Streaming services have completely revolutionized the way we consume television shows and movies, replacing cables and satellite dishes with on-demand access across multiple devices. Online streaming services now mean we can watch what we want, when we want, on anything we want, from that massive smart television screen to the mobile device in our pockets.
However, not all platforms deliver the same experience. The online review site, PissedConsumer.com carefully analyzed data from its community of consumer reviewers to understand which streaming services provided the best and worst customer service based on pricing, content quality, user experience, customer service, and any technical issues.
What streaming services do you use? Share your thoughts in the comments, and tell us about your list of the best and worst streaming services!
Key Insights
- Across all streaming services, customer support quality has the strongest impact on user satisfaction. Low issue resolution rates and poor communication significantly reduce consumer trust.
- The worst-ranked streaming services, including Peacock TV, Roku, and YouTube TV, have issue resolution rates below 50%, contributing to low Net Promoter Scores (NPS), making users hesitant to recommend them.
- The streaming services with higher customer satisfaction rates, such as HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix, successfully resolve over 70% of consumer issues, making them more likely to be recommended.
Most Common Issues With Streaming Services
Overall, US consumers are happy with the quality of the content most streaming services offer. Even the worst-ranked providers received praise for their "good shows" or "good channels." While viewers obviously found the content entertaining, they were less enthusiastic about various customer service issues. Out of nearly 23,000 streaming service reviews published on PissedConsumer:
- 11.36% complained about consumer issues with memberships and subscriptions,
- 11.23% criticized customer support,
- 7.37% faced unauthorized transactions or billing issues.
With customer service issues being flagged as the key differentiator for gauging the quality of streaming services, this report will focus primarily on these challenges.
List of the Worst Streaming Services
Let's jump straight into the category no streaming company wants to appear in: The PissedConsumer List of the Worst Streaming Services.
So, how have these businesses appeared on the list of the worst streaming services? The list was created based on the information provided by consumers after their interactions with customer service representatives of streaming service companies.
We've employed a rigorous process based on the lowest consumer satisfaction scores. These scores are derived from a combination of key factors: the percentage of issues successfully resolved, overall customer satisfaction after engaging with support, and, ultimately, their Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a measure of how likely users are to recommend the service to others. We've included a precise breakdown of our methodology at the bottom of this article.
Here’s how PissedConsumer users rate the bottom five streaming services:
Company |
% of issue resolution |
CS satisfaction % |
% of recommendation |
Score |
Peacock TV |
38.78 |
25.29 |
8.16 |
722 |
Roku |
45.79 |
28.38 |
15.55 |
897 |
YouTube TV |
48.15 |
38.18 |
10.30 |
966 |
Sling TV |
55.77 |
35.90 |
12.77 |
1044 |
FuboTV |
58.75 |
47.17 |
24.49 |
1304 |
Peacock TV: Poor Customer Service, Billing, and Technical Issues
Peacock TV is a streaming service from NBCUniversal offering a mix of live TV shows, popular movies, exclusive originals, and high-profile sporting events.
Peacock TV sits at the very bottom of the pile. With more than 17,000 reviews on PissedConsumer, Peacock TV scores an average user rating of just 1.7 out of 5. With 82% of comments rated as negative, consumers highlight their experiences with poor customer service, billing, and technical issues, giving them a consumer satisfaction score of 722.
While Peacock TV offers its viewers some incredible shows, including hit reality series The Traitors and Below Deck, only 8.16% of those surveyed said they would recommend the services.
One of the most significant issues highlighted in the survey and seen in this recent review (#6436773) was the lack of customer support available to viewers who could not access the service and were still being charged.
I paid 29.99 for year of premium and its not working I just want it to work or I want my money back. Its ridiculous Im not getting what I paid for just super annoying.
Roku: Less Than Half of Customer Service Issues Resolved
Roku is a digital media streaming platform allowing users to access movies, TV shows, and live TV via its plug-and-play devices. Alongside its own ad-supported streaming service, it provides access to various streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Peacock TV.
Hot on the heels of Peakcock TV, Roku has more than 16,000 reviews on PissedConsumer, with an average customer rating of just 1.9 out of 5.
With its free-to-air business model, Roku is praised for offering good value for money. However, the service receives a lot of criticism for poor customer service, especially concerning unauthorized transactions that have allegedly been taken for premium content and app subscriptions. This issue was highlighted in a Roku review on PissedConsumer (#6483617) claiming the company is unwilling to speak with customers.
You took $50 out of my account without authorization. When I called, you gave me a bogus phone number, which goes to a voicemail that says we may not be called back. You don't want to talk to the people from whom you're actually taking the money.
The PissedConsumer survey suggests that less than half of Roku customer service issues are resolved, resulting in satisfaction rates remaining low at 28.38%, while only 15.55% of those surveyed stated that they would recommend the service.
YouTube TV: You Get What You Pay For
YouTube TV is a live TV subscription-based streaming service spun out of the original online video-sharing site that offers access to cable-like TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, CNN, and more, over the internet.
With more than 25,000 reviews, YouTube TV is the most-reviewed streaming service on PissedConsumer, scoring an average customer rating of 1.8 out of 5.
While some users praise the service for its cost and available channels, others believe "you get what you pay for," as seen in this YouTube TV review, which criticizes the overall user experience.
Other customer reviews suggest that YouTube TV falls short in terms of poor customer service, technical issues, and unauthorized transactions. The PissedConsumer survey showed that less than 50% of YouTube TV customer service issues were resolved at YouTube TV, resulting in 38.18% satisfaction rates and only 10.3% saying they would recommend the service.
Sling TV: Poor Customer Service and Lousy Connections
Sling TV is another live TV streaming service that claims to offer a cheaper alternative to cable. It provides access to live sports, news, and entertainment channels, including ABC, NBC, and FOX, over the internet with no contracts.
While many consumers praise Sling TV's pricing structure and ease of use, two issues dominate this streaming service's 5,200+ reviews on PissedConsumer. These include poor customer service and lousy connections. While Sling TV is the first company ranked among the worst five streaming services to resolve more than 50% of customer service issues, only 35.9% of those surveyed suggested they were satisfied, and 12.77% would recommend the service to friends and family. This is a shame because, as highlighted in this recent review (#6473982), many users love the product but hate Sling TV’s customer service.
Getting in touch with you people is a problem. Your product is terrific. Your customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
Fubo TV: Poor User Experience
FuboTV is a live TV streaming service with a specific focus on sports content, including live games from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, soccer leagues (Premier League, La Liga, MLS, etc.), and more.
While FuboTV’s 3,100+ reviews on PissedConsumer tell us that they appreciate the streaming service's high-quality sports content and a free trial, they struggle with poor user experience, citing a difficult-to-use website and poor customer service. Many users also complained that the service was overpriced. One recent reviewer on PissedConsumer (#6464224) highlighted the difficulty in contacting customer services to cancel an account.
They took almost $100 from my checking account and I can't reach anyone to fix it. They do not notify you when your trial is ending; they just take the money they want. Then, it's impossible to reach anyone.
While FuboTV outperforms the other services ranked in this league of "worst streaming services," with a 58.75% customer service issue resolution rate resulting in nearly 50% satisfaction levels, less than one in four users would recommend the service to fellow sports fans.
List of the Best Streaming Services
Moving on to our top performers, here is our list of the best streaming services based on data compiled from PissedConsumer customer reviews. We've used the same methodology to rank these top performers. So, which company have we found to offer the best TV streaming service in relation to product and customer service?
Company |
% of issue resolution |
CS satisfaction % |
% of recommendation |
Score |
Paramount Plus |
53.38 |
48.78 |
28.61 |
1307 |
Amazon Prime Video |
61.06 |
50.11 |
38.10 |
1492 |
Netflix |
74.53 |
60.68 |
47.20 |
1824 |
Hulu |
75.20 |
62.42 |
48.79 |
1864 |
HBO Max |
73.17 |
59.59 |
58.18 |
1909 |
Paramount Plus: a Positive Customer Experience
Paramount Plus is a subscription-based streaming service that offers a mix of movies from the Paramount Pictures catalog, TV shows, including classic and new series from CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, live sports events from the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NCAA and more.
With more than 7,900 consumer reviews on PissedConsumer.com, Paramount Plus is broadly praised for its good shows and movies. However, having access to all the Tom Cruise movies you could binge on doesn't mean their customers don't have problems with the service. Billing issues, service access, and hard-to-contact customer services were the top complaints about streaming with the service.
However, with 53.38% of issues resolved and 48.78% of consumers surveyed stating they were satisfied with their engagements with the Paramount Plus customer service, the company is taking impressive steps to create a positive customer experience as enjoyed by this very happy customer.
The customer service representative was extremely nice and helpful. She gave me the right answer to solve my issue!
Amazon Prime Video: Elite Service Levels
Amazon Prime Video is an online streaming service made available to viewers as part of their wider Amazon Prime subscription service. Alongside its catalog of popular studio movies, TV shows, and Amazon Originals, including The Boys, Reacher, Fallout, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the service also allows viewers to buy or rent premium content, including new movie releases, sports events, and subscribe to additional channels such as Paramount Plus, Starz, and HBO Max.
With the backing of one of the world's largest companies, it's no surprise that Amazon Prime Video has emerged as a major player and significant disruptive force in the modern media and entertainment landscape. Amazon has invested heavily in studios and film production, creating its own Amazon Originals, and this is reflected in the 8,600+ reviews on PissedConsumer, which highlight the good shows and availability of channels on the service.
Amazon Prime customer service, is known to be highly efficient. This is reflected in the positive figures relating to the streaming companies’ issue resolution (61.06%) and satisfaction with customer services (50.11%). Meanwhile, 38.10% of those surveyed said they would recommend Amazon Prime Video to a friend or relative. Some online reviews (#4771359) have even described service levels as “elite.”
Company fixed the issue and I have been provided with full refund. Full refund and very nice service elite level.
Billing issues and technical problems, such as the screen freezing during live events, may also be responsible for Amazon Prime Video only scoring an average customer rate of 2.4 out of five, suggesting there is still much room for improvement despite ranking so highly.
Netflix: Great Customer Service
Netflix is a brand that is perhaps more synonymous with online streaming than any other company. It has a vast library of movies and TV shows, including must-watch original dramas such as Stranger Things, Bridgeton, and Squid Game.
With more than 15,700 reviews on Pissed Consumer, it's clear that customers love Netflix's content and easy-to-use interface. However, those persistent problems faced by other streaming companies, including pricing, security, and availability of customer service agents, remain challenging, and this is perhaps why the company shares the same 2.4 out of five customer rating as Amazon Prime Video.
However, when customers do engage with customer support at Netflix, their figures are impressive, with a 74.53% resolution figure and a 60.68% satisfaction rate. This results in 47.20% of those surveyed stating they would recommend Netflix to their friends and family.
When attempting to turn a frown upside down, you can’t do better than this review of Netflix’s service (#6415994).
Resolved: Just to let people know that they have great customer service. They took care of my situation in an orderly manner and timely manner. Situation rectified.
Hulu: 75% of Issues Successfully Resolved
Hulu is billed as a flexible cable alternative, offering on-demand and live TV shows. With more than 90 channels, including ESPN, ABC, Fox, NBC, and many more, the company is also well-known for its popular original content, including The Handmaid’s Tale and Shōgun.
When a streaming company ranks as well as Hulu on our list, you'd expect that the service offers an incredible selection of entertainment choices, which is undoubtedly reflected in many of their 15.800+ reviews on PissedConsumer. However, there are still several areas where the company falls short. The User Interface (UI) is singled out as poor, the connection is occasionally referred to as lousy, and the service is also criticized as expensive. This may explain the 2.6 out of five customer rating.
One area the company excels in is its customer service efforts. 75.2% of issues were successfully resolved, resulting in a satisfaction rate of 62.42% and 48.79% of customers saying they would recommend the service, as demonstrated in this review.
I am not a pissed off customer. I am pleased with HULU and your customer service personnel
HBO Max: 58% of Customers Would Recommend
HBO Max, recently rebranded as Max, is a subscription-based streaming service that combines the creative output of HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Discovery+, and much more in one platform.
And the award for the best streaming service goes to HBO Max. This is reflected best by the low number of HBO Max reviews, less than 1,000, on PissedConsumer. People don’t typically visit our community and post online reviews when they are delighted with a service. But it's when people do have issues with the services that the magic really happens at HBO Max (as you would expect from the home of Harry Potter).
The company has an issue resolution rate of 73.17%, satisfying 59.59% of customers. While these figures are lower than their nearest rivals at Hulu, more than 58% of customers would recommend HBO Max to others, giving them a winning score of 1,909.
This doesn't mean HBO Max is immune to criticism, with problems signing up, billing issues, and occasional difficulty speaking to a customer service agent typically being highlighted. However, as one review on PissedConsumer demonstrates, HBO Max’s customer service team can make a huge difference when customers feel let down by the technology.
He was very, very helpful. Very knowledgeable. Very clear and one of the best customer service experiences ive ever had. Your interface is unclear unintuitive and very user unfriendly.
When Great Content Meets Perfect Customer Service
The PissedConsumer survey highlights how critical, efficient, and effective customer service is in the streaming industry. While consumers generally appreciate the content offered by the very best and worst streaming services, many struggle with poor customer support, billing issues, and subscription management difficulties.
The less-rated services, including Peacock TV, Roku, and YouTube TV, all received low issue resolution rates and poor customer satisfaction. This made consumers less likely to recommend these services to their peers. In contrast, higher-rated services like HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix demonstrated a stronger commitment to resolving customer issues, resulting in higher satisfaction rates and personal recommendations.
Despite their rankings, even the best services have room for improvement, particularly in terms of customer support accessibility, pricing transparency, and technical performance.
How could your opinion shape future consumer trends and highlight much-needed improvements in the streaming industry? Why not share your experience by joining the PissedConsumer community and writing a review?
Our Methodology
PissedConsumer.com conducted an online survey among 9,642 U.S. visitors from March 2024 to March 2025, focusing on their engagements with customer service teams to understand how consumers ranked the worst and best streaming services. The report highlights responses to three key questions: issue resolution, customer satisfaction, and likelihood of recommendation (NPS score). Each company's analysis is based on a minimum of 50 responses per question.
*The company ratings on the PissedConsumer website are calculated using a mathematical algorithm that evaluates the information in the company’s profile. The algorithm parameters are: users’ rating, the number of resolved issues, the number of company responses and more. The PissedConsumer algorithm is also subject to change in the future.
Legal disclaimers:
- While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide any legal, medical, accounting, investment or any other professional advice as individual cases may vary and should be discussed with a corresponding expert and/or an attorney.
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