Streaming – even with our dodgy Australian internet – is by far the best way to watch TV. The services are significantly cheaper than cable, boast huge catalogues and have no ads. Most importantly, you get to choose what you watch.

With so much choice around – and too many shows to possibly get through – we take a look at the value, content and overall quality of subscription streaming services available Down Under.

What streaming services are in Australia?

Obviously, there’s Netflix. Other major players currently in Australia are Stan, Binge, Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, CBS’s Paramount+, sports streaming service Kayo, Apple TV+ and Disney+.

Sports streaming in Australia

When it comes to subscription sports streaming in Australia, your options are Foxtel Now, Kayo and Stan Sport.

Starting at AUD $25 per month, Kayo is the best option if you're after the widest range of sport for the best value. It's offering includes content from Fox Sports, ESPN and BeIN Sports (i.e. over 50 sports: pretty much all of Foxtel’s current sports offering).

See a full list of sports on Kayo here, or sign up for a free trial here.

Meanwhile, Foxtel Now starts at $25 per month, and adding the Sport pack costs and extra $29 per month. This means it’s still cheaper to use Kayo than to add sport to your Foxtel Now (unless you’re also getting other Foxtel Now add-on packs).

The newest addition to Australian sports streaming is Stan Sport, which is a $10 monthly add-on to a normal Stan subscription (which range from $10-19/month). Stan Sport is the home of the rugby, UEFA Champions League and Wimbledon in Australia.

For those sports that just aren’t available in Australia, you could try using a VPN. Check out our top-ranked VPN services for 2022.

Which is the cheapest subscription streaming service?

The cheapest major streaming service to access in Australia is Prime Video – which is included in an Amazon Prime membership (AUD $6.99 per month, or $59 per year). Also included is Prime Music, Prime Gaming (formerly Twitch Prime) and free Amazon delivery. You can sign up for a 30-day free trial here.

A subscription to reality TV-only service, hayu, also costs AUD $6.99 per month. Sign up for a month-long free trial here.

The next cheapest is Apple TV+ ($7.99), then Paramount+ ($8.99). Binge and Stan hover around $10 for basic subscriptions.

Which streaming service has the best TV shows and movies?

It’s tough to say which streaming service has the best content since this is very much a subjective question. However, most of these services offer free trials, giving you time to explore the catalogue and decide what’s best for you.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that content deals are always changing, and therefore the catalogues of these services are always rotating. It’s very much worth looking at the original productions of each service, which will stick around forever.

Each service has its own strengths and weaknesses. Foxtel's services BINGE and Foxtel Now probably have the most in-demand content thanks to its HBO partnerships (i.e. Game Of Thrones). Meanwhile, as the oldest and most developed service, Netflix has the most extensive catalogue and most popular Originals. Stan features a range of international hits and Aussie classics; 10 All Access has much-loved current Aussie reality shows like The Bachelor; and Amazon Prime has a growing range of critically acclaimed Originals.

See below for a detailed breakdown of each service’s content.

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Streaming Services In Australia

Amazon Prime Video

Price: $6.99 per month / $59 per year
Screens: Up to 3 at a time
Quality: SD / HD / 4K (select content available in 4k)
Free trial: Yes – 30 days.

Amazon Prime in Australia continues to grow, and now features popular classic shows like Seinfeld, Downton Abbey and The Shield. However, Amazon’s best selling point are its popular Originals – which include The Man In High Castle, American Gods and Top Gear spinoff The Grand Tour. Also on the cards is Amazon’s upcoming Lord Of The Rings series.

Sign up for a 30-day free Prime Video trial here.

Top originals:
• The Boys
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Top shows:
• 30 Rock
• The Office (US)
• Downton Abbey
• This Is Us
• The Good Wife

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Apple TV+

Price: $7.99 per month
Screens: Up to 6 at a time
Quality: 4K
Free trial: Yes – 7 days; or 1 year free with Apple device purchase

Apple first announced its foray into the streaming market in March 2019. At AUD $11.99 per month (with no pricing tiers), and an allowance of six simultaneous streams, it is a lucrative option for many in Australia. The catch is that Apple TV+ will only feature Apple originals, and won’t offer an extensive catalogue licensed content like most of its competitors do. That said, Apple has put a lot of money and effort into its originals, and they look pretty great. Highlights include Steven Spielberg fantasy series Amazing Stories and drama series Morning Wars starring Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. See more details about the Apple originals here.

Sign up to Apple TV+ here.

Top originals:
• See
• Morning Wars
• For All Mankind
• The Elephant Queen
• Snoopy In Space

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BINGE

Price: $10 per month (basic) / $16 (standard) / $18 (premium)
Screens: 1 (basic) / 2 (standard) / 4 (premium)
Quality: SD (basic) / HD (standard & premium)
Free trial: Yes – 7 days

BINGE is Foxtel’s new streaming service, and features a range of premium international content from HBO, NBCU, WarnerMedia and more. It is also the cheapest way to (legally) watch Game Of Thrones in Australia.

Foxtel has confirmed to PCMag that there are no changes to its other streaming service, Foxtel Now (Read more about Foxtel Now below).

Read more about BINGE here, or sign up for a free trial here.

Top shows:
• Game Of Thrones
• Planet Earth
• The Sopranos
• Chernobyl
• Parks And Recreation

Top movies:
• Good Will Hunting
• American Psycho
• Yesterday
• Inglorious Bastards

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Disney+

Price: $11.99 per month / $119.99 per year
Screens: Up to 4 at a time
Quality: HDR
Free trial: No

Many have been holding their breath in anticipation of Disney’s streaming service, following the entertainment giant’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Disney+ features an extensive catalogue of Disney-owned films and TV shows. The most important of these – The Simpsons – will appear in the Disney+ library. Meanwhile, expect content from Marvel, Pixar, Fox and more. Disney+’s upcoming original Star Wars series The Mandalorian will launch at the same time as the service. Read more about Disney+ in Australia here, or sign up to the service here.

Top originals:
• The Mandalorian
• Loki

Top shows / movies:
• Avengers Endgame
• The Simpsons
• Toy Story 3
• The Proud Family
• Star Wars

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Foxtel Now

Price: $25 per month (basic) / $104 (‘All Packs’). See add on pack prices below.
Screens: Up to 2 at a time
Quality: HD
Free trial: No

While it’s the most expensive option, Foxtel Now probably has the most in-demand content – including HBO giants like Game Of Thrones, Chernobyl and Westworld, as well popular shows like South Park and Last Week Tonight. Unlike its rivals, Foxtel Now also doesn’t include movies in its basic pack… this add-on will set you back an extra $20 per month.

Add on packs:
• Sport: $29 per month
• Movies: $20 per month
• Drama Extra: $10 per month
• Kids: Currently available for $10 per month. Only available with ‘All Packs’ from Nov 1
• Docos: Currently available for $10 per month. Only available with ‘All Packs’ from Nov 1

Top shows:
• Game Of Thrones
• The Wire
• The Sopranos
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Veep

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Kayo

Price: $25 per month (Kayo One) / $30 per month (Kayo Basic) / $35 per month (Kayo Premium)
Screens: 1 (Kayo One) / 2 (Kayo Basic) / 3 (Kayo Premium)
Quality: HD
Free trial: Yes – 7 days

Kayo is one of only three streaming services with sport in Australia, and is the cheaper and better option (if sport is all you're after). The other options are Stan Sport (read more about that below) or Foxtel Now with a sports pack added on (read more about that above). Thanks to partnerships with Fox Sports, ESPN and BeIN Sports, Kayo features pretty much every sport you'd want to watch – over 50 of them. It also includes a variety of viewing features for sports fans like split screen (to watch four sports at once), hide score, key moments, and more.

Sign up for a 7-day Kayo free trial here.

Top sports / leagues:
• NFL
• UFC
• NBA
• NRL Telstra Premiership 2021

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Netflix

Price: $10.99 per month (basic) / $15.99 (standard) / $19.99 (premium)
Screens: 1 (basic) / 2 (standard) / 4 (premium)
Quality: SD (basic) / HD (standard) / 4k (premium)
Free trial: First month free

Netflix is the OG of online streaming, is the most popular service globally, and comfortably has the most extensive catalogue. Netflix also boasts a huge range of very popular original programs, such as Stranger Things, Orange Is The New Black, and Iron Fist. Only time will tell how Apple and Amazon’s originals measure up.

Top originals:
• Stranger Things
• BoJack Horseman
• The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Orange Is The New Black
• Mindhunter

Top shows / movies:
• Fargo
• Reservoir Dogs
• The IT Crowd
• Peaky Blinders
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine

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Paramount+

Price: $8.99 per month
Screens: Up to 3 at a time
Quality: HD
Free trial: Yes – 7 days

Paramount+ is the re-imagining of 10 All Access and the addition of ViacomCBS’s international catalogue. With a huge range of content, Paramount+ will be the exclusive home of the A-League, the W-League and the FFA Cup. It’s the newest streaming service on the block, and still has something to prove, but with popular shows like The Big Bang Theory,

Sign up for a Paramount+ free trial here.

Top originals:
• The Good Fight
• The Twilight Zone

Top shows:
• South Park
• Broad City
• Kamp Koral
• Dexter
• NCIS
• The Big Bang Theory

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Stan

Price: $10 per month (basic) / $14 (standard) / $19 (premium)
Screens: 1 (basic) / 3 (standard) / 4 (premium)
Quality: SD (basic) / HD (standard) / 4k (premium)
Free trial: Yes – 30 days.

Stan was the first homegrown streaming player, and accordingly features local originals such as the Wolf Creek and the Romper Stomper. Some big international partnerships – including with Hulu and Showtime – means Stan also has some great new series fast tracked from the US, including Jim Carrey as a creepy kids’ show host in Kidding. Stan is also owned by Nine, meaning it features a huge catalogue of old Aussie favourites like Frontline, Underbelly.

For an extra $10 per month, you can get Stan Sport – which is the home of rugby, Wimbledon and UEFA in Australia.

Sign up for a 30-day free trial to Stan here.

Top originals:
• Romper Stomper
• Wolf Creek

Top shows / movies:
• Breaking Bad
• Billions
• Veronica Mars
• Community
• BBC Planet Earth