What free streaming services and trials are available in Australia?

22 Jun 2022

We live in a time of unprecedented choice when it comes to streaming TV, movies, sport, music and videos, but you don’t necessarily have to pay to find what you’re looking for. 

In Australia many streaming services offer free trials so you can check out their content before you subscribe. Here are some of the most popular options to help get you started…

TV & MOVIES

Stan

Launched in 2015, Stan is an Australia-only video-on-demand streaming service offering hundreds of TV shows and movies you may not find on many other platforms. This list includes new titles, Australian cinematic classics, iconic series including Grey’s Anatomy and global hits like Better Call Saul. Like Netflix (which no longer offers a free trial in Australia), Stan creates original content available exclusively to subscribers.

So what does it cost to give Stan a go? Stan plans start at $10 per month for the Basic plan, $14 for the Standard plan and $19 for the Premium plan, with the different price points determining your level of access through multiple screens and devices. The good news is that all subscription plans grant unlimited access to Stan’s extensive content library. And the even better news is that Stan offers a 30-day free trial, giving you ample opportunity to figure out if it’s got what you want.

Binge

Foxtel’s modern streaming service, BINGE, is home to some of the top-rated premium shows of all time as well as popular new releases like The Staircase starring Colin Firth and Australia’s own Toni Collette. All the genres are covered including action, comedy, drama, crime, lifestyle, docos and more.

Binge offers a 14-day free trial for new customers. Your account will then transition to a no lock-in contract with a similar pricing structure to Stan. There are three packages to select from: Basic ($10 per month); Standard ($14 per month); and Premium ($18 per month).

More TV & movie streaming services

Looking for even more variety to watch? Free trials are also available for the following streaming services:

Amazon Prime Video – Exclusive Amazon Originals plus popular movies and TV shows
Paramount+ – Various content
Foxtel Now – Foxtel content with no installation required
Apple TV+ – All Apple original content
Flash – Leading global and local news channels
BritBox – British TV shows
iwonder – Primarily documentaries and current affairs

And don’t forget, Australia’s free-to-air TV networks also provide completely free on-demand streaming services to enjoy your favourite programs after they’ve aired. It’s as easy as going online and creating accounts to access SBS on Demand, ABC iView, 10play, 9Now, and 7plus.

SPORT

Kayo

Offering 50-plus different sports live and on-demand – from cricket, golf and the football codes to lawn balls, basketball, netball and motorsport – Kayo has shot to the top of the sports streaming ladder in Australia. But if you’re unsure whether the platform will be worth the price (between $25 and $35 per month), why not sign up to Kayo for a free trial first?

All you have to do is head to the website and create a Kayo account through the 14-day free trial for new customers. After that there’s no lock-in contract and every subscription includes high definition stream quality for top tier sports. You’ll be able to select your preferred plan from One (one screen), Basic (two screens) or Premium (three screens) – this is what you will subscribe to if you decide to continue your account following the trial.

MUSIC

Spotify

Spotify Premium lets you listen to a library of 50 million songs, podcasts and audiobooks without restrictions, meaning ad-free music and the ability to download to a device so you can listen anywhere, anytime. A Spotify Premium account costs $11.99 per month for an Individual, $15.99 per month for a Duo, and $18.99 per month for a Family of up to six members living under one roof. But don’t worry, you can take Spotify Premium for a spin with a free one-month trial.

VIDEO

YouTube Premium

Did you know YouTube Premium lets you watch all videos ad-free with uninterrupted play? You can even download your videos in advance to save data. To see what it’s all about, sign up to a three-month free trial of the Individual plan, which then costs $14.99 per month. There is also a one-month free trial of the Family plan available, which then costs $22.99 per month for up to five family members on the same plan.