British television is known for having some of the world’s best shows — from irreverent comedies and witty mockumentaries to intriguing documentaries, engaging dramas, lifestyle shows, and true crime series. The good news for cord-cutters is that the ever-growing online video streaming marketplace has viewers covered with a strong selection of the best British TV shows.
Comparing British TV streaming services
We took a look at the leading streaming services that enable cord-cutters to watch popular British TV shows online. We compared them based on price, the number of UK titles they offer subscribers, and user experience factors such as simultaneous streams.
| Acorn TV | Amazon Prime Video | BritBox | HBO Now | Hulu | Netflix | Starz | Sundance Now | Tubi | |
| Monthly price | $5.99 | $12.99 | $6.99 | $14.99 | $5.99 | $8.99 | $8.99 | $6.99 | Free |
| Annual price | $49.99 | $119 | $69.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $59.99 | Free | |
| Number of British TV titles | 326 | Around 500 | 369 | 10-20 | 100+ | 200+ | 20 | 10+ | 100+ |
| Number of simultaneous streams | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Unlimited | 1 |
| DVR storage | No | Mobile downloads only | No | Mobile downloads only | Mobile downloads only | Mobile downloads only | Mobile downloads only | Mobile downloads only | No |
| Streaming quality | 720p | 1080p | 720p | HD | HD | SD | 1080p | SD and HD | 720p |
| Free trial length | 7 days | 30 days | 30 days | 7 days | 1 month | N/A | 30 days | 7 days | N/A |
Top streaming services for British TV
Selecting a streaming service is dependent on factors like the viewer’s preferred genre of TV shows, how much they’re willing to pay, and the amount of content available. It also relies on the number of streams available per account, which could enable the whole family to watch different shows at the same time. Another factor to consider is whether the service enables viewers to record content or allows them to download it to mobile devices.
Here’s how to watch British TV shows online through various online streaming services:
Acorn TV
Price ($5.99/mo.)
What makes it great
Acorn TV is a British TV-specific streaming service that provides a strong selection of classic crime, drama, and comedy series from the UK. Its content library includes its own original programming and British TV that isn’t available through some of its competitors on this list. Acorn TV is available via web browsers and mobile apps for Android and Apple phones and tablets. It also has standalone apps for Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and Roku. The service comes with 4 simultaneous streams.
What to watch on Acorn TV
- Birds Of A Feather
- Clean Break
- Detectorists
- Doc Martin
- Foyle’s War
- Going Postal
- Hamish Macbeth
- Hidden
- Line of Duty
- Manhunt with Martin Clunes
- Midsomer Murders
- No Offence
- Wire In The Blood
Amazon Prime Video
Price ($8.99/mo.)
What makes it great
Amazon Prime Video has a wealth of content, with more than 20,000 titles for subscribers to enjoy. This includes Amazon’s original programming and a mass of popular British TV shows, from classic crime thrillers to popular dramas. The service offers up to 3 simultaneous streams and 6 user profiles per account.
What to watch on Amazon Prime Video
- Being Human
- Cold Feet
- Downton Abbey
- Elizabeth I
- Emmerdale
- Good Omens
- Humans
- Line of Duty
- Peak Practice
- Poldark
- Red Rock
- Soldier Soldier
- The Grand Tour
- The Missing
- Where The Heart Is
BritBox
Price ($6.99/mo.)
What makes it great
BritBox focuses solely on British TV, which makes it a great option for anyone that’s only looking for UK-based shows. This is especially the case for fans of BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 programming. The service doesn’t require a contract to sign-up, and all of its content is ad-free and available across a wide range of devices. It enables users to watch on up to 5 concurrent streams and provides parental controls.
What to watch on BritBox
- As Time Goes By
- Cold Feet
- Death In Paradise
- Doctor Who
- Eastenders
- Gavin & Stacey
- Keeping Up Appearances
- Midsomer Murders
- My Family
- Peep Show
- Spooks
- The Inbetweeners
- The Office
- Vera
HBO Now
Price ($14.99/mo.)
What makes it great
HBO Now doesn’t have as many British shows as other streaming options on this list, but it’s home to some of the best. That’s in addition to the rest of HBO’s standout original programming and strong choice of movies and TV shows. Content is available directly through HBO Now or as a third-party add-on through streaming services like Amazon and Hulu. HBO Now enables subscribers to watch via 3 simultaneous streams and register an unlimited number of devices on their account.
What to watch on HBO
- Catherine The Great
- Chernobyl
- Game of Thrones
- Gentleman Jack
- Gunpowder
- His Dark Materials
- Years and Years
Hulu
Price ($5.99/mo.)
What makes it great
Hulu offers a sizeable streaming library of movies and TV shows, including its own original programming. It has a stellar selection of British TV, including comedies and classic dramas. Content is ad-supported on Hulu’s basic service, but viewers can upgrade to an ad-free version for $11.99/mo. The no-ad plan lets viewers download content for offline viewing. If Hulu’s wealth of British TV alone isn’t enough, users can purchase add-ons such as Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, and Starz to bolster their viewing options, or consider upgrading to Hulu + Live TV for $54.99/mo. Hulu offers high-quality 4K ultra-high-definition (UHD) streaming.
What to watch on Hulu
- Absolutely Fabulous
- Blackadder
- Black Books
- Coupling
- Detectorists
- Fresh Meat
- Friday Night Dinner
- Gavin & Stacey
- Killing Eve
- Line of Duty
- Little Britain
- Miranda
- Misfits
- Mr. Bean
- Outnumbered
- Peep Show
- Spaced
- Shameless
- The League of Gentlemen
- The Office
- The Thick Of It
- Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Netflix
Price ($8.99/mo.)
What makes it great
Netflix provides subscribers with a strong selection of original content, Hollywood hits, and a library of great TV programming. This includes some of the best British TV streaming, including original UK shows that viewers can’t watch elsewhere online. Netflix’s basic service only enables 1 stream per account, but this can be upgraded to 4 with its Standard ($13.99/mo.) and Premium ($17.99/mo.) plans, the latter of which provides 4K streaming.
What to watch on Netflix
- After Life
- Bad Education
- Black Mirror
- Bodyguard
- Borderline
- Broadchurch
- Call The Midwife
- Cuckoo
- Derek
- Extras
- Hinterland
- Marcella
- Peaky Blinders
- Ripper Street
- Sick Note
- Skins
- Still Game
- The End of the F***ing World
- The Crown
- The Fall
- The Inbetweeners
- The IT Crowd
- Toast of London
- Top Boy
- W1A
STARZ
Price ($8.99/mo.)
What makes it great
STARZ is a great resource for cord-cutters to stream movies and TV shows. While it’s best-known for its movie collection, the service also offers high-quality original programming, including several British shows. Its content library also includes several popular costume dramas, gritty crime shows, and fun animated action for the whole family. In addition to an on-demand library of content, STARZ has 12 live multiplex channels, with 6 that run around the clock. Viewers can watch the service on 2 simultaneous streams. Subscribers can download select titles for offline viewing. Furthermore, STARZ can be purchased directly or as an add-on through third-party streaming providers like Amazon, Hulu, and Sling TV.
What to watch on STARZ
- Bob The Builder
- Camelot
- Injustice
- Luther
- Outlander
- Save Me
- SS-GB
- The Missing
- The White Queen
- Thomas & Friends
Sundance Now
Price ($6.99/mo.)
What makes it great
Sundance Now specializes in providing independent documentaries, movies, and TV series. It is a good resource for dramas, political thrillers, and true crime shows. It also has a handful of comedies and documentaries. It features a good selection of recent British TV shows, including several that aren’t available through other streaming services. Interestingly, Sundance Now doesn’t limit the number of simultaneous streams on an account. The service is also ad-free.
What to watch on Sundance Now
- A Discovery of Witches
- Black Work
- Liar
- McMafia
- Midwinter of the Spirit
- Raised By Wolves
- Rillington Place
- Riviera
- The Split
Tubi
Price (Free)
What makes it great
Tubi provides an impressive library of more than 20,000 titles, which puts it almost in the ballpark of Amazon Prime Video in terms of content quantity. This includes a good selection of classic British comedies and engaging dramas, as well as less common TV shows that aren’t available on other streaming services on this list. And the fact that it’s a free service, supported by ad breaks that aren’t too intrusive on the viewing experience, means it’s worth trying out. Tubi is available on web browsers, as well as native apps for most mobile devices, streaming systems, and gaming consoles. The service provides suggested watchlists and closed captioning.
What to watch on Tubi
- Black Books
- Eternal Law
- Green Wing
- Hidden
- Lost In Austen
- Men Behaving Badly
- Peep Show
- Restoration Home
- Restoration Man
- Smack The Pony
- Spaced
- The Inbetweeners
- The Royals
- Vincent
The final cut
Services like Acorn TV, BritBox, Hulu, Starz, and Tubi enable cord-cutters to gain access to a wide range of some of the best British TV shows. This includes several cult comedies, such as Green Wing, Peep Show, Spaced, The Inbetweeners, and The Office, as well as dramas like Bodyguard, Line of Duty, Luther, and Outlander.
In addition to content, they offer varying levels of streaming quality and numbers of simultaneous streams. All of the services listed above offer free trials of between seven days and one month, with the exception of free option Tubi. So cord-cutters can try all of them out for themselves.
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