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Like Netflix,&nbsp;Max&nbsp;has a large selection of 4K content, and it also charges more to stream it. You need the $20-a-month Ultimate plan to access content in this format. When the service relaunched in May, the company said it would&nbsp;have over 1,000 movies and TV show episodes available in 4K at rollout. Warner Bros. Discovery promised to add more in the coming months, plus all-new WBD theatrical films that hit the streamer will arrive in ultra HD.&nbsp;

Right now, you can stream a range of titles including The Flash, The Last of Us, Euphoria, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and House of the Dragon in higher resolution. You can also watch classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca in 4K. There’s no dedicated hub for the content, but viewers can check for the 4K UHD badge in the title’s details.&nbsp;

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See at Max

Best for premium 4K TV shows, feature films

Max

Max movies and TV streaming on a phone

Pros

  • Prestige TV shows and major films available in 4K
  • Four simultaneous streams
Cons

  • Costs more to stream UHD

Like Netflix, Max has a large selection of 4K content, and it also charges more to stream it. You need the $20-a-month Ultimate plan to access content in this format. When the service relaunched in May, the company said it would have over 1,000 movies and TV show episodes available in 4K at rollout. Warner Bros. Discovery promised to add more in the coming months, plus all-new WBD theatrical films that hit the streamer will arrive in ultra HD. 

Right now, you can stream a range of titles including The Flash, The Last of Us, Euphoria, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and House of the Dragon in higher resolution. You can also watch classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca in 4K. There’s no dedicated hub for the content, but viewers can check for the 4K UHD badge in the title’s details. 

Show expert take Show less
Show less

Best for premium 4K TV shows, feature films

Max

Max movies and TV streaming on a phone

Pros

  • Prestige TV shows and major films available in 4K
  • Four simultaneous streams
Cons

  • Costs more to stream UHD

Like Netflix, Max has a large selection of 4K content, and it also charges more to stream it. You need the $20-a-month Ultimate plan to access content in this format. When the service relaunched in May, the company said it would have over 1,000 movies and TV show episodes available in 4K at rollout. Warner Bros. Discovery promised to add more in the coming months, plus all-new WBD theatrical films that hit the streamer will arrive in ultra HD. 

Right now, you can stream a range of titles including The Flash, The Last of Us, Euphoria, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and House of the Dragon in higher resolution. You can also watch classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca in 4K. There’s no dedicated hub for the content, but viewers can check for the 4K UHD badge in the title’s details. 

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With roughly 125 titles available in the highest resolution, Apple TV Plus‘ 4K collection may not seem that robust at first glance. But all you need is your $7-per-month subscription to stream it. All Apple Originals are in 4K with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, though TV shows and movies from other studios may only stream up to 1080p resolution.&nbsp;

You can watch Ted Lasso, Foundation, Severance and kids’ shows like Stillwater or The Snoopy Show in 4K. Your viewing experience is even better if you’re streaming with an Apple TV 4K box, or another compatible device like a Roku 4K stick or smart TV. &nbsp;

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See at Apple TV Plus

Best for affordable, high-quality 4K originals

Apple TV Plus

AppleTV Plus movies and TV shows

Pros

  • Low monthly price
  • Reliable, top-grade 4K selection
Cons

  • Small catalog

With roughly 125 titles available in the highest resolution, Apple TV Plus‘ 4K collection may not seem that robust at first glance. But all you need is your $7-per-month subscription to stream it. All Apple Originals are in 4K with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, though TV shows and movies from other studios may only stream up to 1080p resolution. 

You can watch Ted Lasso, Foundation, Severance and kids’ shows like Stillwater or The Snoopy Show in 4K. Your viewing experience is even better if you’re streaming with an Apple TV 4K box, or another compatible device like a Roku 4K stick or smart TV.  

Show expert take Show less
Show less

Best for affordable, high-quality 4K originals

Apple TV Plus

AppleTV Plus movies and TV shows

Pros

  • Low monthly price
  • Reliable, top-grade 4K selection
Cons

  • Small catalog

With roughly 125 titles available in the highest resolution, Apple TV Plus‘ 4K collection may not seem that robust at first glance. But all you need is your $7-per-month subscription to stream it. All Apple Originals are in 4K with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, though TV shows and movies from other studios may only stream up to 1080p resolution. 

You can watch Ted Lasso, Foundation, Severance and kids’ shows like Stillwater or The Snoopy Show in 4K. Your viewing experience is even better if you’re streaming with an Apple TV 4K box, or another compatible device like a Roku 4K stick or smart TV.  

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Prime Video’s 4K lineup includes Amazon originals as well as a variety of mainstream films, including Good Omens, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Top Gun: Maverick, and the 1996 anime Ghost in the Shell. You can also stream older movies such as The Goonies or 1989’s Batman in 4K. You can locate 4K content on Prime Video several ways. There’s a filter on the web page, but if you type in "4K" or "4K UHD" on your TV screen, rows of TV shows and movies will pop up.&nbsp;

Freevee content is included in the Prime Video app, and some offerings like Despicable Me 3 are available in UHD. You can also buy or rent content on this service, which is handy when you want to stream a new digital release such as Barbie in 4K.&nbsp;

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See at Prime Video

Best service you probably already have

Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video movies and TV shows

Pros

  • Can rent, buy, or stream 4K titles with your Prime membership
  • Hefty selection of UHD content
  • No extra fee to watch 4K
Cons

  • Filtering 4K content can be tricky

Prime Video’s 4K lineup includes Amazon originals as well as a variety of mainstream films, including Good Omens, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Top Gun: Maverick, and the 1996 anime Ghost in the Shell. You can also stream older movies such as The Goonies or 1989’s Batman in 4K. You can locate 4K content on Prime Video several ways. There’s a filter on the web page, but if you type in “4K” or “4K UHD” on your TV screen, rows of TV shows and movies will pop up. 

Freevee content is included in the Prime Video app, and some offerings like Despicable Me 3 are available in UHD. You can also buy or rent content on this service, which is handy when you want to stream a new digital release such as Barbie in 4K. 

Show expert take Show less
Show less

Best service you probably already have

Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video movies and TV shows

Pros

  • Can rent, buy, or stream 4K titles with your Prime membership
  • Hefty selection of UHD content
  • No extra fee to watch 4K
Cons

  • Filtering 4K content can be tricky

Prime Video’s 4K lineup includes Amazon originals as well as a variety of mainstream films, including Good Omens, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Top Gun: Maverick, and the 1996 anime Ghost in the Shell. You can also stream older movies such as The Goonies or 1989’s Batman in 4K. You can locate 4K content on Prime Video several ways. There’s a filter on the web page, but if you type in “4K” or “4K UHD” on your TV screen, rows of TV shows and movies will pop up. 

Freevee content is included in the Prime Video app, and some offerings like Despicable Me 3 are available in UHD. You can also buy or rent content on this service, which is handy when you want to stream a new digital release such as Barbie in 4K. 

Other streaming services we’ve checked

Hulu: Hulu is a great streaming platform for broadcast television, originals and on-demand content. However, there is a limited amount of titles available in 4K.

Hulu with live TV: There is no 4K programming available at this time.

Paramount Plus: This service has less than 200 TV show episodes and movies you can stream in 4K, and you need a premium subscription to watch. Compared with the other streaming platforms on this list that require a more expensive plan, Paramount Plus has less 4K content. However, if you like this service, there is something for you to stream.

Peacock: Peacock has a nice selection of originals, big movies like Fast X and titles like Yellowstone in 4K. Though the platform provides 4K streaming for both of its premium subscription plans, its library is fairly small with roughly 60 offerings. 

Fubo: The live TV streaming service has a selection of sports content in 4K, but overall, its UHD roster is limited.  

Starz: Starz doesn’t offer 4K streaming at this time.

How we test streaming services

It’s likely you’re already familiar with most of the platforms on this list, but this list isn’t comprehensive. There are hundreds of services out there. In general, we evaluate streaming services according to design (ease of use across different TV and mobile platforms), features (like 4K HDR, mobile downloads, recommendations, watch lists and number of streams), content (number of shows and quality of originals and back catalogs) and value (price compared to these other factors). You can read our full reviews for more details. 

Most streaming services offer a smattering of 4K content, and I researched the number of titles on each along with how they’re labeled, how easy it is to search for 4K programming, quality and cost. 

4K streaming FAQs

What is 4K?

When is comes to screen resolution, you’ll typically see four types: standard definition (SD), high definition (HD), full HD and 4K ultra high definition (4K UHD). Today, many homes either have full HD or 4K smart TVs and video streaming devices like Roku sticks or gaming consoles such as Xbox One. 

Display resolution is determined by pixels, where the higher the number, the greater the resolution. HD offers better images and colors than standard with its 1,920 x 1,080 vertical pixels — aka 1080p. 4K has a higher amount of pixels at 3,840 x 2,160 or a total of 8,294,400, which is four times more than HD. Picture quality in 4K is clearer, sharper and more realistic, with richer colors.

How do I know if I’m streaming in 4K?

You’ll notice a sharper picture. But first, verify your streaming subscription has 4K — you may have to upgrade your plan. Next, you’ll want to ensure you have a compatible device for your streaming service, which may be a 4K smart TV, tablet, PC, laptop, game console, or media player like an Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV box, Chromecast or Roku stick. Your device should support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. Install the streaming app directly on your device.

Your internet speed matters too; the faster, the better. While Netflix suggests a minimum of 15 Mbps, Max recommends a faster 25-50 Mbps for the best experience, as does Apple TV Plus. You can also go the extra mile and check the bitrate while your video is playing.

Stream titles that are tagged with the 4K icon in your app. Some videos may not look as punchy in 4K depending on the streaming service or your device, but you can check your device’s display settings to see if it’s set to “high resolution.” 

Why can’t I stream 4K on my phone?

Some streaming services do support 4K video quality on mobile phones, but it depends on your device. There are phones that have the technology to record in 4K resolution, but most lack 4K UHD playback capabilities and therefore can’t stream videos in that format. Sony Xperia is one example of a smartphone that can stream video in 4K, however. Apple’s iPhone and Samsung smartphones don’t have UHD displays. 

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