disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Canal, OCS… Streaming services are multiplying and so are subscriptions. But which one will suit you the most? In this guide, we will help you see it more clearly.
Not so long ago, it was simple: you had to have Netflix. The platform has indeed been the forerunner of legal video streaming on the internet, and remained so for a long time. But nowadays, the competitors have woken up well. Without even talking about the American platforms to which we do not (yet) have access, you have to choose between multiple alternatives like Disney+, OCS, myCanal, Prime Video and more. So how to choose? It’s actually quite simple, since all these platforms tend to develop something “of their own”, like a personality that could match you. We will highlight this in our guide.
Netflix: the king of the series
Originally, netflix was the great champion and managed to sign many exclusives with other production houses. But since everyone decided to get their piece of the pie, the VOD platform had to evolve to find its own personality. And she did it in a very good way: by developing her own productions, with series that are now synonymous with its platform.
The variety is there: fans of 80s genre films have their Stranger Things, thriller fans have their mindhunterand big music fans can turn to The Get Down and a whole bunch of such productions. Netflix is a bit of a catch-all: there will necessarily be something that suits you, but the quality is not necessarily guaranteed. There are even a lot of stand-up shows produced directly by Netflix, which has grown enormously in this market.
Netflix’s greatest weakness remains its catalog of films. If great classics are present, French productions remain in the minority and the latest big productions escape it. The platform has been investing heavily in this for a few years now, and once again aims to create exclusive content above all. We can therefore hope that these first steps will allow it to gradually improve its quality. Be careful though: it is one of the most expensive services today.
Disney+: family first
Note that Disney+ also includes the Star catalogwhich is best known in America, but allows you to pick up some very popular series with us like Scrubs Where bones. But obviously, the platform is best known for three pillars: Disney/Pixar animated films, the Marvel universe and the Star Wars universe. As a result, it has something particularly familial in its approach, since it will never really shock with content that is too typical or too… bizarre, shall we say.
Disney+ has now become a must, mainly for the Marvel and Star Wars series it develops. In a world made up of multiverses, not having Disney+ means missing out on Wandavision, Hawkeye or even Miss Marvel. And on the side of Star Wars, it would be missing the great return of the original universe created by George Lucas, in particular thanks to the series The Mandalorian or the freshly released Obi Wan Kenobi. For those who didn’t really like the postlogy, it’s a godsend.
The VOD service also has a great advantage: it is not not very expensive and can be easily shared with many people around him. Cost optimization level therefore, it is a great champion.
MyCanal: French par excellence
Canal+ is obviously an institution in France. It is no longer really known for its cable and satellite today, but rather for all the investments it has made in French production, whether in series or in cinema. Since it is well established in the circuit, the service manages to recover all the greatest French films in a flash, without even being bothered by the chronology of the media which slows down American competitors.
MyCanal is also tons of original content that makes us shine internationally. The detective series braco is a prime example of this, as is the hip-hop series Valid. But there is not only the dark and the serious in life: The torchthe latest series from comedian Jonathan Cohen, is also a Canal production to be found exclusively on its platform.
It also has one last advantage: it allows you to combine certain subscriptionssuch as Disney+ in particular, to create a portfolio of content that is really financially attractive.
OCS: HBO and the classics
SCO, which is actually “Orange Cinéma Séries”, is the platform developed by the operator. This one was especially known in the era of Game of Thrones, and for good reason: it is the sole operator of the American producer HBO in France. As a result, it recovers all the contents, some of which, such as Westworld or Euphoria are among the most popular and best received by critics in recent years.
It is therefore an argument in itself, but OCS also stands out in the collections that it regularly offers for discovery. The platform has many movie classics to view freely like the films of Hitchcock or Truffaut, and regularly offers collections and suggestions for its subscriptions to deepen your cinema culture. For who is a converted cinephile, OCS is a really interesting platform.
Its biggest weakness is that its application is not the most modern and can make the experience a bit frustrating compared to all of its competitors. But if you know how to tame it, you can get the most out of it.
Prime Video: satellite on VOD
Prime Video, the platform developed by Amazon, is a bit special. Its principle emulates the same services offered by satellite, with the possibility of subscribing to other “channels” such as that of OCS directly in the application, as well as renting films for single viewing. It also has unique productions, such as The Boys, Invincible Where flea bagwhich have won over the world.
Above all, Amazon is developing today a whole catalog centered around sport. All Roland Garros matches in particular have been broadcast on the platform, and Prime Video has also recovered the rights to Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for football. This strategy is reminiscent of that of Canal+ in the satellite era, but brought up to date.
Its biggest weakness is again its application, which is not the most intuitive.
Apple TV+: the hipster
AppleTV+ arrived very late in a market that already has many behemoths. But since it’s Apple, of course it managed to find its audience and jockeyed for a place. How ? With apple sauce of course. The manufacturer has invested heavily in projects in its image, which are somewhat hipster, but which have managed to make an impression and become incredibly addictive.
The secret ? Deep storylines and 5-star castings with every production. Ted Lasso was the first really noticed on the platform, followed by The Morning Show which signed the big return of Steve Carell and Jennifer Aniston. Today is the series Severance which keeps exploding and turning brains.
To convince, Apple also relies on a very inexpensive subscription.