Subscriptions are big business in the UK. You can subscribe to anything from your daily news to your local coffee shop. The challenge now for many Brits is subscription fatigue; there are just too many options out there. Jumping into the first shiny-looking subscription they see doesn’t mesh with British culture. For a nation of logical thinkers, there must be an easier way to choose. Here are three widely popular online services—streaming platforms, food delivery and online gaming—with suggestions on how to choose the best ones.
The Four Dominant Streaming Platforms for Brits
The following are the four dominant streaming services in the UK. Pricing is correct as of February 2026.
Netflix is the juggernaut of the streaming services, with around 18 million subscribers in the UK. As long as it continues to produce original programs like Stranger Things and Squid Game, it’ll always have a solid audience base. It also streams internationally produced series, like those from Korea, that are hugely popular right now with British audiences. Netflix has several pricing packages: Standard with ads (£4.99/month), Standard (ad-free, HD) ( £10.99/month) and Premium (4K, multiple screens) (£17.99/month).
Disney+ is home to all the Disney content, which appeals to the family and younger children demographic. It’s also the platform for Marvel and Star Wars content, catering to a massive customer base right there. Disney+ has slightly lower prices than Netflix: Standard with ads (£4.99/month), Standard (ad-free) (£8.99/month) and Premium (4K, up to 4 devices, downloads) (£12.99/month).
Prime, like Netflix, has a solid catalogue of Originals, like The Boys, that keep audiences coming back for more. Thursday Night Football, with live sports coverage of NFL games, is one of the top-rated shows in the UK. Prime has one entertainment tier: Prime Video standalone at £8.99/month. However, there’s a full Amazon Prime bundle: £95/year (works out to ~£7.92/month) or the same price as a standalone £8.99/month if paying monthly. The benefits of having this bundle are Prime Video streaming, free next-day delivery on Amazon.co.uk purchases, Prime Music, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos and other exclusive deals.
Finally, Now TV/Sky is a UK-based subscription service that offers HBO content to the nation; shows like White Lotus can be viewed here. Now TV does things slightly differently from the others as it offers a pass-based system rather than single subscription tiers. The Entertainment Pass (Sky Atlantic, HBO content including The White Lotus, Sky original dramas) is £9.99/month, the Cinema Pass (movies) is £11.99/month and the Sports Passes (variable pricing, day/week/month options) is more expensive, often £20-35/month.
How Do Brits Choose a Streaming Platform?
There are two main deciding factors: content and price. Some can’t choose based on content differences and subscribe to all four; that’s a costly activity. Speaking of cost, that’s the next factor. With the pricing being so competitive, it’s difficult to claim that one is definitely cheaper than another. If choosing the budget option (including ads), the pricing is the same; it’s mainly when moving to the premium options that Netflix can appear more expensive.
There is one factor in Prime’s favour, and that’s its connection to Amazon. Any Brit who shops on Amazon regularly will recoup the subscription cost within three orders. They’re getting quality content and free delivery for around the same price as a subscription to one of the others.
e-Gaming and Online Casinos
Online gambling is a popular pastime for Brits—the UK Gambling Commission reports there are 13.5 million average monthly active accounts. The challenge for players is that there are many platforms to choose from.
Various factors influence platform choice. Some players prefer a broad range of games from top-rated providers, others like niche platforms and others go for the best bonus and welcome offers. Beyond game selection, players need to consider regulatory status, bonus terms and conditions, and payment options and speeds.
Reputable sites are fully licensed by UK authorities and offer safe gaming. Naturally, there are shady operators, though most are unregulated offshore platforms. Luckily, there is a simpler way for Brits to find the best sites for them.
How Do Brits Choose a Gaming Platform?
Rather than testing sites individually, most Brits rely on aggregator sites. These sites have already done the heavy lifting and collate, review and recommend sites based on a player’s preferred criteria. Resources like Casinos.com’s rankings of UK casino sites help users compare all of the criteria—including licensing, payment speed and welcome offers—before committing.
Cutting Through the Food Delivery Noise
The UK online food delivery market is worth approximately £8-9 billion annually. Food delivery, which surged during the pandemic, continues to be a daily option for many Brits. It’s actually seen steady year-on-year increases of 5-10% since 2024.
The challenge for many is that they can order the exact meal from the same restaurant but at a different price across all three of the major apps. These prices fluctuate primarily due to delivery fees and restaurant-app commission agreements.
Just Eat has fixed delivery pricing and arrangements in place with restaurants where the meal prices are predictable. Uber Eats and Deliveroo, on the other hand, have surge pricing during peak periods that inflate the cost, but they offer subscriptions that reduce delivery fees. When commission rates are higher, restaurants may inflate meal prices to offset the cost.
How Do Brits Choose a Food Delivery App?
Many Brits approach food delivery by keeping all three apps and comparing prices on each. Then they choose the most cost-effective option. Frequent users of Uber Eats or Deliveroo may benefit from paying the subscription fee but need to balance that out and compare it to Just Eat’s flat fee. One final consideration is to be on the lookout for pop-up and flash promotions that discount food and fees.
