Every month brings a modest flow of new arrivals to the best streaming services in Australia. That said, times are certainly tough, so you may not have the budget to allow subscriptions for every single one of them, including homegrown streamers, Binge and Stan.
Over the past few weeks, we've conducted extensive research on whether or not you should ditch a streamer for the month of October 2024—and it's safe to say that the results were pretty unanimous.
For October, we'd suggest cancelling or pausing your Stan subscription. Despite listing as our fourth favourite streaming service, Stan's October offerings are minimal in comparison to the lengthy library of content that Binge, Netflix and Disney Plus will drop.
Based on the new releases coming out on streaming services available in Australia, here's how the platforms compare this month:
| Streamer | Cancel or Subscribe? |
|---|---|
| Apple TV Plus | Subscribe |
| Binge | Subscribe |
| Disney Plus | Subscribe |
| Netflix | Subscribe |
| Prime Video | Subscribe |
| Stan | Cancel |
Stan
When it comes to cancelling a streaming service this month, we'd opt to forgo Stan, as it has a rather slim lineup.
This month, Stan has two new standout shows, with the first debuting on October 1st. Sophie Turner-fronted series "Joan" follows a fiery, stubborn twenty-something woman, who changes her life completely by becoming a masterful jewel thief after her criminal husband goes on the run. Joan's reviews have been rather mixed, with the show receiving 3 out of 5 stars as per The Guardian. But, there's no doubt that Sophie Turner shines in the titular role.
A new Aussie series will premiere on October 17, "Thou Shalt Not Steal", following a young delinquent, Robyn (Sherry-Lee Watson), as she searches for the truth behind a mysterious family secret. That said, there haven't been many reviews about this new series. Also stars Noah Taylor and Will McDonald.
Another notable mention includes “Yellowstone”, which will return to the platform in November. However, with minimal new releases and new episodes of shows this month, which some would call ‘appointment TV’, like “RuPaul's Drag Race”, there isn't much worth signing up for this month.
Binge
Prepare for some serious scares this spooky season, with a wealth of horror series and films calling Binge home this October. Supernatural horror flick, “Salem's Lot”, based on the Stephen King novel, will premiere on October 3, and the thriller film “Caddo Lake” from producer M. Night Shyamalan drops on October 10. Initial reviews for “Salem's Lot” are leaning more towards negative, but the trailer is bone-chilling enough for any horror fan to enjoy.
Three new horror series will be released on Binge this month — “Teacup”, “Sweetpea” and “Hysteria!” — each with its own thrilling storyline. “Teacup” comes from the minds behind “Insidious” and “The Conjuring”, as the tale follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat to survive.
The show we're most excited about is “Sweetpea”, which is produced and stars Ella Purnell of “Fallout” fame. The show follows wallflower Rhiannon as her life turns upside down and she steps into a new, intoxicating power — but can she keep her killer secret? Guess we'll find out when the series premieres on October 10.
“Hysteria!” is set during the ‘satanic panic’ of the 1980s when a high school heavy metal band realise they can capitalise on the town’s sudden interest in the occult by building a reputation as a Satanic metal band, until a series of murders, kidnappings, and reported ‘supernatural activity’ triggers a witch hunt that leads directly back to them. For the easily spooked, a new special of the animated series, “Velma: This Halloween Needs to be More Special!”, will also debut on October 3.
Binge will also become home to another HBO comedy show, “The Franchise”, which stars a fantastic cast including Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, and Richard E. Grant. The show follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.
Disney Plus
This month's Disney Plus releases include “Last Days of the Space Age”, which drops on October 2. The dramedy series will follow along the events of after a power strike threatens to plunge the region into darkness in Western Australia in 1979, all while Perth hosts the Miss Universe pageant and the US space station, Skylab, crashes just beyond the city's suburbs. The series has already garnered some positive reviews, as it comes from the director behind the award-winning Netflix series “Boy Swallows Universe”, Bharat Nalluri.
New film, “Hold Your Breath”, creeps onto the platform come October 3, follows as a family struggles to survive the punishing environment of the 1930s Dust Bowl, when a mysterious stranger seeps in. And at month's end, Disney Channel fans rejoice, as the latest spin-off to a classic show, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place”, will premiere on October 30.
Netflix
As usual, Netflix dominates this list with a massive lineup of releases scheduled for October. But for simplicity's sake, we've selected three hard-to-miss series coming to the platform for this roundup.
Teen rom-com, “Heartstopper” returns for season three with an aptly titled first episode "Love", which picks up with Charlie (Joe Locke) eager to tell Nick (Kit Connor) that he loves him and Nick holding on to something important he has to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the Truham / Higgs friends begin to realise that the school year will come with both joys and challenges.
“Outer Banks” is back for season four, with the first part consisting of five episodes dropping on October 10. The season will go back in time following season three's 18-month flash-forward showing Wes Genrette’s proposal for the Pogues to find Blackbeard’s treasure.
And finally, to round out the month, the second season of “The Diplomat” will drop on October 31, which follows Keri Russell who plays a career diplomat juggling her new high-profile job as ambassador to the United Kingdom and her turbulent marriage to a political star — all while managing an international crisis.
Prime Video
This month doesn't have a lot to offer on Prime Video, however, the most high-profile is the action comedy movie, “Brothers”, starring Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage. The two play twin brothers who reunite to carry out a heist.
The highly-anticipated Australian version of “The Office” will debut on the platform on October 18, following the employees at a packaging company, Flinley Craddick in Sydney. The series follows Hannah Howard, Flinley Craddick's managing director when she gets news from the Head Office that they will shut down her branch and make everyone work from home, forcing Hannah into survival mode.
The long-awaited third season of “The Legend of Vox Machina” will premiere on October 3, where the lovable band of misfits must rise above their inner demons to save their loved ones, Tal’Dorei, and Exandria from Chroma Conclave's wild path of destruction.
And for those looking for something more delicious, yet thrilling on the menu, “Killer Cakes” is a one-of-a-kind baking competition from Blumhouse Television, creators of “Cake Boss”. Starting October 8, contestants will work with the best horror special effects artists to unleash their twisted imaginations and create cakes so disturbing and realistic, it’s the stuff of (sugar-filled) nightmares.
Apple TV Plus
Apple TV Plus has a minimal lineup this month, with the limited series “Disclaimer” being our top pick to watch on the platform. The series follows an acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett) who built her reputation by revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realise she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets.
And in a similarly chilling vein, the limited series Before will release on October 16, and centres around Eli, a child psychiatrist who after losing his wife, Lynn, encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past.
How much you'll save by cancelling your Stan subscription
Stan's subscription costs are pretty much on par with those charged by Netflix. If you include the sports add-on though, you’re looking at AU$25p/m at a minimum — which is considered a premium price tag for streamers. Stan's basic tier is the highest among the three streamers who offer it, costing AU$2 more than the AU$10p/m average.
If you have standard subscriptions of both Stan and Binge for example, you'll save AU$16p/m if you were to cancel Stan. Over the first year, you'll pay AU$216 for a Binge standard subscription, whereas for Stan, you'll pay AU$192. If you pay for both subscriptions, you'll pay a combined AU$408, so saving that extra AU$192 is all the more appealing.
That said, if you've gotten to the end of this and decide to keep both subscriptions, we'd recommend opting for the basic tiers, as both streamers offer cheaper plans. Switching to the basic tiers would save you AU$4p/m for Stan and AU$8p/m for Binge, which adds up in the long run. But do note, that switching to these tiers does mean lower streaming resolution, ads and fewer screens, so do make the switch at your own risk.
While Stan doesn't have a comprehensive lineup of new or binge-worthy originals this month, that may change come November. Either way, we'll keep you in the loop of any upcoming and notable releases from Stan and other streaming services available in Australia on our constantly updated what to watch guide.
