The battle of the streaming giants is here! The worldwide lockdown had many people switch to online streaming services like Netflix and HBO Go.
However, few people buy a subscription for both of those. It’s a tough choice. Your friends keep telling you which one of the two is the best and you end up not knowing what to choose.
However, we are here to help you with some information that could help you make your mind.
The choice is up to you. Only you can tell which service is “the best,” and there are a bunch of reasons that can help you decide:
Pricing
For most of us, the price of a product is the most influential aspect when shopping. The same goes for streaming services. Netflix costs between $8.99 and $15.99 per month, depending on the type of package you choose.
HBO is a bit pricier, ranging between $10 to $18.00, depending on the selected package.
On-Demand Shows And Movies
Both services feature on-demand shows and movies, no difference here.
Resolution
HBO’s service can stream video up to 1080p. However, Netflix wins in this department without a doubt, as it can stream 4K video without breaking a sweat.
Free Trial
Both services feature a free trial period. HBO NOW has seven days free of charge demo period.
Netflix, on the other hand, offers a 30-day free trial.
Originals
Both services are famous for the original content they offer.
Here are the highlights offered by Netflix:
- Black Mirror
- Narcos
- Stranger Things
- The Haunting of Hill House
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- The Witcher
- The Crown
By comparison, here are HBO’s crown jewels:
- Last Week Tonight
- Game of Thrones
- True Detective
- Chernobyl
- Ballers
- Watchmen
- His Dark Materials
Official Status
While Netflix is considered a live streaming service, HBO GO and HBO NOW allow users to watch new episodes as they air. There are some exceptions to that, like Last Week Tonight and Real Time with Bill Maher.
Those episodes can be streamed within 24 hours from the original airing date.
On the other hand, Netflix is way more than just live TV. Everything can be accessed on-demand.
However, it can turn out to be either boring or extremely addicting, depending on what you watch.
Compatible Devices
Both Netflix and HBO can be accessed on a wide variety of devices, including:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- PS4
- Android and iOS devices
However, HBO can’t be accessed on Sony PlayStation 3 consoles, but Netflix can.
You might want to keep that in mind if you own an older console.
Recommended Connection Speed
A fast and stable internet connection is needed to stream content properly.
HBO says that users whose connection is faster than 5Mbps should have no problem streaming content.
Netflix, on the other hand, went as far as detailing the speed for various video settings.
- SD quality -> 3Mbps
- HD quality -> 5Mbps
- 4K quality -> 25Mbps
Which Should You Choose?
To sum it up, HBO is fantastic for movie enthusiasts and fans of its original content. The exclusives are amazing, and the fact that you only need an HBO (TV) subscription to watch them is convenient.
Netflix also features a vast selection of content with many impressive exclusives. Also, Netflix has a continually rotating library of content, which means that there is always something new to watch.
We believe that Netflix is the better choice since it features a broader set of movies and shows and an impressive on-demand library.
