Speaking of video watching, the first name that pops up to our mind must be YouTube. Launched in 2005 and recently being the largest video-sharing website all over the world, it boasts itself in providing a massive number of categories such as music videos, news, short films, vlogs, and of course documentaries. Being diverse and easy-to-use features are engaging to more and more users.

Its documentary collections are also well-organized. There are lots of genres available on YouTube, arranged in different sections such as 'Top Selling', 'New Releases', 'Most Popular', and much more. This is convenient and beneficial for users because they do not take time to decide which episode to go for. Moreover, some other features like YouTube Shorts or YouTube Stories can accommodate the need of people in watching short videos, but with adequate content and high-quality resolution.

However, YouTube is no longer allowing to download offline of its videos in the case of YouTube Premium. Its subscription for the premium version is also priced affordably, which is $11.99 per month, or $119.99 for the annual plan.

Website: https://www.youtube.com/

Being one of the global services that distributes films and television series from various attractive genres, Netflix is no longer unfamiliar to documentary fans from all corners of the world. Unlike other documentary websites, Netflix is characterized by providing lots of blockbuster ones with household names such as Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, and even Beyoncé's Grammy-winning 'Homecoming'. Moreover, other nature documentaries are also emphasized, like 'Our Planet', or 'Blackfish'.

A wide range of different genres in documentary collections is also appreciated when it comes to Netflix. Apart from people or nature, this website has an absolutely large coverage of almost every facet of life. From sports with many genuine docuseries, and food, to some science-banked documentaries, all can be found. Especially, murder and crime documentaries are the most sought-after ones on Netflix. The sensational scenes, and unexpected twists, followed by lots of mysterious cases can entirely engross their eagerness.

Users can also subscribe to Netflix Premium for more exceptional features. The cost is based on the subscription, ranging from $6.99 to $19.99 per month, depending on the use of ads, how many people will be sharing on an account, as well as the minimally acceptable resolution. This premium version supports the 4K quality for downloading offline alongside excellent accessibility options.

Website: https://www.netflix.com/

Amazon Prime Video is Amazon's subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service that covers diverse content such as sports, movies, and scientific videos. Its collections are always growing. It is also home to plenty of documentaries on a wide range of subjects. Whether you are into historical events, personal journeys, or socio-economical topics, there are exclusive collections for you to dive in.

Specifically, some of the best documentaries on Amazon Prime Video that engage people are 'Flight/Risk', 'A Promise to my father', documentary television shows such as 'Hoarders', and a fair number of series about people suffering from extreme hoarding like 'The First 48: Missing Persons' also rounded out the catalog. Nonetheless, the exclusive documentary sections of this website are no further than political ones. From voting rights, and election fraud, to some other fierce debate polarizing between two contrasting sides, Amazon Prime Video absolutely does not fall off your expectations.

This website also supports the offline download for enjoying later, which includes 4K titles, and has a wide range of accessibility features such as audio descriptions for viewers with visual impairments. Its price ranges are based on different regions. Users can experience a 30-day free trial, then choose the particular subscription that suits them.

Website: https://www.primevideo.com/

Built in 2007, Hulu is a famous streaming service that provides lots of engaging series, hit movies, and of course exclusive documentary collections. It has a vast library of documentaries, some of which were nominated for or won prestigious awards such as the Academy Awards. Whether you are a true-crime explorer, pop culture fanatic, or a self-proclaimed history person, there are appropriate content suits for you.

Specifically, it is well-known for some celebrity biopics and entertainment insiders like musicians, celebrities, and a wide range of various cultural phenomena. Some of those are 'Fyre Fraud', which is the tale of the ill-fated 2017 Fyre Festival, and 'March of the Penguins'. Hulu also has lots of fashion-centric titles that can satisfy the diverse demand of people. 'Dior and I', and 'Mc Queen' can be listed as notable examples.

In terms of its subscriptions, there are several lowdowns available. While an ad-free version will aid you with $14.99 per month, its bundle service, which is Hulu's top-tier package with Live TV (with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus) costs $69.99 monthly for the ad-supported plan.

Website: https://www.hulu.com/

Another place to enjoy documentaries must be Vimeo. It is viewed as one of the best websites to watch documentaries due to its size and popularity. There are different classifications of categories when entering this site, including Arts & Crafts, Culture & Tech, Nature, Sports, and People as well. Each video has been edited carefully before launching, followed by the appropriate-length content so that people do not feel bored and can stay almost focused while watching.

The most attractive feature of Vimeo is its high-resolution videos, which can come in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR, as well as the possibility of offline download. Thus, it is surely a wonderful choice to have a better viewing experience that can trace after lots of historical scenes. Besides, this website allows you to download videos to watch offline and enjoy with ad-free playback.

Vimeo supports apps for mobile platforms as well. Downloading is free, and in case you want to possess more exclusive content with outstanding features, in-app purchases are necessary. Depending on your own subscription, Vimeo Plus pricing will vary by the subscription tier and by country.

Website: https://vimeo.com/

Deserving as one of the best websites to watch documentaries, Discovery Channel is a long-haul famous site that provides a wide range of high-quality history-based, social documentaries as well as news. Launched in 1995, this site initially provided documentary television programming focused primarily on popular science, tech, and history, but expanded into reality television and pseudo-scientific entertainment. Therefore, users can have large exposure to best-in-class documentary events as well as a signature slate of industry-leading nonfiction series.

Besides, Discovery Channel is now putting more focus on reality-based programming such as 'The Flight that Fought Back', and 'Deadliest Catch'. Discovery has also featured documentaries specifically aimed at families and younger audiences like 'How It's Made', or 'Cash Cab'. These documentary genres gain large popularity because of their genuine quality as well as the special editing from their team. Not only just history series uploaded, but thousands of historical articles and related news are also available for users to dive into. Users do not need to worry about its reliability as well. This site works with a number of famous writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. Each article is also reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

You can also subscribe to Discovery Plus, which features a massive library of shows from all of the major Discovery networks. Starting at $5 per month with commercials or $7 a month for ad-free streaming with Discovery Plus, users may have access to a selection of brand-new exclusive programs that can not find anywhere else such as TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, and HGTV series.

Website: https://www.discovery.com/

Another name in the list of the best websites to watch documentaries is CuriosityStream. With thousands of documentaries assessed by award-winning exclusives and originals, this website helps people in indulging into explosive content from different categories. From space, art, science, and travel, to some other aspects such as dinosaurs, marine life, etc, there are lots of attractive collections popping up to meet the diverse needs of documentary fans.

Like Kapony, CuriosityStream also brings a kid-specific section with eye-catching videos and lively stories that can totally draw the kids' attention. What this website stands out is its highest fidelity. Every scene is offered with high-quality resolution, specifically 4K Ultra HD streaming.

About its tiers, CuriosityStream offers several choices for people to make. Starting at just $2.99 per month, and the subscription can be changed between $4.99 to $9.99 based on different versions, people can access the massive streaming library, as well as download every documentary content to enjoy offline. This website is also available on various platforms, namely mobile devices, gaming platforms, streaming media devices, and smart TVs.

Website: https://curiositystream.com/

Available on both Android and iOS, Kanopy is considered one of the best video streaming services for quality, thoughtful entertainment with a wide range of forms such as movies, classic cinema, foreign films, and especially documentaries. It provides more than 30,000 independent films and documentaries from distribution giants such as Bleecker Street, HBO Documentary Films, Paramount, and PBS as well. Therefore, its documentaries bring exclusive content and high-quality videos.

Furthermore, not only with adults, Kanopy also offers a streaming collection of age-appropriate ones, with animated storybooks or TV series, so that kids can be engaged. Its public collections are partnered with lots of generous libraries and universities. Thus, users as long as having a library card or university email, can easily access this massive documentary content.

However, in case you want to expand your coverage of the watching experience, as well as increase the number of videos to watch, you need to pay an extra fee based on your own subscription. It is now available for media streaming devices such as Apple TV, Android TV, Fire Tv, mobile platforms, and select smart TVs like Samsung and Telstra.

Website: https://www.kanopy.com/

As its name suggests, History Vault provides a large number of historical films and documentaries with high-quality and exclusive content. If you are into historical background films that can not find on other platforms anymore, then this site is for you. There are lot of content that cannot see on the History Channel's prime-time lineup, such as some greatest stories in history like ancient civilizations, the World Wars, space exploration, or anything in between.

Moreover, some of the new videos are updated weekly, which can expand the coverage of historical content that is not only massive about the past but also the current documentaries about society. Some of them are 'The Story of Us', 'Ancient Discoveries', and 'Mysteries of the Bible'.

History Vault allows you to download offline on different devices, as well as supports portable apps for mobile platforms. Therefore, users can enjoy their historical documentaries anywhere at their own watching time. Starting your 7-day free trial is entailed, then just pay for $4.99 per month or $44.99 per year, and you can have access to watch commercial-free, full-length videos with no need for a TV provider.

Website: https://watch.historyvault.com/