What is JustWatch? TV streaming service guide explained

What is JustWatch?

If you have already browsed the internet to find the available TV streaming service for a specific movie or series, you may have found this guide online and this smartphone app, which compiles lists of titles for a variety of content services.

However, JustWatch isn't a streaming TV service and you won't be able to stream anything from it, but it does offer a convenient place to explore what's available to stream elsewhere, which means you don't have to check apps individually to find what you're looking for.

Let's be realistic: there are many streaming TV services these days. While Netflix and YouTube may still be the dominant players in online streaming, many competitors are now occupying our screen time. And in a world where Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO and Hulu are packed with programming, with content libraries sifting through different titles each month, keeping up with what's actually available can be difficult.

That's where JustWatch comes in, and for everything you need to know about the platform, you'll find it all on this page.

Come to the point

• What is it? An online guide to various catalogs of TV streaming services.
• What streaming services are included? Netflix, Disney Plus, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hayu, Mubi, Sky Go, All 4, Curzon, Chile, YouTube, Rakuten TV, etc.
• Where can I receive it? iOS, Android, Internet browsers and Fire TV
• How much does JustWatch cost? The service is free, without advertising.
• What about the cinemas? Yes, JustWatch also lets you know what's playing in theaters.
• Can I stream content on JustWatch? No, but there are "Watch Now" links for each title that allow you to access the corresponding platform

What is JustWatch?

JustWatch is an online guide that brings together the different movies, TV series, and other types of programming available on online TV streaming services. There's a website you can open in any browser and a smartphone app available on iOS and Android, as well as Fire TV devices.

It's not a new idea viewers have flocked to the internet to find out what show or movie has landed for years, but JustWatch is different in scale. Instead of just showing what's being broadcast on a particular service on the line of What's on Netflix?, JustWatch allows you browse over 100 different content libraries to see what's available, where and with what quality resolution you stream, how much it costs, and the type of payment options available (subscription, rental, etc.).

You can also filter the big title bands based on the following categories: Movies, TV Series, Release Year, Genres, Price, Rating (i.e. IMDb Score or Rotten Tomatoes), and Age Rating.

This means that you can search multiple services in bulk, rather than just searching for a specific title, or have to log into Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu separately to see what action movies or animation movies are on offer.

As the JustWatch smartphone app says, "Get personal recommendations for movies and TV shows available on Netflix, Now TV, Disney Plus and more."

JustWatch has an extensive filtering system (Image credit: JustWatch)

JustWatch Netflix - All TV Streaming Services

You will find more than 100 TV streaming services included in JustWatch, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video (rentals/purchases and those included in a Prime subscription) to the likes of Syfy and CBS All Access. Other notable services include DC Universe, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, Acorn TV, Rakuten TV, Comedy Central, Hulu, and HBO Max/HBO Now/HBO Go.

We will not list them all here, but you can go to the JustWatch website to see them, as each TV service receives an individual icon at the top of the content filters.

Looking at what's listed for each movie or show, you can see when it landed on the respective service, how many episodes are available (if any), streaming quality (SD, HD, 4K) and how many it costs on each platform for each resolution. You will also find an overview of the title and synopsis of each episode, as well as the relevant cast and titles that you can also watch.

There's a watchlist feature, like the one you get on Netflix or Disney Plus, which lets you tag titles you want to keep a tab on or make sure to watch later. You also don't need to log in for this, as the information is stored via cookies in your browser, although to get this information across all your devices you'll need to create an account (more on this below).

Each title has a “Watch Now” button that also allows you to directly access the respective platform, so you can jump right into the stream.

Harrt Potter, as noted on JustWatch (Image credit: JustWatch)

JustWatch UK - All Major Players

UK residents may wonder if repair services specific to their country are included. And they are! You'll find All 4, ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer and BritBox in the app. However, there is no decrease in television broadcasts, since it is an Internet-specific guide.

JustWatch website, apps, and pricing

The most important, JustWatch is free to use. You can create an account for a more personalized user experience, mostly in the form of emails indicating content you think you'll like, but it's also possible to use it without creating an account.

The "About JustWatch" page is also surprisingly candid about how it makes money, stating that user data is used to "gather user profiles of millions of viewers" and target them for advertising on behalf of "movie studios, distributors, and VOD services."

You will find the JustWatch app on iOS and Android smartphones, as well as on internet browsers.

If you register, you can do it with your Google or Facebook account, or by manually entering an email address and password. Note that you'll need to opt-in to email marketing when you sign up, though you can then go to your account settings to turn it off.

JustWatch is available worldwide (Image credit: JustWatch)

Should I use JustWatch?

JustWatch is a bit of a no-brainer for heavy viewers. It brings together a multitude of different content libraries, with effective filters and a constantly updated catalog that reflects the ever-evolving libraries of Netflix and the like. You don't even have to create an account to use it.

If you only subscribe to or regularly use one or two services, and you don't really want to check others, i.e. if you're more influenced by your current subscriptions, this can be more complicated than just looking for Netflix specials in the app itself.