I would cancel Netflix and Disney Plus in August — here’s why

Canceling a streaming service is a quick and relatively easy way to save money in a given month. While the default may be to cancel Netflix, we want to make sure you're making the right choice. Sure, if you go that route, you can get two of our favorite streaming services in its place.  And in bad news: Disney Plus and Hulu price hikes are coming — and Disney's is She-Hulk huge.

The big problem, though, is FOMO — fear of missing out on an amazing new show or movie. What if Netflix has a can't-miss show or movie in the new few weeks that leaves you out of watercooler conversations and group chats?

That's why we're taking a deep dive into what the best streaming services are offering in August 2022 and giving our recommendation for the streamer(s) to cut. (You can also take a look at what to watch in August for more details on great shows and movies this month). 

As we do every month, we're breaking down what's new on Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, Hulu and Disney Plus. We won't get into the stuff they already have, as it's impossible to guess what you have (and have not) already watched. 

Peacock and Paramount Plus are rising streaming services, but not for consideration for this list as they're just not as widespread. We're also skipping Amazon Prime Video, because it's less of a standalone service than a Prime membership perk. 

Should you cancel Apple TV Plus in August 2022?

Apple TV Plus has kept its promise of quality over quantity. Recently TG global editor in chief Mark Spoonauer found his favorite show of the year on Apple TV Plus.

Apple TV Plus is one of the cheapest streaming services in the market at $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99 per month. For that low price, you can see some truly excellent show, like the aforementioned Blackbird and the underrated Trying. But what is Apple TV Plus doing for us this month?

First up is Luck (August 5), Apple's first full-length 3D animated feature film from its partnership with Skydance Animation. It follows an unlucky girl who finds the Land of Luck, where she meets mythical creatures and may be able to turn her fortunes around.

Next comes Five Days At Memorial (August 12), which comes from writer/producer/directors John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and Carlton Cuse (Lost). The disaster thriller is set in a New Orleans hospital in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Catastrophe's Sharon Horgan has a new series showcasing her wicked humor. In the dark comedy Bad Sisters (August 19), she's one of five sisters who've vowed to always protect one another. When one suffers abuse from a cruel husband, the others band together and plot to kill him. 

The end of the month brings third and final season of See (August 26), which stars Jason Momoa in a post-apocalyptic world beset by blindness. Warrior Baba Voss is called from his self-imposed exile in the forest to protect his tribe from a new and devastating sighted weapon.

My recommendation: Apple's lineup of new titles looks compelling and a subscription only costs about as much as a latte.

• If that sounds like a great month of programming, sign up for Apple TV

Should you cancel HBO Max in August 2022?

We've named HBO Max as the best streaming service, but it's somewhat steep price ($15 for a regular subscription, $10 for ad-free) can put it on the budgetary chopping block. It really depends on what it's premiering.  

The month starts strong with the arrival of a bunch of movies from the independent studio A24, including Amy, Ex Machina, Room and the Spectacular Now. 

August is also bringing new seasons of fan-favorite reality shows: Sweet Life: Los Angeles season 2 (August 4), Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions (August 9) and House of Ho season 2 (August 25). 

But the big premiere is House of the Dragon (August 21), the highly-anticipated prequel series to Game of Thrones. It focuses on the Targaryens, with the first season chronicling a succession fight. Hundreds of years before Daenerys was born, her ancestors were battling for the Iron Throne too. And they had multiple dragons!

My recommendation: House of the Dragon could be massive, and the A24 films are a nice bonus, so you may want to keep HBO Max this month.

• If you're ready for more House of the Dragon and much more, sign up for HBO Max

Should you cancel Netflix in August 2022?

July was a big month for Netflix, with the releases of Stranger Things 4 volume 2, The Gray Man and Resident Evil — which is why we recommended not cancelling the service. So, how is August stacking up? 

The month starts off, as usual, with a bunch of movies flooding the service. But we're most excited for Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. 

The first big new Netflix show is The Sandman (August 5), the long-awaited adaptation of Neil Gaiman's beloved comic books. Tom Sturridge plays Dream/Morpheus, while Game of Thrones alum Gwendoline Christie is Lucifer Morningstar.

Next comes the third and final season of Locke and Key (August 10), the supernatural fantasy series about siblings who have the ability to unlock magical doors. 

Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever season 3 (August 12) returns with Devi in an official relationship with Paxton Hall-Yoshida, but her romantic travails aren't quite over yet. 

And as August winds down, Selling the OC (August 24) lets you indulge in luxe real estate peeping and workplace conflict. It's a spinoff of the hit Selling Sunset, so you can expect plenty of drama. 

My recommendation: The Sandman looks like it may do Gaiman's iconic work justice, while Never Have I Ever is one of the best shows on Netflix. Still, that may not be enough for the price tag.

Should you cancel Hulu in August 2022?

Hulu (starting at $6.99 per month) may not be as big as its corporate sibling Disney Plus, but it has a lot to offer. Only Murders in the Building is currently airing, as are next-day episodes of The Bachelorette. 

Hulu's August calendar looks stacked and starts off strong with Reservations Dogs (August 3), one of the best shows to watch anywhere. Season 2 sees the town recovering from hurricane, while Elora and Jackie continue their road trip adventure.

Next comes Prey (August 5), a prequel film to the Predator films. It's set in 1719, as a Comanche Nation warrior hunts a creature who turns out to be a highly evolved aline.

Hulu is well-known as the home of many great true crime documentaries and dramas. The docuseries Children of the Underground (August 13) tells the story of Faye Yager, a vigilante hid hundreds of allegedly abused mothers and children. But she may not have been the saint she seemed to be.

Two very different kinds of documentaries are coming out on the same day. Welcome to Wrexham (August 25) follows Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after they purchase a struggling soccer team in north Wales. 

Mike (August 25) explores the wild, tragic and controversial life and career of heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. 

At the end of August, Steve Carell headlines a new drama, The Patient (August 30). He plays a therapist who is kidnapped by a patient demanding help curbing his homicidal urges. 

My recommendation: Hulu has some great new stuff coming out in August, as well as more episodes of ongoing series.

• If that sounds like it's worth $7, sign up for Hulu

Should you cancel Disney Plus in August 2022?

Last month, we recommended cancelling Disney Plus, as its lineup was lackluster. But August seems to turn things around for the service. 

First up is the streaming debut of Lightyear (August 3), Pixar's Toy Story spinoff film. Chris Evans voices the space ranger protagonist, who eventually inspires the toy that Andy cherishes. 

Not long after that, LEGO Star Wars: Summer Vacation (August 5) sends Finn, Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2 and C-3PO on a space cruise — but things go awry in humorous fashion. 

The original shorts of I Am Groot (August 10) follow Baby Groot’s glory days growing up and getting into trouble among the stars.

August first really big premiere is She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (August 17). Tatiana Maslany stars as Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who goes green and gains superstrength just like her cousin Bruce Banner. 

Disney Plus was supposed to close out the month with the release of Rogue One prequel Andor (August 31), which sees Diego Luna reprising his role as Cassian Andor. However, the show was pushed back to September.

My recommendation: Marvel has a juicy new series but it's the only major new release of the month. 

• Sign up for Disney Plus to see the new shows

Streaming services in August: Highlights this month

The two streaming services I'm cutting this month are:

August is a time when a lot of people need to tighten their budgets, whether they're spending extra on an end-of-summer vacation or back to school supplies. If you're in this boat, you can get away with cancelling two streaming services: Netflix and Disney Plus.

Netflix's August lineup looks pretty good, don't get me wrong. The Sandman looks intriguing, Never Have I Ever is one of my favorite shows and Selling the OC is my kind of guilty pleasure. But they don't really justify paying over $15. I can binge all three of those shows in September. 

As for Disney Plus, Andor was pushed back from late August to September, leaving only one major release in She-Hulk. However, it comes out toward the end of the month. If you cancel Disney Plus in August and then re-subscribe in September, you will have only missed three episodes of She-Hulk (just a third of the season).

Read next: Here's why Secret Invasion sounds like the biggest Marvel show yet. I’m worried Westworld season 4 could be heading for a Game of Thrones disaster and this free Netflix spatial audio upgrade — that blew us away.