After a few road bumps, Disney+ is finally available in India. Disney Plus bolsters Hotstar’s already massive library with Disney’s entire arsenal of shows and films.
Disney+ was able to take advantage of Hotstar’s massive user base in the country to take on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But just how does Disney Plus Hotstar stack up against its two biggest rivals? Stick around to find out.
Price
Disney+ Hotstar VIP plan is priced at Rs 399 per year, while the Premium plan will cost you Rs 1,499 annually. Existing Hotstar customers will get free access to Disney Plus’s entire library. Amazon Prime Video will set you back Rs 129 per month or Rs 999 for the whole year. Netflix has multiple monthly plans starting from Rs 199. Netflix’s Basic plan is available for Rs 499, while the Standard and Premium plans cost Rs 649 and Rs 799, respectively.
Plan details
Disney Plus Hotstar’s VIP subscription does not give you access to the platform’s entire library. The VIP membership gives you access to movies like Thor Ragnarok, The Lion King, Frozen II, Aladdin, Toy Story 4, and several others as well as Bollywood movies and Indian. However, access to Disney+ Originals and the latest shows from HBO, Fox, and Showtime is limited to Premium users.
Netflix subscribers will have access to all the platform’s content, no matter the subscription plan. Instead, different plans offer different benefits. The Rs 199 plan only allows you to watch Netflix on a smartphone screen. Netflix’s Basic plan enables users to view content on one screen on Standard Definition, while the Standard plan allows two users to watch Netflix simultaneously. Lastly, the Premium plan allows four people to use the service at a time and view content in 4K UHD resolution.
Amazon Prime Video users can watch content in 1080p or 4K, no matter if they pick the monthly or annual plan. However, Prime users also get access to all Amazon Music and all other benefits that come with being a Prime user on Amazon India.
Content
All three platforms have vast libraries of content in different languages. Disney+ and Prime Video has a better library of Bollywood movies and other regional content. Netflix offers access to shows in the most diverse set of shows from all around the world. Additionally, Netflix also offers some of the best original shows and movies of all the three platforms.
Hotstar library of over 4,000 titles was further bolstered with the arrival of Disney+. Disney Plus added over 7,000 episodes of popular TV shows and 500 films from Disney, Marvel Studios, Pixar, National Geographic, and Star Wars. Disney+ Hotstar also has exclusive sports streaming.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced a quarter of the world’s population to remain indoors indefinitely. India is currently moving into week two of its 21-day lockdown that could be extended for another month or two. At a time when social distancing has become the new normal, video-on-demand services have seen their active user base rise, which makes the timing of Disney+’s arrival in India impeccable.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
