Best video streaming apps for iPhone compared in 2026
No major streaming service leads in every category. Netflix has the largest general catalog, Disney+ the strongest for families and franchises, Max the place for premium series such as HBO productions, and MUBI more arthouse…
No major streaming service leads in every category. Netflix has the largest general catalog, Disney+ the strongest for families and franchises, Max the place for premium series such as HBO productions, and MUBI more arthouse and film art than anywhere else. ARD and ZDF are free and underrated.
March 2026: Waipu.tv is winning as the cheapest live-TV option, DAZN has become more expensive through new sports rights, and Joyn has expanded its reach with a larger free tier.
The streaming market has become confusing, with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon, HBO, WOW, DAZN and the free media libraries all competing. This comparison sorts the offer by asking which service has the best content for which taste, where a subscription pays off and where the free version is enough, and which app works best on the iPhone. It is aimed at iPhone users who subscribe to one or more services and are unsure which one makes most sense for which content need.
Our verdict
Netflix remains the all-rounder with the broadest offer. Disney+ is a must for families and Marvel and Star Wars fans, Amazon Prime Video pays off mainly bundled with Prime shipping, and MUBI is the best address for arthouse cinema. Anyone who would rather not spend money gets more quality from the ARD and ZDF media libraries than many expect.
MUBI offers 30 hand-curated arthouse films at a time, rotating daily, rather than an endless browseable library. It is editorial selection aimed at film-culture enthusiasts who want to discover one carefully chosen film a day, and it was Apple's TV App of the Year in 2023.
It works only by subscription at around €9,99 per month with a seven-day free trial, covering streaming and offline downloads of all roughly 400 curated films, with no free tier and no advertising and an annual plan at about €95. It is not for anyone wanting a blockbuster catalog.
Plex is a personal media server that streams your own films and series anywhere and adds free ad-supported content and live TV. It is indispensable for users with an existing media collection and limited as a pure streaming service.
The base app is free, while Plex Pass at around €5 per month adds offline downloads, live TV and mobile access. The source notes that remote access to your library now requires Plex Pass, and it is overkill if you want a simple streaming solution without running a server.
The Apple TV app is Apple's streaming hub for Apple TV+ originals such as Severance and Slow Horses, alongside films you can buy or rent. It is aimed at people with multiple Apple devices who want to move seamlessly between iPhone, iPad and television.
Apple TV+ costs around €10 per month for unlimited access to all Apple Originals, with individual films available to buy or rent on top, while the app itself is free and ad-free. Its catalog is considerably smaller than Netflix, and it offers little to non-Apple users.
Netflix is the largest all-round service, with thousands of series, films and documentaries, strong original productions and solid recommendation algorithms, plus offline downloads and separate profiles for family members. It is the first choice for many users, even though no single service covers everything.
The subscription starts at around €5 per month or about €100 per year. The source notes that prices rise on a regular basis, and the cheapest plan does not let you watch without advertising, so anyone refusing a monthly subscription or wanting every tier ad-free should look carefully.
Twitch is the live-streaming platform for gaming and beyond, with chat interaction at its center: viewers watch streamers play and talk directly with streamers and communities, and non-gaming content such as cooking and talk shows is available too.
The base app is free with advertising, while Turbo at around €9 per month enables ad-free viewing. The source warns that video can use significant data, and you cannot avoid advertising without a Turbo subscription.
DAZN is a live-sports streaming service for the Bundesliga, Champions League, Formula 1 and more, with replays available after a match. It is necessary for sports fans and irrelevant for everyone else, and the source describes rights packages as complex.
The subscription starts at around €25 per month. Prices have risen, and it is hardly worthwhile if you only watch sport occasionally or follow a sport DAZN does not carry.
Amazon Prime Video is included in a Prime subscription and offers a solid all-round catalog. The app is aimed at people who already have Prime and want to use the streaming service that comes with it.
It starts at around €5 per month, or about €9 per month inside the Prime bundle, with no separate purchase option for video alone. The source notes that Prime Video shows advertising despite the subscription and surfaces buyable content intrusively, and the interface is weaker than Netflix.
Disney+ combines Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic in one subscription, with adult content through Star and family-friendly downloads for children. It is the strongest family offer and good value if you care about those franchises.
The subscription costs around €9 per month. It does not offer a broad general catalog in the manner of Netflix, and the source notes that prices keep rising, so price-sensitive viewers should weigh how much they will watch.
The ZDFmediathek streams ZDF programs, documentaries such as Terra X and live television free of charge with no account required. Like the ARD library it is publicly funded, and documentaries and series are particularly strong.
It is free, publicly financed, shows no advertising and requires no subscription. Content is available only for a limited time rather than permanently, and it does not offer a large catalog of series in the Netflix sense.
The ARD Mediathek streams ARD content including Tatort, documentaries and reportages free of charge, plus live television from all ARD channels directly on the iPhone. It is free, publicly financed, shows no advertising in the app and requires no subscription.
The source describes a strong on-demand offer of public-service content that has improved technically and is underrated. Not every program remains available permanently in the library, and viewers expecting a very fast, fluid experience should check the current app.
Crunchyroll runs the largest legal anime library outside Japan, with German subtitles and simulcasts of new series as soon as they appear in Japan. It is the first essential app for anime viewers.
The base app is free with advertising, while Mega Fan at around €7 per month enables ad-free streaming and an offline mode. Anyone who does not watch anime will find nothing here, and you cannot watch completely free of advertising without a subscription.
Not directly available in Germany; access is only through Sky/WOW.
Max offers prestige series including Succession, The Wire and House of the Dragon, alongside blockbusters and Max Originals in one subscription, and the source calls the app more stable than the earlier HBO Go.
Access to all content requires a Max subscription at between €10 and €16 per month depending on region. In Germany it is not directly available and can only be used through Sky or WOW, so it is mainly an option for existing Sky customers.
Some apps were not returned for this store region.
Download price only. In-app purchases and subscriptions may cost extra.
Questions & answers
Which streaming service offers the best value for money?
Amazon Prime Video in the Prime bundle, at €8,99 per month including shipping, music and more. Purely for series and films, Netflix offers the broadest range.
Can I watch streaming content offline?
Yes, all the major services, including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and WOW, offer offline downloads. The public media libraries support this too through the ARD and ZDF apps.
Which free streaming apps are worth it?
The ARD and ZDF media libraries offer high-quality documentaries, series and films completely free of charge. Joyn complements them with reality TV and live television.
More related apps
App library · United States App Store. Prices and availability reflect the last check.
