The biggest difference between Amazon Prime and Hotstar is that Amazon owns Amazon Prime while Walt Disney owns Hotstar. Amazon Prime has 11 million Indian users, but Hotstar has 350 million users, which is more than Amazon Prime. Hotstar has been up and running since 2015, and Amazon Prime came out in 2016.
The whole world got it in 2016. But people in China, North Korea, Syria, and Iran can’t get it. It can be streamed on smartphones, smart TVs, digital media players, game consoles, and Amazon fire devices. It also has an app for the Android TV apps. Amazon stopped selling Apple TV on their site because it doesn’t work with Amazon Prime videos. But in 2017, Amazon made an Apple TV that could be used with Prime Video.
In some places, Amazon Prime lets you buy or rent films and TV shows. But it is not available in many other places. Amazon Prime has 4k video quality, but it depends on what kind of device you’re using. In 2017, the Diversity in Media Awards gave the Broadcaster of the Year award to Amazon Video UK. Hotstar was made so that Star India’s local networks could be watched online. It had movies, TVs shows, live sports and more.
Additionally, they watched shows from other services and HBO. After partnering with Disney, they started streaming material from the Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Marvel Studios, and National Geographic. Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia are now also served.
The Philippines and Vietnam will be able to buy them in 2022. They are going after Indians who live in places like the US, Canada, and Singapore. In 2015, they got permission to stream the Cricket World Cup and the Indian Premier League.
In 2016, Hotstar took a big step and began streaming good international content. The first step in this project was to stream the first episode of Season 6 of the popular HBO show Game of Thrones. Even though US platforms like Netflix have become more popular in India, Hotstar has stayed on top. In 2019, Hotstar had the most viewers ever for the Indian Premier League and the semi-final match between India and New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup. All told, 25,3 million people watched the games online.
You can stream Hotstar on smart TVs, mobile phones, tablets, and browsers. Users can stream Hotstar on up to four devices at the same time. Some videos can also be saved to your computer.The highest resolution you can get is 1080p, and you can get 4k resolution with a Smart TV. With a VIP or Premium subscription to Hotstar, users can access special content.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar Pricing
Most people base their decision on price when choosing a streaming service. A subscription to Amazon Prime Video costs $8.99 per month or $119 per year. A subscription to Hotstar starts at $9.99 a month or $99 a year. From time to time, both services offer discounts and special deals.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar: Comparison Table
| Features | Amazon Prime Video | Hotstar |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Offers a mix of original content and licensed TV shows and movies from various production houses. | Offers a mix of original content and licensed TV shows and movies mainly from Star Network. |
| Live TV streaming | Offers live TV streaming for select channels. | Offers live TV streaming for select channels. |
| Sports content | Offers some sports content, including NFL games and select tennis tournaments. | Offers a wide range of sports content, including cricket, football, and more. |
| Pricing | Subscription starts at $8.99 per month or $119 per year. | Subscription starts at $9.99 per month or $99 per year. |
| Number of concurrent users | Allows up to 3 concurrent users for streaming. | Allows up to 2 concurrent users for streaming. |
| International availability | Available in more than 240 countries and territories. | Limited availability outside India. |
| App availability | Available on various devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles. | Available on various devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices. |
Amazon prime vs Hotstar Content Library
Amazon Prime Video has both original content and TV shows and films that were made by other companies and licenced to Amazon. Hotstar, on the other hand, has both original content and licenced TV shows and films, most of which come from the Star Network. Both services have large libraries, but Hotstar has more Indian shows and films than Amazon Prime.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar International Availability
International availability is an important thing to think about if you travel a lot or have family and friends who live in different parts of the world. More people can use Amazon Prime Video because it is available in more than 240 countries and territories. On the other hand, Hotstar is not as easy to get outside of India.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar Live TV Streaming
When it comes to streaming live TV, Hotstar has a clear advantage over Amazon Prime. Some channels, like popular sports channels, news channels, and more, can be watched live on Hotstar. Amazon Prime, on the other hand, lets you stream live TV from a smaller number of channels.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar Sports Content
In terms of sports content, Hotstar is the clear winner. Hotstar has a lot of sports-related content, like cricket, football, and more. Contrarily, Amazon Prime only offers a modest selection of sports programming, such as a few tennis matches and NFL games.
Amazon prime vs Hotstar App Availability
Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar can be watched on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices, among other things. On gaming consoles, however, Amazon Prime Video has a wider range of apps.
Amazon prime: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Millions of items can be shipped for free and quickly.
- There are a lot of films, TV shows, and songs to choose from.
- Books and magazines for free
- Deals and discounts just for you
Cons
- Fee paid once a year
- Some items may not be able to be shipped for free.
- Few new films and TV shows to choose from
- For streaming, you need a reliable internet connection.
Hotstar: Pros and Cons
Pros
- There are a lot of Indian and foreign films, TV shows, and sports to choose from.
- Plans for cheap subscriptions
- Having the option to download content to watch later
Cons
- There isn’t much non-Indian content.
- In the free version, ads get in the way of the viewing experience.
- Some sports events may have extra costs.
- For streaming, you need a reliable internet connection.
Which one should you consider?
Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar both have a huge number of TV shows, films, and original shows and films. In the end, you should choose between the two based on your own needs and preferences. Hotstar might be a better choice if you’re mostly interested in Indian shows, sports, and live TV streaming.
Amazon Prime Video might be the way to go if you’re looking for a wider range of content from around the world. No matter which service you choose, you’ll get a lot for your money and have a lot of fun with either one.
FAQs
Disney+ is a streaming service like Netflix, but it only has films and shows that Disney owns in its library. Amazon Prime Video is more like Netflix in that it has films and TV shows from all over, not just from Amazon’s own studios.
Netflix, on the other hand, has one of the largest collections of TV shows and movies, and Hotstar, which is now called Disney+ Hotstar, has content from Disney and its companies, like HBO and Fox, as well as a huge collection of Bollywood movies and TV shows from Indian channels.
