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We're now living in age where you can watch more television shows and movies on demand than ever before. But what are your best options when it comes to streaming? Here is a list of the top streaming platforms to check out in Canada.
Netflix: The Binge-Watcher
Netflix was the first major streaming platform available to Canadians. It has grown into a powerhouse with tons of original content. You could spend all day just surfing through their catalog. If you want a little bit of everything - Netflix has it.
Even though Netflix seems to have an endless library of streaming options, I find myself watching Michael Scott fall into a Koi pond every week.
Crave: The TV Aficionado
The Canadian owned Crave boasts a library of premium content from HBO, Showtime, and Crave Originals like Letterkenny (An avant-garde Trailer Park Boys). Crave offers two tiers of subscriptions, as simply Crave or as Crave+Movies+HBO. Crave has a solid lineup of television shows on its own, but if you want movies and the newest HBO programming you have to get the more expensive subscription.
If you're more concerned with quality over quantity then Crave is probably for you. For example, Netflix has Friends, but Crave has the far superior 90's sitcom, Seinfeld.
Crave is now available through most cable providers. You can add the standalone Crave to your TV package, or get the app included with your subscription to HBO+Crave (Movies Pack for CityWest subscribers).
Amazon: The Online Shopper
Love 2-day shipping and John Kransinki with a beard? Well Amazon Prime Video might be for you. Prime Video comes standard with your subscription to Amazon Prime. And although "2-day shipping" is sometimes 3-4 days in the North, Amazon does boast a growing library with some original content. Personally, I think it's worth it if you take advantage of the fast shipping, but otherwise there are better streaming options available.
Cable Value-Added Apps: The Best of Both Worlds
This is for people with a cable subscription who still want to watch TV on their own terms. Most modern cable packages include TV Everywhere Apps that come with your subscription to that channel. Each network's app differs in their offerings, but all have exclusive content available to TV subscribers.
To see what's included with your CityWest TV package click here.
Crackle: The Value-Streamer
It's not great, but hey it's free. Crackle is a Sony owned streaming service with a limited catalog. It doesn't offer much, but you don't have to pay for your subscription. Personally, I found their library too thin to make it a staple.
Free and Legal Streaming Sites in Canada: The Sampler
There are a lot of network channels that offer some streaming on their websites. With a limited catalog you can check out TV shows to see if you are interested in a full subscription. Some of these networks offer full streaming packages with TV subscriptions, but this will depend on your provider's offerings.
Some of the most popular include Family Channel, APTN, BNN, Food Network, CBC, Global News, HGTV, MUCH, OLN, Slice, The Comedy Network.
Shudder: The Niche Horror Fan
Never heard of Shudder? Well, neither have most people. That's probably because they're capturing a niche market of niche horror movie fans. That isn't a typo - I used the word niche twice because most of their library isn't mainstream horror films. I admit that I only recognize a few of their titles. If you love horror and you want to discover new films, give Shudder a try.
I hope this gives you more insight into what offerings are out there for streaming platforms. If you're streaming with us, go nuts, we don't have any data caps.