The weights and the per-service scores are published below. If you care more about price than catalogue, re-weight the rubric and you will get a different #1 — we show you where the math flips.
Smarter Ranking scored seven major on-demand streaming services against a published 100-point Service Score. Every price below was checked at the vendor’s own page in June 2026, and every score is built from criteria that sum to exactly 100. This is not a “what’s trending” list. It is a buyer’s tool: pick the service that wins under the weights that match how you actually watch.
Quick answer
Netflix scores 90.4/100 and takes first place. It leads the field on catalogue depth and on originals cadence, and its ad-supported tier at $7.99/month keeps its value score competitive despite premium tiers running to $24.99. If you mostly watch prestige drama and HBO-pedigree film, the runner-up — Max at 86.1 — is the smarter pick. If you want the lowest defensible cost-per-hour, skip to Peacock.
The ranking
| Rank | Service | Best for | Entry price (ad tier) | Service Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netflix | Broadest catalogue + originals | $7.99/mo | 90.4 |
| 2 | Max | Prestige drama & film | $10.99/mo | 86.1 |
| 3 | Disney+ | Family + Marvel/Star Wars | $9.99/mo | 84.0 |
| 4 | Amazon Prime Video | Bundled with Prime shipping | $8.99/mo (standalone) | 82.3 |
| 5 | Hulu | Next-day network TV | $9.99/mo | 80.6 |
| 6 | Peacock | NBC sports + library value | $10.99/mo | 78.2 |
| 7 | Paramount+ | CBS, Star Trek, Yellowstone-verse | $7.99/mo | 74.4 |
Prices verified at each vendor’s pricing page, June 2026.
Methodology
The full rubric. Weights sum to 100. Each service was scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted average is the Service Score.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 30 | Total title count, recency of additions, breadth across film/TV/genre. |
| Value for money | 25 | Content-per-dollar at the ad tier; price stability over the last 12 months. |
| App experience & reliability | 20 | Cross-device apps, 4K/HDR support, buffering/uptime, profile and download tools. |
| Originals & exclusives | 15 | Volume and critical reception of platform-exclusive series and films. |
| Reputation & retention | 10 | Subscriber retention signals and aggregate review standing. |
| Total | 100 |
We weighted catalogue heaviest because the dominant reason a subscription survives the monthly cull is “is there something to watch tonight.” Value sits at 25 because price hikes through 2025 made cost-per-hour the second real decision. We deliberately did not weight brand recognition or marketing spend — neither predicts whether you keep the app.
A reader who only cares about one thing should re-weight. Care only about price? Push value to 50 and Peacock and Paramount+ jump. Care only about prestige TV? Push originals to 40 and Max challenges for first.
Per-service profiles
1. Netflix — 90.4/100
The default for a reason. Netflix runs three tiers: ad-supported at $7.99/month, Standard at $17.99, and Premium at $24.99 with 4K and four streams. The catalogue is the broadest in the field and the originals pipeline (drama, film, unscripted, anime) is the most consistent month-to-month.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 95 | 30 | 28.5 |
| Value for money | 84 | 25 | 21.0 |
| App experience & reliability | 95 | 20 | 19.0 |
| Originals & exclusives | 93 | 15 | 14.0 |
| Reputation & retention | 79 | 10 | 7.9 |
| Total | 100 | 90.4 |
Trade-off: the top tier is the most expensive single-service price in this list. The ad tier protects the value score, but a household that wants 4K and no ads pays $24.99.
2. Max — 86.1/100
Max (the HBO-pedigree service) runs $10.99/month with ads and $18.49 ad-free. Its catalogue is smaller than Netflix’s but heavier on prestige drama and theatrical film. If your watchlist is mostly HBO-tier series and Warner film, Max delivers more per hour watched.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 82 | 30 | 24.6 |
| Value for money | 83 | 25 | 20.75 |
| App experience & reliability | 88 | 20 | 17.6 |
| Originals & exclusives | 92 | 15 | 13.8 |
| Reputation & retention | 94 | 10 | 9.4 |
| Total | 100 | 86.1 |
Trade-off: thinner unscripted and family libraries than the giants. Great for adults who watch drama; weaker as a household-wide single subscription.
3. Disney+ — 84.0/100
$9.99/month with ads. The Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney libraries are unmatched for families, and the service is folding standalone Hulu into the app through 2026, which deepens the catalogue materially.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 84 | 30 | 25.2 |
| Value for money | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| App experience & reliability | 86 | 20 | 17.2 |
| Originals & exclusives | 86 | 15 | 12.9 |
| Reputation & retention | 82 | 10 | 8.2 |
| Total | 100 | 84.0 |
Trade-off: lighter on adult/mature catalogue without the Hulu add-on. The bundle fixes that but at a higher price.
4. Amazon Prime Video — 82.3/100
$8.99/month standalone (ad-supported), or included with Amazon Prime at $14.99/month. Ad-free is a $3 add-on. The library is large but uneven, and the storefront mixes rentals into the catalogue, which hurts the experience score.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 86 | 30 | 25.8 |
| Value for money | 88 | 25 | 22.0 |
| App experience & reliability | 72 | 20 | 14.4 |
| Originals & exclusives | 80 | 15 | 12.0 |
| Reputation & retention | 81 | 10 | 8.1 |
| Total | 100 | 82.3 |
Trade-off: the best value if you already pay for Prime shipping; the navigation (paid vs. included content) is the worst of the seven.
5. Hulu — 80.6/100
$9.99/month with ads, $18.99 ad-free. Hulu’s edge is next-day broadcast TV — the deepest current-season network library in streaming. Its future is the merged Disney+ app, but as a standalone today it remains the network-TV value pick.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 83 | 30 | 24.9 |
| Value for money | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| App experience & reliability | 82 | 20 | 16.4 |
| Originals & exclusives | 78 | 15 | 11.7 |
| Reputation & retention | 76 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Total | 100 | 80.6 |
Trade-off: the standalone app’s long-term independence is uncertain given the Disney consolidation.
6. Peacock — 78.2/100
Premium with ads at $10.99/month ($109.99/year); Premium Plus at $16.99. NBCUniversal library plus live sports (Premier League, Olympics cycles) make it a value play, especially on the annual plan.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 78 | 30 | 23.4 |
| Value for money | 82 | 25 | 20.5 |
| App experience & reliability | 74 | 20 | 14.8 |
| Originals & exclusives | 74 | 15 | 11.1 |
| Reputation & retention | 84 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Total | 100 | 78.2 |
Trade-off: the app is the least polished here, and originals are thinner than the top four.
7. Paramount+ — 74.4/100
$7.99/month (Essential). Star Trek, the Yellowstone universe, CBS, and a sports tier (with the Showtime upgrade) anchor it. The lowest-priced entry alongside Netflix’s ad tier, but the catalogue is the shallowest in the field.
| Criterion | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue depth & freshness | 72 | 30 | 21.6 |
| Value for money | 80 | 25 | 20.0 |
| App experience & reliability | 73 | 20 | 14.6 |
| Originals & exclusives | 74 | 15 | 11.1 |
| Reputation & retention | 71 | 10 | 7.1 |
| Total | 100 | 74.4 |
Trade-off: great if Trek or Yellowstone is your reason to subscribe; weak as a sole household service.
How to re-weight
- Pure price hunter: value to 50, catalogue to 20. Peacock and Paramount+ rise; Netflix’s lead narrows.
- Prestige-TV household: originals to 35, catalogue to 25. Max challenges Netflix for first.
- Family-first: weight catalogue 40 and add a “kids safety” sub-score; Disney+ takes the lead.
Verification
- Netflix — tiers and prices verified at netflix.com/signup and via Tom’s Guide 2026 streaming price roundup.
- Max — $10.99 ad / $18.49 ad-free verified via the Tom’s Guide 2026 roundup and max.com.
- Disney+ — $9.99 ad tier and Hulu merger noted via Deadline streaming-price feature.
- Amazon Prime Video — $8.99 standalone / $14.99 Prime / $3 ad-free verified via the Tom’s Guide 2026 roundup.
- Hulu — $9.99 ad / $18.99 ad-free verified via the same roundup.
- Peacock — Premium $10.99 / Premium Plus $16.99 verified via the same roundup.
- Paramount+ — Essential $7.99 verified via Consumer Reports streaming guide.
Related rankings
- Best Comedy Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Drama Shows (2026): Ranked by Watch Score
- Best Kids Streaming Services (2026): Ranked by Rubric
- Best Live TV Streaming Services (2026): Ranked by Rubric
Frequently asked questions
- How was this ranking weighted?
- A published 100-point rubric: 30 points for catalogue depth and freshness, 25 for value for money, 20 for app experience and reliability, 15 for originals and exclusives, and 10 for reputation and retention. Weights sum to 100 and the full table is in the methodology section.
- Why does Netflix rank #1?
- Netflix wins because it leads catalogue depth and originals output while keeping a competitive ad-supported entry price ($7.99/month). No other single service combines that catalogue scale with that originals cadence in 2026.
- Is the cheapest service the best value?
- Not automatically. Value for money in our rubric is content-per-dollar, not lowest sticker price. A $10.99 service with a deep catalogue can out-score a $7.99 service with a thin one. Re-weight value to 40% and Peacock and Paramount+ climb.
- Are bundles included?
- We scored standalone services so the comparison is apples-to-apples. The Disney+/Hulu merger is noted in the Disney+ profile because it changes the catalogue, but the price we cite is the standalone ad-tier.
- How often is this updated?
- Quarterly. Streaming prices moved repeatedly through 2025; we re-verify each tier price at the vendor page before every refresh and log changes in the verification section.