My one tech splurge in 2026 will be these 3 unsung TV streaming services – here's why

It's time to take your televisual viewing off-piste this year

01 Jan 2026, 11:00 · TechRadar

Features By Tom Bedford published 1 January 2026

(Image credit: BFI Player / StudioCanal) Share Share by:

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The high price of certain gadgets means I'm often picky about what I buy; I’m always wondering whether I actually need to shell out for a camera, console or fitness tracker, and this penny-pinching stops 90% of purchases in their tracks. It’s great for my bank account, but in 2026 I’m making an exception – for streaming service subscriptions.

I’ve previously tried to keep myself to one subscription at a time, preferring to do my viewing with DVDs or in the cinema than over the internet, but over many years as an entertainment journalist I've been relaxing these rules. I grew tired of the big names in streaming, but there are countless alternative streamers which offer something a little more bespoke and niche.

After recently cancelling Disney Plus, and putting a pause on my Tubi addiction, I’ve decided to spend 2026 trying out some new streaming services I’d never used before. Some of them are big ones I’d previously avoided, others are unsung options which could end up eating up my screen time for the year.

I'm in the UK, Here are some of them, beginning with the one I’ve already started on.

1. BFI Player

£6.99 / $5.99 per month, or £65 / $59 per year

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve really struggled to find a great streaming service for movies; from the biggies like Netflix and Disney Plus to smaller ones like Mubi, I find they struggle with quality as well as variety. I don’t just want to see originals, I want to enjoy world movies and older classics as well.

But BFI Player (or BFI Player Classics in the US) is quickly seeming like the perfect middle ground – a decision I came to partly because I often go to the British Film Institute’s own screenings of older movies that are hard to find online.

I really like how varied BFI Player’s list is, in terms of origin as well as year. A brief look at its library shows classics like Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Seven Samurai, as well as newer ones worth watching like Four Mothers and Monster. It'll definitely be a great history lesson for me, as a cinema fan.

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