Netflix vs Hulu vs Amazon Prime - Which is right for you?

Over the past few years, the instant streaming market has been gaining popularity while video stores have almost all but closed up shop. After all, why would you drive down to a video store if you can simply sit on your sofa and pull up whatever movie or television show you want? While there are dozens of companies hopping on the instant streaming bandwagon, these three services offer the best value and content for the money.

Netflix

The company that started it all. For that reason, they have the biggest selection when it comes to movies. Their instant streaming service is only 8 bucks a month and provides you with unlimited access to a wide array of movies and television shows on a variety of devices. Plus, Netflix offers an additional service that allows you to get a much wider selection of DVD rentals by mail, including new releases.

Many users note the ease of use and are happy with the personalized recommendations based on previously watched movies. If you have kids, Netflix offers a great interface where your kids can search simply by the characters they like.

Netflix’s biggest downfall is offering very few current movies in the instant streaming service, and no current television shows.

Hulu and Hulu Plus

Hulu came on the scene in a big way when they scored contracts with some of the biggest television networks. They air current television episodes as soon as 24 hours after they air. They do have a pretty decent movie selection as well, however, if you want a bigger selection and more options to view the videos on any device besides your computer, you will need to subscribe for 8 dollars a month.

Unfortunately, even if you pay for the service, some of Hulu’s programs do show commercials, which is a major downfall.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is slowly making its way to the top spot in the streaming world. When it first came out, their content supply was extremely limited. However, just last week they secured a huge deal with a major content distributor, putting Amazon Prime on track to compete with Netflix for offering the most content. The biggest perk to Amazon Prime is that their membership also includes free two-day shipping on tens of thousands of items on their website. Plus, at only $80 per year, it is the cheapest of the paid options. They also offer instant rentals of many new releases at an additional fee, which is a nice option to have.

Conclusion

In order to decide which option is the best for you, you need to decide what your priorities are. Do you want the biggest movie selection (for now)? Netflix is your best bet. Are you a TV show junkie? Hulu is definitely your venue. But the combination of shopping perks and streaming TV puts Amazon Prime at the top of my list.