With the arrival of 2026, it's a good time to think about your monthly expenditure to budget, and that could well mean you'll want to consider which streaming services are worth your money and which you can cancel or simply forget.
The tricky part is deciding which one(s) though, as the best streaming services in New Zealand all have something to offer. Whether it's returning seasons of favourite shows on Netflix, quality content arriving on Apple TV or viral-hit shows on Disney+, there really is value to be found in the streaming services on offer.
Disney Plus is the cheapest ad-free streamer you can subscribe to at NZ$16.99, while Apple TV will set you back a dollar more at NZ$17.99. Netflix too charges NZ$17.99p/m for its cheapest, ad-free plan, although quality is limited to 720p – that's not even full HD! For the top-tier premium plan, you're looking at a staggering NZ$33.99 a month.
January 15: a complete refresh for a new month – including a new introduction and new content updates for each streaming service.
Best streaming service for January 2026
Best new content coming this month
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- Disney+ |A Thousand Blows S2 (Jan 9), Tell Me Lies S3 (Jan 13), Pole to Pole with Will Smith (Jan 14), FX's The Beauty (Jan 22), Marvel's Wonder Man (Jan 29)
- Netflix | Run Away (Jan 1), Stranger Things S5 – The Finale (Jan 1), His & Hers (Jan 8), People We Meet on Vacation (Jan 9), Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (Jan 15), The Rip (Jan 16), Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (Jan 21), Finding Her Edge (Jan 22), Bridgerton S4 – Part 1 (Jan 29)
- Apple TV |Tehran S3 (Jan 9), Hijack S2 (Jan 14), Drops of God S2 (Jan 21), Shrinking S3 (Jan 28)
- NEON | The Pitt S2 (Jan 9), Industry S4 (Jan 12), Sinners (Jan 16), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Jan 19)
Best TV streaming service in New Zealand 2026
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 – what seems like endless price increases and password-sharing crackdowns, being at the forefront. The service also introduced a new UX, which has certainly proven divisive with users.
Even still, thanks to its massively diverse library 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 last year 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 January, there's still several new additions worth checking out.
Verdict: 4.5/5
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 Lincoln Lawyer, The Queen's Gambit and Tick, Tick... Boom!.
Coming to Netflix in January: Run Away (Jan 1), Stranger Things S5 – The Finale (Jan 1), His & Hers (Jan 8), People We Meet on Vacation (Jan 9), Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (Jan 15), The Rip (Jan 16), Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (Jan 21), Finding Her Edge (Jan 22), Bridgerton S4 – Part 1 (Jan 29)
Latest Netflix news
- People We Meet on Vacation review: Netflix changes key details from the hit book, but it’s still their best rom-com yet
- 'Deliciously bonkers' or 'Too grim to be fun'? New Netflix show His and Hers divides critics — but they all love its wild ending
- Harlan Coben's Run Away is the New Year's Day Netflix binge that will break your brain – especially the final mind-boggling twist
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, the service really does hold its own against the competition. 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.
One of the main negatives surrounding Prime Video, however, is its user interface. While it's not totally unusable, Prime Video is arguably 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. Even finding new releases on the service takes several presses of the down button on your remote control.
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$10.99 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, Fallout, 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 January: The Night Manager S2 (Jan 11), Steal (Jan 21), Caught Stealing (Jan 26), The Wrecking Crew (Jan 28)
Latest Prime Video news
- Prime Video releases violent first trailer for new pirate movie The Bluff
- Prime Video releases first action-packed trailer for The Wrecking Crew
- The Night Manager season 2 review: Tom Hiddleston's return is better than ever
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, alongside 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 – 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 never ending number 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.
As with several other streamers though, Disney Plus isn't immune to price hikes in New Zealand. A Standard subscription costs NZ$16.99p/m or NZ$169.99 per year (up from NZ$14.99 and NZ$149.99 respectively). Meanwhile, the Premium plan received a hefty hike of NZ$3p/m and NZ$30p/a, now costing either NZ$21.99p/m or NZ$219.99 per year.
The Premium tier does get you 4K resolution and Dolby Atmos audio, so if you fancy yourself a bit of a cinephile, it's the best option for you. A Standard subscription only nets subscribers two concurrent streams, HD quality streams and standard 5.1 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+ additions in January: A Thousand Blows S2 (Jan 9), Tell Me Lies S3 (Jan 13), Pole to Pole with Will Smith (Jan 14), FX's The Beauty (Jan 22), Marvel's Wonder Man (Jan 29)
Latest Disney Plus news
- A Thousand Blows season 2 review: the Disney+ bareknuckle boxing series is more brutal than ever
- Avengers: Doomsday's first trailer is now online, for those who haven't traveled back to Pandora
- Zootopia 2 might have a secret 'prequel' from over 50 years ago – and you can stream it now on Disney+
Apple TV (formerly Apple TV Plus) has a library that might not stand up to the streaming services above in terms of quantity, but boy oh boy does it make up for it with the quality. Having said that, there is still a wealth of content available to stream, and with many of its shows winning awards, it's undoubtedly the service to have for top-notch telly.
While an ad-based tier might could still be on the cards, Apple TV Plus is still affordable compared to other services at NZ$17.99 p/m. Plus, for this price you get 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio as standard with eligible content.
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. Throw in the critically acclaimed Pluribus and you have yourself a service that's almost a no-brainer
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 January: Tehran S3 (Jan 9), Hijack S2 (Jan 14), Drops of God S2 (Jan 21), Shrinking S3 (Jan 28)
Latest Apple TV news
- Forget dry January, Apple TV's hit wine drama returns soon – and its cast has the perfect pairing
- Netflix dropped Google Cast – now Apple TV for Android just brought it back
- The Morning Show season 5: everything we know about the Apple TV show's return
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 are a few incredible HBO series to get you: The Pitt, House of the Dragon, I Love L.A., Insecure, 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, Breaking Bad, The Pitt, No Country for Old Men, Rick and Morty, True Detective, Fargo.
Coming to NEON in January: The Pitt S2 (Jan 9), Industry S4 (Jan 12), Sinners (Jan 16), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Jan 19)
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 for HD streaming or NZ$59.99 per month to get access to a 4K channel.
A yearly subscription will cost you a somewhat staggering NZ$549.99, including access to a 4K channel, but 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. You can also bundle Sky Sport Now and Neon together for a monthly price of NZ$64.99.
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.
