Media Streaming
| Category | Top 5 apps / platforms | Who controls | Distribution | Decentralization | Catalog | Core technology | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming VOD | Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ | Platform | Unicast HTTP | Centralized | Closed | CDN, HLS/DASH, DRM | Medium–High |
| Live TV OTT | Movistar Plus+, YouTube TV, Hulu Live, fuboTV, Orange TV | Platform | Unicast HTTP | Centralized | Closed | HLS/DASH | Medium |
| Operator IPTV | Movistar IPTV, Orange IPTV, Vodafone TV, Telekom Entertain, AT&T U-verse | ISP / Telco | Multicast + Unicast | Centralized | Closed | IPTV, MPEG-TS | High |
| Aggregators / indexers | Stremio (torrent addons), Kodi (addons), CloudStream | User + sources | Unicast / P2P | Semi-Decentralized | External | Scrapers, addons, P2P | Low |
| Torrent / P2P | qBittorrent, Transmission, WebTorrent, Deluge, BiglyBT | Community | P2P | Decentralized | Open | BitTorrent | Low |
| Usenet streaming | Eweka, Newshosting, UsenetServer, Giganews, Easynews | Provider | NNTP / HTTP | Centralized | External | Usenet (NNTP), NZB | Medium |
| FAST TV | Pluto TV, Tubi, Rakuten TV FAST, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels | Platform | Unicast HTTP | Centralized | Curated | HLS + Ads | Free |
| UGC platforms | YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Kick, Odysee | Platform | Unicast HTTP | Centralized | Mixed | CDN, web codecs | Free–Medium |
Pros and Cons by Workflow
| Workflow | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming VOD | Large catalogs, high video quality, broad device support. | Higher cost, DRM limits use and sharing, geo restrictions. |
| Live TV OTT | Live channels without cable, flexible bundles, multi device access. | Regional blackouts, higher latency than broadcast, rising prices. |
| Operator IPTV | Reliable QoS, low latency, integrated set top boxes. | Locked to ISP, limited portability, expensive packages. |
| Aggregators / indexers | Unified search across sources, customizable, low cost. | Reliability varies by addon, legal risk, inconsistent quality. |
| Torrent / P2P | Decentralized access, resilient distribution, low cost. | Legal risk, variable speeds, needs manual curation. |
| FAST TV | Free access, lean back experience, easy onboarding. | Ad heavy, limited control, smaller catalogs. |
| UGC platforms | Massive creator variety, social features, flexible monetization. | Content quality is uneven, moderation issues, algorithm dependence. |