thriller Imperfect Women and two new comedy dramas: Margo’s Got Money Troubles (starring Elle Fanning as the daughter of a former Hooters waitress) and Outcome (following Keanu Reeves as a beloved Hollywood star). If you’re not in a rush to watch these, keep them on your list and pause your subscription until Ted Lasso returns in the summer.

ITV X, BBC iPlayer

Free with ads/ UK TV license Many of the UK’s broadcasters, such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX, are regularly updated with free new content, including original programming and a range of popular blockbusters. ITVX also has its own ‘US’ library, home to popular boxsets from Gilmore Girls and Charmed to Jane The Virgin. Viewers who don’t mind adverts can also access a free ‘Taste of Disney+’ in collaboration with the streaming service, featuring a rotating selection of titles including The Bear, Desperate Housewives and She-Hulk.