Best Streaming Provider for 4K VIDEO Quality?

[cleeve]

Originally Posted by ArtBlanc

It's been over 2 years since pghflyer updated the original post.
Has anyone done a more recent detailed comparison test like this within the past 2 years?
I have referred others to this post many times but sometimes people will argue that the test results aren't up to date

Igans316 still maintains their bitrates master thread here pretty regularly. They most regularly test iTunes & Movies Anywhere but also test Disney+, Netflix, VUDU, and Amazon Prime.

Movies Anywhere and iTunes still appear to be the top options, and it looks like Amazon Prime has improved from 10-14 mbps to 14-19 mbps on average.

Their thread is here:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=333937

[FubarFrenzy]

Curious on the bit rate that MAX(HBO) currently streams. Wonder if this can be added to the list above.

[bofis]

The chart at the start of this thread should be updated, at this point Google Play supports Dolby Vision, so I wonder if they've increased or changed what bitrates they stream 4k content at...but not really sure how to go about figuring it out either. Generally I'll use Movies Anywhere, but always curious if anyone has trying harder these days.

[thebox]

If this helps anyone looking for the most updated data, I'm happy to share insights from my (beta) database.

Suggested Ranking: Best Streaming Providers for 4K Video & Audio Quality (as of March 13, 2025)

(Ranked by Avg 4K Bitrate / Peak HDR Brightness / Dolby Vision, Atmos Support & Expanded BT.2020 Coverage)

#1 Apple TV+
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 26 Mbps | Peak Bitrate: 37 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 1566 nits | Avg Brightness: 247 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 80
HDR10+ Titles: 1
HDR10 Titles: 80
Dolby Atmos Titles: 71
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 2
Audio Bitrate: 770 Kbps

� Verdict: The best in raw quality with the highest bitrates, reference HDR and "lossless" Dolby Atmos support.

#2 Max
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 21 Mbps | Peak Bitrate: 27 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 1311 nits | Avg Brightness: 254 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 181
HDR10 Titles: 181
Dolby Atmos Titles: 113
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 1
Audio Bitrate: 640 Kbps

� Verdict: Strong HDR, but bitrate limitations cause compression artifacts.

#3 Netflix
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 16 Mbps | Peak Bitrate: 28 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 1334 nits | Avg Brightness: 439 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 683
HDR10 Titles: 683
Dolby Atmos Titles: 443
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 22
Audio Bitrate: 771 Kbps

� Verdict: Netflix delivers a high volume of Dolby Vision & Atmos content, but compression softens details.

#4 Disney+
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 15 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 1374 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 367
HDR10 Titles: 430
Dolby Atmos Titles: 220
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 90
Audio Bitrate: 768 Kbps (Atmos) / 256 Kbps (5.1)

� Verdict: Good HDR brightness and broad Dolby Vision/Atmos support, especially for Marvel titles. Bitrates aren't the highest, but BT.2020 (Wide Colour Gamut support) coverage is great by streaming standards!

#5 Paramount+
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 12 Mbps | Peak Bitrate: 15 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 1829 nits | Avg Brightness: 605 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 176
HDR10 Titles: 178
Dolby Atmos Titles: 47
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 3
Audio Bitrate: 768-799 Kbps

� Verdict: HDR range is surprisingly strong, but bitrate is low, creating compression issues.

#6 Prime Video
✅ Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Atmos
Avg Bitrate: 19 Mbps | Peak Bitrate: 25 Mbps
Peak Brightness: 944 nits | Avg Brightness: 337 nits
Dolby Vision Titles: 24
HDR10+ Titles: 291
HDR10 Titles: 301
Dolby Atmos Titles: 48
Expanded BT.2020 Titles: 13
Audio Bitrate: 448-576 Kbps

� Verdict: Only service (besides Disney+ soon) with relevant HDR10+ support, but brightness and bitrates are mid-range.

Observations:

� Nearly every 4K HDR movie is tracked, but not all 4K SDR titles.
� Real streaming bitrates (captured via Apple TV Developer Panel) & HDR metadata (via HDFury device).
� Titles analyzed across 4 major regions (AU, CA, US, UK).
� Peak brightness values and HDR metrics represent averages across multiple titles.
� ±2% error variation for bitrate & HDR measurements.

� FULL interactive/dynamic breakdown can be found here.

Let me know if you spot anything off!

[kannibaliztik]

Originally Posted by papamarg

I have an Apple TV 4K, should I stream the Dolby Vision titles via Apple or Movies Anywhere? In the past I heard that the MA app had the highest bitrates, is that still true?

I love the MA app, maybe just me but things do tend to look better on there, but not all titles will have the same HDR on MA and apple, some titles have DV on both, some only on have HDR10 on MA.

[thebox]

I had overlooked Disney+, apologies! I’ve now included it as well, just pulled the data from the source.

[meremortal]

Didn't realize Netflix had so many 4k titles, though I only have the cheapest 1080p plan. At this point I would definitely like to start streaming more versus buying everything out there.