The Best UK Streaming Services

If you’re now having to spend a lot more time at home due to the current health crisis, streaming services are going to be a godsend. I wanted to share some of the best UK streaming services, incase you’re looking for something to keep you occupied whilst being stuck at home during social distancing. There used to be just a few different streaming services, but now there’s a lot more, and it’s hard to know which services are worth subscribing too, and also what broadband speed you need for streaming.

I always assumed that all broadband services were equal, and there’s just a difference in prices depending on if you’re having a full package. However, the speed of your broadband is extremely important, and as a blogger, I myself have to have very fast broadband to cope with all the image editing, uploading, post writing and streaming too. It can be hard to know which package is the most suitable for your needs, and also how you can save money on your broadband package whilst still managing to secure high quality streaming.

I use Virgin Media for my broadband package, and I have the top tier package with the quickest fibre optic broadband they have to offer. It obviously means it’s a little more expensive, but to me, it’s absolutely worth it because I can get more done online, faster with blogging, watching YouTube or streaming reality TV shows. Slow broadband is the absolute worst, and as somebody who works from home, I just couldn’t cope with slow broadband, now I’ve seen how much more productive I am.

Netflix

Netflix is possibly the most well known, popular streaming service both in the UK and across the world. I am subscribed to Netflix myself, and I’m really happy with the service as a whole. With Netflix, you can enjoy unlimited ad-free viewing of their content, and you can both TV shows and movies on your TV or digital devices.

You can set up a profile for different members of your family so if you prefer trashy sitcoms, and your partner prefers Top Gear you don’t have to worry about car programmes coming up in your recommendations.You can watch it anywhere, and cancel anytime. In terms of which broadband speed do I need for streaming Netflix, Netflix requires:

• At least 3Mbps for standard definition
• At least 5Mbps for high definition
• At least 25Mbps for ultra-high definition

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime is a little different to Netflix, in that it is an American Internet video on demand service that is developed, owned, and operated by Amazon. With Amazon Prime, you’ll get access to unlimited streaming of movies and TV for £7.99 per month, and can be cancelled at any time. You can also choose to rent or buy recent movie releases from £9.99. If you’d like to stream Amazon Prime Video, you’ll need the following broadband speed;

• Just 0.9Mbps for standard definition
• At least 3.5Mbps for high definition
• At least 25Mbps for ultra-high definition
• Amazon Prime also offers content in HDR, with the speed required the same as it is for 4K

NOW TV

My third recommendation of the best UK streaming services is NOW TV. NOW TV allows you to watch the latest movies, tv shows, live sports and kids entertainment live and on demand, and is available without a contract on loads of devices. NOW TV is different to other streaming services is that you can purchase different types of passes, depending on the kind of things you’d like to watch such as; sport, kids, entertainment or cinema. If you’d like to stream NOW TV, you’ll need the following broadband speed;

• NOW TV only streams in standard definition and low-end high definition. You only need a minimum of 2.5Mbps to stream the service.

Once you’ve decided which streaming service you want to subscribe to, I’d really recommend shopping around to try to find the best deal. You can use comparison websites that can compare package vs package, so you can see which provider is the most competitive for your needs. I’d always recommend checking what contracts are, and always read the small print as some streaming services allow you the opportunity to cancel at any time, and some have a longer contract term.

If you need any more guidance when trying to decide which broadband speed you’d need, make sure you check out Cable.

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