OTT plans compared: Netflix v Amazon Prime Video v Hotstar v Sony Liv

Video streaming is a regular feature in almost all of our lives now. Thanks to largely affordable mobile internet as well as home broadband services, popular OTT subscriptions have become a regular feature for all of us to have. Most popular OTT subcriptions today offer access to legacy content including some of the best movies and TV shows of all time, along with original content as well. The latter includes various India specific movies and shows, and alongside this, most popular OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar today offer various international shows that were previously not available for viewers to stream.

On this note, today we take a look at popular OTT subscription plans on offer in the market by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar and Sony Liv, to give you a lowdown on what each platform has on offer for viewers. While some focus on original shows and movies, others have a major following thanks to live sports broadcasts that include the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2021, the F1 2021 season, the India vs Sri Lanka cricket tournament and more.

Netflix
Netflix undoubtedly ranks as one of the most popular OTT subscriptions in the country, with its blockbuster opening of original Indian content with its adaptation of Vikram Chandra’s Sacred Games. It has not looked back since, offering shows such as Delhi Crime, Jamtara, and the more recent anthology — Ray. It has also offered a number of Bollywood premieres, including titles such as AK vs AK, Class of ’83 and Bulbbul. It has also offered numerous popular international shows such as BBC One’s A Suitable Boy, Dirty John by Bravo, the critically acclaimed series You, Riverdale, Lucifer, Penny Dreadful and more. For discerning viewers, it has less mainstream shows such as Shetland as well.

Plans:
Mobile: Rs 199 per month, 480p resolution, phone and tablet access only, 1 viewer
Basic: Rs 499 per month, 480p resolution, all device access (including TV), 1 viewer
Standard: Rs 649 per month, 1080p resolution, all device access (including TV), 2 simultaneous viewers
Premium: Rs 799 per month, 4K HDR resolution, all device access (including TV), 4 simultaneous viewers

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is the only popular OTT subscription that does not only offer video streaming access with the subscription amount that you pay. With each tier, you get access to Amazon Prime shopping on the main Amazon e-commerce app, as well as access to Prime Music and Prime Reading for e-books. With Prime Video, you get original shows such as the much acclaimed Paatal Lok and Mirzapur, light-hearted dramas such as Panchayat, and Bollywood flicks such as Shakuntala Devi as well. You also get access to highly acclaimed international shows such as The Expanse, Fleabag, Killing Eve, The Good Wife, Grand Tour, and more recently, Clarkson’s Farm as well.

Plans:
Monthly: Rs 129, up to 4K HDR (depending on show and streaming device), 3 simultaneous viewers
Quarterly: Rs 329, up to 4K HDR (depending on show and streaming device), 3 simultaneous viewers
Annual: Rs 999, up to 4K HDR (depending on show and streaming device), 3 simultaneous viewers

Disney+ Hotstar
Disney+ Hotstar shot to popularity in India thanks to its sports licensing of cricket tournaments including the popular Indian Premier League. One of the most popular OTT subscriptions in the market, today it offers interesting original programming that includes shows such as Grahan, Aarya and Criminal Justice, among others. It has reality shows such as the popular Masterchef Australia, and international majors such as Patrick Melrose, Little Fires Everywhere and the now completed Game of Thrones as well. It also has the entire Disney roster on offer for Indian viewers, along with live sports coverage that includes the ongoing F1 season, and the upcoming Premier League 2021/22 season.

Plans:
VIP: Rs 399 per year, 1080p, 1 viewer
Premium: Rs 299 per month or Rs 1,499 per year, 4K with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, 2 simultaneous viewers
*Note: Disney+ Hotstar subscription plans are set to be revamped starting September 1, when it will offer three annual plans — ‘Mobile’ for Rs 499, ‘Super’ for Rs 899 and ‘Premium’ for Rs 1,499. Click here for more details.

Sony Liv
Amid much criticism for an unstable app that does not work very well on any platform at all, Sony Liv has muscled its way into the top listings of popular OTT subscriptions thanks to its live sports coverage, including UEFA tournaments, German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A in football, global cricket coverage, and the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020. On top of sports, Sony Liv saw massive acclaim for its show on stock broker Harshad Mehta, titled ‘Scam 1992’. It has since offered a number of acclaimed originals including sci-fi show JL50, light-hearted drama Gullak, and more. It also offers Bollywood movies such as Piku and Bahubali, as well as the popular reality show, Indian Idol.

Plans:
Special: Rs 199 per year, no originals, no live sports, ad supported, 1 viewer
WWE Network: Rs 299 per year, 1 viewer (WWE content only)
Special+: Rs 399 per year, no originals, no live sports, 1 viewer
Premium: Rs 299 per month, Rs 699 half-yearly, Rs 999 annual, 2 simultaneous viewers News18