Gone are the days when watching content was only restricted to television via broadcasting networks. We live in the age of technology and internet-activated devices. The Internet has touched human lives in varied ways. The growing popularity of OTT platforms have proved that entertainment has entered a new age and information can be broadcasted in several ways. The OTT full form stands for the “over the top” which is meant for the media streaming services. Artificial Intelligence is used to avail the content.
Over The Top platforms have become very successful and popular in the recent times. Any streaming service provider that delivers content using the internet is referred to as the OTT platform. In earlier times, the cable TV provider would take the responsibility of providing the users with the programs. In the modern era, the process has undergone a sea of changes owing to the advancements made in the field of technology. The users can easily sign-up for services like Spotify, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ etc. and avail the content through the internet. A stable internet connection is a prerequisite for availing the content.
BigFlix was the first OTT platform in India that was launched in the year 2008 by Reliance Entertainment. Consequently, the platform shot to popularity in the year 2013 when the users witnessed the launch of SonyLIv and Ditto TV (Zee). However, the year 2015 saw the launch of Disney Hotstar. It has become the most popular platform in recent times. Netflix started its operations in India in the year 2016. Netflix is a popular platform worldwide with promising Over The Top services. It faces tough competition by Amazon Prime and Disney Hotstar.
Here is the list of the best OTT platforms in India:
Disney + Hotstar is an Indian video streaming service provider that is owned by Star India. It is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India. It always tops the list of top OTT platforms India with two paid subscription plans; “Super” which focuses on domestic programs and sports content, “Premium” which exhibits international movies and TV series.
The platform at least has 300 million active users as per the data of March 2020. The platform has 26.8 million paid subscribers that accounting 30% share in the global front.
Pricing - The Super plan costs INR 899 per year and the Premium one costs INR 1499 per year or the user can avail monthly plan of INR 299. Hotstar + Disney Coupons that are trending include 50% off on Annual Subscription plans.
Streaming Language - Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Marathi, English, Kannada
Latest Movies to Watch - Indian recent movies released on the channel are Bheeshma Parvam, Kaun Pravin Tambe, 83, Taanakkaran, Bro Dady, and Maaran. Hollywood movies are Turning Red, Death on the Nile, The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, and Cheaper By The Dozen.
Amazon Prime Video is an American OTT platform that provides the users with films and TV series produced by Amazon Studios. This is one of the best OTT Apps hosting programs and content from other providers, sports content, etc. It was launched in 2016 and has its headquarters in the USA but services are available in different countries of the world. The users can enjoy movies (Hollywood and Bollywood), TV shows and Amazon Originals. Amazon Prime has 10 million users in India. Amazon Prime has a record growth sale in the year 2020 in India. Amazon does not divulge with the growth stats country-wise.
Pricing - The users can avail the content for as low as INR 179 per month or INR 1499 yearly subscription plan. The platform also offers a 30-day free trial offer that is subject to Amazon Prime Sign-up. With the Amazon Prime Video Offer and Promo Codes, you can save more on your subscription.
Streaming Language - English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati
Latest Movies to Watch - Radhe Shyam, Deep Water, FIR, Saani Kaayidham, Uncharted, Bachchhan Pandey, Meppadiyan, Naaradan, Kimi, etc.,
Netflix Inc is an American OTT headquartered in California. It was founded in 1997. The prime business of the company is subscription-based streaming services. Since 2012, the company has offered content through its online library. This is one of the best online streaming apps in ott platform list with 4.6 million paid subscribers in India as per the report of 2020. In 2020, the operating income of the company was $1.2 billion. The operating revenue shows Rs 924 leap in FY20.
Netflix is one of the Video Streaming Services in India, offering various flexible plans like mobile, basic, standard, and premium plans.
Pricing - Mobile plan costs ₹149, With Basic plan at ₹199, you can watch the videos on any of the devices like phone, tablet, computer or TV. Standard plan is priced at ₹499, and provides simultaneous access to 2 devices at a time. Using the Premium plan of ₹649, you can watch videos on 4 devices at the same time. Check out Netflix Discount Codes before you subscribe.
Streaming Languages - Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, English, Korean, Japanese, German etc
Latest Movies to Watch - The Adam Project, Thar, Hey Sinamika, Etharkkum Thunindhavan, Cobalt Blue, Through My Window, Dasvi, Senior Year
Aha is an Indian OTT platform that is owned by Arha Media & Broadcasting Private Limited that is a joint venture by Geetha Arts and My Home Group. This is one of the best Indian TV streaming services, launched in the year 2020, and it offers only Telugu content and OTT telugu movies. They provide ad-free content and viewing because the company believes that nothing should come in between entertainment between the viewer and the show.
By visiting the Aha site or downloading the app, the users can avail free subscription of the platform.
Pricing - The users can get a paid subscription by paying INR 199 for 3 months and INR 399 for 12 months. With the newly introduced Aha Gold plan at INR 699/year users can watch Telugu, and Tamil movies, and web series in 4K Video and Dolby. Make your subscription more affordable with Aha Coupons and Offers
Streaming Language - Telugu
Latest Movies to Watch - DJ Tillu, Bheemla Nayak, Ghani, Stand Up Rahul, Bloody Mary, The American Dream, Bhamakalapam
The owner of Voot is Viacom18. It is an Indian OTT platform full form that has witnessed its existence in the Indian market since the year 2016. It is headquartered in Mumbai. Watching the favorite TV show and movies was never so simple. It reports having 100 million active users monthly.
Pricing - The premium content of the platform can be availed for as little as INR 99 per month and INR 999 per year. The users can find some free-ad support as it is still not a completely paid form of the platform. With the Voot Coupon Codes, you can unlock a 14-day free trial on the Voot select plan.
Streaming Language - Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Odia, Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil
Latest Movies to Watch - Some of the best movies and series featuring in Voot are, Ek Duaa, Guilty Party, Pogaru etc.
ALTBalaji is an Indian subscription OTT platform. It is owned by Balaji Telefilms Ltd. it was launched in the year 2017. The company entered the field of digital entertainment to create original OTT content. The platform is reported to have around 34 million paid users. ALTBalaji witnessed revenue growth of INR 20 crore in FY20.
Pricing - ALTBalaji Subscription Offer plan of INR 100 for 2 months (single screen) and INR 300 for 12 months (single screen) is tempting. There is a free trial period for 7 days.
Streaming Languages - Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil
Latest Movies to Watch - Some of the best movies to watch are Bose: Dead or Alive, Once Upon A Time in Mumbai, Shootout At Lokhandwala, etc.
SonyLiv is an Indian OTT platform that is owned by Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd. It is headquartered in Mumbai. It was founded in the year 2013. This OTT package is ad-supported while the premium or paid service is ad-free. With the SonyLiv Promo Codes, you can avail the subscription at low prices. The platform has an active user subscription of 70-80 million monthly and 14-20 million paid.
Pricing - Monthly Plan INR 299, 6 month Plan INR 699, and 12 month plan INR 999
Streaming Language - Hindi, English, and several regional languages of India
Latest Movies to Watch - Salute, Puztu, James, Freedom fight, The ABC Murders, SkyLab
ZEE5 is an Indian video on demand OTT platform that is owned by Essel Group via its subsidiary Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was established in 2018 in 12 languages and is a premier streaming platform in India. The platform is easy to access through its app that is available on Android, iOS, Web, and Smart TV. It is equipped with great content in the form of TV shows, web series, movies, and sports. The platform provides both free and paid services to the users. The platform has 76.4 million active users per month. With the Zee5 Coupon Codes, you can save more on your subscription. As per the latest reports, the OTT platform has recorded revenue growth of 2.3% year on year.
Pricing - The platform provides a nominal subscription fee of INR 99 for 1 month and INR 999 for 12 months. It provides the subscription for premium in two categories; “Club” and “All Access”. Club Plan is available for INR 365 yearly and it supports 5 devices at a time. All Access is a flexible plan for this best streaming service and it consists of all content priced at INR 299 for 3 months and INR 999 yearly supporting 5 devices at a time.
Streaming Languages - English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, and other 5 regional languages
Latest Movies to Watch - RRR, Attack Part 1, Kashmir files, Jhund, 36 Farmhouse, Ek Love Ya
Sun NXT is an Indian OTT platform that is run by Sun TV Network. It was established in the year 2017 and it started in 4 languages namely Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil. In 2019 Bengali content was also added to the network. For the best streaming services for Indian channels, you can opt this platform. It is headquartered in Chennai, India. It has 20-25 million users and they are saving more on your subscription with Sun NXT Coupon Codes.
Pricing - The basic plan is for mobile only and is priced INR 50 per month and INR 480 per year. The premium plan is for mobile phones and big screen devices, it is priced at INR 99 per month and INR 799 per year. The first 30 days is a free trial period and the subscription follows after that, similar to Netflix. The app is available on both iOS and Android.
Streaming Languages - Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Bengali
Latest Movies to Watch - Beast, Doctor, ET, Anjaam Pathiraa
Eros Now is an Indian OTT platform that was established in the year 2012. It is controlled and owned by Eros International. It is headquartered in Mumbai. The users can enjoy unlimited movies, TV shows, Eros Originals, and songs. The platform has 18.8 million paid users and 155 million active users. The growth in subscribers has been reported as 65% in 2020 and the stats have reached 26.2 million. Eros Now Subscription Offers are strikingly interesting and the users can avail up to 60% discount. 57.3% revenue growth has been reported in 2020 due to the pandemic as people were stuck at home and their digital experience witnessed a huge growth.
Pricing - INR 49 for 1 month, INR 79 for 3 months, and INR 399 for 12 months.
Streaming Languages - Hindi, English, Bangla, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Urdu
Latest Movies to Watch - Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Bajirao Mastani, Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi, Tanu Weds Manu Returns
Here are some of the free OTT platforms in India which offer the best entertaining content from the leading producers and publishers.
MXPlayer is one of the best web channels to clear your doubts on what to watch online in India as they provide original Hindi content and Regional languages.
The other way that you can watch the content on some of the best streaming services and OTT platforms for free is through mobile recharges. Telecom companies like Airtel, Jio, Vi, and BSNL bundle access to the list of OTT players in India with their plans for free.
The year 2022 was an unpleasant year for most of the industry-verticals but contrary to that it proved to be a profitable year for the OTT platforms. In fact, it ruled the industry. It is expected that India will become a key market for the growth of OTT platforms in the year 2022. Sony India, being the domestic player, is expected to produce around 40-50 originals per year.
OTT subscriptions are no longer a metro concept. The rural areas are contributing to its growth in demand too owing to the cheap data plans. Moreover, the Smartphone technology has increased the demand for such content manifolds. A research conducted by a marketing firm reveals that the growth of digital entertainment has skyrocketed in India due to the impact of the pandemic. This has resulted in the growth of the Hollywood premium content in regional languages also. The closure of cinema theatres due to lockdown and pandemic has also yielded in the acceleration of demand for the OTT platforms in India. Hence, the year 2022 seems to be a promising one for the OTT platforms in India.
In conclusion, The future of OTT platforms in India is promising and the coming years will experience an escalation in the demand for similar services.
Easier availability of smartphones and cellular data plans drove a large population to watch movies and other entertainment content online like bigg boss ott content, which further paved the way for many other OTT platforms like MX Player, BIGFlix, Arre, Viu, Hoichoi, Ullu App, YouTube Premium and Jio Cinema. There are some other platforms like Hungama to listen to unlimited songs and watch TV Shows and YuppTV to watch live TV channels.
1. How OTT Platforms Earn Money?
Firstly, OTT platforms invest money in producing the unique content or purchasing from or to buy movies and series from the owners. Then, they make money from the subscribers registered for various plans.
2. How OTT is Different from Cable TV Services?
Cable TV services run through traditional satellites in which you can watch only live shows and movies. On the other hand through OTT channels, you can watch many channels at better prices and watch them whenever you want.
3. How Can I Watch OTT on My TV?
You can watch OTT, if you have the internet connection on your smart TV. For normal TV, you require media players, set-top boxes and internet enabled Blu-ray players.
4. What is the Affordable OTT Platform to Opt in India?
Zee5 is the most affordable OTT platform in India. Apart from Zee5, SonyLiv and Disney + Hotstar VIP are also pocket-friendly OTT platforms where you can watch unlimited movies, series with your friends and family
5. Which Telecom Operator Offers the Most OTT App Subscription?
In the queue of OTT app subscriptions, the Jio app is in the top position. This application provides a complete subscription that includes more than 15 OTT platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, Zee5, Voot, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLiv, etc. Besides, Airtel and Vi are the other telecom operators that offer OTT platforms in the subscription.
6. On Which OTT You Can Find The Live Cricket Streaming?
A live cricket streaming like the Indian Premier League can be watched on Disney + Hotstar OTT platform by picking the VIP or Premium pack. Besides, you can also watch more sports such as tennis, Olympics, football, and badminton, etc
7. What is the Procedure to Start an OTT Platform in India?
To start your own OTT platform, you need to sign up for an audio or video streaming website by giving your details. Then, choose your plan and customize your channel without writing code. Later, start uploading content on channels and set up a monetization model, and start making money.
8. Which OTT Platforms Deliver Highest Regional Content?
There are plenty of OTT platforms of regional content like Hoichoi (Bengali), Aha (Telugu), Koode (Malayalam), CityShor.TV (Gujarati), Sun NXT (South Indian languages), Planet Marathi (Marathi), and Addatimes (Bengali).
9. Who Regulates OTT Platforms in India?
The well-known OTT platforms in India are SonyLIV, Disney+Hostar, Voot, Amazon Prime Video, etc. Sony Pictures Networks India regulates SonyLIV, Viacom 18 regulates Voot, Star India regulates Disney+ Hotstar, and Amazon Regulates Amazon Prime Video.
10. How Do I Get OTT Platform for Free?
You can get free streaming services of some OTT platforms by subscribing to them for a free trial period and further you should pay for the subscription to continue the services.
11. What is the Best OTT Platform for Children?
Voot Kids is the only OTT platform in India that is dedicated only to children. You can also access kid content in Disney+Hotstar, SonyLiv, and Zee5 by navigating to the kid’s section on these platforms.
12. Is Netflix an OTT?
Netflix is considered the biggest OTT platform in the world with maximum content than any other platform. It is the first OTT platform that emerged in the Indian market. It has produced many award-winning regional and international movies and series.
13. Is OTT TV Legal?
Yes, OTT TV is legal. Various top brands like Apple have launched their internet TV. In India, Airtel, Jio, and other companies have their own internet TV that allows users to stream OTT content and satellite TV content from a single box.
14. How to Watch OTT Platform on Mobile?
To watch the OTT platform’s content on smartphones, you need to download their applications from Google Play Store and Apple App Store and install them. Netflix and Amazon Prime have launched their mobile-only plans that can be viewed on mobiles only.
Pavankumar Baboori is an experienced Sr. Content Analyst who improves the workflow by identifying and resolving the content development gap. He works closely with the marketing team to deploy strategies for improving brand awareness, website traffic, search engine ranking, and lead generation activities. He gauges up marketing channels for the real digital transformations.
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