Netflix and Bill: Comparing the Costs of Streaming Services in New Zealand

Remember the good old days before unlimited broadband and streaming TV services? If you wanted to watch films, sports, trashy US reality TV or a good comedy, there was only one option. A satellite dish, and a big, black Sky box underneath your TV.

Sure there were a few different packages to choose from, and not all of them were cheap, but it was all in the same place and you received one bill per month. Talk about simple.

Now, we’re faced with countless options to satisfy our viewing hunger. And while an individual streaming subscription can seem a good deal, the reality is for many of us, one just isn’t enough.

One provider has the best movie selection, while another is great for hard-hitting drama series. And then there’s that other one that has your favourite sitcom and a few guilty pleasure reality-TV hits, for when you need something a little more lighthearted.

How much are your streaming subscriptions costing you?

While an overload of choice doesn’t sound like much of an issue, and gone are the days of there being nothing good on TV, if you’re keen to mix and match your Netflix with your Neon, to dabble in Disney+ and Apple TV+, all with a bit of Prime Video served on the side, costs can quickly climb. Especially if you’re a sports fan looking to throw Sky Sport Now into the picture, too!

While most streaming services cost just a few dollars a week, the total combined monthly cost is a bit of an eye-opener. Let alone what you’d be paying per year. Ultimately, this means if you’re keen to have it all at your fingertips, oodles of content anytime and anywhere, you’ll need to fork out for the privilege.

In the following guide, we break down the cost of every streaming service in New Zealand, along with what you can expect from each. To help you decide which combination of mix and matching suits your streaming needs best.

In this article:

The total cost of streaming services
Choosing a streaming service: features to consider
Netflix overview
Neon overview
Disney+ overview
Apple TV+ overview
Prime Video overview
Sky Sport Now

Sign me up for everything!

So you want it all? In the table below we’ve run through the current costs of some of the more widely used streaming services available in New Zealand. We’ve then tallied up what it will cost per month and per year to subscribe to all of these services at once. And as the results show, it can really add up, with even the most basic packages coming in at over $1400 a year!

Of course, the nature of streaming services is that you can subscribe from month to month and cancel at short notice. You might be keen on Netflix one month and Neon the next, leaving a service and then picking up where you left off at a later point. This could make the cost much more manageable, and avoid having services you only use for a show or two. 

Related article: Netflix to Neon: the Top Streaming Shows in NZ

Streaming services: features to consider

Below we’ve run through what’s currently on offer from some of the larger streaming providers. Of course, you’ll ultimately need to decide if the price tag represents good value for the content on offer.

Keep in mind that you’ll need ample data to cater for your streaming activities, whether at home or on the go.

Before we dive into each service, here are a few key streaming service features to consider:

• Device compatibility – what device/s will you be seeking to stream on? Make sure prior to signing up that your device/s will be compatible
• Maximum simultaneous streams – how many devices can you stream on at one time? Multiple streams can be a good option for large households
• Download to watch offline – allows you to download TV shows and movies for later offline viewing (typically available for mobile devices)
• Video quality – HD video is a streaming standard, while many streaming providers also offer UHD video quality for select content
• Free trial – a free trial can help you get a handle on the content on offer and how the platform works. Also remember that if a plan automatically renews at the end of the trial period, you’ll need to cancel your account if you don’t wish to proceed

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Streaming services in New Zealand

Netflix

Netflix is the big name in streaming around the world. While not the first-ever streaming service, it is in many ways the pioneer and first true success story of the current market. Sure, a lot more competition has emerged in recent years, and its share has dwindled as a result. But Netflix remains a go-to option for subscribers keen to access an abundance of content.

Netflix’s ever-evolving library spans both original TV series and movies across all genres, with an extensive back catalogue of content on offer. Its original series are often virally popular among younger audiences (Stranger Things, Wednesday etc.) and fans of gruesome true-crime, unsolved mysteries and eccentric fraudsters.

Its movie catalogue offers plenty of original romcoms and big-budget action flicks, while its back catalogue has plenty of Hollywood’s best. Think anything by Scorsese, Tarantino, Christopher Nolan or starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart-TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – four (premium plan). Extra member slots can be added for $7.99 per month.
• Download to watch offline – yes
• Video quality – HD, UHD (premium plan)
• Free trial – no
• Kids content/profiles – yes

Pricing*

Netflix offers three plan options:

• Basic plan – $12.99 per month (one screen, SD)
• Standard plan – $18.49 (two screens, HD)
• Premium plan $24.99 (four screens, UHD)

Neon

Sky’s Neon streaming service catalogue is stacked with an extensive range of TV series and movies from around the world. There’s certainly no shortage of high-profile TV series courtesy of Sky’s partnership with HBO. This makes Neon an excellent choice for those wanting access to the many hard-hitting and critically acclaimed series from HBO, particularly as HBO Max isn’t currently available in New Zealand.

The Neon library spans an array of genres across both TV and movie programming, including New Zealand content.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – two
• Download to watch offline – selected content
• Video quality – HD and SD
• Free trial – Receive a free seven day trial when you sign up for monthly or annual plan.
• Kids content/profiles – yes

Pricing*

A standard Neon subscription costs $19.99 per month or, for a cheaper alternative, $179.99 for an annual subscription. It also recently added a basic, ad-supported option, for just $12.99 per month. This includes all the same content but provides only:

• One stream at a time
• Two accounts total (as opposed to five)
• No downloads
• 540p streaming (as opposed to 1080p)

Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is a comparatively recent entrant to the subscription streaming market, having launched towards the end of 2019. However, it has steadily added to its catalogue over the past few years, which is distinguished by its selection of original TV series and movies.

While Apple TV+ doesn’t have the extensive libraries of some of its competitors, its focus is very much on original content, much of which has been critically well-received. And with the riches and resources of Apple driving it, you can expect the catalogue to steadily grow with quality content.

However, currently, if you’re looking for plenty of choices, including comfort-watch rom-coms and sitcoms, Apple TV+ may not be the best streaming service for you.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – six
• Download to watch offline – to an Apple device
• Video quality – HD, UHD
• Free trial – a free seven-day trial with a monthly subscription; a free one-month trial when bundled with Apple One (bundling five separate Apple services); free for three months with the purchase of an eligible Apple device
• Kids content/profiles – yes (although less content for particularly young viewers than competitors)

Pricing*

Apple TV+ can be purchased for $14.99 per month. Or, you can pay $29.95 per month for Apple One, which includes a subscription to the following services, at a discounted rate (compared to purchasing individually):

• Apple TV+
• Apple Music
• iCloud+
• Apple Arcade
• Apple Fitness+

Disney+

Disney+ arrived in New Zealand at around the same time as Apple TV+, hitting the market with a significant back catalogue of content. 

A comprehensive selection of children’s TV and movie content makes Disney+ stand out as a family favourite in the broader streaming market. However, due to Disney’s ownership of companies such as Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, and National Geographic, its content extends far beyond Disney movies and kid-catered content.

Not only does Disney+ have an extensive back catalogue of content from the above companies (and more) but it has an evolving library of new and original content. Disney is also pushing a policy of exclusive content. Meaning content from Disney subsidiaries that have appeared on other streaming platforms in the past is being removed and moved to Disney+.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – four
• Download to watch offline – any movie or TV series
• Video quality – HD, UHD
• Free trial – no
• Kids content/profiles – yes

Pricing*

Disney+ costs $14.99 per month or, for a cheaper alternative, $155.88 for an annual subscription.

Prime Video

Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service was a comparatively early entrant to New Zealand and has over the years carved out a strong niche in the local market. It distinguishes itself with an evolving library of original content.

Prime Video regularly releases new TV series and movies, while also offering an extensive back catalogue of content.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – three
• Download to watch offline – yes
• Video quality – HD, UHD
• Free trial – seven days
• Kids content/profiles – yes

Pricing*

Prime Video has recently increased its monthly rate, now charging $10.99 per month.

Sky Sport Now

Sky Sport Now provides subscribers access to 12 Sky Sport and ESPN channels, live and on-demand, with its sporting calendar spanning a broad range of local and international sports. Subscribers can access sports live or with 24-hour playback.

Sports covered include:

• The Premier League
• Every All Blacks game
• The Bledisloe Cup, the Rugby Championship, Farah Palmer Cup, Bunnings NPC 
• ANZ Premiership netball
• All NRL and Warriors games
• Formula 1, Supercars, IndyCar, World Superbike
• SailGP
• PGA golf
• NBA, NFL, NHL
• The Tour de France
• WNCL, the Ashes and IPL
• OD1, T20 and Test Cricket from Australia, India, Pakistan and West Indies

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop and game console devices
• Maximum simultaneous streams – one
• Download to watch offline – no
• Video quality – HD
• Free trial – seven days

Pricing*

Sky Sport Now costs $19.99 per week, $44.99 per month or $399 per year. Note that from July 1, 2023 the yearly price will increase to $449.99.

AMC+

AMC+ is an American subscription video-on-demand streaming service owned by AMC Networks, launched in 2020. The service is a premium bundle that includes the live feeds and program libraries of the company’s television networks and streaming brands, along with its own exclusive content. AMC+ offers premium content from Acorn TV and Shudder.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop, laptop and tablets
• Maximum simultaneous streams – five
• Download to watch offline – yes
• Video quality – HD
• Free trial – seven days
• Kids content/profiles – no

Pricing*

AMC+’s monthly plans are $9.99/month or, for those who don’t mind ads, an ad-inclusive option is available for $4.99/month.

Hayu

Hayu is an American all-reality subscription video-on-demand streaming service, owned by NBCUniversal.

Hayu provides access to a wide range of reality-TV franchises, all conveniently in one place.

What’s streaming now

Key features

• Device compatibility – smart TV, mobile, desktop, laptop, tablets and some gaming consoles
• Maximum simultaneous streams – one
• Download to watch offline – yes
• Video quality – HD
• Free trial – seven days
• Kids content/profiles – no

Pricing*

Hayu’s monthly plans are $8.99 per month or, for those looking to save, $79.99 per year.

*Further information on pricing can be found at individual provider websites. This should be used as a starter guide and not considered an actual quote.

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About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.