Foxtel and Netflix are the two biggest players in Australia’s entertainment subscription market. The battle isn’t just one of competing services, but one of old versus new, and of traditional TV viewing versus video streaming on demand. So, which offers the best bang for your entertainment buck?
With Foxtel fighting hard to maintain its previously unchallenged superiority, we thought we’d offer a comparison between the two different methods of delivering entertainment, represented by Foxtel and Netflix. It’s time to find out: what are the major differences between the old guard and the new kid on the block? Who offers the best content and the best value for money? Find out below.
Netflix vs Foxtel
As it stands, Netflix offers the cheapest base price at $10.99 a month, though you will be relegated to SD-quality, which seems fine until you realise what HD looks like in comparison. Beyond the base $10.99, you won’t be subject to extra set-up fees or anything of the sort, but even SD Netflix can use around 700MB of data per hour, so it probably won’t hurt to have an unlimited broadband plan if you’re going to be “Netflix and chilling” a lot. You’ll also get the full range of content that Netflix has to offer even with the base price.
The main difference between Netflix and the Foxtel brand is that Foxtel offers traditional cable TV that isn’t broadcast over the internet, as well as its own streaming arm – Foxtel Now.
Additionally, as of May 2020, Foxtel has also introduced a new stand-alone streaming platform, BINGE. However, BINGE does not come included within a Foxtel package and must be purchased on its own. For more information about this, check out Canstar Blue’s BINGE streaming service guide here.
Who offers better value for money?
As with any streaming side-by-side comparison, there’s plenty to look at. First up, let’s talk costs. Netflix is a pretty straight forward, whereas Foxtel has quite a few options.
Netflix
- Netflix starts at $10.99 a month for a ‘Basic’ plan, and then jumps to $15.99 for ‘Standard’ and $19.99 for ‘Premium’.
- In addition to the quality upgrade per pricing tier, you’ll also be able to stream on more devices, meaning a Premium plan is a better fit for larger households.
- Unfortunately, Netflix does not currently offer a free trial.
| Basic Plan | Standard Plan | Premium Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $10.99 | $15.99 | $19.99 |
| HD available | |||
| Ultra HD available | |||
| No. of screens you can watch on at the same time | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Source: Prices collected from Netflix website, July 2020.
Foxtel
- Foxtel Now starts at $25 a month but has channel packs or ‘bundles’ to choose from, each with a different combination of channels to suit your personal interests.
- These bundles have been grossly simplified in recent times, with four base channel packs available – Platinum Plus, Premium, Movies HD and Sports HD.
- Costs of these bundles are constantly changing, but Foxtel offers either a 12-month plan or no lock-in contract to suit your budget.
- Foxtel also offers a 10-day free trial.
| Bundle | 12-month plan (per month) | No lock-in contract (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum Plus | $109* | $139* |
| Premium | $84* | $99* |
| Sports HD | $59* | $74* |
| Movies HD | $59* | $69* |
Source: Prices collected from Foxtel website, July 2020. *Special offer at time of writing, July 2020. Expires on 31/08/2020.
- If you are willing to spend a bit of extra money, Platinum Plus offers it all: Foxtel Plus, Movies, Sports, Kids, Favourites, and a standard Netflix subscription.
- However, if you are looking for something specific, such as sports, individual bundles may be the way to go. For example, the sports bundle will grant you access to every game of live NRL & AFL, plus ESPN channels that air baseball, basketball and the NFL.
- You can also build your own bundle based on you and your family’s interests, giving you more control over what you’re paying for.
Can I save money on my NBN with Foxtel or Netflix?
When it comes to saving money on your NBN, Foxtel trumps Netflix with their range of unlimited broadband and entertainment packs. If you’re already happy with your current provider, it may not be worth it, but for someone who is setting up or looking to switch plans, a Foxtel and NBN bundle could save you money in the long run. Foxtel packs kick off at a little over $100 a month, which could work out cheaper than if you source Foxtel and your internet connection separately. These NBN plans get access to the Plus Speed tier as well as YouTube HD, which can yield up to 50Mbps download speeds – not bad.
The below table features a selection of published Foxtel NBN plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wide range of providers.
Foxtel Now & BINGE vs Netflix
When it comes to individual on-demand streaming services, Foxtel has upped its game recently. Not only do they operate their streaming arm Foxtel Now, but they have also recently introduced BINGE, a streaming service featuring a huge library of TV and movies starting at $10/month.
Although BINGE has only just been released, it features content at a low price to rival Netflix’s. Much like Netflix, where you pay more determines how many concurrent streams you can have and the quality of your stream. Check out BINGE’s costs below:
| Basic Plan | Standard Plan | Premium Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $10 | $14 | $18 |
| HD available | |||
| Ultra HD available | |||
| No. of screens you can watch on at the same time | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Two week free trial |
Source: Prices collected from BINGE’s website, July 2020.
Where BINGE is a direct competitor to Netflix, Foxtel Now finds the middle ground between the traditional Foxtel experience with more recent streaming services, offering channel packs similar to the Foxtel ‘bundles’. Check out the Foxtel Now add-on packs:
- Docos – $10: Discovery, Nat Geo, Discovery Turbo, Crime Investigation, A&E, BBC Knowledge, History Channel, Nat Geo Wild
- Kids – $10: Disney, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon, Nick JR, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, CBeebies, Discovery Kids
- Lifestyle – $10: Lifestyle, Arena, Lifestyle Home, Lifestyle Food, E!, TLC
- Drama – $15: BBC UKTV, TV Hits, BBC First, Universal Channel
- Pop – $15: Fox Showcase, Fox8, Comedy Channel, MTV, 111 Funny, Arena
- Sports – $29: Fox Sports, Fox League, 503, Footy Play, 505, 506, 507, Bein Sports 1, 2, 3, ESPN 1 & 2, Eurosport
- Movies – $20: Premiere, Disney, Masterpiece, Action, Romance, Thriller, Family, Comedy, More, Greats
All packs also come with most news and music channels including Fox Sports News, Sky News Live, CNN, Smooth Arts, Channel V and Fox News. One of the major pluses of Netflix is that you don’t pay anything extra to unlock specific content – it’s all available on any plan. Foxtel Now has a much wider variety of content available, but you do pay for it; if you added ALL the packs together you’d be spending over $100 a month! BINGE has a smaller variety, but like Netflix you don’t have to pay for anything extra. It seems to be that Foxtel is recognising the pros and cons and attempting to provide both.
If movies, shows and documentaries are what you primarily watch, Netflix might be enough for you. If you’re sports-crazy or love more of the lifestyle programs, Foxtel does have a bit more to offer. While Netflix has a huge range of movies and shows, keep in mind that Foxtel will generally get the latest releases and exclusive access to some of the biggest shows, like Game of Thrones.
The verdict on value
Compared to Netflix Australia, Foxtel provides far more content, with channels broadcasting 24/7 just like any other TV channel. Having the ability to record your favourite shows is a huge bonus for Foxtel customers as it adds the ‘on demand’ element that makes Netflix so popular. Overall, both seem to offer good value for money, considering what’s on offer and what exactly you’re after. The added bonus of getting Foxtel with no lock-in contract strengthens its value proposition even further, while it’s hard to argue that Netflix for just $10.99 isn’t a good deal. On price alone, Netflix obviously wins out, but in terms of value, that depends on your individual needs. BINGE may also be a bit of a dark horse, if you’re after Foxtel shows at a Netflix price, with more shows no doubt to come further down the line.
Netflix Vs Foxtel Now: Pros and Cons
All in all, you’re probably overloaded with information in the buying process. Here’s a quick rundown of how Netflix stacks up against its closest rival — Foxtel Now.
Who has the best content?
The main difference between the two services is that Netflix places a big emphasis on TV shows (especially Originals), while Foxtel is more focused on providing the latest movies on demand and exclusive live sports. However, it’s clear that Foxtel are trying to pick up their game by acquiring the right’s to American cable shows such as Westworld, The Walking Dead and Big Little Lies.
Sports
Foxtel is a pretty easy win here, as Netflix don’t feature live sports, or any sports at all (replay or otherwise) for that matter. While you may find some interesting sports documentaries on Netflix, TV rights deals and the like make it prohibitive for Netflix to enter in this segment of pay TV where traditional platforms like Foxtel reign supreme.
Foxtel, on the other hand, has exclusive rights to the most popular leagues in Australia – AFL and NRL. Just recently, Foxtel launched a 24-hour rugby league channel, so if you’re a South Sydney superfan or bonkers for the Broncos, then Foxtel is obviously the choice here.
If you’re a fan of international sports, Foxtel also has a hold on Super Rugby and European football, as well as NFL and NBA through its partnership with ESPN. Also expect superior coverage of Australia’s international fixtures for rugby, cricket, football and many other sports.
Movies
This is a hard one. Both have their strengths and weaknesses; Foxtel’s multiple movie channels show the latest releases as soon as they’re available, and the Foxtel Store allows you to rent movies on demand rather than wait for them to be shown on TV. Netflix, on the other hand, has a large back catalogue of movies across every genre, but struggles when it comes to new blockbusters.
TV Shows
Netflix’s strength lies in the depth and breadth of its TV shows, which includes a range of Netflix originals such as You, The Crown, Ozark and Sex Education. However, it’s important to note that Netflix Australia’s offerings aren’t identical to the range offered to US customers. Due to the complicated battling ground of TV rights, Netflix loses popular shows such as Seinfeld, Friends, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad to Stan.
While it doesn’t boast quite the same range of quality TV shows as Netflix, Foxtel includes some of the biggest shows, including those from HBO. So for premium, popular shows, Foxtel is the superior choice, however for sheer variety and in-house productions, Netflix reigns supreme.
Availability
Both Netflix and Foxtel can be subscribed to online within a matter of minutes. In Foxtel’s case, it usually takes a few days for the set-top box to be delivered and installed in your home, but once it’s in you’re ready to go. In this respect, Netflix does have the edge on its traditional rival – you can start watching it right after you subscribe, whether it’s on your phone, tablet or even smart TV, and with the company offering a one-month free trial, you can always change your mind.
The overall verdict
All in all, deciding between Foxtel and Netflix comes down to what you really want to watch. If you place a higher value on live sports and blockbuster movies, then Foxtel might be for you, if you can afford it. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in TV shows, movies and docos for a cheap price, then you might want to consider Netflix.
Many Aussies love the two services so much, they now subscribe to both every month, and often with no lock-in contracts for either service it means that if you’re not satisfied you can cancel after your month is up with no dramas. We’re calling this one a tie, though it’s undeniable that Foxtel is superior for live TV, sports and premium content, whereas Netflix reigns supreme for cost and in-house productions. The choice is yours!
Stream Sports with Kayo
Love streaming? Love sports? Kayo is a new streaming platform that provides access to a wealth of sports, from basketball to cricket, motorsports and soccer. Click ‘go to site’ for more details.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $25 over 1 month |
2 | $25 | Go To Site |
|
min. cost $35 over 1 month |
3 | $35 |
Go To Site |
|
Telstra Exclusive Offer – Basic Subscription
min. cost $15/mth first 12 months then $25/mth |
2 | $25$15 |
Get Offeron Telstra’s website |
 |
^^View important information | |||
Entertainment for the whole family with Disney+ Australia
With the launch of Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, both Netflix and Foxtel lost many of the rights to Disney content, including Star Wars and Marvel assets, which are now available on Disney+. There are two plan options to choose from – a monthly subscription at $8.99 per month, or prepay for a year at $89.99 and save on the monthly cost. Both plans include the same features, with unlimited downloads and the ability to stream on up to four screens at the same time. This table includes links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month or year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $8.99 over one month |
4 | $8.99 |
Get DealCanstar Blue receives a commission for sign-ups through Disney+ * |
|
min. cost $89.99 over one year |
4 | $89.99 |
Get DealCanstar Blue receives a commission for sign-ups through Disney+ * |
|
^^View important information | |||
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