Seven streaming platforms went through a full year of scrutiny, and the exercise ends with an actual verdict rather than a shrug. Tom’s Guide graded Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+/Hulu, Paramount+, Apple TV and Peacock on their performance over the past 12 months across price, library, originals, interface and live content. Its recommendation, published on September 6, 2026, for anyone who can only justify a single subscription: HBO Max.
The logic is less about sweeping every round than about losing none of them badly. HBO Max didn’t take the highest grade in every category, but the write-up credits it with a practically unrivaled library, several originals worth sticking around for, and a handful of live sporting events of note.
Price is where the report card gets uncomfortable. Every single service graded raised prices over the past 12 months. Apple TV announced its latest hike on August 29, pushing a monthly subscription to $14.99 — the grade was based on the previous $12.99 price. Here is how the tiers stacked up:
- Netflix — 3 tiers, $8.99 to $26.99
- Prime Video — 2 tiers, $0 (w/ $14.99 Amazon Prime) to $8.99
- HBO Max — 3 tiers, $10.99 to $22.99
- Disney+/Hulu — 6 tiers (includes bundles), $11.99 to $19.99
- Paramount+ — 2 tiers, $8.99 to $11.99
- Apple TV — 1 tier, $12.99
- Peacock — 3 tiers, $7.99 to $16.99
The cheapest way in is Peacock’s Select plan at $7.99, with the significant caveat that it carries no sports, movies or originals. The most expensive single tier is Netflix’s Premium plan at $26.99 per month. Prime Video and Disney+/Hulu scored highest on value — the former because most people already get it inside an Amazon Prime membership, the latter because two robust services cost $12.99 together, or $19.99 without ads. Apple TV picked up a nod for offering exactly one tier and no confusion about what you’re paying for.
HBO Max came out on top for library, built on Warner Bros. and A24 titles, with Disney+/Hulu close behind. Netflix’s catalogue is described as solid but thinned out by years of licensing losses, while Prime Video has quantity without curation. On originals, Netflix ships the most volume — “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game,” “Wednesday” — yet lands the lowest grade in that category on average quality. HBO Max and Apple TV are named the two standouts.
Nobody covered themselves in glory on interface: the highest grade awarded in that category went to Apple TV, and it was a passable B. Prime Video and Paramount+ ranked last, the former for burying rentals and add-on channels among things you already pay for.
Peacock wins live sports by a landslide, thanks to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Spanish-language broadcasts of World Cup 2026, Sunday Night Football, NBA and WNBA games and Premier League soccer. Paramount+ is the other big winner with the NFL, UFC, UEFA Champions League, Serie A and the Carabao Cup. HBO Max carries 72 regular-season NHL games per year plus the Stanley Cup Final, but no NFL or NBA — Warner Bros.’ NBA deal concluded after the 2024-25 season. The live-content assessment covers U.S. programming only.
Paramount+ and Prime Video round out the bottom of the report card. And the wider picture explains why any of this matters: a Tom’s Guide reader survey in June 2026 found that more than 35% of respondents pay over $60 a month on streaming, and nearly 30% subscribe to seven or more platforms. The advice that closes the piece is blunt — cancel a few.
Earlier on GismoLand: Netflix September 2026. 52 new movies and a 97% shark leading them all.
