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Best streaming services for documentaries in Australia (2025)
 | Tubi
2,500+ documentaries Niche and mainstream TV and movies | Free | Go to site |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Docplay
~2,000 documentaries Global features and docuseries | $9.99/mth | Go to site |
 | Netflix
700+ documentaries Smash hit Netflix originals | From $9.99/mth With ads | Read review |
 | Prime Video
1,100+ documentaries Shopping perks with Prime Deal: 30-day free trial | $9.99/mth | Go to site |
 | Disney Plus
400+ documentaries Disney, Star, ESPN, and more Deal: 16% off on annual subscriptions | From $15.99/mth | Go to site |
 | SBS On Demand
250+ documentaries Australian-first content | Free | Go to site |
 | Stan
110+ documentaries Sony Pictures, British television, and exclusives | From $12/mth | Read review |
 | ABC iView
60+ documentaries ABC originals, feature films, and kids content | Free | Go to site |
 | Paramount Plus
60+ documentaries TV shows, movies, and live news | From $6.99/mth With ads | Go to site |
 | Mubi
40+ documentaries Hand curated, experimental cinema Deal: 33% off on annual subscriptions | From $14.99/mth | Go to site |
 | Apple TV Plus
25+ documentaries High budget, entirely original programming | $15.99/mth | Go to site |
3 min readHide
Documentaries are only getting more popular, so if you've been trying to find the best way to get your fix you're not alone. Most streaming platforms focus primarily on television shows and movies, with a small documentary section. There's nothing wrong with this, but it can make it hard to sift through the catalogue and bring the gems to the surface.
We spend all too much time watching streaming services, and writing about them, so we're qualified to give you some guidance here. We took a look at not only the size of Australia's streamers' documentary catalogues, but also what kind of content you're likely to find. Naturally we take into account other aspects like price and resolution, but we have mainly focused on which streaming service has the best options for documentary viewing.
Which service has the best documentaries?
Simply picking the best streaming service based on how many documentaries it has doesn't really make sense. Of course quantity matters, but so does quality. Quality, is also subjective, but popularity! We can measure popularity.
Below we have pulled out the 30 most popular documentaries according to JustWatch, at the time of writing. This isn't a definitive list by any means, but it can give us a good indication of the kind of content people are aching for right now.
Out of these 30, Netflix holds 14 of them, DocPlay has five, Disney Plus has three, ABC iView and Stan both have two, and Binge and HBO Max have one each. From this perspective, Netflix has the best access to popular documentaries by a long shot. That doesn't necessarily make it your best option, but it is a good place to start.
We dive into each of the streamers a bit deeper below, but if you're looking for one particular doco all your mates are talking about, it is probably listed below.
Tubi
Best overall streamer for documentaries
Completely free
Surprisingly decent catalogue 
Occasional ads 
Largest catalogue
Ad breaks
No ad-free option
HD
720p High Definition
Even though Tubi doesn't pop up once in the most popular documentaries, we still think it is the best streaming service for doco lovers. Not only does Tubi have the largest catalogue of documentaries with over 2,500 available to stream, they are all available entirely free.
In case you were wondering, it is 100% legal to use. Unlike most subscription models, Tubi is 100% ad-supported. You'll only need to pay with your time. Still, there aren’t as many ads as you would expect given it's free. Ad breaks are only around one to two minutes long, and there are only around six ads per show.
The full 12,000+ deep catalogue includes a bunch of TV shows and movies of varying quality. If you're a sucker for some weird cinema then Tubi will also provide on that front.
DocPlay
Next best streamer for documentaries
No ads
Huge documentary catalogue
Maxes out at 1080p HD Dedicated to documentaries
14-day
Free Trial
HD/1080p
for select titles
Discounts
for annual subs
DocPlay is the largest, documentary-only streaming service in Australia and New Zealand, we couldn't possibly leave it off the list. While it only holds five of the most popular documentaries showing right now, its catalogue is close to 2,000 deep, and heavily varied.
It holds a bunch of titles including art and culture docs, music, science, sports, and of course true crime. DocPlay supports a range of smaller documentary creators and pitches its content as 'never boring'.
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Netflix
Best streamer for popular documentaries
Smooth, user-friendly UI
Extensive library
4K exclusive to Premium plan
Ad breaks on cheapest plan
Password-sharing restrictions Popular favs
Ad breaks
$18.99/mth for ad-free
4K/HDR
for $25.99/mth
Netflix is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. While it has the greatest number of the most popular documentaries, it is also the most popular streaming service in the country. There is a solid chance that the later plays a big influence on the former. Even so, if you want to be ready for water-cooler conversation then Netflix is the place to get your docs.
Holding 14 out of the top 30 docos, Netflix gets a good showing in its relatively small 700+ documentary catalogue. Many of these are Netflix exclusives, but there are a bunch of classic docos and series available across the platform as well.
Honestly though, we struggle a bit to recommend Netflix. It set the stage for streaming in Australia, but it has also been the first to bring in our biggest pet peeves like ad-supported tiers. Neverending price-hikes, crackdowns on password-sharing and a tendency to cancel some fantastic television shows have also given us pause. You couldn't be blamed for eyeing off the cancel button.
Still, as it stands Netflix is still a solid option if you want to be watching what everyone else is. If you'd rather charter your own course, then our other picks are the way to go.
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