NEARLY half of all homes in the UK now subscribe to streaming services, with 13.3million households signed up to the four most popular platforms in 2019.

That's up from from 11.2million (39 per cent) in 2018 for Amazon Prime Video, Disney Life, Netflix, and Now TV, according to the latest figures from telecoms regulator Ofcom.

But with the BBC now threatening to scrap the TV Licence and replace it with a subscription service, we look at what platforms are already out there – and how much they cost.

Of course, it's worth pointing out that we've just looked at subscription services with monthly rolling contracts – meaning you can sign up at any point and then cancel penalty-free at any time.

Just ensure you've got compatible device for the streaming service before signing up.

The likes of BT, Sky, and Virgin Media also all offer their own TV subscriptions and packages, although you're usually locked into these for between 12 months to two years.

Here's what you need to know.

Amazon Prime Video

Free trial: 30-days
Price: £7.99 a month or £3.99 a month for students
Number of programmes: Thousands of movies and TV shows

Amazon Prime Video includes a number of original dramas including the likes of Carnival Row, Good Omens, and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel.

It also hosts popular television shows such as Call The Midwife.

But what sets it apart from its rivals is that it also covers live sports, such as tennis' ATP Tour and US Open, as well as certain Premier League football matches.

The added perk is that signing up to Prime Video also gets you free same-day delivery on Amazon, 2million songs on Prime Music, plus more.

DisneyLife

Free trial: Seven days
Price: £4.99 a month
Number of programmes: 450+ classic and newer movies and 5,000+ Disney TV episodes

DisneyLife is a dedicated service just for Disney films and TV programmes.

Movies include Frozen, Finding Nemo, and The Lion King.

Other perks include 7,500 Disney music tracks and 10 per cent off at the Disney Store.

But from March 24, DisneyLife is becoming new streaming service Disney+, which will cost a pricier £5.99 a month or £59.99 a year (the equivalent of £4.99 a month).

This new service is where Disney will show new releases first, as well as produce new content.

Netflix

Free trial: No free trials at present
Price: £5.99 a month, £8.99 a month, or £11.99 a month
Number of programmes: Netflix doesn't disclose how wide its range is but it includes original dramas and films

Netflix charges different monthly prices depending on the video quality you opt for and the number of screens you want to use the service on.

It upped prices in 2019 and now you pay £5.99 a month for one screen, £8.99 a month for two screens, and £11.99 a month for up to four screens.

The service is popular for fans of original dramas, which includes Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, Ricky Gervais' After Life, and Stranger Things.

Now TV

Free trial: Seven days
Price: £8.99 or £11.99
Number of programmes: 300 box sets and 1,000 movies

Now TV is slightly different from other streaming services in that it offers different monthly "Passes" depending on what you want to watch.

Its Entertainment Pass, for example, is £8.99 a month – after rising by £1 in October 2019 – and this is the one you need for box sets.

With this, you can watch Sky Original dramas including Cobra and Riviera.

If you want access to films, you need a Sky Cinema Pass on top which is £11.99 a month.

But you can currently get both Now TV's Sky Cinema Pass and Entertainment Pass for £4.99 for the first month only.

Now TV also has a Kids Pass for £3.99, a Sky Sports Pass for £5.99, and a Hayu pass for £3.99.

Hayu is an American streaming service with popular reality shows including Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

Source: Read Full Article