If you buy a traditional Foxtel subscription today, you can get content via coaxial cable or your internet connection. And if you're using the internet to stream Foxtel, you might as well look at potentially cheaper alternatives. Like, if you only want Foxtel for sports, there's a dedicated option. And if you prefer movies and TV shows, or something with quality original content, you've got even more options.
Scroll on for the best alternatives to Foxtel that don't take you too far away from the content you're already familiar with.
Collectively and individually, our team has extensive experience with the major streaming services in Australia. But for this particular page, we wanted to focus primarily on making streaming service picks for users looking to cancel Foxtel but who are seeking alternatives that offer familiar content.
Given the availability of Foxtel Now – which is functionally a fully digitised version of traditional Foxtel – as well as Binge (movies and TV shows) and Kayo Sports (only sports), we wanted to focus on streaming alternatives that replicate the content available via Foxtel IQ set-top boxes.
Effectively, that makes Kayo Sports the obvious choice to replace Foxtel's sports offering, and Binge is the digital equivalent for movies and TV shows. Given that Foxtel used to be the home of HBO content, HBO Max becomes the obvious choice for replacing that gap, too. And for any ex-Foxtel user seeking full-fledged streaming alternatives, we've also rounded up those options.
The best Foxtel alternative for sports: Kayo Sports
If you want to stream a wide range of sports in Australia, there's really only one option: Kayo Sports. It helps that Kayo Sports is the traditional Foxtel sport offering (or sports-packaged Foxtel Now) separated into its own streaming service.
Kayo Sports has two subscriptions: $29.99 per month for Kayo Standard (one HD stream) or $45.99 per month for Kayo Premium (two 4K streams). But outside of incrementally rising subscription fees, Kayo Sports is more than just a copy/paste of what's available on traditional Foxtel. The layout is better, the focus on individual sports is more pronounced, and there are generally fewer remote inputs needed to get to content.
Live sports on Kayo are promoted prominently, and there are handy features like 'no spoilers' if you're not watching live, plus SplitView on supported devices for multiple sports streams on a single screen. The replays and highlights packages for recent live matches are also great. But best of all, Kayo Sports is the home of Australia's big three sports – AFL, NRL, and cricket – with enough other sports to ensure there's almost always something to stream.
You may be able to get Kayo for a cheaper price via discounted pricing.
Benefits of Kayo Sports
- The best place to stream AFL, NRL, and cricket (plus other sports)
- Stream popular sports at up to 4K resolution
- Two subscription options with no contracts
- Great features like minis, no spoilers, and SplitView
- Supported by a wide range of popular devices
The best Foxtel alternative for movies: Binge
If you're not a sports fan, there's no need to pay extra for a traditional Foxtel or Foxtel Now subscription that includes sport. Instead, hang onto an identical library of on-demand movies and TV series with a comparatively cheaper Binge subscription.
Binge has a few subscription options. Pay $10 a month or $79 a year for Binge Basic (with ads), which has one HD stream. Binge Standard costs $19 per month or $149 per year for two streams at up to 4K resolution. Alternatively, pay $22 per month or $179 per year for Binge Premium, which has up to four streams at 4K resolution.
|
Binge
Basic with AdsFree 7 Day Trial
From
$10/mth
or $79/yr
|
|
Binge
StandardFree 7 Day Trial
From
$19/mth
or $149/yr
|
|
Binge
PremiumFree 7 Day Trial
From
$22/mth
or $179/yr
|
Outside of BingeLists – a fancy version of saved content to watch later – Binge isn't particularly feature-rich. There is Dolby Digital available for compatible content and devices, and you can switch between resolutions if you want to save data on mobile devices. Effectively, Binge offers a practical and very usable user interface to stream popular movies, TV shows, and content to watch later.
You may be able to get Binge for a cheaper price via discounted pricing.
Benefits of Binge
- Stream 25,000+ hours of movies, TV shows, and originals
- Selected content available at up to 4K resolution on up to four devices
- Two subscription options with no contracts
- Three subscription options, with better value from annual plans
- Practical layout with expected features from a streaming service
- Supported by a wide range of popular devices
The best Foxtel alternative for originals: HBO Max
If you signed up for a Foxtel IQ package recently, you may have HBO Max bundled with it already. But if that's all the content you want as a current or ex-Foxtel user, you should consider an HBO Max subscription to access hundreds of hours of quality original programming.
Like Binge, HBO Max has three subscription options, with better value for annual plans. The cheapest plan is HBO Max Basic With Ads, which is either $11.99 per month or $119.99 for the year. It comes with two simultaneous streams at up to Full HD resolution. HBO Max Standard ditches the ads and also lets you have 30 offline downloads for either $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year. Alternatively, get four streams at up to 4K quality with 100 downloads on HBO Max Premium, which costs $219.99 for the year or $21.99 per month.
|
HBO Max
From
$11.99/mth
or $119.99/yr
|
|
HBO Max
From
$15.99/mth
or $159.99/yr
|
|
HBO Max
From
$21.99/mth
or $219.99/yr
|
The main reason to grab an HBO Max subscription is the abundance of quality original TV series, from Game of Thrones and The Last of Us to The White Lotus and The Chair Company. HBO Max's original programming gets better every month. And if you're a fan of movies, HBO Max is home to Warner Bros. flicks, including classics like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Unforgiven to recent crowd-pleasers like The Batman and Weapons.
You may be able to get HBO Max for a cheaper price via discounted pricing.
Benefits of HBO Max
- Thousands of hours of beloved HBO shows and Warner Bros. movies
- Selected content available at up to 4K resolution on up to four devices
- Three subscription options, with better value from annual plans
- Great layout with meaningful promoted content, plus offline downloads (on two plans)
- Supported by a wide range of popular devices
Other Foxtel alternatives
If you'd like to branch out beyond traditional content, there are other streaming services worth your attention in Australia.
Sports streaming alternatives
You can get some sports streaming in Australia for as little as $7.99 a month via Paramount Plus Basic or as part of the Fetch TV Vibe Pack (if you have a Fetch TV set-top box). Fetch TV has a selection of American and other sports via ESPN, which is also part of a Disney Plus subscription (from $15.99 per month).
For more cricket, all ICC events are available to stream with a Prime Video subscription from $9.99 per month. If you want a wider selection of sports, consider a beIN Sports subscription from $15.99 per month or a DAZN sub from $29.99 per month. Alternatively, Stan Sport (from $32 per month) has a growing selection of sporting choices, including rugby, soccer, and tennis.
Movie streaming alternatives
If you're not tethered to the movies available via Foxtel streaming services, you've got some great options. Paramount Plus starts at $7.99 per month for a respectable library of flicks. If you want even more options, consider a Netflix subscription from $9.99 per month. Prime Video and Stan are also viable contenders for a quantity of quality, from $9.99 and $12 per month, respectively.
But the real shining star of movie streaming in Australia has to be Disney Plus, which starts at $15.99 per month. A Disney Plus subscription includes tonnes of options for kids, family viewing, and adults, including classic 20th Century Fox flicks. For more niche offerings, consider Shudder from $6.99 per month, Mubi for $14.99 per month, or Apple TV (Plus) for $15.99 a month.
Original streaming alternatives
If you live and breathe horror, it's tricky to go past the appeal of a Shudder subscription for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. For anime, grab a Crunchyroll subscription from $10.99 per month. But if South Park or Taylor Sheridan shows are more your speed, you'll find loads of options on Paramount Plus (from $7.99 per month).
Netflix was and, arguably, still is the leader of originals – including TV series and movies – and you can nab a subscription from $9.99 per month. Prime Video, though, is nipping at Netflix's heels, and you can get a sub for $9.99 a month or $79 for a year. For more of an Aussie focus, consider a Stan subscription from $12 per month, or get a viable HBO contender with an Apple TV subscription for $15.99 per month. If you're more into Marvel and Star Wars things, grab a Disney Plus sub from $15.99 per month.
|
AMC+ Bundle
TV7-day free trial
From
$8.99/mth
or $83.88/yr
|
|
Disney+
From
$9.99/mth
or $179.99/yr
|
|
Amazon Prime Video
TV + movies + more30-day free trial
From
$9.99/mth
or $79/yr
|
|
Netflix
From
$9.99/mth
|
|
Binge
TV + movies + sport7-day free trial
From
$10.00/mth
or $79/yr
|
|
Crunchyroll
TV + movies7-day free trial
From
$11.99/mth
or $119.99/yr
|
|
Apple TV
TV + movies7-day free trial
From
$15.99/mth
or $129/yr
|
|
Kayo Sports
Sport7-day free trial
From
$29.99/mth
|
|
DAZN
From
$31.99/mth
or $149.99/yr
|
|
Foxtel Now
TV + movies + sport10-day free trial
From
$35/mth
|
|
Paramount+
TV + movies + sport7-day free trial
From
$7.99/mth
or $70.99/yr
Link not supplied
|
|
Stan.
TV + movies + sport
From
$9.99/mth
Link not supplied
|
|
HBO Max
TV + movies
From
$11.99/mth
or $119.99yr
Link not supplied
|
|
BritBox
TV7-day free trial
From
$13.99/mth
or $139.99/yr
Link not supplied
|
|
MUBI
Movies7-day free trial
From
$14.99/mth
or $119.88/yr
Link not supplied
|
Picking the right internet plan for streaming
Outside of downloading incredibly large files, streaming video can quickly chew through a lot of data. While home internet plans typically have unlimited data, the catch becomes available download speed. Streaming 4K sports on Kayo Premium requires 25Mbps of download speed for the duration of the match to avoid any buffering issues or resolution dips. HBO Max, though, recommends 50Mbps of download speed.
While that's manageable for most NBN plans in Australia, it gets more complicated if you have concurrent streams in the home. A Paramount Plus Premium subscription allows for up to four simultaneous streams at up to 4K resolution. Because each 4K stream needs 25Mbps, you'd need 100Mbps of download speed for uninterrupted streaming. For HBO Max Premium, you'd need at least 200Mbps of download speed for four simultaneous streams at home.
Use the table below for an idea of the download speed requirements for popular streaming services in Australia:
| Streaming plan | Download speed | Simultaneous streams | Max download usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stan Basic | 3Mbps | 1 | 3Mbps |
| Binge Basic | 5Mbps | 1 | 5Mbps |
| Disney Plus Standard | 5Mbps | 2 | 10Mbps |
| HBO Max Basic/Standard | 5Mbps | 2 | 10Mbps |
| Netflix Standard | 5Mbps | 2 | 10Mbps |
| Paramount Plus Basic/Standard | 5Mbps | 1 | 5Mbps |
| Prime Video | 5Mbps | 3 | 15Mbps |
| Beamafilm | 7Mbps | 1 | 7Mbps |
| Foxtel Now | 7Mbps | 2 | 14Mbps |
| Kayo Standard | 7.5Mbps | 1 | 7.5Mbps |
| Stan Standard | 7.5Mbps | 3 | 22.5Mbps |
| beIN Sports | 10Mbps | 1 | 10Mbps |
| Mubi | 10Mbps | 2 | 20Mbps |
| Fetch TV | 15Mbps | 1 | 15Mbps |
| Netflix Premium | 15Mbps | 4 | 60Mbps |
| Stan Premium | 15Mbps | 4 | 60Mbps |
| DAZN | 16Mbps | 2 | 32Mbps |
| Disney+ Premium | 17Mbps | 4 | 68Mbps |
| Foxtel IQ | 20Mbps | 2 | 40Mbps |
| Kayo Premium | 25Mbps | 2 | 50Mbps |
| Binge Standard/Premium | 25Mbps | 4 | 100Mbps |
| Paramount+ Premium | 25Mbps | 4 | 100Mbps |
| Apple TV | 25Mbps | 6 | 150Mbps |
| HBO Max Premium | 50Mbps | 4 | 200Mbps |
If you want to keep your bases covered, we recommend going with an NBN 100 plan. That said, depending on the streaming service/s you use – and your other internet download speed requirements – you may be able to get away with an NBN 25 or NBN 50 plan. For extra download speed peace of mind, consider an NBN 250, NBN 500, NBN 1000, or NBN 2000 plan if you live in an Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) home.
|
SpinTel
All Fixed Line nbn®
Home Starter 25/10
$41/mth
Min. cost $41
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value NBN 25/10
$42.90/mth
Min. cost $42.90
|
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
$43.99/mth
Min. cost $43.99
|
|
Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 25/10 Value
$44.80/mth
Min. cost $44.80
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
Unlimited Premium nbn25
$48/mth
Min. cost $48
|
|
Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Starter – Unlimited
$49/mth
Min. cost $49
|
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Bronze Unlimited
$49.90/mth
Min. cost $49.90
|
|
Swoop
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn® Home Casual
$54/mth
Min. cost $54
Link not supplied
|
|
MATE
All Fixed Line nbn®
Crikey nbn 25/10
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
Link not supplied
|
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Everyday nbn25/10
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
|
|
amaysim
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN50
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
|
|
Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 50/20 Premium
$59.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
Link not supplied
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
|
|
Swoop
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
|
amaysim
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN100
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
|
|
Belong
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN Premium – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
Moose NBN
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn 100/20 Elite
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy NBN 100/20
$67.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
|
Flip
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Unlimited Turbo Boost nbn100
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
Kogan Internet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Gold Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
iiNet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
Swoop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn® Home Fast
$72/mth
Min. cost $72
Link not supplied
|
|
Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Creator nbn250/100
$82/mth
Min. cost $82
|
|
Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Super-Fast Pro nbn - Unlimited
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
|
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN500
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
|
|
Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Fast – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
Editor's Pick
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
Moose NBN
FTTP, HFC
nbn 500/50 Turbo
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbo 500/50
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
Gold Plus Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
iiNet
FTTP, HFC
nbn500 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
Swoop
FTTP, HFC
nbn® Home Megafast
$72/mth
Min. cost $72
Link not supplied
|
More streaming deals
Looking for something to stream tonight but don't want to pay full price? We've rounded up the best deals from Australia's major streaming services.
- Apple TV Plus deals: Get 30% off
- Binge deals: Stream Binge from less than $7 per month
- Disney Plus deals: Get 12 months for the price of 10
- Foxtel packages and deals: Save up to $55 per month
- HBO Max deals: Free HBO Max with Foxtel
- Kayo deals: 50% off Kayo Premium for six months with Optus SubHub
- Netflix deals: Free Netflix with Foxtel
- Paramount Plus deals: Save over $40 per year
- Prime Video deals: Score a 30-day free trial
Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
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