I alternate between streaming services because, obviously, I cannot afford all three of them at once, not in Cyril Ramaphosa’s economy. So I pick one and run with it for a month. Sometimes, during the school holidays, I add Disney+ alongside one of the other two because I have girls to entertain and, quite frankly, survival requires strategy.
That has become my streaming system.
I do not believe in paying for three platforms every single month just because they all have something I might want to watch. I would rather choose what makes sense for that month, enjoy it properly, then move on.
For me, Netflix is still the easiest all-round option. It has variety, it is familiar, and there is usually something for everyone. There are series, movies, documentaries, local content and enough children’s options to make it useful beyond just one person in the house.
The downside is that Netflix can eventually start feeling repetitive. After a few weeks, I find myself scrolling more than watching. That is usually when I know it is time to cancel and move on.
Then there is Prime Video, which I think deserves more credit than it gets.
Prime feels different enough from Netflix to make the rotation worthwhile. It has strong international series, films and original content, and sometimes you stumble across something really good that you would not have found elsewhere.
Its weakness, for me, is discovery. Sometimes the content is there, but finding it can feel like work. Still, when I am tired of Netflix and want a change, Prime gives me exactly that.
Then there is Disney+, which has a completely different job in my house.
Disney+ becomes valuable during the school holidays. That is when the girls are home, there is more television time, and suddenly Disney, Pixar, Marvel and the wider family catalogue start making much more sense.
I do not necessarily need Disney+ every month. But during the holidays, I can justify adding it alongside Netflix or Prime because it is being used properly.
And that is really my whole point.
Streaming value is not about how many subscriptions you can afford. It is about whether you are actually using what you are paying for.
If Netflix has what I want this month, I subscribe to Netflix. If I get bored and Prime has something better, I switch. If it is school holidays, Disney+ gets added for the girls.
Then somebody gets cancelled.
I am not paying three separate companies every month just so their apps can sit untouched on my television.
For me, Netflix wins on variety, Prime Video wins when I want something different, and Disney+ wins during the school holidays.
So no, I do not have a permanent favourite.
I rotate them shamelessly.
Because in this economy, even streaming services must learn to take turns.
