DStv dominates Netflix and Amazon

Despite fears that American streaming services would dominate South Africa’s entertainment market, local platforms like DStv and Showmax are outperforming international giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

This was revealed in BB Media’s latest report on South African streaming trends, which revealed that the country has a strong preference for local platforms.

Within subscription streaming services, DStv’s streaming service leads with a net penetration of 16% as of the third quarter of 2024. Showmax trails with 11%, while Netflix follows closely at 10%.

Of the 510 streaming platforms available in South Africa that the BB Media report tracked, only seven are local – DStv, Showmax, SABC+, eVOD, Todazon, AfriDocs and Freevision Play.

“Despite being few, they cater to a significant portion of South African audiences. Most of these platforms offer a free or free with ads option, and one (SABC+) is government-owned,” the report explained.

Notably, the report pointed out that South Africans favour this “free with ads” subscription model, with a penetration of 59%, despite the fact that only 15% of platforms operate under this revenue model.

Conversely, 40% of platforms use traditional subscription services, with a market penetration of 45%.

“Subscription with ads remains the least common model, representing just 2% of available platforms. However, consumer interest is evident – 76% of households stated they would opt for a more affordable plan with ads to cut costs.”

According to the report, there is a preference for local content, with 76% of those who have watched online content in the past three months saying they had streamed local content during that period.

However, local content lags far behind in the number of titles available for viewing.

BB Media reported that South Africa offers 259 local movies and 55 local series titles. In contrast, over 15,000 titles originate from the US.

“Among viewers who consume local content, Action ranks as the top genre (76%), followed by Crime (57%) and Romance (47%). Meanwhile, those who haven’t watched local content recently prefer Adventure (82%), Action (82%) and Drama (78%).”

“When considering all available content in the country, Drama stands out as the dominant genre, accounting for 23% of titles.”

According to the report, illegal content remains a big threat to South Africa’s streaming landscape.

“Illegal platforms hold a 13% market share, with Goojara leading at 12% penetration. Many consumers turn to these services due to financial constraints.”

“This highlights a significant opportunity for platforms to expand ad-supported offerings and attract cost-conscious viewers.”

The report explained that financial constraints are also a reason local platforms are overtaking international streaming giants.

“Among former Netflix subscribers, cost concerns are a major factor. When asked why they cancelled, 40% cited financial difficulties, while 27% said the platform was simply too expensive,” the report found.

A standard Showmax subscription currently goes for R99, while a standard Netflix subscription – which is comparable – goes for R159 a month.

Similarly, Disney+ increased its subscription fee from R139 per month to R159 per month, representing a 14.39% increase.

Although Amazon Prime offers the lowest price at only R79 per month, it is still a relatively new entrant into the market.

Currently, DStv prices range from R29 per month for an “EasyView” package – which offers access to 13+ channels and 95 audio channels – to R929 per month for a premium package – which gives users access to 265+ channels.

“As local platforms continue to dominate, South Africa’s streaming trends highlight a strong demand for regional content,” the report added.

“The rise of Free with Ads services also indicates shifting consumer priorities, with affordability driving preferences. With piracy still a challenge, understanding user behaviour is key to shaping the future of the industry.”