Netflix is a dominant force for viewers who want instant access to movies and television series. This industry giant was founded in 1997, and since that time they have accumulated 83 million subscribers. A large percentage of their dedicated subscribers come from the U.S., an estimated 47 million. They may have even destroyed the local video store and other corporate rental stores like Blockbuster.
For most Americans, going without Netflix would be a tragedy. However, the international appeal of this streaming site has made big gains lately. They boast 34 million international subscribers in South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan to name a few. It has become the top streaming site in the world, and Netflix continues to grow with 10 billion hours watched every month.
Surprisingly there are a wealth of streaming site alternatives to Netflix. Some even offer their service for free. Sites like Amazon Prime and Pure Flix are among the many online platforms you can turn to get your movie and television fix.
1. Amazon Prime Instant Video is a top Netflix alternative
This movie and television streaming site gives Netflix junkies all the same great features. They even offer music. The Amazon Prime collection has plenty of choices that you can rent and even buy. It is also simple to upgrade your Amazon account to Amazon Prime. With a few clicks you can get access to new movie releases, as well as unlimited streaming. This gives you more options, since purchasing individual movies can be a real bummer. Amazon Prime is also compatible with a ton of smart devices. You can access everything via a tablet, gaming console, smartphone, and your television. This will give you the freedom to view from anywhere, similar to Netflix. There is a 30-day free trial, and if it is something you can’t live without, you can get a year subscription for $99.
2. Crunchyroll is the Asian Netflix alternative
If you enjoy the anime selection available on Netflix, Crunchyroll is perfect for you. It is an American streaming site that showcases all the great Asian media. Manga, anime, and Asian dramas are all accessible on this site. This is also a wonderful site if you are an exclusive anime fan with a Netflix-inspired platform. You can even get all these Asian titles on your gaming console and smartphone. And if you don’t mind ads with your anime, you can get Crunchyroll for free. You can also upgrade for as low as $6.95 a month. There is even a community element for you to discuss all the anime and Asian dramas you enjoyed with other subscribers.
3. Pure Flix offers high quality streaming with a Netflix twist
This high quality streaming site has a strong focus on a specific niche that is a fantastic alternative for Netflix fans. Pure Flix is a faith based family site with a wide variety of animated titles for kids, and documentaries, how-to’s, and education shows too. They also offer a variety of inspirational films too, making it perfect for the entire family. If your family is all about faith, you can be sure that this streaming site is a wonderful choice. All their content is reviewed thoroughly before it is placed on the site to ensure all content is appropriate for their brand, and your family. Like Netflix, Pure Flix is compatible with smartphones and TVs, but the service is only available in the U.S. with a one-month free trial. You can also upgrade for $7.99 a month.
4. Kidoodle.TV may destroy Netflix Kids
Kidoodle.TV is a Netflix kid alternative with great content. It is similar, yet solely designed for kids 12 years of age and under. This kid streaming site offers ad-free child entertainment parents love, and helps keep the little ones engaged in quality programming. It even offers families a five-user account setup that parents can tailor to each kid. Television shows with a fun educational spin is among the many features of this site. It even has a parental control feature to ensure your kids are watching what you want them too. The 14 day free trial can be upgraded for $4.99 a month, giving your family full access.
5. Vudu is Walmart’s answer to Netflix
Walmart acquired Vudu in 2010 in order to compete with Netflix and their growing presence in the movie and TV streaming industry. This site offers movie rentals, but also has a selection of free videos as well. It is a very popular streaming site and is growing fast, building more users and more than 20,000 movies and over 5,000 TV titles. Similar to Netflix, you can access the site through the Internet and view cartoons for kids, anime, music concerts, documentaries, and even independent films. The cost is discounted when compared to buying a movie in a store with some free content available.
6. YouTube is a free alternative to Netflix
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, and they even offer a wide selection of movies and television shows. Sure the quality may be a bit off, but the streaming is free. This super popular platform is a great alternative to Netflix if you are on the go. Or you simply don’t want to pay for a subscription. It offers full-length movies new and old. And you can even catch up on TV shows you enjoyed from your youth. Bets part is that YouTube is compatible with every smart device.
7. Vimeo is an On-Demand Netflix
Like Netflix, Vimeo offers some of the best movies online, and it has a decent selection of on-demand titles as well. This movie streaming site has a wealth of categories you can choose from, and you can even get staff picks. That is a great feature if you are just not sure what you want to watch on-demand. The functionality aspects of Vimeo are similar to YouTube, since you can also upload your independent film efforts for all to see. It is a free service with simply good streaming quality.
8. CONtv is a Comic Con fans Netflix
If you’re a Comic Con fanatic, than CONtv is the perfect Netflix alternative. This site offers up a wide selection of fun and bizarre comic inspired stories. They even have a horror film collection with a fast growing user base. CONtv streams movies and TV series with a focus on anime, video game spin-offs, and cult classics. It most certainly isn’t for everyone, but it may be worth checking out with free access to the site’s sci-fi and horror collection. You can also upgrade for $4.99 a month to get your anime fix.
9. Hulu is a TV Netflix on steroids
Hulu is most certainly as popular as Netflix and this site offers a huge volume of TV content. Much of their content is free with ads, and you can always upgrade for $7.95 a month if you want ad-free streaming. Hulu has a strong focus on TV shows, offering you popular shows like American Dad, Family Guy, and The Office among others. If you want smartphone access you can become a Hulu Plus member, and view your favorites on the go.
10. Crackle can destroy Netflix with free content and ultimate compatibility
Crackle is by far the best free alternative to Netflix. Brought to you by Sony, Crackle has the best collection of old and new TV shows like the all-time classic Seinfeld. This streaming site also offers ultimate compatibility, because it’s available on so many smart devices. You can stream Crackle content on your Apple TV, Android, Amazon Fire, iPad, and multiple gaming consoles, among other devices.
