Netflix and AMC just greenlit Bannerman, a new spy thriller series that will land on both platforms in the coming seasons. It is the latest sign that the genre is having a real moment, from Slow Horses picking up more Emmy nominations to Citadel spinning off two international series. The problem for anyone chasing the good stuff on a phone or tablet: no single app has all of it.
The catalogue is split across at least eight streamers, each with its own pricing tier, offline rules, and originals. We tested the eight Android apps below across three weeks on a Pixel 8 and a mid-range Samsung A55, watching a mix of new releases and back catalogue picks. This is the shortlist for anyone building a spy thriller rotation who does not want to pay for every service at once. Use it to pick the right one, or the right two, for what you actually want to watch.
What to look for in a spy thriller streaming app
A few things matter more than raw catalogue size. Original spy series (Slow Horses, The Diplomat, Jack Ryan) are locked to one service each, so where the shows you want live decides everything else.
Beyond that, check these six before you subscribe:
- Download-for-offline support, and how many devices are included.
- Subtitle languages, since a lot of good spy content is subtitled (Tehran, The Spy, Le Bureau).
- Ad-supported vs ad-free tier pricing, and what you give up on the cheaper plan.
- Chromecast and Android TV support for casting to a bigger screen.
- 4K and HDR gating, which most services now put behind the top tier.
- Price per month at the entry point, and whether an annual plan cuts it further.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Standout series | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Rating (Google Play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Biggest spy catalogue | The Diplomat, The Night Agent | No | $7.99 (with ads) | 4.5 |
| Apple TV+ | Prestige originals | Slow Horses, Tehran | 7-day trial | $9.99 | 4.4 |
| Prime Video | Value with Prime | Jack Ryan, Citadel | No | $8.99 | 4.3 |
| Max | HBO crossover | The Sympathizer | No | $9.99 (with ads) | 4.2 |
| Paramount+ | CBS and Showtime | FBI: International, 24 | Limited trial | $7.99 | 4.1 |
| Peacock | NBCUniversal originals | The Continental | Limited trial | $7.99 | 4.2 |
| Hulu | FX crossover | The Old Man | 30-day trial | $9.99 (with ads) | 4.3 |
| Tubi | Free classic movies | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy | Yes | Free | 4.6 |
The eight apps
1. Netflix
Netflix has the broadest spy thriller catalogue by volume, and it is where Bannerman will stream in the United States once it launches. Right now the roster covers The Diplomat, The Night Agent, The Spy with Sacha Baron Cohen, the recent Damsel-adjacent thrillers, and a rotating shelf of licensed titles from the Bond back catalogue. The Android app handles downloads on up to six devices depending on your plan, with a smart-download feature that auto-refreshes finished episodes.
Where it falls short: The Standard with ads plan blocks downloads entirely, and the ad load has crept up over the last year on unscripted content.
Pricing:
- Standard with ads: $7.99/mo
- Standard: $17.99/mo
- Premium (4K, four screens): $24.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast, Google TV.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: If you only pay for one streamer, this is still the default pick for spy fans.
2. Apple TV+
Apple TV+ punches above its size on prestige spy drama. Slow Horses is the flagship, now several seasons in with Gary Oldman still on form, joined by Tehran, The Sympathizer, and the John le Carre adaptation slate the service has been quietly building. The Android app is a recent addition and finally supports downloads and Chromecast without needing an Apple device in the mix.
Where it falls short: The overall library is small, so it works best as a secondary subscription. Some regions still route billing through the browser, not the app.
Pricing:
- Monthly: $9.99/mo
- Annual: $99/year (works out to $8.25/mo)
- Included with Apple One bundles
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: Worth it for Slow Horses alone, and the trial is long enough to binge a season.
3. Prime Video
Prime Video covers the mainstream espionage side: Jack Ryan across its four seasons, the Citadel mothership plus its Italian and Indian spinoffs, Mr. & Mrs. Smith with Donald Glover, and Reacher for adjacent action thrillers. If you already pay for Amazon Prime the video service comes bundled, which makes it the cheapest real catalogue on this list.
Where it falls short: The default tier now runs ads, and removing them costs an extra $2.99/mo on top of the Prime membership. UI navigation on Android TV can feel sluggish on older hardware.
Pricing:
- Standalone: $8.99/mo
- Included with Amazon Prime: $14.99/mo (covers shipping, music, and video)
- Ad-free upgrade: +$2.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: The obvious pick if you are already a Prime subscriber and want Jack Ryan on the phone.
4. Max
Max carries the HBO catalogue, which brings The Sympathizer, Perry Mason, and a rotating shelf of studio spy films from the Warner library including the Bourne series in some windows. Documentary espionage fans get a solid HBO Docs shelf too, from Wormwood-adjacent titles to modern investigations.
Where it falls short: The recent Warner rebrand shuffled some titles off the platform, and library depth outside HBO originals is thinner than it was under the old HBO Max branding.
Pricing:
- With ads: $9.99/mo
- Ad-free: $16.99/mo
- Ultimate (4K, four streams): $20.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: Best for viewers who care about the HBO tier of writing and are willing to pay for it.
5. Paramount+
Paramount+ leans on CBS procedurals and the Showtime archive. That means FBI: International for the modern procedural side, and the full run of 24 alongside older Showtime spy dramas on the Premium tier with Showtime. Newer Mission: Impossible films land here after their theatrical windows.
Where it falls short: The Essential plan runs ads and blocks the local CBS live feed. Interface search still buries older titles behind the current promo carousels.
Pricing:
- Essential (with ads): $7.99/mo
- Premium (with Showtime, no ads on demand): $12.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: Get the Premium tier if you want 24 and the Mission: Impossible catalogue in one place.
6. Peacock
Peacock brings the NBCUniversal originals side, headlined by The Continental (the John Wick prequel with clear spy-thriller DNA) and a growing shelf of Universal-produced espionage films. The service also carries the Bourne quartet in most windows and rotating Bond titles depending on the licensing deals in play.
Where it falls short: The Android app has had stability issues on older devices, and download support is limited to the Premium Plus tier.
Pricing:
- Premium (with ads): $7.99/mo
- Premium Plus (no ads, downloads): $13.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: Pick this one for the Bourne rewatch and the Universal action library, not for exclusive spy originals.
7. Hulu
Hulu pulls in the FX catalogue, which is where The Old Man lives alongside Deep State and other cable-tier thrillers that never got wide streaming distribution elsewhere. Next-day airings of network shows help fill the procedural gap, and the ABC News archive comes in handy for real-world espionage documentaries.
Where it falls short: Hulu is US-only, so international viewers need to pick Disney+ or Star equivalents instead. The Live TV add-on pushes the total price into cable-bill territory.
Pricing:
- With ads: $9.99/mo
- Ad-free: $18.99/mo
- With Live TV: from $82.99/mo
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide . Google Play
Bottom line: The Old Man is the anchor, and the wider FX shelf keeps it interesting between seasons.
8. Tubi
Tubi is the free option and it earns its place on this list. The library rotates but usually includes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, several older Bond entries, the first two Bourne films, and a deep bench of Cold War thrillers that the paid services skip. Everything is ad-supported, and the ad breaks are shorter than the ones on the cheaper Netflix and Hulu tiers.
Where it falls short: No originals, no downloads, and the rotation means a film you started last month might be gone this week.
Pricing:
- Free, ad-supported.
Platforms: Android phone, Android tablet, Android TV, Chromecast, Fire TV.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: Install it as a permanent second app for classic spy cinema, even if you already pay for one of the majors.
How to pick the right one
Match your subscription to the shows you actually want to watch, not to the biggest catalogue on paper.
- You want the new hotness (Bannerman, The Diplomat, The Night Agent): Netflix, no debate.
- You want the best writing in the genre right now (Slow Horses, Tehran): Apple TV+, and consider the annual plan.
- You already pay for Amazon Prime: Prime Video is effectively free, and Jack Ryan plus Citadel is a full weekend on its own.
- You want HBO-tier drama and are fine paying for it: Max on the ad-free tier.
- You want 24 or the Mission: Impossible run in one place: Paramount+ Premium.
- You want the Bourne films and rotating Universal action: Peacock.
- You want The Old Man and the FX shelf: Hulu, if you are in the US.
- You want to spend nothing: Tubi, and rotate what you watch against what is available that month.
A common two-app setup for spy fans in 2026: Netflix (breadth, current originals) plus Apple TV+ (Slow Horses and Tehran). Add Tubi on the side as a free classic-film library. That combination stays under $20/mo and covers most of what a genre viewer actually wants.
FAQ
What’s the best free app to stream spy thrillers? Tubi, on Android. It is fully free, ad-supported, and its rotating catalogue usually includes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, older Bond films, and the first Bourne entries. Peacock and Paramount+ used to have real free tiers but have wound them down.
Which streaming service has Slow Horses? Apple TV+ has it exclusively, worldwide. There is no way to watch Slow Horses legally on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, or any other streamer. The Android app supports downloads for offline viewing on the paid tier.
Where can I watch Bannerman when it releases? Netflix in the United States, with a same-window AMC linear broadcast. Outside the US the streaming home has not been finalised yet, though the current pattern for AMC co-productions is to sell international rights to a mix of local broadcasters and Prime Video windows.
Do spy thrillers on Netflix disappear after a while? Licensed films rotate off every few months, yes, so Bond entries and studio thrillers move in and out. Netflix originals like The Diplomat, The Night Agent, and (soon) Bannerman stay on the service indefinitely as long as Netflix keeps producing them.
Can I download episodes to watch on a plane? On Netflix (Standard tier and above), Apple TV+, Prime Video, Max, Paramount+, Peacock Premium Plus, and Hulu, yes. Tubi does not support offline downloads. Download limits and expiry windows vary; most services let downloaded content sit on the device for up to 30 days before it needs to be refreshed with a connection.
Is a VPN needed to watch spy thrillers from other regions? It depends on the show. Some titles (like European originals licensed differently in each region) are region-locked, and the streaming services enforce this by IP. Using a VPN to bypass region locks generally breaks the terms of service of the streamer, so use it with awareness of what you are agreeing to.
