As the popularity of video streaming services grew exponentially across all sorts of content, it only took some time for documentary streaming services to captivate customers’ interests. Simultaneously, large streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix have huge collections of documentaries. These on-demand services focus solely or primarily on satisfying the real demand of documentary enthusiasts.
However, the best entertainment or educational documentaries will capture your attention and highlight interesting life aspects.
Here are our best picks that will fulfill your need for all the information you need on streaming documentaries. Discover the top 17 documentary streaming services’ features, offerings, pricing, pros, and cons.
Top-notch Documentary Streaming Services in 2024 – Quick List
- Netflix: Netflix is a paid-on-demand streaming service located in the US. The offering, accessible worldwide in multiple languages, is originally and acquired films produced under different genres.
- Amazon Prime Video: Amazon Prime Video, often referred to simply as PrimeVideo, is a US OTT video-on-demand rental and streaming service that can be accessed independently or with an Amazon Prime membership.
- Disney+: Disney Streaming, the subsidiary of Disney Entertainment, one of Walt Disney Company’s largest business verticals, operates and owns an American VOD OTT streaming media service–Disney+.
- Hulu: Hulu is an American subscription streaming service owned by the Walt Disney Company. The launch took place on October 29, 2007.
- Max: The service was known as HBO Max, an American over-the-top streaming subscription video on demand that has been renamed Max.
- Peacock TV: The American over-the-top video streaming service called Peacocks debuted on July 15, 2020, and is named after the image of NBC’s logo.
- Apple TV+: Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service operated by and owned by Apple Inc. On November 1, 2019, it launched and offered original television series movies under the moniker of Apple Originals.
- Mubi: Mubi is a production company, film distributor, and global streaming service. MUBI produces films created by novices and veterans alike in theaters, and film directors are available only on its site.
- Tubi: Tubi is an OTT American entertainment platform and ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation since 2020.
- Kanopy: In the case of public and academic libraries, Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video network that offers films, TV series, instructional videos, and documentaries.
- Ovid TV: OVID TV offers, among others, visionary cinematic innovation, sensitive analysis of hitherto unexplored lives and societies with contested beliefs or world views.
- Curiosity Stream: Curiosity Stream, formerly known as Curiosity Stream, is a subscription-based video streaming service that delivers documentary content, including television series, films, and documentaries.
- PBS: Since its location in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, the Public Broadcasting Service is a non-commercial, free-to-air television network and public broadcaster of North America.
- History Vault: HISTORY Vault is a paid subscription video platform that delivers hundreds of the best documentaries and shows from HISTORY.
- GuideDoc: Victor Correal launched GuideDoc—a global web platform for viewing and distributing documentaries in Barcelona, Spain.
- MagellanTV: MagellanTV is a more complex streaming service but rather an expedition. Our selection, aimed at craving minds, has movies that will teach, enthuse, and fuel your desire to learn for the rest of your life.
- Nebula: Nebula is, therefore, an independent streaming network that creators designed. It provides advertisement-free, clever podcasts, movies, and workshops for every age group.
17 Best Documentary Streaming Services Today – Detailed List
1. Netflix
$6.99 monthly (with ads)
A vast library
Restricts access to well-known programs
The most widely used streaming service, Netflix, has completely changed how we view films and live television. Thanks to its cutting-edge technology, the site regularly rotates movies and other shows in and out of its collection. Because of this exclusive gift, you could find something more alluring while looking up what you want to watch before using the app.
Netflix’s compatibility with all Android and iOS devices is the cherry on top, enabling more accessibility anytime, anywhere, and however you choose. It also creates unique entertainment by working with global creators. In the streaming market, House of Cards and Stranger Things, for instance, are huge hits and are adored by all.
What’s it for?
Netflix offers a large range of high-quality documentaries to satisfy the needs of its audience. Sports fans may watch The Battered Bastards of Baseball on Netflix. It tells the tale of a quirky group of baseball players in Portland, Oregon. The documentary series The Last Dance delves into Michael Jordan’s legacy. Last Chance U presents a charming portrait of junior college football players attempting to get admission to more esteemed universities.
2. Amazon Prime Video
$14.99 monthly
Offers downloads for viewing offline
Content monetized by ads
The list wouldn’t be complete without Prime Video because the service is the home of award-winning Amazon original series, blockbuster films, popular television shows, and sports. It’s interesting to note that having a Prime Video subscription grants you entry to all of Amazon Prime’s features, including free two-day delivery on qualified orders.
Two reduced Prime memberships are available: Prime Access for individuals receiving government assistance and Prime Student for higher education students. Although you can buy Amazon Prime Video on its own for $8.99, an Amazon Prime subscription costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Keep in mind that this bundle does not contain fantastic advantages.
What’s it for?
Amazon Prime Video has a substantial documentary section featuring series you don’t normally see on other services. Highly politicized, usually contentious films dominate the documentaries on Prime Video. There’s no better choice if that’s your thing. Not only does Prime Video have abundant accessibility features, such as audio explanations for individuals with vision problems, but it also offers 4K material that can be downloaded offline.
3. Disney+
$7.99 monthly (with ads)
Family-oriented content
Little variety outside of Disney.
Disney+ is the top streaming TV service available, focusing on providing families and kids with educational material. Five program categories are available to subscribers on the streaming platform: Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Pixar.
This program has become the go-to platform for people not interested in traditional Disney material, especially now that Fox assets like The Simpsons are available. In a similar vein, viewers may save shows or films to watch at a later time or day. Meanwhile, Disney+ streams live events and ESPN sports programs on Hulu and offers original and classic content.
What’s it for?
Users with compatible game consoles, tablets, smartphones, and web browsers may all access the streaming service. Regretfully, Disney+ has to make certain changes to receive five out of five stars from its users. You might have trouble finding certain shows on the website when you’d like to view them since they are not arranged logically.
4. Hulu
$7.99 monthly (with ads)
A blend of original, vintage, and contemporary stuff
Small content library
This streaming service was launched in 2007 and is owned by The Walt Disney Firm. It’s still true that Hulu used to be seen as Netflix’s primary rival. Customers may now watch live channels previously only available with a cable connection thanks to the company’s on-demand streaming and live TV offerings.
Hulu allows users to see adverts throughout any episode for a small monthly subscription fee to aid with cost savings. However, many continue to opt for the $17.99/month ad-free option. Hulu has a minor problem regarding the number of displays you use simultaneously. If you are a subscriber, you may only watch on two screens simultaneously, regardless of your plan.
What’s it for?
Documentaries in the entertainment industry are Hulu’s specialty. The streaming platform offers several biopics and documentaries on well-known musicians, actors, and other pop culture characters. A few Hulu shows with a fashion theme are Dior and I, The First Monday in May, and McQueen. Although the site offers apps for virtually all streaming media players, Hulu’s basic subscription includes commercials. Only some 4K streaming and offline download features are available to subscribers of the ad-free tier.
5. Max
$9.99 montly (with ads)
Premium programming on HBO
Higher cost of subscription
The streaming service, which was rebranded recently, is now known as Max. The platform combined material from Discovery Plus with a vast collection of popular films and TV shows, in addition to HBO’s library of original TV series.
Before the reorganization, HBO Max demonstrated its market potential, which increased its worth. HBO is a formidable competitor in the congested entertainment market because of its prestige series, action films, and unscripted programs. HBO Max is now available for streaming on iOS, Android, smart TVs, and console games (Xbox and PlayStation 4), which is a positive development.
HBO Max charges $9.99 for its base plan, which includes running advertisements, and $14.99 for an ad-free subscription.
What’s it for?
A wide variety of material is available on HBO Max, including blockbuster films, anime, live sports and news, classic HBO series, and reality TV. Some claim the platform has earned its reputation as a prestige TV, and its streaming service boasts the luxury of featuring recent Emmy-winning hits like The White Lotus and Succession alongside beloved classics like Friends.
6. Peacock TV
$5.99 monthly
Material from NBCUniversal
Restricted access with ads
NBC just released a streaming service called Peacock, with different plans to suit your taste in media. The parental controls that are included in the service will be helpful to families with little children. The streaming platform is categorized as one of the less expensive large media streamers available because it only costs $5.99.
The $5.99/month premium package gives you access to 80,000 hours of video, including Syfy, Bravo, and NBC favorites, but with advertisements. Users of the Peacock app on Android and iPhone smartphones, game consoles, and video streaming devices may view films. Additionally, viewers may watch Peacock on Roku or Amazon Fire TV devices. However, this might change over time.
What’s it for?
You can watch hundreds of popular films, whole seasons of beloved TV series, and addictive Peacock Original series with Peacock Premium. You can also enjoy the newest TV shows from NBC and Bravo, live sports you can’t miss, Peacock Channels around the clock, daily live news, late-night programming, and more to satiate your FOMO. Peacock has produced some of the finest shows of 2023, including underappreciated series like Twisted Metal and Poker Face. Peacock keeps releasing intriguing new programs, such as the 1990s-set TV series sequel to Ted, with Seth MacFarlane’s voice from the films.
7. Apple TV+
$9.99 monthly
Superior, unique material
Reduced the size of the content library
Apple’s entry into on-demand streaming is called Apple TV+. It charges a fair amount for a modest collection of excellent shows. But given how few movies it provides and how little sports or media coverage it has, it ranks rather low in our rankings.
Nevertheless, Apple TV+ is a fantastic choice if you love Apple goods; a monthly subscription of only $9.99 is required. You receive three months free if you recently bought a new Apple gadget. In addition to being a terrific method to get familiar with the service, the trial period allows you to binge-watch the whole collection during that time if that’s your thing.
What’s it for?
Even in its brief existence, Apple TV+ has established a reputation for housing pricey dramas, originals, and miniseries comedies. Although Ted Lasso, Black Bird, and The Morning Show have all been huge successes, the streamer is still developing its identity and brand. Every month, fresh, ad-free Apple Originals are released. Watch on Apple products, smart TVs, sticks, or consoles using the Apple TV app. Enjoy stunning 4K HDR visuals and captivating spatial audio. Up to five individuals can share a single subscription.
8. Mubi
$14.99 monthly
International independent film curator
Reduced in size library
Mubi is a global film distributor, production company, and streaming service. Only on MUBI’s platform are films directed by seasoned and up-and-coming filmmakers created and released in theatres. Mubi is a streaming platform that functions much like a repertory theatre. It features a variety of movies from many genres and historical periods, and these programs are accessible for 30 days.
Every day, it adds new films to its collection of content and deletes older ones. It is a fantastic method of guaranteeing that its subscribers will always have fresh stuff to view. It’s also a ploy to force viewers to see certain films they may not have been keen to know because they won’t be around for long.
What’s it for?
Movie buffs should use Mubi. Since Mubi frequently produces films that tackle serious issues, its repertoire mostly consists of older art-house documentaries rather than many celebrity scandal flicks. For example, Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris contains the background and eminent quotes from the well-known novelist and activist James Baldwin. The Trials of Muhammad Ali and Between Fences (2016), which chronicles a drama workshop in an Israeli jail, are two more historical biopics.
9. Tubi
American-based Tubi TV is an online streaming service for free that is attempting to take on well-known industry titans like Netflix and Disney+. Unlike similar American-based streaming platforms that would demand over a $30 monthly subscription, Tubi is giving away its material for free.
All consumers need to do is endure sporadic advertising interruptions. A wide range of on-demand material, including TV shows, films, and live-streaming channels, is available on the streaming service.
Tubi TV depends on major studios, such as Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM, to supply thousands of hours of programming. The firm was established in 2014, and San Francisco is its headquarters.
The business also maintains branches in Australia and Canada. According to the Los Angeles Times, Tubi had approximately 33 million active monthly users when FOX acquired the firm for $440 million in 2020.
What’s it for?
The Tubi app is compatible with the Xbox Series X, PlayStation5, Xbox One, Roku, and Android and iOS smartphones. It is also possible to cast from the app to a television. Tubi may also provide free entertainment for kids. You have to choose “Tubi for Kids” from the main menu on the app or website. Well-known figures from animated space include Space Dogs, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Despite Tubi’s reputation as the greatest choice, there are a few drawbacks. Shows can only have 720p video quality and cannot be downloaded for offline viewing. If you are looking to watch a certain movie for free, Tubi is a good choice.
10. Kanopy
Free
Great independent and instructional films.
Restricted accessibility
Academic libraries may access films, TV series, and documentaries via Kanopy, a platform for streaming videos. This platform lets viewers access its content for free but pays content owners through a pay-per-view model. Due to the availability of indie films and documentaries, this streaming service bridges the gap left by the closure of independent theatres throughout the globe.
Public and academic libraries can access films, TV series, and documentaries through Kanopy, a streaming service. Australian businesswoman Olivia Humphrey founded it on December 25, 2008, in Scarborough, Western Australia. Its headquarters were relocated to San Francisco, California, a few years later.
What’s it for?
For those who wish to study without spending money, Kanopy is an excellent option because it is free to use (with a library card or university email). You can only watch so much content at a time, though. Each month, you will receive 10 Play Credits that you may use to access material in the standard Kanopy collection. However, there are a few “Credit Free” films, and you may watch the whole Kanopy Kids library for free and without restriction. Kanopy is compatible with several smart TVs (Samsung and Telstra), mobile platforms (Android, iOS, and Fire TV), and media streaming devices (Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast).
11. Ovid TV
Ovid TV primarily focuses on indie and art-house films, making their lineup similar to Filmatique and Mubi’s. Because the Criterion Channel strongly focuses on saving classics, its library is significantly more mainstream. On Ovid TV, there are a lot of videos that are not in English. If you’re not a fan of international films, Ovid TV is not your ideal choice.
Ovid TV had 900 titles, more than Mubi, which had about 800 titles. With an amazing total of more than 2,000 titles, The Criterion Channel surpasses both services. Filmatique’s library lags much behind, with fewer than 100 films. With over 400 items in its collection, KweliTV’s library is sized in the center.
What’s it for?
Ovid.tv is particularly good with foreign documentaries. Notable films include Be There, which tells the story of American civil rights, racism, social justice, and art from the perspective of photographers Burk Uzzle and F11. Ovid’s collection is enhanced by Geek Girls, Edith + Eddie, and the documentary series The Adventures of Modern Art. The films on Ovid TV are from worldwide; thus, not all are in English. However, the website does provide English subtitles. You may download titles from Ovid TV to watch on your mobile device offline. It does not have games for consoles, but it does have applications for Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV, and Apple TV. Ovid.tv is limited to the US and Canada but has a global film selection.
12. Curiosity Stream
$4.99 monthly
Documents and instructional content
Comparatively expensive
Considering the amazing collection it provides and how well-regarded its documentaries are by fans (everything we viewed had ratings over 90 percent), Curiosity Stream is worth the money. However, a different online learning platform can be a better choice, depending on your needs.
Web browsers, mobile devices (Android and iOS), game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox), streaming media players, and smart TVs may all access Curiosity Stream. Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video have specialized apps available on the Microsoft Store; Curiosity Stream does not.
What’s it for?
Those who like to watch documentaries of the greatest possible quality can visit Curiosity Stream. The platform has two pricing tiers, although both have access to a similar streaming collection. The additional cost for the package only allows 4K streaming. Curiosity Stream does not display advertisements and allows offline downloading on mobile devices. The software is available for download on smart TVs, Android and iOS smartphones, Xbox One game consoles, Chromecast, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku streaming media devices.
13. PBS
Located in Arlington, Virginia, PBS, or the Public Broadcasting Service, is an American broadcasting non-commercial free-to-air television network. It was established on November 3, 1969, and on October 5, 1970, it opened for business. This nonprofit organization receives public funding and is well-known for offering instructional programming on American public television stations.
More than 350 television stations are members of PBS, many of which are charitable organizations or educational institutions. PBS provides on-demand content ranging from Ken Burns documentaries to PBS NewsHour and Frontline, the network’s flagship series. Additionally, live TV is streamed, focusing on local PBS broadcasting channel streams.
What’s it for?
With half a century’s worth of iconic public broadcasting footage, PBS is streaming much of its content on Prime Video’s PBS Documentaries channel. PBS has a rich history, which viewers who have grown to love over time should know. As a Prime Video channel, PBS Documentaries can be found almost anywhere. It can be accessed on gaming consoles (PlayStation and Xbox), smartphones and tablets (Fire OS, iOS, and Android), streaming platforms (Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, TiVo, Apple TV 4K, Google TV, and Roku), and Smart TVs.
14. History Vault
$4.99 monthly
Wide collection of historical documents
Smaller content library
Much of the video programming that used to be available on the History Channel’s prime-time schedule is now available to subscribers of a separate subscription service called History Vault. These programs and documentaries include long-form documentaries and docu-series, including America: The Story of Us, Ancient Discoveries, and Mysteries of the Bible. With History Vault, you can watch countless hours of documentaries and shows from the History Channel.
Studying the major historical occurrences, such as the rise and fall of civilizations and ancient and modern conflicts, is possible. History Vault is a fantastic option for people who love documentaries, particularly those who want to focus on military history and ancient civilizations.
The World War II section alone has more than 100 videos. New videos are uploaded once a week. Most of the titles in History Vault can be streamed in 1080p and 720p, but not in 4K.
What’s it for?
You should choose History Vault as your on-demand video streaming provider if you enjoy documentaries on military history. The History Channel offers hundreds of documentaries and educational programming at affordable prices. Most of the video content that used to be featured on the History channel’s prime-time lineup is now available to you through History Vault.
These include long-form documentaries and docuseries like Ancient Discoveries, Mysteries of the Bible, and America: The Story of Us. Moreover, History Vault provides applications for streaming video players, doesn’t display advertisements, and allows offline downloading on mobile devices.
15. GuideDoc
$7.99 monthly
Intellectually stimulating material
Doesn’t support offline downlaods
More than 1,000 independent short and feature films may be found on GuideDoc, and a new movie is uploaded daily. If any videos on the website catch your attention, you can peruse them without becoming a member. The site features listings of documentaries that have won awards at film festivals such as Tribeca, Cannes, Sundance, and the Academy Awards.
There are a lot of excellent documentaries in the GuideDoc archive, ranging from Oscar-winning military pictures from directors like Frank Capra to a lighthearted look at a Belgian ghost village in the movie DOEL. The film Elegy of a Crime explores the story of a murder victim from Brazil, as related by her son, who also serves as director.
What’s it for?
Look no further than GuideDoc, an on-demand streaming service that features critically acclaimed documentaries from several film festivals, including Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, and others. The films are more than fresh additions: The website features many well-regarded and historically significant 20th-century films. Android and iOS devices and streaming platforms like Apple TV and Chromecast offer ad-free viewing of GuideDoc. However, it has no applications for gaming consoles, Fire TV, or Roku devices.
16. MagellanTV
Almost 3,000 excellent documentaries and programs on MagellanTV cover virtually any subject. Every week, new programs are added to the service. Without signing up, you can peruse the website and view a five-minute trailer for any documentary you want.
Life Is One: Growing Up Sunbear, which tells the tale of three bear cubs’ transition from life in captivity to life in the wild, is one of MagellanTV’s great titles. Additionally, there are carefully chosen portions dedicated to 4K space documentaries, such as Hubble Eye in The Sky 4K, an exquisite investigation of how the Hubble telescope altered our understanding of astronomy and the cosmos.
What’s it for?
If you enjoy watching documentaries, MagellanTV is the ideal on-demand streaming service. Thousands more documentaries, many in 4K, are accessible for a nominal fee. The service maintains a vast collection of films and television shows because of its connections with producers, directors, and foreign distribution firms. You should seek elsewhere if you’re looking for well-known or critically acclaimed documentaries.
17. Nebula
Nebula has over 150 creators; if you’ve seen any YouTube videos, you’ve recognized at least a few names. Among the channels accessible are Extra History, JustWrite, Maggie Mae Fish, Philosophy Tube, Big Joel, HBomberguy, LegalEagle, and Patrick Wilhelms.
The issue is that most Nebula videos are also free on the creators’ YouTube accounts, albeit with ads. It reminds me of how challenging it must be for YouTube Premium to position itself as a compelling paid substitute for YouTube, especially with YouTube Music built right in. Rather than permitting people to upload videos, Nebula contacts content creators it hopes to integrate into its community.
What’s it for?
Nebula is for people who want to do more than simply watch content—they like to help artists. The makeup Nebula producers were once well-known on YouTube, but they desired to move their content to a less hostile video site where they could have greater influence and fair compensation. You may purchase goods and even pay more for in-depth online courses. You may find many entertaining and educational films in Nebula’s collection. The videos are easily accessible and of good quality. Nebula demonstrates how independent documentary filmmakers and producers may utilize the internet to disseminate their expertise globally in fields ranging from science and engineering to literature and entertainment.
How We Chose These Services
Only some platforms listed here may be known to you, and it only considers a few video streaming sites or applications offering a huge variety of documentaries. Other services meet your requirements. In analyzing different streaming services, we factored in some critical components. Each service’s library is considered based on content amount, variety, and quality. We also assessed app design, focusing on accessibility, usability, and layout. Other features, including 4K resolution, dedicated hubs, or the number of concurrent streams, were also considered. In addition, we measured the total worth of each service accruing to these factors mentioned above by looking at its cost. These platforms include well-known services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, Mubi, Tubi, Kanopy, Ovid.tv, Curiosity Stream, PBS, History Vault, GuideDoc, MagellanTV, Nebula, and others.
How Much Do Documentary Streaming Services Cost?
Even though the differences in pricing among streaming services may differ, niche documentary platforms generally have lower subscription fees than major on-demand broadcasting giants. For example, some documentaries cost $2, while others charge $3.99 monthly. GuideDoc costs a monthly rate of $7.99, while MagellanTV and Ovid TV cost $5.99 & $6.9 monthly. Mubi and Amazon Prime are the most expensive of all platforms surveyed, costing $14.99 monthly.
In the middle are mainstream services such as Hulu ($7.99/month), Netflix ($6.99/month), and Prime Video ($14.99/month). Nevertheless, most premium features on Hulu and Netflix can be accessed by subscribing to an upgraded tier. For example, Netflix has a Premium package at $19. In this context, Curiosity Stream is the only specialized provider that limits some functionalities to a higher-priced tier at $9.9 monthly for 4K streaming. However, services aligned with documentaries usually do not air commercials.
For the cash-strapped, Kanopy provides a free, budget-friendly alternative with a library card or academic email account. The other option is Vimeo for people looking for public documentaries and short videos. Other free films and videos can be found in the best-prepared video streams.
Some documentary streaming websites have profit-sharing arrangements that compensate directors with their films’ rights to get streamed. In contrast, others purchase documentaries and retain them in their libraries for a long time. PBS represents the latter approach, a content vault spanning public broadcasting of fifty years.
At the global level, these streaming giants are Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, and Apple TV +. During this time, Mubi, Tubi, Kanopy, Ovid.tv, Curiosity Stream, PBS, History Vault, GuideDoc, MagellanTV, and Nebula target more specialized interests, offering unique content and fee structures.
What Can You Watch on Documentary Streaming Services?
You will select a streaming service based on the ultimate benefits you hope to derive from your membership. Different documentary formats meet various interests; some are designed to have feature films, and others specialize in educational content.
Kanopy, a hybrid streaming service that manages to provide both cinematographically awarded entertainment films and learning viewing experiences, is one of the platforms where it performs well.
In the world of streaming, content is a central actor. A unique feature of each subscription service is the size of its library. The top one is Kanopy, which has over 30 thousand videos from some of the most respected content providers. At the extreme opposite end of the spectrum is GuideDoc, a premium documentary subscription service with hundreds of films that have either won or been nominated for major festival awards.
Today’s standout streaming players are Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, Mubi, Tubi, Kanopy, and Ovid.tv, Curiosity Stream, PBS, History Vault, GuideDoc, MagellanTV, and Nebula have an interesting content selection. These companies’ entertainment offerings range from mainstream to niche documentaries; the streaming platforms compete with each other for customers who prefer their stockpiles and catalogs.
Where Can You Watch Documentary Streaming Services?
All these documentaries are available across various devices, including web browsers and popular streaming video platforms like Chromecast and Apple TV, FireTV, Roku, and Android or iOS-operated mobile phones.
However, it should be clarified that only some suppliers support all media streaming devices. Some choices for comprehensive device support include Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and PBS Documentaries.
Looking at concurrent streaming capacity, every service we looked into allows for a minimum of two simultaneous streams per account. It enables one person to view content on the television while another streams it at a different time.
While having unlimited simultaneous streams may be helpful for large families, it is necessary to note that Kanopy does not provide an option of monthly unrestricted streaming access to its catalog. However, MagellanTV does not limit the number of streams per account.
Downloadable content options are essential for offline viewing because of occasional internet outages or traveling grounds. Significantly, Curiosity Stream, MagellanTV. Mubi, Netflix; Ovid.tv PBS Documentaries and Prime Video provide the ability to download media content for later use. However, Hulu doesn’t offer this feature unless you subscribe to their ad-free tier.
What’s the Best Documentary Streaming Service?
Documentary streaming services require an exciting content library, a common element among other video-on-demand systems. Yet, specific features like parental controls, availability, and community involvement can help a service stand out. Several video streaming sites are notorious for offering additional content in blog posts, articles, or community-building activities. Still, MagellanTV has several informative pieces based on various topics associated with its programming, including culture, history, and science.
GuideDoc and Ovid.tv use blogs to highlight the new information and recommend appropriate shows. Ovid.tv’s website takes it a step further by including film reviews, director interviews, and other well-written pieces of content. Within the services, Mubi is considered to have the largest secondary resource repository and one of the most active forums. As for those interested in being critics, Kanopy provides an unusual rating system for films and TV shows.
In this category, parental control options are limited, given the nature of the content. On the other hand, Kanopy fills this gap by having a distinct section called Kanopy Kids, which has documentaries and instructional content. Due to its wide content category and strong profile-based parental controls, Netflix is a major highlight.
Closed captions are provided for a considerable part of the content offered in all reviewed services. On the other hand, some services do not allow customization or support non-English languages. Significantly, Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video are the best regarding accessibility features such as audio descriptions.
The leading recommendation from the highlighted streaming services is Netflix. The variety of content in its library, comprehensive parental controls, and accessibility features make it a great option for documentary watchers.
Top Documentary Streaming Services for 2024: A Quick Comparison
| Streaming Services | Price/month | Live TV | Simultaneous Streams | Original Content | On-Demand Content | Ads | Anime | Offline Viewing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | $6.99 – $22.99 | No | 1 – 4 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Prime Video | $14.99 | No | 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disney+ | $7.99 | No | 1 – 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Hulu | $7.99 | Yes | 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max | $9.99 – $19.99 | No | 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Peacock TV | $5.99 – $11.99 | Yes | 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple TV+ | $9.99 | No | 6 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mubi | $14.99 | No | 2 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tubi | Free | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Kanopy | Free | No | Unlimited | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Ovid TV | $6.99 | No | 3 | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Curiosity Stream | $4.99 | No | 5 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| PBS | Free | Yes | Unlimited | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| History Vault | $4.99 | No | Unlimited | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| GuideDoc | $7.99 | No | 2 | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| MagellanTV | $5.99 | No | 5 | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Nebula | Free | No | Unlimited | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Conclusion
In summary, Documentary streaming services will continue to grow in 2024 and bring various options for enthusiasts and curious persons.
Viewers can enjoy seemingly limitless engaging content from the common Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to kid-friendly Disney+ and selective niches like Mubi and Curiosity Stream.
If you are interested in history, science, or the latest documentary investigations, there is Hulu’s Max, Peacock, Apple TV + Tubi Kanopy Ovid.tv PBS Infinity History Vault GuideDoc MagellanTV Nebula will satisfy almost all preferences of people with different interests.
In this panoply of options, viewers will be able to travel the world without leaving their screens, making it possible for 2024 to be an interesting documentary year. To get maximum protection while watching your favorite documentaries online, subscribe to ExtremeVPN today.
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