Netflix vs Disney Plus vs Prime Video: Which Service Wins in 2024
With streaming services dominating how we consume entertainment, choosing between Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video can feel overwhelming. Each offers distinct pricing tiers, content libraries, and features. This guide breaks down the differences so you can decide which—or which combination—fits your viewing habits and budget.
Pricing: What You'll Actually Pay
Netflix
Netflix's current pricing includes a standard ad-free plan at $17.99 per month and a premium tier with 4K video at $24.99 per month. Netflix offers three subscription tiers: Standard with Ads, Standard, and Premium, with the ad-supported option providing the cheapest entry point. Extra Members cost $6.99 per person per month (with ads) or $8.99 per person per month (ad-free), allowing you to legally extend account access to people outside your household.
Disney+
Disney+ is raising prices starting October 21, with the ad-supported plan increasing to $11.99 per month and the no-ads Premium plan rising to $18.99 per month, with the annual plan at $189.99. Unlike Netflix's multi-tier approach, Disney+ offers a simple choice: decide whether you want ads or not, and you'll have full access to the Disney+ library either way. Disney+ features 4K and HDR (Dolby Vision) as a standard feature for many titles.
Amazon Prime Video
For non-Prime members, Prime Video is available as a standalone streaming service for $8.99 a month, and both groups of subscribers can pay an extra $2.99/month to get rid of ads. However, the pricing structure recently changed. The change will raise the monthly price from $2.99 to $4.99 for the upgraded tier, now called Prime Video Ultra. Prime Video Ultra allows users to have up to five concurrent streams, 100 downloads and exclusive access to 4K and UHD streaming. Access to Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime membership, which costs $14.99 a month or $139.00 a year.
Content Library: Original Shows and Variety
Netflix
Netflix added 589 new Netflix Originals in 2024, up slightly from 2023's 568. Netflix has dominated streaming viewership in the first 12 weeks of 2024, with the streamer's originals, including reality dating series Love Is Blind and crime drama Griselda, topping the list of original programming for streaming services in 10 out of 12 weeks. Despite strike impacts, 2024 had plenty of must-watch Netflix shows including big Emmys winners like "Baby Reindeer," highly-anticipated series like "Squid Game 2" and "3 Body Problem," as well as a few you might not have heard of yet.
Disney+
Disney's signature streaming service has movies from Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, National Geographic, and Lucasfilm (Star Wars, of course). In 2024, three Marvel shows—Echo, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, and X-Men '97—were on their way to Disney+, along with Star Wars content. Disney+ is the streaming home of major franchises and was the streaming home of two of last year's biggest films: Inside Out 2 and Deadpool and Wolverine.
Amazon Prime Video
Prime Video's 2024 originals included shows and films like Fallout, Road House (Jake Gyllenhaal), Them Season 2, Expats (Nicole Kidman), The Underdoggs (Snoop Dogg) and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Donald Glover). Prime Video's small-but-growing stable of original content can't compete with Netflix's sheer quantity of shows and movies.
Streaming and Offline Features
Simultaneous Streams
Netflix and Disney+ allow up to 4 streams on premium plans, Prime Video allows 3. Standard Netflix users enjoy two HD streams and offline downloads on up to two devices; Premium users meanwhile unlock simultaneous streams on four 4K-enabled devices.
Offline Downloads
Top-tier platforms including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Hulu allow users to download content for offline viewing, though this feature is almost exclusively reserved for ad-free subscription tiers. Netflix supports as many as 100 simultaneous active downloads per device on as many devices are included in your membership plan—Standard subscribers can download on two supported devices, while Premium users are allowed six. Disney+ supports offline downloads on up to 10 mobile devices for those with a Disney+ Premium, Disney Bundle Trio Premium, or Legacy Disney Bundle account. Prime Video Ultra allows 100 downloads.
Which Service Is Right for You?
Choose Netflix if: You want the broadest range of original content, from documentaries to prestige dramas to reality TV. Netflix combined broad coverage, frequent releases, international programming, movies, documentaries, reality television, and strong device support, making it the safest default choice for most households.
Choose Disney+ if: You're a fan of superhero, science fiction, or family entertainment. If Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, or classic Disney content matters to you, Disney+ offers unmatched depth in these categories. The straightforward pricing (just pick ad or ad-free) also appeals to people who want simplicity.
Choose Prime Video if: You're already an Amazon Prime member and want to maximize that subscription. A Prime Video subscription offers the best value thanks to Amazon Prime, bundling streaming with shipping benefits and other Prime perks. It's the strongest value play for existing Prime members, though its original library lags behind competitors.
The Reality: The best 2024 strategy was not to own every streaming service. Most viewers rotate between subscriptions, maintaining one or two at a time based on what they're currently watching. Your choice depends on which shows and movies matter most to you, how many people will share the account, and whether you prioritize offline viewing for travel.