Netflix is a general entertainment streaming service with 282 million subscribers and focuses on movies, series, and documentaries, while ESPN+ is a sports-focused platform with 25 million subscribers specializing in live sports, original shows, and exclusive game coverage. Netflix offers broader entertainment appeal, whereas ESPN+ is purpose-built for sports enthusiasts.
Netflix vs ESPN+ — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Netflix if you want diverse entertainment including films, series, documentaries, and comedy with a massive global library of 10,000+ titles. Choose ESPN+ if you're a sports fan seeking live game coverage, extensive original sports programming, and analysis at a lower price point with fewer subscription tiers.
World's largest streaming platform with 6,000+ titles spanning all genres and 283 million global subscribers.
Sports-focused streaming service with 25 million subscribers offering live events, original programming, and sports documentaries.
Structured comparison data for Netflix vs ESPN+ with 313 attributes.
Original Content Releases in January 2026
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Plan)
Maximum Simultaneous Streams (Standard Plan)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard/Ad-Free US Plan)
Maximum Simultaneous Streams (Standard Tier)
Netflix vs ESPN+ — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Netflix vs ESPN+.
No. Netflix does not offer live sports content. It focuses exclusively on movies, TV series, documentaries, and stand-up comedy. For live sports, you need ESPN+ or traditional cable.
ESPN+ is cheaper at $11.99/month for its standard tier versus Netflix's $15.49/month. However, ESPN+ offers less total content. Netflix's value depends on whether you'll use its 10,000+ entertainment titles regularly.
Yes. ESPN+ offers a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for $14.99/month (with ads) or $24.99/month (ad-free), providing significant savings. Netflix does not offer bundling with other major services.
How many original shows does each service produce?
Netflix invests $17 billion annually in original content across all genres, while ESPN+ invests $1.5 billion focused exclusively on sports programming. Netflix produces significantly more diverse original content overall.
Which service has better parental controls?
Both services offer robust parental controls. Netflix includes PIN-protected profiles with content ratings by age, while ESPN+ offers basic content filtering. Netflix's controls are more granular for family viewing.