Also find out There is a surge in usage of OTT Platforms in India and the rest of the world. Currently, there are more than 40+ OTT platforms in India alone. Most of these platforms along with having popular movies and series from different production houses also have their original series or movies. The OTT platform industry has grown exponentially in the last few years. The number of OTT platforms is increasing every single day. In this article, we are discussing India’s top 5 OTT platforms in detail along with other necessary information that you need to know about them.
What Is an OTT Platform?
The full form of OTT is “Over the Top”. These platforms provide users with an online streaming service for any kind of media; it can be audio, video or both. Today most youngsters prefer watching shows on different online streaming platforms rather than watching them on television. These online streaming services are also referred to as a video demand service. For most of these OTT platforms, users have to pay a definite amount of money every month, also called a subscription fee.
Compared to a television, you can watch the series of your choice anytime you want on an OTT platform. This is one of the most important features that make these platforms better than television. Users have the flexibility to watch their favorite shows whenever and from where they want.
Following are some of the major categories of OTT platforms:
- Subscription Video on demand
- Advertising Video on demand
- Freemium and transactional video on demand
According to the latest statistics, subscription video on demand is significantly the most popular type of OTT platforms in India. In this article, we are mostly talking about subscription Video-on-demand platforms.
Please note that YouTube is also an OTT platform, however, we are not considering it for this post because YouTube has a separate fan base and you do not need to pay any subscription amount to watch videos on YouTube. Plus everybody already knows about YouTube.
What makes these auditory platforms different from DTH or any other television services?
An OTT platform provides the user with the flexibility to choose what and when you want to watch something. The pause and play option that comes in these platforms is another added advantage for users. However, both OTT platforms and television have their pros and cons and here we are discussing them in detail.
For watching anything on an OTT platform you need to have internet, however, you do not need an Internet connection to watch the same television show. To watch shows on television you need either a cable dish or a set-top box. Television shows have a fixed program time which is predefined for each channel. Television also does not come with any pause and play option; however, you get that on an OTT platform. These platforms have higher ROI which also means less costing but televisions have lower ROI which also means costs and are also very high. These online streaming platforms are perfect for someone who prefers binge-watching a show in one go. On television, these episodes follow a particular day and time schedule. You can watch your favorite show on any device that you own, online streaming platforms do not have any device restriction.
How did the OTT Platform start in India?
In the year 2008, Reliance entertainment introduced BigFlix in India. This was the very first OTT platform in India. BigFlix was the Inception for OTT platforms in India and the journey still continues. nextGTv which was introduced in the year 2010, was the next OTT platform for India. It is the first OTT mobile application in India. This was the very first mobile application that started live streaming TV shows along with on-demand services in India. Ever since the introduction of this mobile application, OTT platforms in India never look back and the numbers are still increasing every day.
How Many OTT Platforms are there in India?
India has many OTT platforms and the list is still growing. Audiences are now getting more and more interested in watching on-demand services rather than TV shows. This leads to an increased number of OTT platforms. The number of regional channels is also increasing. However, even with the increasing number of OTT platforms, Netflix, Prime and Hotstar are some of the best OTT platforms in India.
What are the effects of lockdown on OTT platforms?
The world shut down in the year 2020 with lockdown and many small and large businesses had to undergo many changes. However, the OTT platform required very few changes. With lockdown filming movies and theatre has stopped entirely. Additionally, movie theatres are not operational during the lockdown. Only OTT platforms offer the option to watch anything of your choice staying at the comfort of your home.
Also, since people are mostly at home, OTT platforms help them provide entertainment. With nothing much to do at home, the usage of mobile devices has increased a lot. Internet usage has drastically increased mostly in metro cities which in turn increased the watch time of these OTT platforms. According to a recent report, internet usage has increased by 60% in metro cities. Due to constantly staying at home, most of us binge-watch shows, this is the primary reason for increased usage of the internet.
Top 5 OTT Platforms in India
There are more than 40+ OTT platforms in India that offer on-demand streaming. However, users do not love every OTT platform there is. Following are the top 5 OTT platforms in India. Also find out why they are considered the best.
1. Disney+ Hotstar
This is the very first OTT India platform on our list. Disney+Hotstar was previously known as Hotstar. This is one of the most dominant OTT platforms in India; it was launched in the year 2015. The HotStar + Disney platform currently has more than 300 million active subscribers which is a user number for any online streaming platform.
Star India owns this platform. When Walt Disney acquired Parent company 21st Century Fox in 2019, Hotstar became Disney + Hotstar. Hotstar changed its name to Disney + Hotstar in the year 2020. The platform is mostly famous for Game of Thrones, Cricket World Cup 2015 and Indian Premier League 2019 live streaming. All three combined together gave a rise to the worship of this particular online streaming platform.
The Disney + Hotstar subscription is available in two different categories:
The VIP plan for Rs399/year
The premium plan for 1499/year (299 for a month)
Features of Each Plan by Disney + HotStar
The VIP subscription offers users HD quality streaming and all the Disney and Marvel movies are available dubbed in local languages. However, the VIP subscription has content ads and you can only watch on a single screen at a time. Also, you do not get any English shows or Disney Originals in this subscription pack.
The premium subscription package offers users everything that’s included in the VIP package along with some additions. The premium subscription is free and you can watch two screens at a time. Also, in the premium subscription, you can watch all English Disney shows and Disney originals.
Disney + Hotstar is available in many different languages such as Marathi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Indonesian.
2. Netflix
Second, on our list we have Netflix. It is surely one of the most popularly used OTT India applications and websites around the world. Netflix was launched in the year 1997 in the United States. However, Indian audience only got it in 2016. It is one of the most used OTT platforms in the world. It is available in different countries like Germany, France, United Kingdom, Australia and many others.
Netflix is popular for its original series and has created some of the best high-budgeted movies and series over the past few years. Some of the most viewed series on Netflix are Money Heist, The Crown, House of Cards and Scared Games. Netflix originals have a huge fan base all around the world because of their high production quality.
Compared to Disney + Hotstar, Netflix has very few subscribers. It is one of the premium OTT subscriptions. Netflix offers a wide range of subscription plans.
Below we have listed the subscription plans offered by Netflix.
Monthly mobile plan for Rs 199/ month.
The basic plan for Rs 499/month.
The Standard plan for Rs 649/month.
The premium plan for 799/month.
Features of Each Plan by Netflix
The mobile plan only allows user to watch an online stream of movies and series on mobile devices only. Additionally, you also do not get HD quality.
The basic plan allows users to watch content on desktop, mobile phones, tablet as well as on television. However, just like the mobile pack, this also offers only SD quality and allows only one user at a time. The standard plan allows two users to watch content at the same time and offers HD quality.The Premium plan is surely the best, you get all features along with HD(4K) and HDR resolution.
Netflix is available in many different languages starting from English to Telugu and Tamil. Netflix content is made for everybody. It also comes with a kids feature that restricts content that is not meant for kids.
3. Zee 5
Zee 5 is yet another very popular OTT platform in India. It was first introduced in 2013 and was known as DittoTV. It was an aggregator service that broadcasted shows from different TV channels such as Star, Sony and Zee TV itself. The previous app dissolved in 2018 and zee5 was introduced as a replacement.
Currently, Zee 5 has more than 1000 movies and 100+ live TV channels. Zee 5 only has one premium subscription for Rs 499 a year.
Features of Each Plan by Zee 5
With the premium subscription, users can watch all Zee shows even before they are telecasted on the television. They can also enjoy all Zee 5 Originals, ALT Balaji shows and more than 4500 movies. You can stream shows on 5 devices at a time.
Content is available in many different languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Odia, English, Malayalam and Gujarati.
4. Amazon Prime Video
Another popular and widely used OTT platform in India is Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime Video or Amazon Prime was introduced in the year 2016 in India. It was first introduced in the United States in the year 2006 as Amazon Inc. apart from the United States and India, it is available in many other countries including Canada, Germany, UK, Australia and many more.
Amazon Prime has a main use library of movies and TV shows, you will surely find something to watch that suits your taste. Just like most other online streaming platforms, this one also produces its original series. Mirzapur and the family man are the two most famous series of Amazon Prime in India.
It is the second most subscribed OTT platform in India after Netflix. Compared to Netflix the subscription charge is very less but the qualities of the shows offered are almost similar. You can join Amazon Prime for 3 months for Rs 329. Alternatively, you can also go for the One-year subscription plan which is for Rs 999.
Features of Each Plan by Amazon Prime
With the Amazon Prime subscription for a year you get free and fast delivery of all Amazon products. You can access ad-free music on Amazon Prime music, watch movies and series on Amazon Prime video, read eBooks and stories on Amazon reading along with enjoying free in-game content Available on their gaming platform. In all, Amazon Prime is a very good subscription plan for someone who is looking for something under budget and also wants to watch Indian movies and series in general.
Amazon Prime, just like most other OTT platforms, is available in various languages starting from English, Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati and Punjabi.
5. SonyLIV
On the list of best 5 OTT platforms in India SonyLIV is in the fifth position. Sony Pictures Network India Pvt. Ltd introduced it in the year 2013. Currently, the platform has more than 700+ TV shows and movies. Just like most other similar platforms, this one also produces its original series from time to time. Married Women Diaries, Lovebytes and many others are some of the popular ones.
SonyLIV has two different subscription plans. The WWE Network plan costs Rs 299/ year. With this subscription plan, you can only watch WWE events, for watching everything else; you need to have the premium plan. The SonyLIV premium plan is for Rs 999/ year.
Features of Each Plan by SonyLIV
With the premium subscription plan, you can watch all the latest international shows, live sports and TV channels. You can also watch all Sony and SAB shows on TV time along with all LIV specials + KBC PlayAlong Gold. The platform allows two users at a time.
SonyLIV is an Indian OTT platform hence has most Indian languages. You can watch content in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil on SonyLIV.
Pros and Cons of OTT Platforms in India
Compared to the number of television series watched by youngsters previously on television, the amount has drastically decreased. Watching series on OTT India platforms is the new trend and people seem to love it more than television. Below we have discussed the pros and cons of Over-The-Top platforms.
When it comes to the pros, the very first thing that comes to our mind is the freedom and flexibility you get with these platforms. As a user, you can choose to watch whatever and whenever you want. The quality of the content also depends on your choice; you can choose to watch regional or international content as per your liking. Additionally, there is no device restriction. You can watch on any device of your choice.
However, just like everything, OTT platforms also have their cons. Often users tend to binge watch which is extremely harmful to their health. Binge-watching is almost just like an addiction. OTT platforms enjoy very limited censorship, hence parents need to be extra careful and should keep an eye on their kid’s watch list. OTT applications have also increased the daily internet usage amount to a huge extent in almost every household.
More about Over-The-Top Platforms – FAQ
Does the government of India regulate OTT platforms?
All OTT platforms in India come under the Information and Broadcast ministry of the Indian government. The government has recently introduced a three-tier mechanism for regulating all online streaming platforms operating in India. Tier one is made by the OTT platform itself by appointing grievance redressed officers. The tier-two regulation is done by appointing redressed regulations by a self-regulatory body that comprises all OTT platforms. The tier-three committee comprises direct members from the I&B ministry.
What is the revenue source for OTT platforms?
We have already discussed the paid subscription plan of all OTT platforms. Just like the top 5 OTT platforms, most of them come with a paid subscription plan. This is the primary source of income for all OTT platforms. Apart from this, OTT platforms can also offer content for free including some product and service, in return, the company has to pay the platform a certain amount of money. Big OTT platforms now have their own production house which reduces their net expense to a huge extent.
Which is the best online streaming application to watch sports, especially cricket?
When it comes to online sports streaming in India, the audiences have been mostly watching sports on Disney + Hotstar and SonyLIV. Both of these streaming platforms are the best in terms of broadcasting sports events in India. Both of these platforms streams cricket, football, soccer and many other sports.
Which is the best OTT platform to watch Hollywood movies and Bollywood movies?
Amazon has the best collection of Bollywood movies. It is the best platform for watching Bollywood movies. You will find movies from different genres. However, Netflix also has a decent collection of Bollywood movies. When it comes to Hollywood series and movies, Disney + Hotstar and Netflix is the best option. Both of these platforms have a wide range of Hollywood movies. You will find the latest as well as old Hollywood content on both of these streaming platforms.
To Conclude
Gone are those days when every member of the family used to watch TV programs together sitting in the hall. We would already know about our favourite show’s timing. But now with the introduction of various OTT platforms, the entire scenario has changed. Audiences now have full control over what and when they want to watch a specific show. There is no need to adjust your schedule just to watch your favourite show. OTT platforms have their pros and cons and we have already discussed them earlier. Because of OTT platforms, we now get to know about different cultures from different parts of the country sitting at our home. IT is like home delivery of your favourite series and movies.
Due to the pandemic, many new movies are releasing on OTT platforms. This itself is a great initiative and is also cost-effective at the same time. Even though it can’t replace the experience of watching a movie in a theatre, it is any day better than cable TV. We are anticipating that by 2030, OTT platforms will take over the entire media industry. Also, since the usage and spread of the internet are increasing at a fast pace, OTT platforms are expected to grow a lot in the coming future.
Which is your favourite OTT platform and what do you binge-watch?
