Every major streamer has animated shows on its roster, going from superhero shows to action extravaganzas. Not all of them are pulling their weight in terms of animated offerings. While Netflix has given a lot of original programming, other streamers like Peacock are licensing and distributing shows.
This list ranks the single best animated show currently available on each of the eight major streaming platforms, then ranks the platforms themselves based on how strong that top pick really is. The ranking will be based on cultural buzz, originality, and overall quality in animation and storytelling. Here are the best animated shows on every streaming platform.
8. Apple TV – Stillwater
Apple TV has been on a roll lately with their live-action stuff. Shows like Severance, Widow’s Bay, and Your Friends and Neighbors have proved that the streamer is not playing around with their original content. While their animated offerings are scarce, Stillwater is one show that has stayed on top.
The show skews young and is based on the Zen Shorts picture books, following three siblings who seek the advice of a wise panda named Stillwater for their growing-up questions. It has gone for 4 seasons and has received several Daytime Emmys, Children’s and Family Emmy, Peabody, and Annie Award nominations. It ranks low because it is one of the only animated shows from Apple TV, and it does not appeal to a wide audience.
7. Hulu – King of the Hill
Hulu hosts some incredible licensed animated shows like Adventure Time, alongside strong adult animation originals like Solar Opposites and the Futurama revival. However, its original animated series are few and far between. The revival of Mike Judge’s King of the Hill is the one show that has bested the others in terms of quality of writing and animation, as well as cultural relevance.
The show picks up years later with Hank and Peggy Hill retired and Bobby now a grown chef. It is comforting, well-observed, and proof the format still works decades later. However, because it relies so heavily on nostalgia rather than breaking completely new ground, it keeps Hulu near the bottom of this ranking.
6. Paramount+ – Digman!
Andy Samberg has struck gold many times with SNL, The Lonely Island, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. With the animated show Digman!, Samberg hit gold again, with the show about a celebrity archaeologist and his finds. It is a hilarious show with plenty of guest stars to make it work and has Samberg’s signature oddball humor.
It delivers the kind of fast, silly, high-concept humor that draws comparisons to Rick and Morty and Inside Job. It’s a genuinely fun show with a devoted following, but it lacks the critical consensus and cultural footprint of the picks above it. Furthermore, it was tragically canceled after a single season, keeping Paramount+ firmly in the lower half of this ranking.
5. HBO Max – Common Side Effects
Common Side Effects is the kind of cerebral, auteur-driven adult animation HBO Max has quietly built a reputation for. The thriller-comedy follows two old classmates who uncover a conspiracy around a miracle mushroom capable of curing any disease, blending dark comedy with genuine paranoid tension.
Season 1 was Certified Fresh, and a second season was previewed at the 2026 Annecy Animation Festival. It sits in strong company on Max alongside titles like Invincible Fight Girl, but its distinct voice and critical consistency make it the platform’s standout pick right now.
4. Peacock – Death Note
While Peacock has some well-performing live-action originals, like Ted, its animated offerings are mostly limited to licensed shows. Among them, the classic anime Death Note is the best available. The psychological thriller about a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it remains one of anime’s most iconic and rewatched series.
It is praised for its cat-and-mouse tension between Light Yagami and the detective L. It’s a genuinely excellent show that draws consistent viewership to the platform, but it isn’t exclusive to Peacock and isn’t new, which is why it ranks below platforms fielding their own original hits.
3. Netflix – Blue Eye Samurai
Netflix is the one streamer that has been quite consistent in putting out animated originals. While the streamer does cancel many of its shows after a single season, often frustrating fans, there are some which capture numbers as well as the fans’ adoration. Blue Eye Samurai struck the right balance with beautiful animation and cultural relevancy.
The show follows a half-White samurai in the Japanese Edo period and her quest for revenge. It is brutal, beautifully animated, and uses good-old storytelling skills to bring its story to life. The second season is due this year, though no release date has been specified.
2. Amazon Prime Video – Invincible
There is no debate on which is the best show on Amazon Prime Video, now that The Boys has ended. The animated superhero show, Invincible, came at the right time. It was a fresh offering in a world of MCU and DCU superheroes, offering a deconstructionist view of the genre. With great performances and bloody battles, the comic-book adaptation nailed it.
It ranks behind X-Men ‘97 only because the Marvel show has just debuted its perfectly rated second season and is enjoying cultural conversation.
1. Disney+ – X-Men ‘97
Disney+ has one clear advantage over every other platform on the list: it has almost a century’s worth of animated legacy. It also owns some of the most profitable franchises in Hollywood, such as Star Wars and the MCU. While the Disney+ originals in these franchises have been a hit or a miss, X-Men ‘97 became an instant success.
Jumping off from the 90s animated series, the show follows the X-Men after Professor Xavier’s departure, as Magneto takes over the team. It is incredibly written, animated, and performed, with its second season scoring a perfect rating. It is the best animated show currently on any streaming platform in terms of sheer quality and cultural relevance.
| Rank | Show Name | Streaming Platform | Rotten Tomatoes – Tomatometer | Popcornmeter (as of July 10, 2026) |
| 1 | X-Men ‘97 | Disney+ | 99% | 91% |
| 2 | Invincible | Amazon Prime Video | 99% | 91% |
| 3 | Blue Eye Samurai | Netflix | 97% | 93% |
| 4 | Death Note | Peacock | 100% | 96% |
| 5 | Common Side Effects | HBO Max | 100% | 91% |
| 6 | Digman! | Paramount+ | 57% | 57% |
| 7 | King of the Hill | Hulu | 83% |
| 8 | Stillwater | Apple TV | – |
Which animated show is your favorite among these? Comment below.
