Home Features OTT full form, meaning, popular OTT platforms, and more
OTT full form, meaning, popular OTT platforms, and more
Here's everything you need to know about some of the best online streaming services in India.
OTT platforms/streaming services have seen outrageous growth in India over the past few years. For the uninitiated, OTT stands for 'over-the-top', which refers to any service that is available via the internet instead of traditional distribution networks such as cable and DTH. The term is mostly associated with video streaming platforms that showcase web series, movies, and even live sports. In this article, let's take a look at all the popular OTT platforms in India along with their subscription plans.
OTT services in India are one too many, and if you're not familiar with them, it can be a hassle to choose the best one for you. We've created a list of the top 10 OTT platforms that are available in India right now, with their subscription plans prices and benefits. Take a look:
| OTT PLATFORMS | STARTING PRICE |
| Disney+ Hotstar | Rs 149 (3 months) |
| Netflix | Rs 149 (1 month) |
| Prime Video | Rs 299 (1 month) |
| Zee5 | Rs 899 (12 months) |
| Sony LIV | Rs 299 (1 month) |
| Apple TV+ | Rs 99 (1 month) |
| ALT Balaji | Rs 120 (2 months) |
| Jio Cinema | Rs 999 (12 months) |
| MX Player | Rs 299 (3 months) |
| YouTube Premium | Rs 129 (1 month) |
Disney Plus Hotstar
- Disney Plus Hotstar is arguably the most popular OTT platform in India. The streaming service is owned by Walt Disney and offers movies, TV shows, web series, sports, kids' content, and news.
- With Disney owning the service, you get access to Marvel, Star Wars, and tons of Disney animated movies and shows. Besides that, the platform is also the official digital live streamer of ICC tournaments such as Cricket World Cup 2023.
- Disney+ Hotstar is compatible with both iOS and Android devices as well as PCs and smart TV. Viewers can enjoy its content in up to 4K quality on supported devices.
| DISNEY+ HOSTAR PLANS | DURATION | PRICE
|
| Mobile | 3 months | Rs 149 |
| 12 months | Rs 499 |
| Super | 3 months | Rs 299 |
| 12 months | Rs 899 |
| Premium | 3 months | Rs 499 |
| 12 months | Rs 1,499 |
Netflix
- Netflix is an American over-the-top content platform that has delivered tons of exceptional and highly-streamed original shows and movies, such as Sacred Games, Wednesday, Stranger Things, and so on.
- Unlike other streaming platforms out there, Netflix is completely ad-free irrespective of the subscription plan you purchase.
- The app can be accessed on Android mobile phones, iPhones, tablets, PC/laptops, and even smart TVs in up to 4K video resolution.
| NETFLIX PLANS | DURATION | PRICE
|
| Mobile | 1 month | Rs 149 |
| Basic | 1 month | Rs 199 |
| Standard | 1 month | Rs 499 |
| Premium | 1 month | Rs 649 |
Amazon Prime Video
- Amazon Prime Video is a premium streaming service that comes included with every Amazon Prime subscription. The subscription also includes free quick delivery, exclusive deals and discounts, e-books, and access to Amazon Prime Music.
- The OTT platform is known in India for its original web series such as Mirzapur, The Family Man, Tandav, Paatal Lok, and The Boys, among others.
- One can also enjoy thousands of critically acclaimed international TV shows and movies, regional content, Bollywood, kids' content, and iconic TV shows on Prime Video.
- Besides English, Prime Video is available in six other Indian languages at the moment.
| AMAZON PRIME VIDEO PLANS | DURATION | PRICE
|
| Monthly | 1 month | Rs 299 |
| Quarterly | 3 months | Rs 599 |
| Yearly | 12 months | Rs 1,499 |
ZEE 5
- ZEE 5 is another popular OTT platform in India. It's a home-grown video streaming service that offers 2,800+ blockbuster movies, 150+ web series and TV shows in 12 languages all without any ads.
- Zee5 also leverages its partnership with ALTBalaji whose originals, shows, and movies are available for free to ZEE5 subscribers.
- It currently offers just two plans both of which come with a validity of 12 months and offer up to 4K video quality.
- Customers get the provision to enjoy content on multiple devices with a single account.
| ZEE 5 SUBSCRIPTION PLANS | DURATION | PRICE |
| Premium HD | 12 months | Rs 899 |
| Premium 4K | 12 months | Rs 1,199 |
Sony LIV
- Sony LIV consists of content from channels that are part of the Sony Entertainment Network, such as Sony TV, Sony SAB, Sony Ten, Sony Max, Sony Max 2, Sony Six, Sony Pix, and Sony Yay.
- You can also livestream WWE, European football, La Liga, Champions League, and other sporting events that are broadcast live on Sony TV channels in the sports genre.
- Users with a Sony LIV subscription can watch the content on several devices simultaneously by paying for just one plan.
| SONY LIV PLANS | DURATION | PRICES |
| Mobile-only | 12 months | Rs 599 |
| LIV Premium | 1 month | Rs 299 |
| 6 months | Rs 699 |
| 12 months | Rs 999 |
Apple TV+
- Apple TV+ is a premium and original streaming service offered by the iPhone maker, Apple. With tons of exclusive and high-quality shows and movies under its belt, subscribers always have something unique and refreshing to binge-watch.
- Some of its most popular shows and movies include Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Foundation, and Physical, among others.
- One downside of Apple TV+ is that the Cupertino giant doesn't offer any app for Android and Windows devices. However, the service can be accessed via any web browser.
| APPLE TV+ PLAN | DURATION | PRICE |
| One month | 1 month | Rs 99 |
ALT Balaji
- ALT Balaji has also carved out a niche for itself in the Indian OTT platform industry. The streaming service offers a number of original web series and movies.
- Mostly offering adult and mature content, ALT Balaji can be watched in a variety of regional languages such as Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and many more.
- The platform also offers access to comedy skits, music videos, and even news related to major topics such as sports and entertainment.
| ALT BALAJI PLANS DURATION | PRICE |
| 2 months | Rs 100 |
| 6 months | Rs 199 |
| 12 months | Rs 300 |
Jio Cinema
- Jio Cinema is a video-on-demand OTT service from Mukesh Ambani-promoted telco Jio. Initially exclusive to just Jio users, the platform has expanded to become a full-fledged streaming giant.
- The catalogue of Jio Cinema includes content from Warner Bros., featuring shows and movies from franchises such as DC, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and HBO hits such as Last of Us, Succession, and Lord of the Rings, among others.
- To add to that, Jio Cinema is also the destination for hit Indian TV shows such as Big Boss, and Asur, and has a multi-year deal to exclusively livestream the Indian Premier League.
- While Jio Cinema offers a single subscription plan, users can still enjoy free high-quality content such as exclusive Bollywood movies that go live on the platform every now and then.
| JIO CINEMA PLAN DURATION | PRICE |
| 12 months | Rs 999 |
MX Player
- MX Player has come a long way from being just a video player. It's now among the best OTT platforms in India. MX Player provides users with syndicated content along with its own originals.
- While the streaming service is completely free of cost, it does interrupt your experience by showing ads in between consuming content.
- This is where users can take advantage of its quarterly and yearly plans that not only remove ads but also provide the ability to download content for offline viewing.
| ALT BALAJI PLANS | DURATION | PRICE |
| Quarterly | 3 months | Rs 100 |
| Annual | 12 months | Rs 199 |
YouTube Premium
- YouTube is an insanely popular online video sharing platform, but little would you know that the platform has its original shows. These shows are exclusively available with YT Premium.
- A YouTube Premium subscription also comes with some great perks such as ad-free viewing and browsing of the content from creators, downloads in up to 1080p resolution, and the ability to play videos in picture-in-picture mode.
- To make the subscription even more enticing, YouTube Premium also includes YouTube Music which is the video giant's take on music streaming.
- Users can opt for either prepaid or monthly subscription-based plans as per their requirements. There are YT Premium plans curated for students and families as well.
| YOUTUBE PREMIUM PLANS | PRICE |
| PREPAID PLANS | 1 month | Rs 139 |
| 3 months | Rs 399 |
| 12 months | Rs 1,290 |
| SUBSCRIPTION PLAN | Student | Rs 79/month |
| Individual | Rs 129/month |
| Family | Rs 189/month |
FAQs
OTT platforms can be accessed via an app or website, which works on pretty much any device out there that supports the internet, including smartphones, laptops, and smart TV. As long as you're connected, you can stream content from these platforms.
Per the recent data, Disney Plus Hotstar has the most subscribers in India. The platform has 41 percent video-on-demand market share. This is followed by Eros Now, Amazon Prime Videos, and Zee5.
Most OTT platforms are paid and require a login to stream content. Some OTT streaming services offer a 30-day trial that lets you stream the content for free for the initial month. Thereafter, you're charged with the subscription fee, which is deducted automatically from your account, if you wish to continue. That said, Airtel, Jio, and Vi offer a free subscription to most OTT platforms in India.
Among the best OTT platforms in India, Zee5 is the cheapest. This is followed by Sony Liv and Disney+ Hotstar VIP.
Which telecom operator or service offers the most OTT app subscription?
Jio sits right on top in this freebie. The Mukesh Ambani-promoted telco's broadband service Jio Fiber offers a complimentary subscription to as many as 15 apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Sony LIV, ZEE5, Sun NXT, Voot, and ALTBalaji, among others. This is followed by Airtel, Vi, and other ISPs.
That would be Netflix, followed by Disney+ Hotstar Premium and Amazon Prime Videos.
This should be Netflix, then Amazon Prime Video and Zee5.
Which OTT apps offer live cricket streaming in India?
Live cricket streaming such as IPL is mostly on Disney+ Hotstar and Sony LIV. The platforms also provide live coverage of other sporting events such as football, tennis, badminton, Olympics, and more.
OTT platforms with regional content
Hoichoi (Bengali), Sun NXT (South Indian languages), Aha (Telugu), Planet Marathi (Marathi), Koode (Malayalam), Addatimes (Bengali), and CityShor.TV (Gujarati), among others.
The main source of income for OTT platforms is through subscriptions. In addition to that, some OTT services make money via ads and downloads. While it looks like the earnings would be great, OTT platforms often operate in negative cash flow. They have to buy the content from other production houses to attract users.
Last year, the government brought the video streaming OTT platforms under the ambit of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The ministry is said to monitor the working of these platforms in the country. Additionally, it's believed that the OTT platforms would have to apply for certification and approval of the content they wish to stream from the ministry.
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