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Launched in 1994 as a premium cable channel, Starz operates as a network but is also known for its streaming service, too. Starz has invested heavily in its original programming slate with the ever-expanding Power universe and series such as Gaslit, a strategy that has paid off with audiences. Fans -- including me -- enjoy P-Valley (which holds a 100% rating with Rotten Tomatoes critics), year-round Power spinoffs and the critically acclaimed Outlander. And you can stream Starz for less than the cost of Netflix.
7.9
Starz
Get Price Alerts
You're receiving price alerts for Starz
Like
New episodes release early
Unlimited downloads for offline viewing
Quality original shows
Ad-free episodes
Don't Like
Original aspect ratio cropped in some movies
Choppy playback on phones
Starz logo lingers in movies
Power and BMF executive producer 50 Cent never misses an opportunity to instruct viewers to "Get the app!" Though the Starz app originally launched in 2012 and doesn't require a cable subscription, the company reported that its streaming customers shot up to 18 million by the end of 2021, reflecting a 40% year-over-year jump.
While Starz may not have a large stable of content like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The company is now locked in a deal with Universal to air films following their theatrical releases. You can count on it to stream major features including Jurassic World: Dominion, The 355, Ambulance and Jennifer Lopez's Marry Me.
Starz also has a way of attracting rock-star talent. The Foo Fighters' debut horror flick Studio 666 will land on the platform this year. And if you happened to catch the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, you may have enjoyed the hip-hop icons like Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige who graced the stage. With the exception of Dr. Dre, each performer has appeared in a Starz TV series in a recurring or guest role (yes, Eminem too).
But why should you follow 50 Cent's advice and download the app, let alone subscribe for $9 a month? For one thing, it's a low price for a service with Starz's selection and no commercials interrupting what you watch. The network also stands apart by promoting diversity and representation in its originals, elevating the voices of women and people of color. This approach contributes to its growing subscriber base and makes Starz an intriguing alternative to its better-known rivals, especially after Netflix's price hike.
Starz vs. Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, Prime
Starz
Netflix
Hulu
HBO Max
Disney Plus
Prime Video
Monthly price
$9
Starts at $9.99
Basic $6.99 with ads, ad-free Premium for $12.99, Live TV for $70
$9.99 for basic with ads, $14.99 for ad-free
$7.99
$8.99 (or included with $140/year Prime membership)
Ads
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Top titles
Power Book II: Ghost, Outlander, BMF, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, P-Valley
Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, Ozark, Money Heist
Handmaid's Tale, Pen15, The Great, Bob's Burgers
Game of Thrones, Dune, Euphoria, DC titles
The Mandalorian, Loki, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, Reacher, The Wheel of Time
Mobile downloads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4K HDR available
Yes (for limited titles)
Yes (on Premium plan)
Yes
Yes (limited titles)
Yes
Yes
Number of streams:
4
1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)
2 (Unlimited with Live TV $9.99 add-on)
3
4
2
Starz streaming app vs. Starz cable channels
The Starz stand-alone app is available for $9 a month. However, there are two Starz premium cable options: Starz and Starz Encore, a suite of niche content. Sometimes they're both included as part of a bundle. Other times, they're sold separately. Starz Encore is mostly new theatrical releases and '70s films.
If you pay for the Starz channel through a cable or satellite TV provider or as an add-on to a streaming service such as Hulu, you can sign in to the Starz app at no additional charge. All of Starz's content is available on the app, but note that Xfinity prohibits its subscribers from using the app.
DirecTV Stream offers Starz as a premium channel (with app access) for $11 a month, while most other providers charge $9 monthly. Unlike HBO Max, for example, the Starz app doesn't have multiple price tiers. Instead, the streaming service offers a single flat rate for its ad-free content, with no option to pay less if you watch ads.
Outlander with Sophie Skelton, Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan.
Starz
There's a standard seven-day free trial for new users, but you can keep your eyes peeled for special promotions to save a little money.
The Starz catalog includes films and flagship originals
Starz has more than 800 movies and 80 television shows in its catalog. Viewers can take in all of its originals on the app, including popular series such as P-Valley, award-winning Outlander, Heels, The White Queen, American Gods, BMF, Black Sails, Ash Vs. Evil Dead, Blindspotting and the Power franchise.
Once upon a time Power was the number two show on cable after Game of Thrones, bringing in an average audience of roughly 8 million, according to Deadline. These days, Power Book IV: Force and Power Book II: Ghost are pulling in big viewership numbers that rival shows on Showtime and HBO Max. And a 2021 report from Parrot Analytics found that demand for Starz originals is higher than Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix -- domestically and globally.
Like its streaming competitors, Starz rotates its film selection based on licensing agreements, so some titles are only available for a limited time. Film choices include every Saw installment -- including Spiral, starring Chris Rock -- along with Men In Black: International, Inglourious Basterds, Forrest Gump, Iron Man 3 and Johnny Depp's City of Lies.
Starz's Power content displayed on screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The new Universal agreement also opens the gates to titles from Blumhouse, Focus Features, plus select movies in the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group library including the Despicable Me and Minions films. The deal affects theatrical releases in 2022 and beyond, enabling Starz to broadcast the studio's big titles exclusively approximately 18 months after their release dates.
Upcoming in-house projects include The Serpent Queen, the 50 Cent-produced Queen Nzinga, a John Wick prequel series and a BMF documentary. Starz also greenlit a romance drama from Ava Duvernay, and new seasons of Blindspotting and Shining Vale starring Courteney Cox.
Starz President of Domestic Networks Alison Hoffman told CNET that much of the brand's success can be attributed to its lineup of diverse content. With women and people of color helming many of the network's series, the company prides itself on listening to its audience, casts and showrunners by telling stories that may not be represented elsewhere. Additionally, Hoffman shared that Starz is focused on beefing up its original programming slate in the coming year.
Now playing:
Watch this:
Starz's makes diversity the rule for its shows -- and...
16:01
Read more: The Best Original TV Shows to Stream on Starz
Starz app offers early access to new episodes
One of the most appealing qualities about streaming via the Starz app is its early release schedule. New episodes of original shows like Power Book II: Ghost, P-Valley and Outlander drop at midnight ET on the day of their air dates, hours before their live premieres on cable. West Coast residents can watch at 9 p.m. PT on a Saturday night. You can watch new episodes as often as you'd like before the live release and then afterward on demand.
How does the app perform?
Starz's interface is user-friendly with neatly organized categories based on genre, originals, previous viewing habits, popularity, special themes or release date. You can also browse movies and series based on alphabetical order, year or your favorite cast members. Starz allows you to click on actors' names for a list of their roles in other projects streaming on the service. Occasionally, the app will automatically recommend "cast picks" connected to who and what you watched.
When filtering a search, there's also an option to choose content based on run time, which ranges from under 20 minutes to over 60 minutes. That includes kid-friendly fare. Like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max, the Starz app gives you the ability to create personal watchlists and up to five user profiles. It also allows four simultaneous streams on any screen. Another plus? You can download as much as you want to kill time when all you have is your phone. Lunch breaks and travel don't have to be boring.
With that in mind, your screen size won't matter when watching movies. One of the downsides of the app is that Starz resizes the aspect ratio for movies. That means if a film was originally shot with letterboxes and a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, Starz sometimes crops it to fill up your entire screen. That makes some movies look distorted. Also, the company logo lurks on the screen during films, which can be a minor annoyance.
Starz on an iPad.
Sarah Tew/CNET
I tried the app on an Android phone and while the sound and picture quality is great, I noticed that playback is sometimes choppy where the video plays at a sped-up pace and throws off its sync. Occasionally, there's a lag with the rewind and fast-forward feature. Additionally, when using an iPad, if you pause a show for too long, the episode starts over when you return. You have to manually fast forward or rewind. Other Android and iOS users have reported similar issues.
The autoplay feature kicks in at the end of every movie or TV show, but you can disable it in the app's settings. Within that menu, users can also choose between medium or high quality for downloads or adjust the parental controls on each profile. For playback, Starz allows you to select English or Spanish for audio language or subtitles. It also has picture-in-picture capability, which enables you to watch two videos at the same time, even if one is on another app.
Starz offers value for $9
When compared to its competitors Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus and Showtime, the Starz app is on the lower end of the price spectrum. Disney Plus is $8, Prime Video costs $9, HBO Max clocks in at $10 a month while Showtime costs $11 with similar offerings. While Starz's catalog may not be as expansive as other streaming services, it's growing and its exclusive prestige originals make it a viable choice.
Catharina
www.ece.cmu.edu/~protoflex/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=https://asiaporntube.pro
Launched in 1994 as a premium cable channel, Starz operates as a network but is also known for its streaming service, too. Starz has invested heavily in its original programming slate with the ever-expanding Power universe and series such as Gaslit, a strategy that has paid off with audiences. Fans -- including me -- enjoy P-Valley (which holds a 100% rating with Rotten Tomatoes critics), year-round Power spinoffs and the critically acclaimed Outlander. And you can stream Starz for less than the cost of Netflix.
7.9
Starz
Get Price Alerts
You're receiving price alerts for Starz
Like
New episodes release early
Unlimited downloads for offline viewing
Quality original shows
Ad-free episodes
Don't Like
Original aspect ratio cropped in some movies
Choppy playback on phones
Starz logo lingers in movies
Power and BMF executive producer 50 Cent never misses an opportunity to instruct viewers to "Get the app!" Though the Starz app originally launched in 2012 and doesn't require a cable subscription, the company reported that its streaming customers shot up to 18 million by the end of 2021, reflecting a 40% year-over-year jump.
While Starz may not have a large stable of content like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The company is now locked in a deal with Universal to air films following their theatrical releases. You can count on it to stream major features including Jurassic World: Dominion, The 355, Ambulance and Jennifer Lopez's Marry Me.
Starz also has a way of attracting rock-star talent. The Foo Fighters' debut horror flick Studio 666 will land on the platform this year. And if you happened to catch the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, you may have enjoyed the hip-hop icons like Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige who graced the stage. With the exception of Dr. Dre, each performer has appeared in a Starz TV series in a recurring or guest role (yes, Eminem too).
But why should you follow 50 Cent's advice and download the app, let alone subscribe for $9 a month? For one thing, it's a low price for a service with Starz's selection and no commercials interrupting what you watch. The network also stands apart by promoting diversity and representation in its originals, elevating the voices of women and people of color. This approach contributes to its growing subscriber base and makes Starz an intriguing alternative to its better-known rivals, especially after Netflix's price hike.
Starz vs. Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, Prime
Starz
Netflix
Hulu
HBO Max
Disney Plus
Prime Video
Monthly price
$9
Starts at $9.99
Basic $6.99 with ads, ad-free Premium for $12.99, Live TV for $70
$9.99 for basic with ads, $14.99 for ad-free
$7.99
$8.99 (or included with $140/year Prime membership)
Ads
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Top titles
Power Book II: Ghost, Outlander, BMF, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, P-Valley
Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, Ozark, Money Heist
Handmaid's Tale, Pen15, The Great, Bob's Burgers
Game of Thrones, Dune, Euphoria, DC titles
The Mandalorian, Loki, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, Reacher, The Wheel of Time
Mobile downloads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
4K HDR available
Yes (for limited titles)
Yes (on Premium plan)
Yes
Yes (limited titles)
Yes
Yes
Number of streams:
4
1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)
2 (Unlimited with Live TV $9.99 add-on)
3
4
2
Starz streaming app vs. Starz cable channels
The Starz stand-alone app is available for $9 a month. However, there are two Starz premium cable options: Starz and Starz Encore, a suite of niche content. Sometimes they're both included as part of a bundle. Other times, they're sold separately. Starz Encore is mostly new theatrical releases and '70s films.
If you pay for the Starz channel through a cable or satellite TV provider or as an add-on to a streaming service such as Hulu, you can sign in to the Starz app at no additional charge. All of Starz's content is available on the app, but note that Xfinity prohibits its subscribers from using the app.
DirecTV Stream offers Starz as a premium channel (with app access) for $11 a month, while most other providers charge $9 monthly. Unlike HBO Max, for example, the Starz app doesn't have multiple price tiers. Instead, the streaming service offers a single flat rate for its ad-free content, with no option to pay less if you watch ads.
Outlander with Sophie Skelton, Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan.
Starz
There's a standard seven-day free trial for new users, but you can keep your eyes peeled for special promotions to save a little money.
The Starz catalog includes films and flagship originals
Starz has more than 800 movies and 80 television shows in its catalog. Viewers can take in all of its originals on the app, including popular series such as P-Valley, award-winning Outlander, Heels, The White Queen, American Gods, BMF, Black Sails, Ash Vs. Evil Dead, Blindspotting and the Power franchise.
Once upon a time Power was the number two show on cable after Game of Thrones, bringing in an average audience of roughly 8 million, according to Deadline. These days, Power Book IV: Force and Power Book II: Ghost are pulling in big viewership numbers that rival shows on Showtime and HBO Max. And a 2021 report from Parrot Analytics found that demand for Starz originals is higher than Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix -- domestically and globally.
Like its streaming competitors, Starz rotates its film selection based on licensing agreements, so some titles are only available for a limited time. Film choices include every Saw installment -- including Spiral, starring Chris Rock -- along with Men In Black: International, Inglourious Basterds, Forrest Gump, Iron Man 3 and Johnny Depp's City of Lies.
Starz's Power content displayed on screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The new Universal agreement also opens the gates to titles from Blumhouse, Focus Features, plus select movies in the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group library including the Despicable Me and Minions films. The deal affects theatrical releases in 2022 and beyond, enabling Starz to broadcast the studio's big titles exclusively approximately 18 months after their release dates.
Upcoming in-house projects include The Serpent Queen, the 50 Cent-produced Queen Nzinga, a John Wick prequel series and a BMF documentary. Starz also greenlit a romance drama from Ava Duvernay, and new seasons of Blindspotting and Shining Vale starring Courteney Cox.
Starz President of Domestic Networks Alison Hoffman told CNET that much of the brand's success can be attributed to its lineup of diverse content. With women and people of color helming many of the network's series, the company prides itself on listening to its audience, casts and showrunners by telling stories that may not be represented elsewhere. Additionally, Hoffman shared that Starz is focused on beefing up its original programming slate in the coming year.
Now playing:
Watch this:
Starz's makes diversity the rule for its shows -- and...
16:01
Read more: The Best Original TV Shows to Stream on Starz
Starz app offers early access to new episodes
One of the most appealing qualities about streaming via the Starz app is its early release schedule. New episodes of original shows like Power Book II: Ghost, P-Valley and Outlander drop at midnight ET on the day of their air dates, hours before their live premieres on cable. West Coast residents can watch at 9 p.m. PT on a Saturday night. You can watch new episodes as often as you'd like before the live release and then afterward on demand.
How does the app perform?
Starz's interface is user-friendly with neatly organized categories based on genre, originals, previous viewing habits, popularity, special themes or release date. You can also browse movies and series based on alphabetical order, year or your favorite cast members. Starz allows you to click on actors' names for a list of their roles in other projects streaming on the service. Occasionally, the app will automatically recommend "cast picks" connected to who and what you watched.
When filtering a search, there's also an option to choose content based on run time, which ranges from under 20 minutes to over 60 minutes. That includes kid-friendly fare. Like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max, the Starz app gives you the ability to create personal watchlists and up to five user profiles. It also allows four simultaneous streams on any screen. Another plus? You can download as much as you want to kill time when all you have is your phone. Lunch breaks and travel don't have to be boring.
With that in mind, your screen size won't matter when watching movies. One of the downsides of the app is that Starz resizes the aspect ratio for movies. That means if a film was originally shot with letterboxes and a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1, Starz sometimes crops it to fill up your entire screen. That makes some movies look distorted. Also, the company logo lurks on the screen during films, which can be a minor annoyance.
Starz on an iPad.
Sarah Tew/CNET
I tried the app on an Android phone and while the sound and picture quality is great, I noticed that playback is sometimes choppy where the video plays at a sped-up pace and throws off its sync. Occasionally, there's a lag with the rewind and fast-forward feature. Additionally, when using an iPad, if you pause a show for too long, the episode starts over when you return. You have to manually fast forward or rewind. Other Android and iOS users have reported similar issues.
The autoplay feature kicks in at the end of every movie or TV show, but you can disable it in the app's settings. Within that menu, users can also choose between medium or high quality for downloads or adjust the parental controls on each profile. For playback, Starz allows you to select English or Spanish for audio language or subtitles. It also has picture-in-picture capability, which enables you to watch two videos at the same time, even if one is on another app.
Starz offers value for $9
When compared to its competitors Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus and Showtime, the Starz app is on the lower end of the price spectrum. Disney Plus is $8, Prime Video costs $9, HBO Max clocks in at $10 a month while Showtime costs $11 with similar offerings. While Starz's catalog may not be as expansive as other streaming services, it's growing and its exclusive prestige originals make it a viable choice.
Catharina
www.ece.cmu.edu/~protoflex/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=https://asiaporntube.pro