It's time, once again, to see what's what in the streaming wars. For the third year in a row, our hosts — this time Nilay, David, and The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes — have to build a roster of streaming options that will win awards, show 4K content, satisfy their live TV needs, and much more. First, the hosts decide who won last year's competition, and then they pick their favorites for 2025.
Make sure you listen to the episode before you read this, but here are the results of the draft:




Jake's picks:
Cheap: Tubi
Awards: Netflix
4K: Hulu
Live: Instagram Live
Niche: PBS Passport
Content: LoFi Girl
Wild Card: Kanopy

Nilay's picks:
Cheap: TikTok
Awards: Max
4K: Disney Plus
Live: Sunday Ticket
Niche: Kaleidescape
Content: CNBC
Wild Card: F1 TV

David's picks
Cheap: Peacock
Awards: Amazon Prime
4K: YouTube Premium
Live: YouTube TV
Niche: BritBox
Content: Stranger Things season 5
Wild Card: Paramount Plus


We want to know who you think won the draft! Email us at vergecast@theverge.com, or call The Vergecast Hotline at 866-VERGE11, and tell us all your thoughts. And if you want to catch up, you can check out our draft from 2024 and from 2023. A lot has changed, and nothing has.

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The 2025 Vergecast Streaming Draft