Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Hotstar: Which is India's best video-on-demand subscription service?

When it comes to on-demand video streaming services, it doesn’t get any bigger than Netflix. And while Netflix is by far the most popular of all the video-on-demand services internationally, it is facing stiff resistance from the likes of Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar in India.

Although all three services compete for consumers’ entertainment budget, there are several factors to keep in mind, including price and content selection, in order to pick the best service for you.

Content is the reason for subscribing to an on-demand video service, which makes it the most crucial factor while making the choice. Content selection can be broken down into two verticals – Quality of Content and Type of Content.

When it comes to 'quality of content', Netflix’s original productions like House of Cards, Stranger Things and When They See Us are some of the best TV shows on offer. Netflix’s historical drama Mudbound was nominated for four Oscars. In terms of quality, HBO is the only content creator that consistently beats Netflix with shows like Game of Thrones, Barry, Silicon Valley, Veep, and Chernobyl.

However, while services like Netflix and Amazon boast vast libraries of movies and TV shows, Hotstar offers something unique. It is the only one among the three services to offer Live TV which allows you to watch sporting events live. To top it off, Hotstar also includes a ton of quality content from HBO and Showtime.

All the three services offer monthly subscriptions, with cheaper yearly subscriptions provided by Amazon and Hotstar.

Netflix has three plans in total. The first one is priced at Rs 499 per month for a single screen, but the resolution is limited to standard definition. A subscriber can opt to watch content in HD and add a second screen at Rs 649 per month. The last plan costs Rs 799 per month, offering four screens and content in UHD or 4K resolution. Netflix also offers a mobile-only plan at Rs 200 per month but has limited the resolution to standard definition (480p).

Meanwhile, an Amazon Prime Video subscription costs Rs 129 per month and Rs 999 a year. A Prime Video subscription supports content in 1080p as well as 4K resolution. However, Amazon Prime offers other benefits as well, including access to Amazon Prime Music and benefits on Amazon India.

Hotstar offers users two subscription plans – Hotstar Premium and Hotstar VIP. The premium subscription is priced at Rs 299 per month and Rs 999 per year, while the VIP subscription is only available on a yearly basis at Rs 365. However, the VIP subscription doesn’t offer access to American/International TV shows and movies.

Netflix is undoubtedly the best platform to watch ad-free TV shows and movies, but it also weighs the heaviest on the subscribers’ wallet. In our view, you pay a premium price for premium content. Amazon Prime Video offers the best value among all the three services. Amazon’s library is home to some of the best movies and TV shows and a subscription also comes with the additional benefits. Hotstar does have its moments of glory when it comes to content quality. It offers access to some of the best past-and-present HBO shows as well as live sporting events.