The end of the year is here and Australia’s best streaming services have done everything under the sun in 2024, including upping prices, cracking down on shared accounts and passwords, and introducing ads into their cheapest plans. While this is fine and dandy for massive streaming giants, this isn't great news for the average Aussie just looking for something to binge-watch on a Friday night.
It's getting harder to figure out which streaming services are worth keeping or worth cancelling, so we've compiled this comprehensive guide into the prices, plans and what you can expect from streaming platforms this year.
Platforms like Netflix and Binge have introduced ads to their cheapest plans. Paramount Plus has also joined the ranks, with Prime Video following suit by introducing a new ad-free tier for an additional AU$2.99p/m.
So, if you need help deciding whether you're hanging onto Netflix to binge new releases and nothing more, or if you're thinking of cancelling Disney Plus in exchange for Apple TV Plus, we're here to help. So read on to figure out how much streaming services could be costing you in 2024.
Netflix Prices
Plans on offer
- Standard with ads (monthly) | AU$7.99
- Standard (monthly) | AU$18.99
- Premium (monthly) | AU$25.99
Netflix's plans fall within the average price range of most streaming services, but its cheapest plan (with ads) is one of the lowest of any service, coming in at AU$7.99 p/m. Netflix's crackdown on password-sharing is still prevalent this year, and anyone who has a Standard or Premium plan and wishes to share their account with someone outside of their household will incur an AU$7.99 p/m fee to add an "extra member" to their plan — yikes.
Standard Plan
Netflix's standard plan has come a long way since it arrived in Australia in 2015. Over the last nine years, its standard plan has jumped $8, from $8.99 monthly to $18.99. However, not much else has changed about the plan itself, as you still can only watch on two screens simultaneously in HD without ads.
Standard Plan with Ads
In November, the streaming giant announced its Standard plan with ads, costing viewers AU$6.99 monthly for two screens and HD streaming. Notably, one would think its only catch would be having to sit through four to five minutes of ads every hour; however, subscribers on this plan actually miss out on access to Netflix's full catalogue. Netflix doesn't reveal which content users on this plan will miss out on. This plan has since increased to AU$7.99p/m in June.
Premium Plan
Netflix's Premium plan allows you to watch content simultaneously on four screens at a time, and all in 4K resolution. As with the standard plan, the premium offering has also climbed AU$11 since its introduction in 2015, currently setting you back AU$25.99p/m.
Disney Plus Prices
Plans on offer
- Standard (monthly) plan | AU$13.99
- Premium (monthly) plan | AU$17.99
- Standard (yearly) plan | AU$139.99
- Premium (yearly) plan | AU$179.99
For the most part, Disney Plus seems to be worth the value. With shows and movies from across the Disney umbrella (Star, National Geographic, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel), no ads, four screens streaming at once, and unlimited downloads, we were pretty satisfied with what Disney offers.
However, Disney Plus hiked prices once again in March 2024, marking the fourth time the service has been raised for Aussies since 2019. The hike also included a new Premium tier, with a monthly and yearly subscription option. The new tier split existing benefits into different plans, meaning current subscribers would be paying the same for a downgraded service if they didn't opt in for a premium sub.
Standard plan
The standard plan remains priced at AU$13.99p/m and AU$139.99 annually, however, it only has two screens in HD resolution and up to 5.1 audio playback. The only thing you won’t miss out on with this service is unlimited downloads across 10 devices.
Premium plan
The Premium tier will feature all of the inclusions originally included with Disney Plus — namely, four simultaneous streams in 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos audio and unlimited downloads across 10 devices.
Apple TV Plus Prices
Plans on offer
Apple TV Plus is yet another ad-free offering, in which you can share your subscription with up to five Apple Family members. Over the last 12 months, the streaming service upped its subscription price twice, resulting in a AU$3 increase to AU$12.99 p/m.
You can also access a complimentary three-month subscription when you purchase an eligible Apple device, so you can give it a go and stick around afterwards if its catalogue is up your alley. If you haven't made a recent Apple purchase, you can also receive a 7-day free trial, which you can cancel anytime.
In terms of overall value, Apple TV Plus offerings feature primarily original content, including critically acclaimed shows such as Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, along with other licensed content that may need additional renting/purchasing. This factor definitely needs to be taken into account before signing up, so we recommend giving the free trial a go before committing.
Apple One Bundle
Starting from AU$24.95p/m for an individual plan, you can bundle your Apple subs (think Apple Fitness, Music, Arcade, etc.) under an Apple One monthly plan. These plans automatically include Apple TV Plus, so if you've invested in an Apple ecosystem, you might already have access to it without even knowing.
Prime Video Prices
Plans on offer
Amazon Prime is almost a no-brainer if you're an avid online shopper. Despite an AU$3 p/m price hike in the past year, Amazon Prime subscribers gain access to Amazon Music, Prime Reading, Prime Gaming, one-day delivery and, of course, Prime Video.
Prime Video has an excellent range of original titles to stream for free, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Reacher, I'm a Virgo, and the recent Aussie-based crime dramedy Deadloch. You'll also find a wealth of blockbuster movies and TV shows included in your Prime subscription. On top of this, Prime Video also has a huge selection of other licensed shows and movies, including those that haven't long finished their cinema run — such as Barbie.
Additionally, Amazon boasts a more extensive library of other smaller streaming services like Paramount Plus, AMC+, Shudder and more, for an additional charge to your Amazon subscription. It could be a great alternative to multiple subscriptions and apps, with the potential to access a more comprehensive streaming selection at a relatively low cost.
Recently, Prime Video has introduced ads into the monthly plan and rolled out an ad-free tier for an additional AU$2.99 per month.
Stan Prices
Plans on offer
- Basic (monthly) | AU$12
- Standard (monthly) | AU$17
- Premium (monthly) | AU$21
- Stan Sport add-on | AU$15 p/m + your base subscription
Stan is one of the few streaming services available that does not include any ads in any of its plans, which is a big win in my book. Price-wise, the basic plan's AU$10 monthly cost had stayed consistent since 2016, but saw a sneaky AU$2 increase this year, whereas its premium plan has increased by AU$6 per month to AU$21p/m.
Users also have the option to add on Stan Sport for an extra AU$15p/m. Stan also offers a mammoth selection of Stan Originals content, with an almost unrivalled lineup of Aussie-based productions, like Bump.
Previously, Stan gave new customers a 30-day free trial to any of its subscription tiers, which could be cancelled at any time. Stan has since scrapped this trial period, and we are not sure whether the streamer will bring it back in future.
Basic
Coming in at AU$12p/m, Stan's Basic plan allows you to watch SD resolution on one screen at a time, and you can access the platform's entire library.
Standard
In a Standard plan, Stan offers you the ability to stream on three devices at the same time in HD resolution. When compared to Netflix's Standard offering, Stan's price point is pretty similar and skims 99c off Netflix's monthly cost.
Premium
Stan's Premium plan offers 4K viewing on four screens at the same time, priced at AU$21 p/m. Unlike the Basic plan, Stan's Premium offering has jumped by AU$6 since the platform's launch in 2016.
Stan Sport
This AU$15 p/m add-on could be worth the investment for sports fanatics. Stan offers you ad-free viewing of live and on-demand sports, such as the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Super Rugby Pacific, among others. Again, this is an optional add-on, so it could be worth it if you're heavily involved during the busy sporting seasons of the year.
Binge Prices
Plans on offer
- Basic (monthly) | AU$10
- Standard (monthly) | AU$19
- Premium (monthly) | AU$22
- Yearly Basic | AU$79
- Yearly Standard | AU$149
- Yearly Premium | AU$179
This home-grown streaming platform was one of the services that introduced ad-supported plans and price hikes last year. As of October 2023, its Standard subscription increased from AU$14 p/m to AU$18 p/m, and its Premium plan rose by AU$4 to $22 p/m. The standard has since risen once more to AU$19 p/m.
Binge offers Aussie access to the US TV giant HBO's biggest shows, including House of the Dragon, Succession and The White Lotus. While much of Binge's content is available on the Foxtel Now streaming service, Binge is much cheaper, starting at AU$10 p/m and offering a 7-day free trial for new users, which you can cancel if it doesn't suit you.
Basic
Similar to Stan's Basic offering, Binge starts at AU$10 p/m, and you can stream in HD on one screen at a time. According to the platform, this plan is ad-supported, with ads clocking in up to five minutes every hour.
Standard and Premium
This mid-level plan will cost you AU$18 p/m for two screens at the same time and 4K/HDR viewing without ads. The only difference between Binge's Standard and Premium plan is the extra $4 p/m and two additional screens.
Paramount Plus Prices
Plans on offer
Paramount Plus launched globally across 11 regions in 2021, including Australia, and was the most recent streaming service to join in on last year’s price hikes. However, these hikes were minimal, with the platform upping monthly prices by a dollar, and its annual price didn't change. It does offer a 7-day free trial period, which you can cancel, and is among the few platforms without ads.
Since it's still a relatively new service, Paramount Plus doesn't yet offer as extensive a range of original content as other platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus, and Aussies do miss out on the full library that the platform provides global audiences. It also shares much of its content with Prime Video, so it may be worth skipping if you have a Prime Video subscription. However, we must mention the new Paramount Plus NCIS: Sydney spin-off series, which does its best to bring old-school NCIS action to the iconic Sydney Harbour.
Basic
In March, Paramount ANZ announced that a new Basic, ad-supported tier will rollout in June. Customers can access the full content catalogue on one device for AU$6.99 p/m.
Standard
Paramount Plus’ Standard plan allows you to stream on up to two devices simultaneously, in HD resolution. At a low AU$9.99 per month after the free trial, this could be a great option for fans of Yellowstone’s spin-offs, South Park, and reality shows like Survivor.
Premium
In November 2023, Paramount Plus launched its Premium subscription option, priced at AU$13.99 p/m. This premium option allows you to stream on four different devices at the same time, and in 4K resolution.
