Looking for a streaming service that covers all your needs? It can be hard to narrow down where to put your money, so here's a list of the best streaming services available right here in Australia. We’ve broken down what you can expect from each service so you know exactly what you’re getting before committing to a subscription.
Australian homes have even more variety than ever before when it comes to watching their favourite shows and movies. With global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab) and Apple TV Plus offering up a big variety of shows and movies from massive blockbusters and more, Australia also has its own local streaming platforms that are providing fierce competition for the larger ones. Both Binge and Stan hold their own with a variety of content including series that are exclusive to each platform as well as locally produced shows packed with home-grown talent.
After something more specialised? We’ve got you covered there too. From some jolly good British TV from BritBox to live sports action on Kayo, we’ve also tried and tested the top specialised streaming platforms to give you a good breakdown on the top ones available right here in Aus.
Whether you’re after the top action-packed shows for 2023 or want to catch some old-school movies, there’s a streaming platform to suit your needs. We rounded up the best variety streaming services and the best specialised ones that are available in Australia right here.
Streaming service of the month (March 2023)
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(opens in new tab)Best TV streaming service 2023 overview:
- Netflix
- Stan
- Disney Plus
- Binge
- Amazon Prime Video
- Apple TV Plus
- Foxtel Now
- Paramount Plus
Best specialty streaming services overview:
- Kayo Sports
- BritBox
- Optus Sport
- Shudder
- Hayu
- Flash
Best TV streaming service 2023:
What is the best TV streaming service you can get right now?
Still topping our list in the year of 2023 is Netflix. Having been a powerhouse of a service not only here in Australia but also worldwide, you’re not going to go wrong with this service… mostly.
We’re only a few months into the year, and Netflix has announced measures to crackdown on password sharing. While these rules have yet to be implemented as of February, they have been revealed but remain unclear, much to the confusion of subscribers across the globe. Netflix has also hinted at rolling out cheaper add-on plans for multi-household accounts in more regions, but pricing in Australia has yet to be confirmed and could be more expensive than predicted. This could be what finally knocks Netflix from its top spot, but for now, it remains here thanks to its massive library.
Overall Netflix is a solid platform that offers a wide range of viewing options, even if the Australian library is a little subpar compared to its US counterpart. You’re also unlikely to hit any issues with the service regarding buffering and quality.
A big draw for Netflix is its original content. There’s a huge range of Netflix Original movies and shows, with anything from superhero action to cheesy rom coms. While there’s a fantastic variety of both English and non-english titles, Netflix does have a reputation for cancelling what they consider unsuccessful shows after one season. So don’t get too attached, or you might find I Am Not Okay With This to be more than just a title of a cancelled Netflix Original series.
Costs for Netflix steadily rise every so often, though late in 2022 the service opened up a new and cheaper subscription tier. The catch? You’re gonna have to deal with ads. The Basic with adverts tier costs only AU$6.99p/m, so it’s one of the cheapest streaming options currently available in Australia. You only get one concurrent 720p stream with it though, so it’s not really suitable for a household with a big variety of viewing needs.
Ad-free plans start with the Basic tier, costing AU$10.99 p/m. Not only will you have an interruption-free viewing experience, but you can also download content to watch when you’ve got no internet. Like the cheaper tier, it only offers an individual stream, while the Standard tier (AU$16.99 p/m) and the Premium plan (AU$22.99 p/m) offer two and four concurrent streams respectively. Streaming quality also improves with each tier, with the option to view compatible shows in 4K+HDR (on compatible devices) available through the Premium plan.
Netflix sadly doesn’t offer a free trial period to new users. So you’re gonna have to pay to just test out the service. The compatibility list for this service is extensive though, so regardless of whether you want to watch on your phone or through your TV, you’ll be set with your Netflix subscription.
Netflix and chill with these shows plus many more: Wednesday, The Recruit, 1899, The Crown, Dead to Me.
Verdict: 5/5
Stan was Australia’s very first major streaming service and has been around since early 2015. Having grown and evolved from then, not only can you catch popular shows and movies through the platform, but there’s also a variety of Stan Original series as well. Though, the service did cop a bit of loss to its extensive library once Disney Plus hit Aussie shores.
Unlike Netflix, Stan offers new subscribers a 30-day free trial. That’s a full month of cost-free viewing so you can really experience a good chunk of the service before fully committing. After your trial ends, you have the choice of three different subscription options, ranging from AU$10 p/m for a singular SD stream up to AU$21 p/m for four consecutive streams with a 4K Ultra HD viewing option, so long as you have a device that can show 4K streams. Every plan also allows you to download videos on at least one device, with up to five on Stan Premium.
If you’re a sporting fan, Stan also has you covered there. For an additional AU$15p/m you can add Stan Sport to any base plan and reap the benefits of both live and on-demand sports coverage. You can also trial this add-on for 7 days before fully committing to the additional cost.
Like most other streaming services, Stan has had a few price rises since its inception, but its starting fee of only AU$10 p/m is still one of the lowest subscription costs on this list for a major streaming service without ads. That, paired with its sheer variety of content and features including downloads and 4K viewing make Stan a worthy contender for the top spot in 2023.
Shows you can currently catch on Stan: Yellowstone, Black Snow, Call the Midwife, The Handmaid’s Tale and Bump.
Verdict: 4.5/5
There’s a lot of appeal to Disney Plus, though it doesn’t pretend to be your main streaming option. Compared to when the service first landed in Australia, the library has grown extensively, but its main draw card is its massive family-friendly library that also includes titles for fans of huge franchises such as Marvel or Star Wars.
The addition of Star in 2021 really diversified the Disney Plus line-up – doubling the library and offering some more adult-oriented content. While this also accompanied a price hike, Star gave subscribers access to content from other Disney owned brands including ABC, Disney TV Studios, FX, Touchstones, 20th Century Studios and more.
Back in December 2022, Disney Plus got another price rise here in Australia, now costing either AU$13.99 p/m or AU$139.99 p/a. This coincided with the service offering a lower-cost ad-supported tier in the US, so there’s a good chance the Aussie audiences might get this option in the near future.
For now there’s only one type of plan that comes with all the content and features, though you do get a saving of around 17% for the annual subscription. Disney Plus’ content library is steadily growing, and year on year there’s new movies, TV shows and documentaries being added to its catalogue.
Disney Plus has also previously offered an additional cost for fast-tracked viewing of new movies including the live-action adaptation of Mulan and the highly anticipated Black Widow, but since Jungle Cruise there has been no new titles released through Premier Access.
However, despite Premier Access no longer being available, the service is still packed with features. With unlimited downloads, 4K streaming (included for no additional cost and on compatible devices) and the option for IMAX Enhanced viewing on a number of titles, Disney Plus gives viewers the option to watch shows exactly how they want. The service’s price is further justified by an extensive list of compatible devices as well as the option for four simultaneous streams within a household.
Don’t miss any of the action with these shows on Disney Plus: The Mandalorian, The Bear, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Pam and Tommy and Willow.
If you want to catch HBO originals here in Australia, Binge is probably the best and easiest option for that. This streaming service is still fairly new, having only been available since May 2020, so it’s not even three years old yet.
Still, Binge has cemented its place in this list thanks to its diverse range of content, ease of use and its competitive price point. Subscriptions start from AU$10 p/m on the Basic plan with one SD stream and go up to AU$18 p/m for the Premium plan with four HD streams. From March 30, the AU$10 p/m tier will no longer be ad-free. While there's no change in cost for this adjustment, subscribers on this tier will have access to a single HD stream, instead of the SD stream that was once included on this plan. The two higher cost tiers will still remain free of ads.
One thing to note is that everything offered on Binge is also available through Foxtel’s other streaming platform, Foxtel Now. However, the big difference between these two services is Binge very much feels like a more modern streaming service in-line with Netflix and Stan, while Foxtel Now offers a more cable TV like experience with multiple channels and plans that vary based on what content you want included.
Where Binge falls short is its absence of 4K or offline viewing. So if either of those features are important to you, Binge is potentially not the service you’re after.
For a while, Binge also fell behind the pack with a limited compatibility list, but in the last two years it has expanded this to include consoles such as the Xbox Series X|S and the PlayStation 5, slowly catching up to its competitors.
Binge also has started offering its own home-grown Aussie content. Love Me and Colin from Accounts are the first two original productions on Binge with there likely to be more added in the upcoming years.
Stream these big shows and many more with Binge: The Last of Us, The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, Colin from Accounts and Succession.
Verdict: 4/5
Amazon and Netflix are two sides of the same coin. That's not to say they're identical – they're not – but the differences are few and far between, and Prime may be one of the best streaming options in Australia in terms of value.
Like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab) has its own set of original series – Upload, Hunters, The Expanse and The Boys among others – but, generally speaking, they don't receive the same fanfare as their Netflix-bred brethren. The same can be said about Amazon's original movies, which often arrive on the service months after their theatrical debut.
That said, Amazon can boast an absolutely huge library of films and older television shows. While it's true that many of its movie offerings are low budget and trashy (not that there's anything wrong with that), there's seemingly an endless number to choose from, which is pretty impressive.
Amazon Prime Video's library of successful theatrical releases has been getting better of late, too, and you also have the option of renting premium film releases – many of which are still showing in cinemas.
The big point of difference between Prime Video and other streaming platforms is the fact that access to the service comes standard with a subscription to Amazon Prime – meaning access to Amazon Music, Prime Reading, Prime Gaming and premium delivery services for a flat monthly fee of AU$6.99 (opens in new tab) or AU$59 per year (opens in new tab).
Additionally, it's worth noting that Amazon Prime Video now gives you the option of signing up to smaller outside streaming services from within the app, such as Paramount Plus, Shudder, and more. This allows users to avoid creating multiple accounts across numerous platforms, instead using their sole Amazon Prime account to login to and pay for all of them. It also means you have less apps to install, because each of these additional services appear within the Prime Video app as 'Channels'.
Prime Video has a lot on offer, but here’s some of the top shows you can catch on the service: Jack Ryan, Star Trek: Picard, Three Pines, The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time.
Verdict: 4/5
Apple's newest streaming service has money bags and talent on its side. Launching with The Morning Show, an expensive drama starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell, as well as the darkly comedic series Physical with Rose Byrne, Apple is flexing its muscles to get the best talent.
Film content is a little less prevalent, however Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab) added the Tom Hanks war film Greyhound to its lineup not too long ago, along with Cherry starring Tom Holland and Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake. It also has the Apple Original series Ted Lasso, which is an absolute delight.
Ultimately though, it doesn't have a deep content library, which is what the platform would need to be the best streaming service in 2022, the price for a monthly subscription has gone up to AU$9.99. Apple TV Plus is also included in a subscription to Apple One, which starts at AU$21.95 per month while students can access the service for free with an Apple Music Student Plan (AU$6.99 per month).
The app itself was initially hard to navigate, with Apple Original shows and movies mixed in alongside content for rent and purchase. However, that has now been simplified somewhat with a menu bar that offers clearer sections, letting you go straight to your desired content.
Most of the original programming here is well worth checking out, though – particularly the sci-fi series For All Mankind, along with Mythic Quest, a sitcom from the creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and the violent and ambitious dystopian drama See, starring Jason Momoa.
Of course, Apple needs to work a little harder to get its app onto other devices – especially Android phones and tablets. Thankfully, Apple TV Plus has recently arrived on PlayStation and Xbox consoles – and PS5 owners can even claim six months of the service after downloading the app to the new console, which is an extremely attractive incentive to try the service out.
Apple TV Plus has a bunch of originals, documentaries and more including the following titles: Slow Horses, Severance, Ted Lasso, Prehistoric Planet and Harriet the Spy.
Verdict: 3.5/5
For years, access to Foxtel required users to sign up for a traditional pay TV subscription – that meant getting technicians over to install a box in your living room, usually involving cabling and other hassles.
That all changed with Foxtel Now – a simple streaming service that only requires an internet connection and a device to stream on.
Foxtel Now is a Netflix-style, streaming-only Foxtel package that lets you watch all of the service's catch-up content, as well as its live TV streams.
All you have to do is sign up online, pick the streaming packages you want, download the app, login, and away you go. Best of all, you don't have to sign any contracts and you can cancel anytime.
Of course, it must be said that if you want everything that Foxtel Now has to offer, you'll have to pay quite a bit. Foxtel Now starts at AU$25 per month (after a free 10-day trial (opens in new tab)) for the mandatory Essentials base pack, which includes the Pop and Lifestyle packages.
You have the option to build your own bundle, or select one of the two bundles that both include the Essentials subscription. The Essentials and Movies bundle costs AU$45 per month and, up until January 31 2023, you can subscribe to the Ultimate Bundle for only AU$49p/m for the first 12 months. Just be aware that after this promotional period, if you decide to keep this service the Ultimate Bundle will jump back up to AU$104p/m.
That said, it's hard to argue with Foxtel Now's enormous content library, and the inclusion of streaming access to Foxtel's live TV channels will certainly appeal to many. Of course, if all you want is access to HBO shows and other non-sports Foxtel exclusives, you're better off signing up for the more affordable Binge.
There’s a lot to catch on Foxtel Now, with everything listed for Binge plus the following titles as well: His Dark Materials, Superstore, The Walking Dead, Bluey and Game of Thrones.
Remember 10 All Access? Well, like the caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly, that service has emerged from its cocoon as Paramount Plus, a more prestigious sounding affair that hopes to draw people in with the promise of exclusive shows and blockbuster releases soon after their theatrical debuts.
Unfortunately, none of that is really available at launch, with only a meagre offering of exclusive shows and only one Paramount Plus Original film in the form of Mark Wahlberg's lacklustre actioner Infinite.
In the US, Paramount Plus has revealed plans to bring big Paramount films to the service within 30-45 days of their theatrical release, but if that were the case here, we would at least have access to A Quiet Place Part II, which came out in Aussie theatres back in May.
Of course, it's worth noting that the Australian version of Paramount Plus is cheaper than the US version, priced at only AU$8.99 per month or AU$89.99 per year, which is decent for a service that offers 4K streams (not that there's any way of knowing which content is 4K in its poorly labelled UI).
In terms of content that is there, Paramount Plus folds in pre-existing shows from 10 All Access along with a decent selection of on-demand movies and shows from Viacom’s various holdings, which include Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Smithsonian Channel. Live sport is promised at some point, however, the only live content on there now comes in the form of US broadcast news, which is just odd.
Maybe Paramount Plus will become worthwhile in the near future, as it's got a number of originals and exclusives set to debut later in the year and more beyond. The promise of those future exclusives, including the Frasier reboot starring Kelsey Grammer, the Halo TV series, and the Yellowstone prequel series Y: 1883, may cause us to reconsider the service, but for now it's a little tough to recommend.
Catch these popular shows and many more on Paramount Plus: Tulsa King, The Flatshare, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, 1923 and The Offer.
Specialty streaming services
As Australia's only streaming service dedicated exclusively to sporting events, Kayo Sports is a terrific option for those who want to avoid a traditional Foxtel subscription.
Described as the 'Netflix of sports', Kayo does a remarkable job of providing instant streaming access to over 50 sporting events. That said, the content is nearly identical to what you'll find on Foxtel's services, which shouldn't be a surprise, as Kayo retains the same broadcast and streaming rights as it pay-TV big brother.
In terms of content, that means you’ll get access to all seven of the Fox Sports channels, plus the Fox Sports news stream, three beIN Sports options and two ESPN channels offered by Foxtel.
That's not to say that Kayo offers everything you could possibly want, as there are some noticeable omissions in the service's content offering. Unfortunately, Kayo doesn't provide access to the three Premier League Club channels (Liverpool TV, Chelsea TV and Manchester United TV), the three Sky Racing channels or Eurosport.
If you're willing to live without those, there are still streams of 50-plus sports to choose from, including live broadcast of big-ticket events like Formula 1, NRL, AFL, international cricket, World Surf League and more.
Additionally, Kayo offers a number of unique and fantastic streaming features, such as picture-in-picture video, a split-view mode that lets you watch multiple sports streams simultaneously, a 'key moments' feature that shows just the highlights, a mode that blocks spoilers for games you haven't watched yet, the ability to choose playback speed and more.
There’s a free 7-day trial (opens in new tab) period, after which you can sign up to one of three packages on Kayo. The One plan offers a single stream for AU$25 per month, while the Basic package will give you simultaneous streams across two devices for AU$30 per month and the Premium package gives you access to streams across three devices for AU$35 p/m. All 3 options also have no lock-in contracts.
The brainchild of two major British broadcasters – ITV and BBC – BritBox is a streaming platform dedicated to delivering good British TV outside of the UK. Luckily for us, that includes Australia.
As you can probably tell by the name, you’re going to get exclusively British content with BritBox. This includes every season and special of Doctor Who as well as shows such as Luther, Line of Duty and All Creatures Great and Small.
BritBox has a subscription price of AU$8.99 per month or AU$89.99 per year giving you two months free if you go for the annual subscription. BritBox also offers a year-long gift subscription for the same price of the annual service, making it a great gift for anyone who enjoys British TV. There’s also a 7-day free trial (opens in new tab), so you can trial the service before committing to a cost.
Features of this service include up to four simultaneous HD streams. You can also stream on a wide range of devices including Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fetch TV, Telstra TV and Google Chromecast, with apps available for LG and Samsung smart TVs, Windows 10 and Chrome OS.
Get a good dose of British TV with the following shows on BritBox: Doctor Who, Shetland, Would I Lie to You?, Vera and Line of Duty.
If you're the type of sports fan who's absolutely obsessed with proper Football (better known to Aussies as soccer), then Optus Sport is the streaming service for you.
While other streaming services may offer a more rounded sports watching experience, Optus Sport is dedicated to providing access to every type of soccer coverage imaginable.
For AU$24.99 per month, or AU$199 per year, Optus Sport brings you unlimited access to Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, J.League, UEFA EURO 2020, Internationals and FA Women's Super League games, meaning you'll never be short of football content to park yourself in front of.
Additionally, a subscription to Optus Sport also grants you access to the service's Fitness content, allowing you to work out alongside handy training videos in a number of areas, including football, yoga, cardio, Pilates, core, dancing and more.
Sporting excellent device support and an affordable price point, Optus Sport is a terrific option for football junkies. That said, there are some areas that could see improvement.
For instance, while subscribers may register up to four devices, only two can be streamed concurrently. Worse still, the second device must be a Fetch TV box, or else you're limited to one solitary stream.
Picture quality is good, however, Optus Sport's maximum 1080p resolution is actually upscaled, as the service's feeds are received in 720p. Additionally, the service no longer offers a free trial period, and costs AU$24.99 per month, but existing and new Optus customers can bundle the service for only AU$6.99 per month.
A streaming service that's strictly for horror fans, Shudder offers a vast selection of fright flicks, both old and new, along with a growing library of original films, TV shows, documentaries, podcasts and live streaming events.
Shudder Originals include FX guru Greg Nicotero's Creepshow TV series, the blood-drenched cult flick Revenge, the indigenous zombie film Blood Quantum, and the critically adored movie Host (opens in new tab), which sees a demonic presence infiltrate an online séance.
Admittedly, Shudder has some work to do when it comes to competing with the big streaming players. For one, its maximum streaming resolution is 720p (with many older movies available in standard definition only). And while its device compatibility has come a long way since its US launch, there's no Shudder app for gaming consoles, and many TV brands are also lacking native support.
That said, you can't argue with Shudder's price, which is set at a very reasonable AU$6.99 per month (and even cheaper at its yearly rate of $69.99, essentially netting you two free months of the service).
If you're a horror aficionado with a thirst for (fake) blood, you can test the Shudder waters with a free 7-day trial.
You can watch the following spooky titles, plus many more freaky movies and documentaries on Shudder: Eli Roth’s History of Horror, Creepshow, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, Beyond the Dark and Queen of Fear.
Having trouble keeping up with the Kardashians? Well, you're in luck, because the streaming service Hayu not only has every single episode of theirs available to watch instantly, it also provides access to hundreds of other reality shows.
That isn't an understatement– pick a city at random and chances are that Hayu has a Real Housewives show that's set in that very location*.
But that's not all – though Hayu's junk food menu is undeniably extensive, the service also offers more serious fare, including a number of true crime docu-series, such as Up and Vanished, In Ice Cold Blood (hosted by Ice-T, no less) and much more.
Priced at only AU$6.99 per month or AU$61.99 per year, with decent device support, offline viewing for phones and tablets, no lock-in contracts and no ads whatsoever, Hayu is a reality television fan's dream come true. If that sounds like you, then be sure to check out Hayu's free 7-day trial (opens in new tab).
*Okay, that might be a very slight exaggeration.
Catch the following popular reality TV titles and more on Hayu: Below Deck, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Million Dollar Listing, The Real Housewives and Queer Eye.
Want the latest news from as many sources as possible? Flash is a streaming service that offers subscribers content from 25 plus news channels from around the globe. From big breaking news stories covered by Sky News or CNN, to more specialty coverage from sources such as Ausbiz and ET Now, you can find what you're looking for from both local and international news channels.
The user interface has four main sections, all accessible from a list at the top of the screen. The ‘Home’ page offers the latest headlines and news, while both the ‘Channels’ and ‘Categories’ sections organise news specifically in those respective groupings. The final section is called FlashLists, which is where you can find all the news you’ve saved for later.
A neat feature offered in this subscription is SplitView, which allows you to watch up to four videos at once on your device. For the time being, SplitView is only available on web browsers and Apple devices, though Flash does note in its help centre that it plans to roll this feature out to more compatible devices in the future.
There are also Live Channels offering real-time coverage. Users will have to go into the source’s channel to find access to these live streams, but they are covered in your subscription. There’s also a feature called FlashPoint, which is a little logo you can select to access multiple sources covering the same story, making it a handy feature to use alongside SplitView.
Flash currently only offers one plan after its 14-day free trial. For AU$8 per month, you’ll only be able to stream on one device, but will have full access to the service’s entire catalogue and features.
