The 9 best ways to host a remote watch night

While apart, they watch together.

It’s the season for binge-watching with family and friends. As the Christmas season approaches, you may find yourself yearning for the feeling of gathering around a bright screen to watch a comfortable movie or festive TV show. But don’t worry if you can’t see them in person or if they’re simply too far away. We live in an online age with numerous streaming platforms to choose from.

Rabb.it, a video streaming service that enabled users either broadcast their own screens to others or utilize the built-in virtual browser to log into one account, was once the go-to option for movie night with faraway pals. The service has now passed on to the great online beyond (type F to pay your respects), but happily, heirs to Rabb.it’s legacy remain — albeit with various strengths and drawbacks, as none of them use the same screenshare mechanism as that service. As more officially sanctioned watch-party solutions become available, there isn’t one that can accomplish everything, but here are your possibilities.

TELEPARTY: THE APP FORMERLY KNOWN AS NETFLIX PARTY

What does it stand for? Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and HBO are all options.

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own account? Yes

How do I put it to use? The Chrome extension, once known as Netflix Party, has just extended to include Disney Plus, Hulu, and HBO. You may, however, watch every single Netflix Christmas movie if you so choose. After installing the Chrome extension, go to your preferred streaming provider and click on the extension in the corner. This will start a room, and you can then email the link out from there. Teleparty has a group chat capability, however it does not include video. You may even create your own avatars.The capacity is determined on the present state of the servers (so expect some limitations during the Christmas season), but under ideal circumstances, you can squeeze up to a thousand people in this bad boy, assuming you know that many people. Teleparty is available in all countries where Netflix is available. However, before watching with foreign friends, be sure the title you’re watching is available in their respective countries.

HULU WATCH PARTY: THE OFFICIAL HULU CHOICE

What does it stand for? Hulu is available, but only in the Hulu (No Ads) and Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV tiers.

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own Hulu account? Yes, and they must all have the Hulu (No Ads) or Hulu (No Ads) Plus Live TV tiers.

How do I put it to use? Hulu Watch Party is built straight into Hulu and may be accessed by clicking on a little icon towards the bottom of a title’s info page. Then, click “Start Watching” and use the chain icon to share the link. Not all titles offer this option, however Hulu claims to have “thousands of on-demand movies and series.” Live television and premium add-ons, such as Starz, are not supported by Hulu Watch Party. Watch Party allows up to eight individuals to watch Hulu together.

GROUPWATCH: THE OFFICIAL DISNEY PLUS CHOICE

What does it stand for? Plush Disney

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own Disney Plus account? Yes

How do I put it to use? GroupWatch is a feature of the Disney Plus subscription service. Navigate to a title on Disney Plus and click the little GroupWatch symbol towards the bottom of the screen, just next to the Start Watching option. The following page will ask you to distribute the invite link to up to six more individuals. GroupWatch, unlike the other choices, lacks a chat component. Instead, you react to critical occasions with emoticons. Another disadvantage of GroupWatch is that it is only intended for usage inside the same country and cannot be used abroad.

PRIME WATCH PARTY: THE OFFICIAL AMAZON PRIME CHOICE

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming account? Yes

How do I put it to use? This one, like the other formal alternatives, is embedded right into the title. Navigate to a title on Prime Video and click the Watch Party icon, which is located towards the bottom of the screen, just to the right of the Watch Now button. Enter your name and distribute the invite link to others. The chatroom is located to the side. If you like, you may watch on your Fire TV and talk on mobile by scanning a QR code.

KAST: EXPERIENCE THE VAST REALM OF TUBI

What does it stand for? Tubi and YouTube, with a premium subscription allowing you to screen share and access Kast’s own collection.

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming account? No, but you will need to create a free Kast account.

How do I put it to use? Various Rabb.it Chrome extensions are still available for whatever reason, but the links redirect to Kast. It’s not quite the same, but Kast is very extensive, even though the base plan’s choices is restricted to YouTube and Tubi. Simply create an account, start a party, and browse the options. You may then distribute invite links. Kast also supports video conferencing and text messaging.

SCENER: BE THE HOST YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD

What does it stand for? Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, HBO Max, YouTube, Vimeo, Shudder, Alamo, Showtime, Hotstar, Hulu (ad-free), and Funimation are some of the services available (ad-free)

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming platform accounts? Yes

How do I put it to use? Scener has the added benefit of being able to host bigger public viewings of up to a million people, which is ideal if you want to try hosting Rocky Horror or Cats or any other movie that benefits from a huge participatory audience of dedicated fans. Be the Elvira you’ve always wanted to be!

To begin a Scener room, you must first create an account and download the Chrome extension. Navigate to the main page from there, where you’ll be requested to create a public or private room. You may also plan an event ahead of time.

WATCH2GETHER: FOR THE AUDIO INCLINED

What does it stand for? Twitch, Vimeo, and YouTube

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming platform accounts? No, but primarily because it does not support streaming platforms.

How do I put it to use? Watch2Gether is for you if you want to listen to the next episode of your favorite podcast with pals, chill out to the same music, or just peruse the same wikipedia pages together. This one doesn’t require any fancy Chrome extensions (most likely because it is the most limited in scope), but it works fine for basic sharing. Simply open a room, load a link, then share the room by clicking the people symbol at the bottom of the screen. The chat option is located in the bottom right corner. You may also use your camera to record some live responses.

TWOSEVEN: FILLING OUT THE TELEPARTY GAPS

What does it stand for? YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, HBO Max, Vimeo, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, and video that has been uploaded (Hulu and Disney Plus with Patreon options)

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming platform accounts? Yes

How do I put it to use? Teleparty does not cover every streaming service available, however TwoSeven fills in some of the major gaps, such as Crunchyroll.

You must install an extension to view anything that requires you to log into an account (. You’ll also need to manually enter the Chrome extension’s settings to for it to function with Netflix. You’ll be able to play your selected material directly in the TwoSeven browser once that’s installed. Another advantage of TwoSeven is that you may upload files of movies you want to view; now is the time to revisit old high school iMovie files, such as those music videos you created for a microeconomics class about the Four Principles. (Not that I happen to have one of them lying around.)The main feature of TwoSeven is that, in addition to standard chat, it offers video and audio, which is ideal if you want to see a friendly face.

METASTREAM: FOR A SHARED QUEUE EXPERIENCE

What does it stand for? Youtube, Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, SoundCloud, Twitch, Reddit, and Google (?) are just a few examples.

Is it necessary for everyone to have their own streaming platform accounts? Yes

How do I put it to use? This one is ideal for the age-old party habit of loading up YouTube and viewing old music videos and Vine compilations. After installing the Chrome Extension (or Firefox), go to the Metastream window and add the media you want by clicking on the sidebar. Everything else may be added by copying and pasting a link, except Netflix, which will open in a different window. You’ll need to change certain Chrome extension settings if you’re experiencing trouble using Hulu or Crunchyroll. (Details can be found in the Metastream FAQ.) Metastream has a wonderful feature where you can queue up media, which really puts the “viewing old internet videos together” sensation to life.

When you begin a session, click the invite symbol to obtain a sharing link. Then, in the center, click the “add media” option to add media (or to the side if something is already playing). There is a chat room, but no audio or video support.