Netflix vs. Apple TV+: Which Streaming Service Should You Choose?

Both Netflix and Apple TV+ are fantastic platforms, but which streaming service is the best for you, and why?

Watching TV shows and movies is getting easier every day with streaming services. But with so many streaming services out in the market, choosing one platform is hard. In 2019, Apple jumped into the competition with its Apple TV+ service.

But how does Apple's platform compare to the biggest streaming service out there: Netflix? If you can afford only one subscription among these two, which one should it be? We'll compare Apple TV+ and Netflix, so you can choose what suits you the best.

Netflix has a massive library of TV shows and movies, but it depends on where you live. If you live outside the US, you'll see a shrunken library in comparison.

Netflix is also raising its standards when it comes to streaming quality. Over time, more content like Bird Box, Our Planet, Stranger Things, and more is available in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

You can find a lot of binge-worthy TV shows on Netflix. That said, Netflix houses some popular exclusives like Stranger Things, Peaky Blinders, The Queen's Gambit, and many others, praised by critics.

Apple TV+, has a smaller library than Netflix but is still constantly growing. Most of the content on Apple TV+ is exclusive, and you'll find only a few licensed movies and TV shows. Most of the most popular movies in the library are available for rent.

The best part about Apple TV+ is that it has more quality content. At the time of writing, there are many shows and movies to watch on Apple TV+, including Ted Lasso, See, Surface, and many more. Moreover, most content is available in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, which is appreciable.

At the time of writing, Apple also offers channels like Lionsgate Play, AMC+, Acorn TV, and ErosNow Select, but you won't get these under the Apple TV+ subscription. Instead, you'll have to buy each separately at a different price if you're interested.

In the end, you won't find any TV shows overlapping between both platforms. And while the two streaming services offer some great titles to watch, Apple TV+ may only allow you to rent them, whereas Netflix includes them in your subscription.

When you open Netflix, it'll present you with a list of movies and TV shows specifically curated for you. You get to see the Continue Watching list that allows you to resume a TV show or movie from where you left off.

Similarly, there is My List, where you can add shows to watch later. Regardless, Netflix also uses this to curate better recommendations for you.

Beneath that, you'll see the popular content ranking in your country, followed by various titles arranged in their respective genres, like crime, thriller, action, comedy, and many more.

Furthermore, when you play a movie or an episode, you get a unique video player that gives you more control. You get the option to skip the intro, go to the next episode, adjust the speed of the video, change the language, and add subtitles. Lastly, you can lock the video player so it doesn't register accidental touches if watching on your device.

While all this sounds good, the rows on the home screen can get repetitive after a time. Sometimes the Continue Watching row can jumble up between other rows, making it annoying to look for constantly. You can also search for a TV show or movie if you don't see one in the rows. Furthermore, you can use Netflix secret codes to search for a specific genre.

Apple TV+ follows the same design language that you'd see on other Apple apps. Once you're in, it'll present you with an Up Next section, where you can resume TV shows and movies where you left off.

Below, you'll see recommendations in the What to Watch row.

Following the What to Watch row, you'll see Now on Apple TV+, Channels, Top Movies, New Releases rows, and many more.

With that said, its UI isn't perfect. Because of Apple TV+'s smaller library, you'll see the same shows repeatedly. Apple TV+ uses the native video player when playing an episode or movie, giving you fewer options than Netflix.

In the end, the user interface is always subjective; one may prefer Netflix, and the other might prefer Apple TV+. While Netflix's interface does offer more features, there are still many Apple TV+ tips to improve your viewing experience.

Apple TV+ is one of the most affordable streaming services, which is surprising coming from a company like Apple. The service costs $4.99/month or $49.99/year. You also get a 7-day free trial if you opt for a monthly subscription. Apple also offers Apple TV+ in its Apple One subscription.

Moreover, if you purchase a brand-new Apple product like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you get three months free trial. And if you're a student, you can also get a discount on Apple Music, which provides access to Apple TV+.

Netflix is slightly on the expensive side and is available in three different plans. The pricing of these plans depends on the number of screens you're watching, the number of devices you download on, and playback quality.

The Basic plan costs $9.99/month and offers one-screen SD playback and one-device download. The Standard plan costs $15.49/month, offering two screens HD playback and two-device downloads. The Premium plan will cost you $19.99/month, giving you access to four ultra HD playback screens and four-device downloads.

Be it Android, iOS, Windows, PlayStation, or Xbox, Netflix is available on almost every platform as a native app (macOS being an exception). As long as you can access a web browser on your platform, you'll mostly be able to use Netflix on it.

In contrast, Apple TV+ is available on Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. You can also access it on other devices like the Fire TV, gaming consoles, and more. Any streaming device launched after 2019 comes with an Apple TV+ app.

However, the app isn't available everywhere. For instance, there's no native app for Windows computers or Android devices. Fortunately, you can access Apple TV+ with your web browser.

Whatever device you use, you can access both Netflix and Apple TV+ as a native app or via the web browser. Both platforms can sync your data along all devices, so you don't have to worry about losing your progress.

If you want to choose between Netflix and Apple TV+, you should consider both from the content perspective. Netflix is perfect for everyone looking for a variety of content, and you get great value for the money spent.

Apple TV+ has excellent quality TV shows and movies. Still, the lack of content doesn't make it worthy enough for a subscription until the library grows further.

Thus, getting a Netflix subscription is the best choice for most people, even if you love the Apple ecosystem. If you're still eyeing Apple TV+, it would be best to subscribe to the Apple One subscription since it offers more value.

Sajid is an Electronics and Communications Engineering graduate who loves writing about tech. He's primarily interested in writing about Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows. When he's not writing, you'll find him watching Anime or Marvel.