Some part(s) of this page LAST UPDATED: Sep 19, 2023.
NOTICE! In August and September 2023, we have moved a number of streaming services from the "No AD" category to the "Have AD" category! Look for Updated notations in the list below. These services include:
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"Streaming video" (or VOD, Video On Demand) refers to video (like a movie) which is delivered to an end-user upon request (demand) over the Internet in a continuous transmission or stream. Typically, the video is viewed in real time, but it may also be capable of being downloaded for later viewing. When a subscription fee is charged (like Netflix), this delivery mechanism is called SVOD, Subscription Video On Demand. If you make the purchases one at a time (like iTunes), it is called TVOD, Transactional Video On Demand. Some SVOD services (like Disney+) offer premium content for an additional one-time fee. This is called PVOD, Premium Video On Demand. The Satellite services DirecTV and Dish Network utilize a format known as NVOD, or Near Video On Demand, which is a fancy term for pay-per-view. Another interesting piece of terminology is vMVPD, virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor; e.g., pay-TV services that are only available via broadband connections (Sling TV is an example). Finally we have AVOD, Advertising Video On Demand, which is the model used by streaming services when you don't pay a fee, but you are forced to receive advertisements just like over-the-air television. Enough of the alphabet soup, you say!
All of these methods of delivery are different from over-the-air, cable, or satellite television, or a video on disc (DVD or Blu-ray), which you can learn about on our Television or DVDs web pages. If you are exploring "cutting the cord," see our article entitled Cord-Cutting Options Supporting Audio Description.
Recent Top Ten Streaming Shows |
Many new TV sets (calling themselves Smart TVs) and cable boxes offer Internet access with then allows built-in access to multiple streaming services. Alternatively, you may purchase a number of devices which plug into your TV's HDMI input port, and from there you switch the input to that port, answer setup questions one time to connect to your wireless internet, possibly download one or more free apps, and then access the streaming services listed on this page through this new device and its own remote. While there may be a few other similar devices, here is a list of the most popular ones:
If you want to know how to access the various services via various devices, we recommend that you read this article: Book Review: Audio Description: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It, by Judy Dixon. Chapter 3 discusses seven streaming services and eight devices. It is available from National Braille Press in Braille, eBraille, DAISY, and Word.
While most of the information on this page is USA-only, we do have this list of streaming services in the UK which offer audio description updated as of April 2023, thanks to the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People):
Broadcast led free streaming services: All4, BBC iPlayer, Boomerang, ITVX, Cartoon Network, BT TV, MTV, My5, Nickelodeon and S4C.
Subscription based services: Apple+, BFI Player, BritBox, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video.
You can also read this Access Services Report from 2021 to read an evaluation on how the various UK services are doing.
The following airlines are known to provide
audio described content via their in-flight entertainment systems: American, ANA (Japan), British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, United, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin
Australia. Such services would only be available on flights
offering individual screens on seat backs or those which support using
your own device (like an iPad or computer). Note, however, that
most services do not offer audio MENUS, so you will probably need
sighted assistance to select a movie with AD. In July 2020, United
Airlines was honored by the ADP with the Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl
Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description.
Prices are listed low-to-high as of July '23, followed by the number of described titles that we list for them on this website. iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu are not listed because they are transactional based services, not subscription services. These are base prices, typically with commercials.
All prices above are rounded up by 1 cent! Sometimes you can prepay for a year of service and get a couple of months "free." Since these are base prices, paying more money for some of the services will get you additional simultaneous streams, or higher quality video, or more content, or fewer/no ads -- or some combination. To find an offer, try searching for "your-streaming-service your-internet/phone-provider."
Here is a nice article comparing streaming services. Ironically, they say the top one is discovery+, the only one which doesn't offer description! If you wonder how the services rank in popularity (number of subscribers), you will find them in this blog post ranking the services (from December '22).
In the following list, we indicate whether or not you can find a list of audio described titles on the service, and whether or not those titles are marked with an AD icon.
The following section lists all we know about video streaming services, with the ones actually providing some description listed first. Most, but not all, require a subscription or pay-per-view. Our table is divided into two categories:
Note 1: Any reference to pricing is subject to change and is
rounded up to the nearest dollar. Some services offer a discount
for paying for a full year.
Note 2: Amazon's Fire TV Recast DVR, used in
conjunction with a Fire Stick, is NOT a streaming service. It is a
DVR for over-the-air programs, but it does support AD.
HAVE-AD ABC | AMC+ | Apple TV | Apple TV+ | BroadwayHD | CBS | Channels | CuriousityStream | DirecTV Stream | discovery+ | Disney+ |
Google Play | Hulu | freevee | frndly | iTunes | MagellanTV | Max | MGM+ | Netflix | Paramount+ | PBS Video | Peacock | Philo | Pluto TV | Pornhub | Prime Video | ReelAbilities | Showtime | Tubi | Vimeo | Vudu | YouTube TV
NO-AD or DON'T KNOW AMC On Demand | BET+ | BritBox | BroadwayOnDemand | Comcast Choice | Crackle | Crunchyroll |DisneyNow | Documentary+ | Fawesome | FilmRise |
Fox Now | Funimation | fuboTV | Hallmark Movies Now | HappyKids | HBO | Means TV | NBC |Plex | Quibi | Redbox | Roku Channel | Shudder | Sling TV | Spectrum TV Choice | Starz | Sundance Now | The Achievery | Toon Goggles | Xumo | YouTube Premium
Service | Description of Offering | Examples |
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The ABC app offers access to live content and select previous episodes from iOS mobile devices, Apple TV, and other devices in select markets for free. Generally (but not always), if an ABC show offers audio description, the show will be described using the app. NOTE: To activate description, you must do so via your device settings, not the app itself. For example (with iOS devices): Settings, General, Accessibility, Audio Descriptions, On. ABC Digital was the recipient of the ADP's 2017 Achievement in Audio Description - Media award for this app! |
black-ish, Shark Tank, The Conners, The Rookie |
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AMC+ is a service that brings together content from across
AMC Networks' brands, including AMC, Shudder, Sundance Now, and
IFC Films, along with other select AMC programming.
There are various subscription options through a variety of services. We know that IFC Films produces AD tracks for many of its newer videos, and folks have indicated they wish Shudder offered AD
(it doesn't); so we have been hopeful that they would offer audio description. Apparently, starting in September 2022, they do, even if in very limited form. Since we know they offer something, we have moved them up in our listing, but we know very little at this time. Probably the only "safe" way to get AD is to order directly from AMC and use their app. |
Tales of the Walking Dead, Kevin Can Go F*ck Himself (season 2) |
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The Apple TV app (as described by Apple) is: "Apple Original shows and movies from Apple TV+. Just the premium channels you want. Thousands of movies to buy or rent. Popular streaming services and cable TV providers ... all in the Apple TV app. On all your screens. It’s the ultimate way to watch TV." "Customers can subscribe to Apple TV channels within the Apple TV app - paying for only the ones they want - and watch on demand directly in the app. Subscribers can watch and download shows and movies both online and offline. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share subscriptions to Apple TV channels using just their Apple ID and password." For more information about how to find audio-described content, please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205742. Note that THIS app is how you get to Apple TV+ (below). |
For Apple TV: Depends on provider |
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On November 1, 2019, Apple TV+, "the first all-original video subscription service," became available via the Apple TV app. The present cost is $7/month. According to Apple when announced, Apple TV+ is the "new home for the world's most creative storytellers featuring exclusive original shows, movies and documentaries. It [features] a brand new slate of programming from the world's most celebrated creative artists, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, ... and more." Almost all original content is audio described in nine languages! With over 20 million subscribers and 5% of the streaming market*, they currently offer over 100 titles; see Apple TV+ Described Videos. Trailers for Apple TV+ content are described in the Apple TV app. NOTE: the (subscription) Apple TV+ is accessed via the (free) Apple TV app. Verizon Unlimited Data customers include a free subscription to Apple TV+. The details may vary from time to time. In 1Q23, Apple TV+ began offering some older movies under the moniker "Apple TV+ Bonus" titles. Not all of them contain AD tracks. In March 2022 Apple announced that they had secured rights for a Friday-night package of Major League Baseball games, about 50/year. In November 2021, the ACB honored Apple with an "Audio Description Game Changer" award. |
All original content such as See, The Morning Show, The Elephant Queen; plus a few old standards like Charlie Brown movies; and coming soon: Major League Baseball |
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BroadwayHD is a streaming service that allows you to "Enjoy your Broadway favorites anytime, anywhere." When asked in July 2023 if they offer any audio description, they replied: "Unfortunately, the shows are not audio described at this time. This is something we are discussing for future deployment." HOWEVER, in fact at least two are described. Try this search: https://www.broadwayhd.com/search?q=audio%20description. | Very Limited; try Romeo and Juliett, and Phantom of the Opera |
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The new CBS app (which you need to download from your device's App Store - there is no central link) completely replaced the former CBS app which migrated itself to become Paramount+ in March 2021. It offers audio description for shows which are described on the CBS television network. These shows are available to everyone for free for 28 days after release and longer if you sign in via a content provider sign in (like a cable TV network). You can trigger AD from a menu on the upper right of the screen. |
Bob Hearts Abishola, the NCIS franchise, S.W.A.T., Young Sheldon |
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The free Channels app takes input from an antenna and/or a cable fed to an HDHomeRun tuner ($100 to $250) which in turn connects to your router; then you can use the app on various devices to control and watch channels. An optional subscription service gives you access to a virtual DVR with all the usual options. Audio Description is supported. Read our review of the Channels app and HDHomeRun Tuner. |
Depends on network |
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CuriousityStream is "where viewers can journey through our world and beyond with thousands of documentary features and series ... stunning visuals and unrivaled storytelling to demystify science, technology, history and nature." $40/year. As of August 2023, they have 3 described videos (view their current list of AD titles), all series. |
War Gamers, Proof of Concept, Tycoons |
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AT&T's streaming service, rolled out in the fall of 2019, is DirecTV Stream. Previous names were AT&T TV, DirecTV, U-Verse TV, AT&T Now, and AT&T Watch TV. Pricing starts at $75/month. You can use your own streaming media device, or for an extra fee use their set-top box running Android and Talk Back for their talking interface. The included cloud DVR does record AD (but has limited capacity and retention time limits unless you pay $10 more). The customer service number is reportedly 888-388-4249. In April, 2023, Dave G wrote: "I'm on Direct Streaming and have never received Audio Description on ABC from Direct." We rely upon user
input for more information! Please tell us your experience. |
Most networks, at least via the iPhone |
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discovery+ (whose name begins with a lowercase "d") debuted in the U.S. on January 4, 2021 as "the definitive non-fiction, real life subscription streaming service." Originally owned by Discovery Communications, it is now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. They offer a huge library of programming from 14 partner networks including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet. See the note about merging with HBO Max in the HBO Max entry below. In October 2021, they initiated a grand total of two audio described titles (one withdrawn now) noted to the right -- but you have to know where to find them! They are separate videos in the "Extras" category of the two main titles. We link to them directly in our Other Media navigation link. We can't be sure if these shows are still there or not -- let us know! |
Introducing, Selma Blair (documentary about people with disabilities) |
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Disney+ has been available on almost every streaming device in the USA and Canada
since November 2019
and costs $8/month with ads, $14/month ad-free (as of 9/7/23), with a focus on family-friendly shows and movies
from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm (the Star Wars franchise),
and National Geographic. You will find over 800
titles in our list of Disney+ Audio Described Titles.
$13/month will get you a Disney+ / ESPN+ / Hulu bundle with ads ($7 more for no ads on D+ or Hulu). See all Disney Pricing Options (pre-Sep 7).
As of3Q 2023, Disney+ had about 46 million subscribers in the USA. One source* reports that have 13% of the streaming market (24% if you include Hulu). Disney was the recipient of the ADP's 2020 Achievement in Audio Description – Media award, specifically for having 300 titles audio described on day 1 of the new service and expanding rapidly from there. |
All Disney+ Originals like The Mandalorian; oldies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; and the complete Star Wars series |
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freevee offers FREE movies and TV series (with ads), SOME of which are audio described. You can access it via a web browser or via an app using an Amazon Fire product, Roku device, iOS device, Android device, or via the Prime Video app freevee section). Offerings in AD are somewhat limited (around 75 titles currently) and are listed at the bottom of our Prime Video AD page. |
Titles change each month |
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frndly TV is a family-friendly streaming service with 40+ channels including 3 Hallmark channels, plus History, Lifetime, A&E, CuriousityStream, and the Weather Channel for $7 per month ($2 more for a DVR). They now support audio description on select channels, including Hallmark and History. This is a live TV service, not on-demand streamed content except as provided by some of their networks. |
tbd ... |
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Google Play Movies (officially part of Google TV and also known as the Google Play Store) is an online video on demand service operated by Google. The service offers movies and television shows for purchase or rental, depending on availability (but the TV shows don't carry AD tracks as far as we know). Since June 2021 we have been listing Google Play movie titles on the ADP Website, where they currently list (but offer more than) 100 audio described titles. THIS SERVICE IS CLOSING IN OCTOBER 2023. |
Cinderella, Fantasia, the Indiana Jones series, the Santa Claus series, Wonder |
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Hulu (available only in the USA and owned by Disney) costs $8/month for the
advertising-supported version; $18/month for no ads. They
also offer an upgrade to Hulu +
Live, but the Live portion does not support audio
description, though it includes Disney+ and ESPN+.
Regular Hulu also offers a bundle with the Disney+ and ESPN+ services. See all Hulu Pricing Options (pre-Sept 7). Hulu has about 48 million subscribers (as of 3Q23), 11%* of the market, and currently offers over 200
titles with audio description; see Hulu
Audio Described Titles. |
A Handmaid's Tale (Original Series), Fyre Fraud (Original Documentary), TV Series like Bones and The Last Man on Earth |
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Apple's iTunes (which is being replaced on iOS devices by the Apple TV app and is not the same as Apple TV+)
offers over 1700
movies with audio description tracks for rent
(streaming) or purchase (downloading). They are designated
with the icon |
American Sniper, Beauty and the Beast, Ghostbusters, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Table 19, The LEGO Batman Movie |
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MagellanTV is a streaming service billed as "Documentaries Worth Watching." A subscription is $5/month when paid annually, but you can sample any title for 5 minutes free*. They have 3000+ titles, and they now support audio description for some of their titles. As of September 2023, there were 15 titles available. You can see the list yourself by scrolling to the bottom of their list of titles at https://www.magellantv.com/featured to view the category Audio Described. (* When sampling, you can click the sound icon and select "English Descriptive.") |
Atlas of a Changing Earth, Journey to the Pale Red Dot, Search for the Edge of Space |
Max began operation on May 23, 2023. It is the merger of the former HBO Max and discovery+ streaming services, both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Along with the cable service HBO, HBO Max and discovery+ had a combined 96 million subscribers (55 million in the USA) as of December 2022. You can view our list of over 400 Max Audio Described Titles. The streaming service features WarnerMedia films and television shows and includes content from properties like HBO, DC, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, plus original programming (some released weekly, not all at once); and it now includes discovery+ programming from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet. Some offerings run simultaneously with first-run cinema release. Max is offered at no extra charge to AT&T and Charter customer subscribers who already pay for HBO or who subscribe to the AT&T Internet 1000 Plan. It is also available on basically all media devices. (History: After a year of informal negotiations with HBO regarding AD, a Settlement Agreement with the ACB was announced on October 19, 2020, resulting in the original March 2021 rollout.) Pricing:
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Aquaman, Mare of Easttown, The Wizard of Oz, Wonder Woman | |
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MGM+ (formerly Epix until January 15, 2023) is a $6/month streaming app which can also be purchased as a streaming app or through Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV. It is now owned by Amazon, who, in capitalizing on the brand name MGM, is reportedly positioning MGM+ as a sister service to Prime Video and freevee. The channel's programming consists of recent and older theatrically released motion pictures, original television series, documentaries, and music and comedy specials. We have recently (August 2023) learned that they now offer some titles with AD (thank you Mac the Movie Guy!), and we are working on learning more information. Known titles are listed to the right. |
The Machinist, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Women Talking, 3000 Years Of Longing, The Firm, Failure To Launch, Lemony Snicket's A Series Of unfortunate Events. |
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The dominant provider of streaming video with audio
description with over 220 million subscribers worldwide
and 23%* of the USA market is Netflix, a
subscription service available in nearly 200 countries ($10-$20/month
in the USA for unlimited viewing using web browsers, tablets,
and handheld computing devices; but |
Criminal Minds (TV Series), Grace and Frankie (Original Programming), Making a Murderer (Documentary), Inception (movie), plus tons of children's programming |
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Paramount+ (the successor to the original CBS All Access app) offers access to over 30,000 movies and
TV episodes via on-demand programming from CBS, MTV, BET, Comedy
Central, and other Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS) channels and brands, plus movies
from the Paramount Pictures studio, and live NFL sports. Local live content is also
currently available in select markets. There is a fee for
service ($5/month ad-supported or $10/month ad-free). They
currently offer over 200
shows with audio description;
see our list of Paramount+ Audio
Described Titles.
Streaming devices supported include
Fire devices, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV (V4 and up), iOS and Android devices, and some streaming
services like Prime Video. They also support AD via various browsers. A user says that for Apple TV: "When playing a
show, swipe down for a menu: info, closed captions, and audio.
Go to audio, then languages. If AD is available, it’ll be
there." Other devices work similarly, except on an iPhone, the
Audio Description option under Accessibility Settings is the
only control. As of March 2023, they had 60 million subscribers. They offer a bundle with Showtime for either $12 or $15 per month combined. Showtime is in the initial stages of rolling out audio description, and initially AD is only available on the separate Showtime streaming app, or ( |
All CBS Prime-time Scripted Series, The Stand, Star Trek (many versions), The Twilight Zone, Mission: Impossible (multiple versions) |
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The PBS app is available for select platforms like Windows 10, iOS, and others. They offer access to local and national shows on demand. The app by itself offers little Audio Description (but American Experience and Nova were reported in May '21). However, if you are a sustaining member of your local PBS station, you get access to a feature called Passport, which means you have access to additional shows. Within that group of shows, a few more do have audio description. Check our list of described PBS shows that we know about. Please send us any additional titles you find... |
Minimal offerings, but includes American Experience, Nova, and Ken Burns' Country Music Special |
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NBCUniversal (a subsidiary of Comcast) began offering audio description on its streaming service named Peacock in June 2021. They offer over 200 audio described programs; see our listing of Peacock Audio Described Titles. Pricing is: (1) a $5 per month option with limited ads; or (2) an ad-free tier for $10 per month. (The Free Tier was dropped in February 2023.) It has 18 million paying USA subscribers (as of Dec '22). They offer films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and other major studios, plus original series, news, sports, late-night, and reality, some of which (like Jimmy Fallon) are presented earlier than on TV. CNBC Article. |
American Ninja Warrior; Chicago Fire / PD / Med and other NBC series; Trollstopia; Where's Waldo |
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Philo is a low-cost subscription streaming service offering 70+ channels for $25 per month including DVR. Networks include Hallmark, HGTV, History, Discovery, and Nickelodeon. According their accessibility help center page, audio description IS available for select networks (Hallmark, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, History Channel, HGTV, and TLC). You have to select audio description on your settings page first. |
Yes, on six networks |
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Pluto TV (owned by Paramount Global) "... is the leading free streaming television service delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand." They have 80 million active users as of March 2023. As of August 2023, they have started to offer audio description of some movies and series, but the series options are extremely limited in terms of the number of episodes. Titles are available on iOS, Android Mobile, and the web. Here is a pointer to their list of Pluto TV audio described titles. |
Arrival, Good Burger, Pi, World War Z |
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The Pornhub website provides a subset of their adult videos in a category named "Described Video." Further information is available in this article in the SFO Guardian. |
Sorry, no examples! |
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Amazon began offering audio described videos in June 2017, and they call their service Prime Video, available to the over 200 million Prime subscribers. They offer more described programming than any other service and show no sign of slowing down! Currently, there are the #2 service at 19%* of the market. They offer over 4000 movies and Amazon-produced TV shows with audio description tracks, with multiple viewing devices supported including all the "Fire" products. Some of the programming is available free to Amazon Prime members, while the majority of it requires a payment for either online streaming or downloading. For access information and title listing, see our page Prime Video Audio Described Titles, or go directly to the Amazon AD Video page for title selection. (NOTE: You may find that our own page contains a more current listing than Amazon's and is easier to use ...) |
Bosch (TV series), Arrival, Divergent, Fences, Office Christmas Party, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles |
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ReelAbilitiesStream is "an accessible streaming platform, featuring films celebrating the lives and stories of people with disabilities," including audio description for all titles. The titles were previously presented at ReelAbilities Film Festivals. Like iTunes and certain other services, it is transactional based (pay-per-view), rather than a subscription service. Read an article about the ReelAbilities service. They offer 40 or more described titles. View our listing of ReelAbilitiesStream titles. | Dancing on Wheels, Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw |
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Showtime, owned by Paramount, offers a streaming service in addition to its cable TV add-on service. Currently they offer over 40 movies and Showtime Original TV Series with audio description tracks. You can purchase a Showtime subscription alone, but it only makes sense to bundle it with Paramount+ (for only $2 more per month), so WE DO NOT LIST SHOWTIME APP TITLES SEPARATELY. When there is AD for a series on either service, generally at this time only the latest season is described, but more and more titles with AD are being added weekly. There is no AD on cable subscriptions to Showtime. IMPORTANT: It is anticipated that the Showtime app will be terminated by year-end 2023. |
Billions, Confess Fletch, Yellowjackets |
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Tubi, "a division of Fox Entertainment, is an ad-supported video-on-demand service with over 50,000 movies and TV shows, including a growing library of Tubi Originals (all of which are audio described), 200 local and live news and sports channels, and 400+ entertainment partners, featuring content from every major Hollywood studio." As of 1Q23, they have 64 million users. In June 2023, they added audio description! You can find titles with AD at Tubi AD Titles. |
Rotating titles including After Yang, Pavarotti, At Eternity's Gate, and all Tubi Originals |
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Vimeo is a free streaming service where users upload their own videos. A very small number of the uploaded videos contain audio description and are generally so-designated in their titles. Our link takes you to the list of titles matching "audio description" or "audio described," as both terms are used, but many of them are demos, movie trailers, or discussions of audio description. |
Driving Blind (movie), Muse of Fire (documentary), Movie Trailers, Short Films |
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Vudu, originally owned by Walmart but sold to Fandango (owned jointly by NBCUniversal and Warner Bros Discovery), offers movies (some free) for rental or sale on a variety of devices. In June 2022 they began offering a limited number of movies with audio description and now offer over 100 titles. |
Encanto, Jackass Forever, Turning Red |
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YouTube TV, a Google subsidiary, is a paid OTT (over-the-top) streaming subscription service which streams live TV from the five major broadcast networks in the USA, plus over 100 other channels for $73/month. They refer to this service as Cable-Free Live TV and have around 6 million subscribers as of May 2023. Our testing indicates that audio description is available, though not 100%. In general vision-impaired users are very happy with this service. We offer this guide to accessing YouTube TV AD. |
Depends on network |
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The AMC On Demand online video rental or purchase service has moved to Vudu as of June 2023. |
n/a |
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BET+ is the streaming component of BET, Black Entertainment Television, a division of Paramount. It offers "Exclusive Originals, Tyler Perry and Classic Hits" for $10/month. In August 2023 we wrote and asked about the status of AD, and their answer was inconclusive, implying that a few shows had AD, but we need this proved. We are investigating further. Can you help? |
None we know of, but maybe ... |
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BritBox bills itself as "The biggest streaming collection of British TV ... ever. Dramas, comedies, mysteries, documentaries, soaps, lifestyle and more." Alas, none are audio described. In October 2019, they said that AD was a "great suggestion" that would be passed to their Editorial Team for review. We are taking this up again with them in 2023, as 15-20% of their content is described in the UK. |
None |
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Broadway On Demand is a streaming service started in 2020. "A base subscription to Broadway On Demand will be free with access to premium content available in a paid tier membership. In addition to live shows, the service will feature an array of archived content in partnership with artists, concert series and performance venues around the world. It will also feature educational materials and masterclasses, as well as backstage footage." (per Cord Cutters article). When asked in July 2023 if they supported AD, they replied no. |
None |
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Comcast Choice TV allows a user to subscribe to a Comcast video service without purchasing or using a set-top box. You can watch on the Xfinity Stream app. You must, however, have an Xfinity internet plan. The base cost is reportedly $30/month, which includes broadcast TV and DVR. The latest information we can find is in the following article: Comcast brings pay-TV upgrade option to Flex. We can't confirm the availability of AD or not. |
tbd |
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Crackle (also known as Crackle Plus) is a US-based free OTT video streaming platform for movies, TV series, and some original programming. It is a joint venture between Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (majority) and Sony Pictures Television (minority). It features a rotating list of titles from Sony and its subsidiaries. We are currently in contact with them (August 2023), and they have told us they have updated their video player to support audio description (and captioning) and have modified their "content acquisition specs" to require AD tracks when available. When we find out if they currently have titles with AD, we will update this entry. |
None that we can confirm |
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Crunchyroll, which features Anime, is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan's Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. Anime has no history of providing audio description, and we know of no AD plans for Crunchyroll at this time. |
None |
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DisneyNow is a free streaming service for Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD TV shows, games, Disney Channel Original Movies, and live TV, provided you have a participating cable provider for signin (though some content is free to everyone). They do not offer any audio description. | None |
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Documentary+ began operation on January 28, 2021. It is free, operates on most streaming devices, and offers both short and full-length documentary films. One source of new content will be the Sundance Film Festival. We have no reason be believe they support audio description. |
None |
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Fawesome - "Free Awesome TV & Movies" - is a FREE streaming service with over 10,000 movies and 250+ free channels. It is operated by the same company as FilmRise. We have no reason to believe they offer audio description. | None |
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FilmRise is a FREE streaming service with about 10,000 films, mostly older and less well-known. There is not much content that was recorded originally with audio description tracks, and they confirmed in April 2020 that they do not have the capability to offer multiple audio tracks. A 2023 check of their app would indicate this is still true. |
None |
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The Fox Now app has been shut down as of mid-2023. FOX is telling affected subscribers to watch via a web browser or subscribe to a paid service like Hulu. |
None - defunct |
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Funimation is an anime streaming service owned by Crunchyroll, which is owned by Sony. Despite a large portion of its catalog moving to Crunchyroll, it still exists and offers titles licensed by it before the acquisition by Sony. We have no reason to believe they offer any AD. |
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Fubo TV offers 177-294 channels and a DVR, according to the plan purchased ($75-$100/month) as of September 2023. As of 2Q23, they had 1.6 million subscribers. When asked in September 2023 if that were offering audio description yet, they replied, "We are really sorry for the inconvenience, but we still don't have that feature." |
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Hallmark Movies Now is Crown Media Family Networks’ subscription video on demand streaming service. They offer around 1,000 hours of commercial-free Hallmark-branded original "unique, feel-good programming" not currently found on the company’s regular TV networks. Most popular streaming devices are supported, and the fee is $6/month ($5/month when paid annually). In September 2023 they confirmed that they do not offer any audio described content. |
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HappyKids.tv is a free streaming app available on all major streaming devices. They describe their service as "Non-stop Rhymes, Music, Popular Shows, Stories, Activity Guide and Movies ... Trusted by Over 6 Million Parents." They do not support audio description. |
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[This is NOT HBO Max or Max] HBO does not offer any audio description. (HBO Go and HBO Now are no longer available and did not offer AD.) App users are expected to have migrated to HBO Max (now Max). History: See the article HBO’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’ Discriminates Against Blind People. Technically speaking, HBO has offered at least two programs with AD long ago: "Educating Peter" and "Monica and David," both of which focused on people with disabilities. But since this is so rare and with no further commitment, we leave them listed as not offering description. The settlement agreement described under HBO Max (now Max) does not apply to regular HBO via cable and satellite services. |
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Brand new in 2020, Means TV bills itself as "the world's first post-capitalist, cooperatively run streaming service." They offer "a library of films, documentaries, and shows with new programming added all the time [and] live weekly shows covering news, the working class, gaming and sports." It costs $10/month, has no ads, and operates on browsers, smartphones, and via streaming devices. |
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The NBC app offers free access to new and classic NBC shows on various devices, including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, and Roku; however, they do not offer any audio described content at this time that we know about. |
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Plex is a new streaming service in December 2019 which offers thousands of movies for free on many streaming devices. We contacted them to ask if they support audio description but received no response. In July 2020 they announced the addition of over 80 free live TV channels including Reuters TV, Yahoo Finance, Toon Goggles, Kidoodle TV, KidsFlix, and fubo Sports Network. Read: Plex launches its free movie and TV streaming service and Plex launches a live TV service with over 80 free channels, most available worldwide. |
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Pure Flix specializes in "faith and family-friendly movies, original shows, engaging documentaries, and more." The cost is $8/month, less on a yearly plan. We have no reason to believe the offer any AD. |
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Quibi launched on April 6, 2020, as a mobile-only streaming platform. It closed operations on December 1, 2020. Its claim to fame was short 7-10 minute episodes, hoping to appeal especially to commuters. They did not offer audio description. In January of 2021, some of Quibi's content was picked up by Roku. |
None - defunct |
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Redbox, known for its red self-service DVD and Blu-ray disc kiosks, also has a streaming service that it calls Redbox On Demand. As far as we know, you cannot access an audio description track as an alternate language. Let us know if you can! In December 2020 Redbox introduced "Free On Demand, an ad-supported streaming destination promising hundreds of titles arriving weekly that are 'curated to the tastes of Redbox audiences.'" We think this is called Free Live TV on their website, and again there is no indication of audio description. |
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The Roku Channel is a free streaming service exclusively for Roku owners and Samsung Smart TVs. A quick check by a user in March 2020 of a movie known to have AD did not offer any AD option. |
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Shudder is a subscription service for the horror, thriller, and suspense genres, with originals, movies, TV series, podcasts, and live streaming events for under $5/month. Nothing is audio described, but they passed along a request from us to add it in March 2020. A number of users have expressed interest in having AD on this service, so email Shudder if you want AD! |
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Sling TV, owned by Dish Network, is an OTT (Over the Top) streaming service which offers over 50 channels including CNN, ESPN, TNT, TBS, The Cartoon Network, and Blockbuster on Demand, and supports the usual cadre of devices like iOS and Roku. Subscriptions start at $35/month, discounted for the first month. At YE21 they had about 2.5 million subscribers. There is an optional associated device named AirTV 2 which streams local stations to your TV and also has a DVR function. When used with Sling TV, all stations appear together in the guide. User experience reports no AD (verified 2/22). |
None |
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Spectrum TV Stream is a $30/month streaming service with user-selection of 15 cable channels received (i.e., a la carte); but you must be a Spectrum Internet customer to purchase this. It's a bit of a pain to find online information, so call customer service at 855-366-7132. We do not know if they pass through audio description. |
tbd |
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Starz is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lionsgate. It doesn't offer a streaming app of its own, but it may be purchased as an add-on subscription via Apple TV and Amazon and perhaps elsewhere. It does NOT offer any audio description. | None |
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Sundance Now offers "a gripping and rich selection of true crime, fiercely intelligent thrillers, and heart-stopping dramatic series from around the world." It is available through Sling TV and Dish Networks, plus Fire TV, Roku, and as an iOS App. It costs $7/month or $60/year. As far as we know, it does not support audio description. | None |
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The Achievery was introduced in March 2022 by AT&T in conjunction with WarnerMedia. "The platform features clips from some of the most popular, well-loved movies, TV shows and cartoons from Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network, paired with lessons and learning activities that students can engage with everywhere they are." We asked them about Audio Description and they replied, "we have this in our product roadmap." |
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Toon Goggles is one of several children's programs video streaming services, supporting iOS, Android, and Windows. They do not offer any audio described content at this time. In February 2018 they indicated they had no timetable for adding it. |
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Comcast's Xumo was "repurposed" in November 2022 as a joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications, "evolving the brand from a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service to an entire entertainment ecosystem inclusive of streaming devices, content, and a platform for partners to reach audiences at scale ... Xumo will go-to-market with its first branded devices in late 2023, distributed by Comcast, Charter and Walmart, with additional distributors to be announced in the future." Whether or not any of this includes audio description is TBD! The previous Xumo FAST system is being renamed Xumo Play. Xumo Press Release. Presently, Xumo is a free streaming service which features over 190 different genre-grouped channels. They also offer a free Kids TV Channel with 40+ shows. Xumo is an app available via streaming products like Fire TV or Roku, Xfinity or Flex cable boxes, and via browsers. |
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YouTube Premium (formerly YouTube Red) is a subscription streaming service; however, it does not offer any audio described content at this time. They responded to our inquiry in February 2016 by saying they would pass the request along to their product team. See however YouTube TV above. |
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OTHER SERVICES |
There are many other streaming video services that we don't know anything about, but we don't have any reason to believe any of them offer audio described content. The world is going crazy with streaming services! If you find any worth mentioning, please let us know. |
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If you learn that any service above has started offering described programming, please advise the webmaster! |
* Studies as recently as February '23 continue to show that the dominant player in the fee streaming video market is Netflix (21% of market share). The other are: Amazon's Prime Video (19%), HBO Max (now Max) (15%), Disney+(15%), Hulu (10%), Apple+ (7%), Paramount+ (4%), and 9% for "other" services. Read: the Headphone Addicts Streaming Service Market Share Report. Note that other companies report somewhat varying statistics, typically with Netflix higher.
YouTube TV is a good option for blind or low vision users who want to watch live TV and on-demand content. The service offers audio description for many shows and movies, which can be turned on with a few steps.
To set up YouTube TV so that a blind or low vision user can access the audio description you will need to do the following. It is assumed that the blind user will use whatever screen reader is available on their device for daily use, but sighted assistance may be desirable for the second step.
Other Things to Know About Using Audio Description on YouTube TV.
- Submitted by ADP Media Committee member Renee Arrington-Johnson in August 2023 to replace previous text.