Streaming services to keep, cut in April 2026
Streaming services to keep, cut in April 2026
We’ll help you zero in on which streamers are essentials this month, and which you can let go of for a little while.
We’ve only just gotten to know 2026, and already the year is one-quarter over. April is here, and whether it’s showers that lead to May flowers or not, we know it will bring with it an excellent lineup of new TV and movie premieres across top streaming services.
Which services are must-keep platforms in April? We’ll go through the top premieres coming to major apps during the month, and let you know which services you have to have, and which you can probably afford to cancel for at least a few weeks. See our recommendations below!
Which streamers should you keep, cancel in April 2026?
Streamers to keep
Hulu
Hulu is our first streamer to make sure you’re subscribed to in April, thanks to the premiere of “The Testaments,” which debuts on the service on April 8. The show is the highly anticipated follow-up series to “The Handmaid's Tale,” and takes place several years after the events of that show. It follows young teens as they are prepared for their lives as future wives in Gilead, and stars Chase Infiniti as Agnes MacKenzie and Lucy Halliday as Daisy.
Watch the trailer for ‘The Testaments’
For fans of more nostalgic fare, Hulu is also releasing the revival series “Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair.” That series arrives on Hulu on April 10 and reunites almost the entire original cast. The series follows Malcolm as he travels home for Hal and Lois’s wedding anniversary, following a period of successfully avoiding his family for years.
Hulu is available starting at $12 per month as a standalone subscription with ads, or $13 per month with ad-supported Disney+ included. Customers can also upgrade to ad-free Hulu for an additional monthly fee.
Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Prime Video
The most noteworthy premiere on Prime Video in April 2026 will be “The Boys” Season 5, which debuts on April 8. This will be the final season of “The Boys,” the ultra-violent superhero action/comedy/drama series adapted from the graphic novel series of the same name.
In Season 5, Homelander has cemented his grip on the United States, and The Boys are scattered. Butcher has gone completely rogue and will stop at nothing to ensure that the Supe-killing virus he has is deployed as ruthlessly as possible to kill every powered individual he can.
Prime Video’s subscription plan costs $9 per month for ad-supported service on its own, or customers can get it for free as part of the larger Prime subscription for $15 per month.
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
HBO Max
HBO Max has both the long-awaited return of a show that hasn’t released new episodes in years, and the final season of a critically acclaimed series debuting in April 2026. First up is the debut of “Hacks” Season 5 on April 9; Deborah Vance and her writing partner Ava Daniels are back for one final ride as a duo, determined to show the world that Deb’s best days as a comedian aren’t far in the past. Season 5 of Hacks” will be the show’s last, which will be a relief to other comedy series that want the chance to win an Emmy or two.
The streamer will also welcome the third season of “Euphoria” on April 12. The darkly funny drama series starring Zendaya hasn’t released new episodes since 2022, and its characters will be all grown up in Season 3. But that doesn’t mean they’ve left their past problems behind them; they’ve just developed all new ones.
Watch the latest trailer for ‘Euphoria’ Season 3
The A24 movie “Marty Supreme” hits HBO Max on April 24 as well, and ad-free customers will be able to watch the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship game on the streamer as well. All of this combines to make HBO Max a must-have streamer throughout the whole month. Its standalone plans start at $11 per month for ad-supported service.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
Other top streaming premieres in April
- Beef Season 2 (April 16 on Netflix)
- Stranger Things: Tales from '85 (April 23 on Netflix)
- Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2 (April 3 on Apple TV)
- Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord (April 6 on Disney+)
Streamers to cut
Paramount+
With no American football, no March Madness national championship game, and no new Taylor Sheridan series premiering on Paramount+ in April 2026, the streamer is one that you can feel pretty good about pausing for the month. The big exception is fans of Cheech and Chong, who will be able to stream “Cheech & Chong's Last Movie” on the service on April 20.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
Peacock
The “Five Nights at Freddy's” fans in the reading audience may protest at Peacock’s placement here, but apart from the sequel movie being released on the streamer on April 3, there really isn’t much to bring customers to the platform during the month. Live MLB games continue on Peacock through April, but fans can usually find those games on NBC or NBC Sports Network.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.