Watchly Our pick
Best overall for Mac — native app, Netflix free, voice chat built in
Watchly is a native Mac app from the Mac App Store, so it is not tied to a single browser tab. It keeps everyone's playback in perfect sync while each person signs into their own Netflix account, so you are watching your own stream in lockstep rather than sharing video.
The part that matters most here: Netflix is free to co-watch in Watchly — no Pro subscription needed. Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, and SoundCloud are free too. It also ships with push-to-talk voice chat, live reactions, and text messages, and the host just shares a room link so friends can join from the browser with no account required.
Watchly Pro ($4.99/month or $29.99/year, 3-day free trial) unlocks services like HBO Max, Disney+, Crunchyroll, Peacock, and Paramount+, removes ads, and lifts the room size limit. But for a Netflix night, the free tier is all you need.
Pros
- Netflix syncs for free — no Pro required
- Native Mac app, not a browser extension
- Push-to-talk voice chat, reactions, and text built in
- True cross-device sync: Mac, iPhone, Android, Chrome
Cons
- Some premium services (HBO Max, Disney+) need Pro
- Mac app requires an Apple-silicon Mac