Netflix Australia vs Stan: Price, content and features compared

Two months before Netflix Australia made its debut, Stan entered the streaming market as a contender in the race to woo subscribers. With its exclusive programming and low monthly price, Stan has proved a strong local competitor for the global streaming giant. But when it comes to device compatibility, accessibility and overall most bang for your buck, how does Stan really compare vs Netflix?

Netflix Australia vs Stan: Snapshot

	Netflix	Stan
Launch date	24 March 2015	26 January 2015
Price	$6.99–$22.99 per month	$12 – $21 per month
Library titles	2,750 TV shows, 4,532 movies	954 TV shows, 13,352 movies
Top titles	Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Wednesday, The Witcher, Squid Game	Bump, The Tourist, Yellowstone, Breaking Bad, The Office (US)
Simultaneous streams	1–4	1-4
4K	Premium Plan only	Premium Plan only

Netflix vs Stan price comparison

Netflix and Stan use similar pricing structures and plans for their services, with 3 tiers available.

There are 3 plans on Stan:

• The Basic plan supports 1 SD stream for $12 a month.
• The Standard plan costs $16 a month and supports 3 simultaneous streams in HD quality.
• The Premium plan, at $21 a month, lets you stream on 4 devices at the same time. This has 4K for selected titles.

You can also choose between 3 Netflix plans:

• The Standard with Ads plan is $6.99 a month. You can watch on 2 devices at a time.
• It costs $16.99 a month for its Standard plan, which is in full HD quality with no ads. This also allows you to watch on 2 devices at a time.
• The Netflix Premium plan is $22.99 a month, comes with 4K video quality where available and also has no ads. Four devices can watch at once.
• Note that Netflix also has a Basic plan, which allows a single HD stream, but new or rejoining members can no longer get it.

If you want the cheapest way to stream between the 2 services, then Netflix Standard with Ads plan is the cheapest option. But, as the name suggests, you have ads on that plan.

Your cheapest way for ad-free streaming is Stan's Basic plan.

Both services' Standard plans are very similar, but Stan pips Netflix on price and number of simultaneous streams

Each platform's Premium plans are practically identical, with very little price difference.

But of course we like to try before we buy, and that's where Stan gains the upper hand.

Do Netflix and Stan offer free trials?

Stan used to have a 30-day free trial, but has removed it on 14 May 2024.

Meanwhile, Netflix pulled its free trial in March 2020.

So signing up to both Stan and Netflix means you will have to pay straight away.

How do Netflix vs Stan's content libraries compare?

When it comes to content, things get more subjective. Both streaming services come with generous content libraries and offer a diverse mix of TV series, movies, documentaries and reality programming.

As far as the sheer amount of content on offer, technically, Netflix would be the clear winner based on the available TV shows and movies, right?

But things aren’t that straightforward, since which one you choose will largely depend on your viewing preferences.

What content is on Netflix?

Netflix shines when it comes to original programming, dropping new titles at an impressive rate, whether we’re talking about TV shows or movies. Series like The Witcher, Stranger Things, Squid Game, BoJack Horseman, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Circle, Too Hot to Handle are bona fide hits with both critics and fans. On the same note, movies like Red Notice, The Adam Project or Army of the Dead are fan-favourites, with titles like The Power of the Dog winning the streaming service plenty of hype during awards season.

Netflix did lose licensed content in the last few years due to the emergence of new streamers, but it remains the international distributor of popular shows like Riverdale, so there’s still some stuff to watch that doesn’t fall under the Netflix original umbrella. The service also has a huge selection of new and classic movies which is more diverse and richer in newer titles than local competitor Stan.

What content is on Stan?

That being said, Stan has plenty going for it as well. Original productions aren’t as plentiful, but no one can deny their quality. Wolf Creek, No Activity, The Tourist, Bump, Wolf Like Me and RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under were all well-received by audiences eager to devour more local content. The platform also offers tons of hyped series from the US, beating Netflix in this category, with highlights including Yellowstone, Better Call Saul, Billions, Hacks and Minx, to name a few.

Additionally, Stan initially implemented a successful strategy – to become the official home of iconic TV content. We’re referring to comfort shows or those that streaming subscribers have the tendency to come back to on a regular basis. You can still stream beloved series like The Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, Supernatural, The Office or Parks and Recreation.

What about kids' programming?

Thanks to solid partnerships with various distributors, Netflix has a reputation for premium children’s content that has transferred over to its Australian line-up. Additionally, plenty of original kids' shows and movies populate the platform's library such as The Boss Baby: Back in Business, The Dragon Prince, Carmen Sandiego and so on.

Netflix has special profiles for kids and features that allow children to browse through an age-appropriate library without being able to see titles to movies that are not meant for them.

Stan also offers a diverse collection of kids shows and has a dedicated kids' profile, so the little ones can stream without the danger of accidentally stumbling across a grisly murder show. Its library, which is less generous than Netflix's, features popular titles from Cartoon Network like The Powerpuff Girls or We Bare Bears.

All well and good, but if you’re mainly interested in children’s programming, streaming service Disney Plus may be a better fit. Otherwise, there’s plenty for the little ones to watch on both Netflix and Stan.

Do Netflix and Stan offer live sport?

Netflix offers limited live programming. Stan offers live sport if you're willing to pay extra.

Stan Sport is an add-on priced at $15 a month. You can't get the add-on alone, you have to add it to an existing Stan subscription. There is no free trial for Stan Sport.

Stan Sport offers live and on demand coverage of Grand Slam tennis, UEFA Champions League, rugby union, motorsport and more.

So far, Netflix's entry into live sports has been its own exhibition events like the The Netflix Cup for golf and The Netflix Slam for tennis.

Stan vs Netflix: Device compatibility

Another factor to consider when subscribing to a new streaming service is which devices you'll be able to use to tune in. While some viewers are fine with watching solely on smartphones and laptops, others want to be able to stream via game consoles, smart TVs or streaming devices. If that's the case, you'll be happy to know that both Netflix and Stan are compatible with pretty much any gadget you could think of.

Device	Netflix	Stan
PC/Mac	✓	✓
iOS	✓	✓
Android	✓	✓
Windows phone	✓	✖
Windows tablet	✓	✓
Smart TV (selected models)	✓	✓
Android TV	✓	✓
Apple TV	✓	✓
Telstra TV	✓	✓
Amazon Fire	✓	✓
Chromecast/Airplay	✓	✓
PS3, PS4, PS5	✓	✓
Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X	✓	✓
Xbox 360	✓	✖
Fetch TV	✓	✓
Foxtel iQ	✓	✖
Blu ray players	✓	✖

Netflix has the slight advantage with more devices, but they are mostly older ones like the Xbox 360.

Stan has more smart TV options for streaming, but they are mainly lesser-known models such as EKO and FFALCON.

Both Netflix and Stan offer user-friendly interfaces, a great search function and multiple profiles.

Most titles from both streamers are available to download on mobile devices, so you can watch on the go without burning through your mobile data.

Which one is better, Netflix or Stan?

Netflix and Stan are solid streaming services, so you can’t go wrong with either one. If Australian series and fast-tracked US shows are more your thing, go with Stan. If you’re more interested in Netflix’s original productions and want a better collection of movies, opt for the streaming giant.

Or, simply get them both and you’ll likely never run out of stuff to watch ever again. Both Netflix and Stan do not have a free trial so you have to commit straight off the bat.