Black Friday sales in New Zealand officially ended with Cyber Monday on December 1 – officially marking the beginning of summer. But December brings more than just cold drinks, pool parties and brainstorming Christmas gift ideas – New Zealand's best streaming services are providing a massive suite of enticing new movies and TV.
In a year that's already offered new shows like The Studio and new seasons of The Bear and The Last of Us, the top streaming platforms aren't slowing down as 2025 grinds to a halt. Unfortunately, it's only getting harder to watch all the best content on offer.
December 4: a complete refresh for a new month – including a new introduction and new content updates for each streaming service.
Best streaming service for December 2025
Best new content coming this month
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
- Disney+ |Back to the Future trilogy (Dec 1), Percy Jackson and the Olympian s2 (Dec 10), Taylor Swift: The End of an Era (Dec12), Abbott Elementary s5 (December 17)
- Netflix | Matt Rife: Unwrapped (Dec 2), The Abandons (Dec 4), Jay Kelly (Dec 5), Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Dec 12), Emily in Paris S5 (Dec 18), Anthony Joshua V Jake Paul (Dec 20)Goodbye June (Dec 24), Stranger Things s5; vol2 (Dec 26)
- Apple TV |The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (Dec 5), F1: The Movie (Dec 12), Born to be Wild (Dec 19)
- NEON | National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Dec 1), Kneecap (Dec 2), Mickey 17 (Dec 4), Bookish s1 (Dec 7), Happy and You Know It (Dec 26)
Best TV streaming service 2025:
What is the best TV streaming service you can get right now?
Netflix came to New Zealand and Australia in 2015, and it has seen massive changes since then – price-increases in May and the password-sharing crackdown that New Zealand was at the front of, being the most recent. Even still, thanks to its massively diverse library, best-in-class user experience and consistent influx of original content, Netflix continues its reign as king and is still the best streaming service in New Zealand for most people.
Since its inception to NZ, Netflix has delivered hit series and movies in the form of Netflix Originals, offering a variety of highly entertaining Netflix-exclusive content. It all kicked off in 2016 with the smash-hit launch of Stranger Things and continuation of Black Mirror. In the few years following, Netflix added The Witcher, The Umbrella Academy, Bridgerton, Emily in Paris and Big Mouth, while more recent hits like Beef, Wednesday, 3 Body Problem, Supacell, That 90's Show, Bodkin, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Gentlemen have continued that legacy to varying degrees.
Netflix also has a reputation for cancelling series, even when it seems it was met with satisfaction by fans. 1899 was cancelled early in 2023, as were Inside Job and Firefly Lane, adding to a list that includes Lockwood and Co., Travelers and Altered Carbon. Then there's Mindhunter, one of the best shows of this century, cancelled due to high production costs – while Netlflix put $166 Million into Rebel Moon that was panned by fans and critics alike if Rotten Tomatoes and word of mouth is any metric.
One thing New Zealand Netflix subscribers do have, though, especially over Aussies, is a lack of an ad-supported plan on Netflix NZ, remaining strictly ad-free for the time being. However, Kiwi prices did increase for the first time since 2021, with Basic now NZ$17.99p/m, Standard costing NZ$20.99 and Premium, which provides 4K, coming in at NZ$33.99. All plans allow downloads on one to six different devices, and the two more expensive plans allow you to add people living outside your household to your plan at an additional cost of NZ$7.99 per person.
Even with all of that, Netflix's deep library, high-quality originals and supremely snappy app makes it the easy answer to "what's the best streaming service?". While it's not our choice for August, there's still several new additions worth checking out.
Verdict: 5/5
What to watch on Netflix
What we recommend on Netflix: Adolescence, All Quiet on the Western Front, Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Beasts of No Nation, Black Mirror, Dark, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Haunting of Hill House, Maestro, Marriage Story, Mindhunter, Okja, Roma, The Last Kingdom, The Queen's Gambit and Tick, Tick... Boom!.
Coming to Netflix in December: Matt Rife: Unwrapped (Dec 2), The Abandons (Dec 4), Jay Kelly (Dec 5), Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Dec 12), Emily in Paris S5 (Dec 18), Anthony Joshua V Jake Paul (Dec 20)Goodbye June (Dec 24), Stranger Things s5; vol2 (Dec 26)
- I’ve watched every #1 Netflix TV show in 2025 and these are the 7 actually worth streaming
- Want to get the most out of your Netflix subscription? Stop making these 5 mistakes when choosing what to watch
- The #1 most-streamed show is a Netflix dark comedy that’s ideal summer escapism – here’s why you have to catch up with this new smash hit
Prime Video has a library of original content that can rival, if not beat, every other streaming service. Heck, between series like The Boys and Gen V, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, Fallout and Invincible, they might have everyone else beat already. Then there's fun flicks like Ricky Stanicky and Road House, as well as actual fantastic movies like the Sound of Metal, The Tender Bar and The Burial. Add in the fact that Prime Video boasts the biggest library of any streaming service, and it should be the best streamer, right?
There's only one thing, really, that Netflix and every other service in this list barring Neon, has over Prime Video – its user interface. While it might not actually be bad, Prime Video is much more difficult to navigate than competitors, and especially when trying to differentiate between content you have access to and that which is for rent. It makes sense, given how big its library is and the amalgamation of content from services within like Britbox, AMC and Paramount Plus that is shown to you even if you don't own them. Still, it holds it back from knocking off Netflix as king.
Nevertheless, if you just want as much content as possible, Prime Video is the best streaming service. Amazon’s library spans everything from the classics and the latest and greatest, to trashy B-rated flicks and niche cult classics. A great movie or series is always just around the corner, even if it takes a bit of navigation to find. And, if there's nothing there for you, there's hundreds of movies available for rent or purchase, sometimes so fresh that they're still in cinemas.
While Prime Video is part of the Amazon Prime subscription in some countries, it's available as an independent service in New Zealand, setting you back NZ$9.99 a month after a semi-recent price increase, though you can still try before you buy with a 7-day free trial.
Verdict: 4/5
What to watch on Prime Video
What we recommend on Prime Video: The Babadook, Casino, Edge of Tomorrow, Gen V, The Green Knight, Inglourious Basterds, Jack Ryan, L.A. Confidential, Legend of Vox Machina, Mr Robot, Outer Range, Reacher, Tell Me Your Secrets and Wilderness.
Key Prime Video additions in December: Merchants of Joy (Dec 1), Oh. What. Fun (Dec 3), Merv (Dec 10), Fallout (Dec 17), complete CW Arrow and The Flash (Dec 31).
- This hidden Aussie gem on Prime Video has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but no one’s talking about it
- The best TV show on Prime Video? I can’t stop coming back to this comfortingly cringey comedy series from the 2000s
- New Prime Video movies: every new film being released in July 2025
Disney Plus, much like Disney itself, has grown significantly since first arriving in Aotearoa way back in 2019. While it's still the home of all things Disney, its content library has grown massively, with a huge selection of content that covers more than just Marvel and Star Wars, it's undoubtedly the best streaming service for kids, while also improving its content aimed at adults with original series like Star's Only Murders in the Building and FX's Shōgun and The Bear.
Its bread and butter is still the franchises owned by Disney like Marvel and Star Wars. If you're a fan of either, Disney Plus is all-but a must-have. From the original trilogy, prequels and sequels to spin-offs like The Mandalorian, Ashoka and The Acolyte, there is no better streaming service for Star Wars fans. Same goes for fans of Marvel, with every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as series like WandaVision, Loki and X-Men '97, and classics like the Toby McGuire Spider-Man films, 1994's Spider-Man cartoon and the 2015's beloved Fantastic Four.
Then there's the abundance of kids content from those franchises that make it easy to introduce the little ones to your favourites. Disney is the home of kid's content, after all. From Walt Disney Animation Studios classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King to newer favourites like Frozen, Moana and Inside Out 2 (which will arrive soon) – there is no better home for kid’s entertainment.
And family-friendly doesn't have to mean watching Aladdin five times a week. With National Geographic, Disney Plus offers a near neverending amount of documentaries to choose from, with animals and nature, exploration, space, history and mysteries all on the menu, with titles like Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Free Solo and Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.
After an eye-watering price increase at the start of 2025, Disney Plus has increased its New Zealand prices, with both its Standard and Premium subscriptions getting in on the action. From February 19, new Standard subscriptions will cost NZ$16.99p/m and NZ$169.99 per year, from NZ$14.99 and NZ$149.99 respectively. Meanwhile, the Premium plan sees a considerably NZ$3p/m and NZ$30p/a increase to NZ$21.99 and NZ$219.99.
This increased cost will see you earn 4K resolution, Dolby Audio and four concurrent streams with a Premium subscription, while Standard only nets subscribers two concurrent streams, HD quality streams and standard audio.
Verdict: 4/5
What to watch on Disney Plus
What we recommend on Disney Plus: Adults, Banshees of Inisherin, Big Hero 6, Bluey, Coco, Daredevil: Born Again, Dying for Sex, Encanto, Ironheart, Loki, Paradise, Soul, The Mandalorian, Toy Story and WandaVision.
Key Disney Plus additions in December: Back to the Future trilogy (Dec 1), Percy Jackson and the Olympian s2 (Dec 10), Taylor Swift: The End of an Era (Dec 12), Abbott Elementary s5 (December 17)
- 7 of the most-watched Disney Plus shows in 2025 so far that you shouldn’t miss streaming
- The 38 best Disney Plus shows to stream
- The 30 best Disney Plus movies to stream
Apple TV Plus's library might not stand up to the streaming services above, but boy oh boy does it make up for it with the quality of the content it does have. And, in 2024, its library isn't too small, either. While its library holds it back from consistently going head-to-head with Netflix as a main streaming service, if you haven't watched certain shows, Apple TV Plus is a must-have – as you can see by it winning our monthly award.
While an ad-based tier might be coming soon, Apple TV Plus is still cheaper than other services at just NZ$14.99 p/m despite an increase by NZ$2 – undercutting the cheapest tiers of most other services, and adding to its value. That low cost is counteracted by the fact that it isn't compatible with Android devices (yet) but you'll find it on most streaming devices, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Smart TVs and even Android TV.
Apple has more money than any other streaming service by a significant margin – even Amazon and Disney – and it’s been putting that money to good use with original and exclusive content that no other streaming service can compete with. Series like Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, Masters of the Air, Silo, Presumed Innocent, Black Bird, Severance and Shrinking are at a quality that other streaming services, with rare exception, just haven't matched.
Apple TV Plus recently saw a price increase that sees it cost NZ$17.99. However, it's still one of the cheaper streaming services available – especially if you want to remain ad-free – and it offers a 7-day free trial to test the service out.
Verdict: 4/5
What to watch on Apple TV
What we recommend on Apple TV: Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Slow Horses, Silo, Black Bird, Severance, Presumed Innocent, The Studio, Bad Sisters and Masters of the Air.
Coming to Apple TV in December: The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (Dec 5), F1: The Movie (Dec 12), Born to be Wild (Dec 19)
- Apple TV+ had multiple new streaming hits in 2025, but these 4 are actually worth watching
- I've streamed every new Apple TV+ movie in 2025, but none of them match its hit series
- HBO Max might hog the 'premium streaming' spotlight, but lately I've gotten way more value from my Apple TV+ subscription – here's why
You’ve likely heard of HBO Max, the US streaming platform home to all the latest HBO shows including the 2022 hit House of the Dragon and the adaptation of the PlayStation exclusive video game franchise The Last of Us. Unfortunately, HBO Max isn't available here in New Zealand, but thankfully the platform Neon is here to give Kiwis access to all the latest and greatest from HBO, and more.
While Neon might be lacking 4K streams, it does come with a 14-day free trial so you can test the service out before fully committing. Which is good, as its seen a number of price increases in recent times. From April, 2025, the Standard tiers price jumped to NZ$23.99 p/m – a NZ$4 increase – while its Its basic plan now costs a considerable NZ$14.99 p/m as of October, 2025.
We have found the user experience to be lacking – especially considering the premium price it now demands. We've seen regular customer feedback of bugs like being stuck with one second left in an episode, being logged out of accounts randomly and just general sluggish performance.
Despite HBO Max arriving in Australia, Neon is the only place to (legally) watch HBO content in New Zealand. For that reason, we recommend jumping into Neon for a month or two, watch everything you have interest in, and opt out. If you need a few recommendations, here's a few incredible HBO series to get you: Fantasmas, Ren Faire, The Sopranos, Love Has Won: The Cult Mother of God, House of the Dragon, Fargo, Mr Robot, Succession, The Last of Us and, for Masters of the Air fans, The Pacific and Band of Brothers.
Verdict: 3.5/5
What to watch on NEON
What we recommend on NEON: The Gilded Age, Dexter: Resurrection, Wolf, Heretic, Anora, The Pitt, No Country for Old Men, Rick and Morty, True Detective, Fargo.
Coming to NEON in December: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Dec 1), Kneecap (Dec 2), Mickey 17 (Dec 4), Bookish s1 (Dec 7), Happy and You Know It (Dec 26)
Specialty streaming services
After something a little more specific? From sports content to horror and thrills, these streaming platforms offer you a curated collection of streams, shows and movies so you can find exactly what you’re after without shuffling through waves of content you’re not interested in.
Sky is known for its all-encompassing approach to sports coverage, however, signing up for a cable subscription or set-top box can be a bridge too far to cross for many people. It's with this in mind that Sky has introduced a dedicated streaming option in Sky Sport Now.
A subscription to Sky Sport Now will let you stream 12 Sky Sport and ESPN channels, with access to live and on-demand coverage, including the ability to rewind up to 24 hours if you miss an event. Additionally, you also get highlights, stats and the ability to access pay-per-view events (for an extra fee, of course).
In terms of sports, Sky Sport Now is a great place to stream all the action out of the Olympic Games, and it also provides coverage for cricket, rugby, netball, Rugby League, motorsport, basketball, football, tennis, golf and more. Furthermore, you also get access to beIN Sports Connect as part of your subscription, which gives you even more sports to sink your teeth into.
While Sky Sport Now's coverage is certainly impressive, it does come at a significant cost. A monthly subscription to Sky Sport Now will set you back NZ$54.99 per month, while a yearly subscription will cost you a somewhat staggering NZ$549.99. At these prices, you'll want to be a truly devoted sports aficionado.
That said, Sky Sport Now also offers a NZ$29.99 one-off pass that does not automatically renew, which is ideal for the occasional major sporting event. Sky Sport doesn't offer a free trial, but there is a selection of free content so you can still trial the service.
Given how expensive it is, it's truly perplexing that Sky Sport Now still only offers one concurrent stream at high definition, though we suppose its delivery of content at 60fps is worth appreciating.
A streaming service that's strictly for horror fans, Shudder offers a vast selection of fright flicks – old and new – along with a growing library of original films, TV shows, documentaries, podcasts and live-streams.
Shudder Originals include Greg Nicotero's classic series Creepshow, the blood-drenched cult flick Revenge, the indigenous zombie film Blood Quantum, and the critically adored movie Host, which sees a demonic presence infiltrate an online séance, as well as newer hits like Late Night With The Devil – though In a Violent Nature is still yet to come to Shudder.
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), which just doesn't cut it compared to other services. And, while we give it props for improving its device compatibility offering since launch, it's still not on a range of important devices like the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, as well as many TV brands also lacking native support.
That said, Shudder still offers incredible value. Priced at a very reasonable NZ$7.99 per month, it's even cheaper if you lock yourself into a year's-worth of scares with Shudders NZ$79.99 annual subscription, which basically gives you more than two free months.
