Netflix vs Disney+, Prime Video and NOW: prices and ad tiers compared

Most of the big streaming services now have a cheaper plan with adverts, and the gap between watching with ads and without them can be several pounds a month. At Disney+, Netflix and NOW, that's £48 to £72 a year. If you pay for two or three services, picking the right tier matters more than picking the right service.

We've compared the four biggest names in the UK, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and NOW, using prices on their own websites on 13 October 2026. Offers change often, so treat these as a snapshot.

At a glance

Netflix: simple, but the dearest without ads

Netflix has three UK plans, all billed monthly. It doesn't sell annual plans and there's no minimum term, so you can cancel at any time.

• Standard with adverts, £7.99 a month: Full HD on two devices at once, downloads on two devices, and all but a few films and shows.
• Standard, £13.99 a month: the same, without adverts, and you can add one extra member who doesn't live with you.
• Premium, £20.99 a month: Ultra HD on four devices at once, downloads on six, spatial audio, and up to two extra members.

An extra member costs £5.99 a month with adverts or £6.99 without.

Disney+: the cheapest way to go ad-free

Disney+ also has three plans, and unlike Netflix and NOW, it sells annual plans for its ad-free tiers.

• Standard With Ads, £5.99 a month: Full HD on two screens at once.
• Standard, £9.99 a month or £99.90 a year: Full HD, no adverts in films and series, two screens, and downloads on up to ten devices.
• Premium, £14.99 a month or £149.90 a year: up to 4K and HDR, Dolby Atmos, four screens at once and downloads on up to ten devices.

Disney+ also has a 6-month saver plan: £7.99 a month for Standard and £10.99 for Premium, after which you pay the normal monthly price. The saver for Standard With Ads went up from £4.99 to £5.99 a month on 14 October, so it now costs the same as the normal monthly price. Its small print says it then renews at £6.99 a month, which doesn't match the £5.99 listed elsewhere on the same page, so check the price at checkout.

Prime Video: comes with Prime, but ads are the default

Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime, which costs £8.99 a month or £95 a year, or £4.49 a month for students and 18 to 24-year-olds. Amazon describes it as Prime Video "with limited ads". You can also get Prime Video on its own for £7.99 a month, without delivery perks, according to Amazon's UK news site.

To remove adverts, you add Prime Video Ad Free, a separate monthly subscription. It's billed monthly only. Amazon's help pages explain how it works but don't give a price, so check it when you sign up. Ads stay on live TV and sport even if you pay.

At £95 a year, Prime works out at about £7.92 a month and includes One-Day Delivery and other benefits, so if you already pay for it, Prime Video costs nothing extra.

NOW: cheap to start, with ads unless you Boost

NOW, owned by Sky, sells memberships rather than tiers. All standard memberships include adverts, stream in 720p and let one person watch at a time.

• Entertainment: £7.99 a month on a flexible plan, or £4.99 a month on a 6-month saver.
• Entertainment & HBO Max: £9.99 a month flexible, or £6.99 a month on a 6-month saver.
• Cinema: £9.99 a month flexible, or £6.99 a month on a 6-month saver.

To lose the ads on on-demand shows and films, you add Boost for £6 a month, which also gives you Full HD and two streams at once, or Ultra Boost for £9 a month, which adds 4K and three streams. Ads stay on live channels either way. So ad-free Entertainment costs £13.99 a month on the flexible plan, the same as Netflix Standard.

What a year costs

The cheapest plan with adverts and without, paid monthly for a year at today's flexible prices:

• Disney+: £71.88 with ads, £119.88 without (or £99.90 on the annual plan).
• Prime Video: £95 a year with ads as part of Prime, or £95.88 for Prime Video on its own. Going ad-free costs extra.
• Netflix: £95.88 with ads, £167.88 without.
• NOW Entertainment: £95.88 with ads (in 720p), £167.88 with Boost. Starting on the 6-month saver brings the first year with ads down to £77.88 (six months at £4.99, then six at £7.99).

Where each wins and falls short

• Disney+ is the cheapest of the four with or without ads, and its annual plans cut the ad-free price further. It falls short if Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Hulu shows aren't what you watch.
• Prime Video is the best value if you already pay for Prime, because you get it with your delivery membership. It's let down by ads being the default and an ad-free add-on whose price Amazon doesn't publish on its help pages.
• Netflix is the most flexible, with no minimum terms and an easy way to pay for someone outside your home. Without adverts, it's the dearest of the four.
• NOW is the cheapest way to get Sky Originals and HBO series, starting at £4.99 a month. The basic picture is only 720p on one screen, and you're tied in for six months on the saver plans.

Your questions answered

Can I avoid adverts completely?

Not quite, on any of them. Disney+ says live and special-event content can include ads on every plan, Amazon keeps ads on live TV and sport even with Ad Free, and NOW's Boost doesn't remove ads from live channels. Netflix's Standard and Premium plans are advert-free.

Is it cheaper to rotate subscriptions?

Often, yes. Netflix and Disney+ monthly plans can be cancelled at any time (Disney+ at the end of your payment period), so watching one service for a month or two, then switching, stops you paying for several at once. Avoid saver plans with minimum terms if you do this.

Can I get Netflix through my broadband provider?

Yes, with some. Virgin Media includes Netflix Standard with adverts in some TV and broadband bundles, with Standard for £6 a month extra and Premium for £13 a month. If you already pay Netflix directly with the same email address, your subscription pauses and Virgin Media bills you instead.

Ways to save

Disney+'s annual plan is the cheapest ad-free option here if you'll watch all year. Prime at £95 a year adds Prime Video to delivery perks, and students and 18 to 24-year-olds pay half. For Amazon deals, see our Amazon voucher codes. NOW's 6-month savers start at £4.99 a month, but set a reminder before the price rises. If you're changing broadband, check our Virgin Media voucher codes for bundles with Netflix included.

Sources: Netflix plans and pricing, Disney+ UK plans, Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime membership fees, About Amazon UK: Prime Video costs, Amazon: What is Prime Video Ad Free?, NOW, NOW offers, NOW: Boost and Ultra Boost, Virgin Media Netflix deals

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