There’s some stiff streaming video competition Down Under, so which service will come out on top?
Now that streaming media has become a mainstay in Australian homes, Aussies have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to getting their home entertainment fix.
When combined, Netflix, Stan,Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel Now offer an enormous range of content that can be instantly streamed into your home. However, if you can only afford one subscription service, narrowing down a definitive choice can be harder than it seems.
As each service brings with it a unique range of television shows and movies aimed at different segments of the streaming audience, not to mention differing price points, device compatibility and streaming qualities, we’ve taken it upon ourselves bring you an in-depth guide to what you can expect from Australia’s four major SVOD platforms.
With the constantly evolving nature of each service discussed in this guide, we will endeavour to keep you updated on any significant changes and updates that may occur to these streaming giants in the future.
Here’s how the Australian streaming situation stacks up in 2018.
Probably the best thing about having so many streaming options to choose from, is that it forces each service to be priced competitively.
Netflix offers the cheapest stream of the main three, with a single stream in standard definition at $9.99, which, if we’re being honest, isn’t particularly good value, but may appeal to those who live alone and have a poor quality internet connection.
Thankfully, for $13.99 a month you can get a dual-stream subscription that offers HD streaming quality.
If 4K streams are what you’re after, you’ll need to subscribe to Netflix’s premium package, which costs $17.99 a month and allows you to watch the service on four devices simultaneously. This is probably the most ideal subscription for families with differing tastes in shows and movies.
Though Netflix is obviously working off of how it’s priced overseas, Stan has chosen to come out at the low, no-nonsense price of $10 a month. That’s for everything the service has to offer at a maximum resolution of 1080p.
If you want to make use of your 4K TV though, you can upgrade to a Premium Stan subscription for $15 a month. So far, Stan has a steadily growing 4K content lineup, including shows like Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Preacher and Wolf Creek, and movies like Ghostbusters, Taxi Driver, Arrival and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy.
These kinds of prices cut straight to the point – once you’ve tested the service’s 30 day trial, you’re either on board with forking over a tenner (or an extra fiver) each month, or you’re not.
Undercutting Netflix’s pricing substantially, Amazon has a special introductory offer that grants new subscribers access to the service for a monthly fee $4.99 for the first six months, after which it will renew at US$6.99 each month after that.
Foxtel Now is different in that it offers a number of different content packs (split into Starter packs and Premium packs) so the user can tailor their subscription to their viewing habits.
The minimum price for Foxtel Now has been increased to $25 per month, which includes the Pop and Lifestyle packs.
You’ll probably have to sign up to at least a couple of packs to get a decent selection of shows overall. As we’ve already mentioned, Lifestyle and Pop are now bundled together, while the individual Kids and Doco packages have been scrapped entirely — if you want that content back, you’ll have to pony up for the $104 All Packs bundle.
Thankfully, the Drama package is still around, and is still priced at $15 per month (though you’ll get $5 off when you sign up).
The Movies pack will still set you back $20 a month and the Sports package remains unchanged at $29 per month. Seeing as you’re obligated to sign up to the Pop and Lifestyle packs, the minimum cost for watching sports on Foxtel Now has been raised to $54 per month.
For many people, the decision of which streaming service to sign up for may come down to the devices they own.
Netflix has the biggest global reach and has been around the longest, which is why it can be streamed on the largest number of devices.
The Netflix app is available on a wide range of smart TVs from manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, Philips and Hisense, though you should check your television model to see if the service is supported.
