I Ranked 7 Streaming Services In Canada & Netflix Isn’t Number 1

Crave

Cost: $9.99 + tax per month (Basic with Ads) or $14.99 + tax per month (Standard with Ads)

Description: With a mere 3.2 million subscribers, Crave is easily one of the best options on the market. The service first launched back in 2014 and has become a go-to for Canadians looking to watch American programs that aren't available on standard cable or other platforms. Uh, Anyone else obsess over The White Lotus, And Just Like That, Euphoria or The Last Of Us? Yeah, that's the HBO effect.

Crave is also home to loads of original content including Pillow Talk, Canada's Drag Race, Evolving Vegan, and Little Bird, to name a few. Additionally, the service is home to some of the biggest sitcoms you can re-watch whenever you'd like such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Gossip Girl. Toss in Crave's compatibility on all devices, a very easy-to-navigate interface and account sharing on up to four devices at the same time, they definitely take the cake. Not to mention the most basic plan will cost you no more than a fancy drink at Starbucks.

Rating: A+

Netflix

Cost: $5.99 + tax per month (Basic with Ads), $16.49 + tax per month (Standard), or $20.99 + tax per month (Premium)

Description: Netflix certainly had the potential to win this one. Not only does it have some of the best original films and TV shows (Squid Games, Stranger Things, Wednesday, Bird Box, Bridgerton…shall I go on?) but Netflix is also one of the most user-friendly services on the market with compatibility so good you could likely find a way to get it working on a Nokia 3310.

And its price points are pretty darn good. For practically $6 a month, you have access to Netflix's entire library, and all you have to deal with is a couple ads every half hour or so? No problem! So, what did it for Netflix to have ranked as second and not first? The sharing policy. In 2023, Netflix updated its policy on account sharing, insisting that a Netflix account is for use by one household and one household only. While you can totally share your account with another member outside of your household, it will then cost you an additional $7.99 a month (that's more than the basic plan...) Not cool, Netflix.

Rating: A

Amazon Prime Video

Cost: $79 a year (Quebec residents get a 13-month membership for the $79/year in lieu of a free trial)

Description: With availability in over 200 countries across the globe, Amazon's Prime Video is a massive hit, but isn't the best option in Canada, at least not when Netflix and Crave exist. The streaming service has over 24,000 movies and 2,100 TV shows and allows for offline viewing — making it the service with the second most extensive content library. As for originals, Prime Video is certainly catching up with the big dogs and has released some rather impressive titles such as Red, White And Royal Blue, The Wheel of Time and Horizon Line but still isn't there just yet.

Another tiny drawback is that the interface seems slightly dated, and finding the movies/TV shows tab isn't as easy when compared to other services. As for account sharing, Amazon lets you share Prime benefits, including Prime Video with up to six people. Toss in the roughly $ 7-a-month membership fee, and Prime is lowkey a great deal. Not to mention it can be accessed on all devices.

Rating: B+

Disney+

Cost: $11.99 + tax per month

Description: What started off as a streaming service for kids, has grown into one of the biggest platforms in Canada. Disney+ doesn't play around — offering over 600 movies and shows, many of which are exclusive to Disney+ and available in over 50 countries. The platform is extremely user-friendly, easy to navigate and can be accessed across every device. However, while its content library is vast, it's restricted to only a few established franchises.

While it checks off all the boxes, Disney+ really isn't all that great if you aren't, well…a Disney, Marvel or Star Wars fan. With a huge collection of successful TV shows and massive box office hits including The Mandalorian, Liki, Marvel Legends, Avatar, Encanto, Frozen and all the Princess-faves, Disney is a great option but is still limited in regards to other genres or styles of interest. Not to mention the $11.99 monthly fee isn't as low as other services Canadians have access to.

Rating: B

Apple TV+

Cost: $8.99 + tax per month

Description: Apple TV+ features a range of exclusive original content from Hollywood heavyweights like Spielberg, Oprah, and Reese Witherspoon and holiday classics from the Queen of Christmas herself Mariah Carey. Not to mention Apple TV provides HD and 4K streaming and you can share your account with up to six family members. However, the platform lacks an extensive back catalogue and may be used best on a sporadic basis rather than something you turn to on the daily.

In comparison with other services, Apple TV+ doesn't offer much. This service may be more of interest to those who upgrade their Apple devices more frequently since a complimentary year of Apple TV and Apple Music is included.

Rating: B-

Hayu

Cost: $5.99 + tax per month

Description: Hayu is a personal fave, mainly because it literally has every reality television worth watching. Housewives? Check! Kardashians? Check! Vanderpump Rules? Check! The Simple Life? Check! The list of reality programs available on Hayu goes on and on and on. So, if you live for the TV genre then this is the platform for you. Not to mention it is only $5.99 plus tax a month. I've paid more for a lot less, all say that much.

Despite its extensive catalogue of reality programming, low price point, ability to view offline, and same-day uploading, Hayu really isn't a great option for anything else. Not to mention its user experience can be slightly improved with a few modern touches and easy-to-browse categories.

Rating: C+

Tubi

Cost: Free

Description: Tubi TV offers a wide range of movie classics and a handful of originals, which isn't too shabby for a free service. However, that's about all that you'll get out of Tubi. The user interface can certainly be simplified and while you've got access to over 50,000 movies (the most of any service on this list), you won't find anything too recent or worth watching unless you come across one of those "oldie but a goodie" flicks — making it a rather lacklustre platform. But again, you aren't paying a dime.

Rating: D

Pluto TV

Cost: Free

Description: With 100s of TV channels and 1000s of movies to watch, Pluto TV is an option that may be of interest for background noise or as a sleep aid. With a difficult-to-navigate home page and outdated selections, the only thing all that great about Pluto is the fact that it is free.

Rating: D-