Binge vs Netflix

Foxtel's streaming sidekick Binge might have come a little late to the game, long after Netflix's global domination, but it's still the premium destination to stream some of the world's most popular TV shows.  

When it first launched, it didn't seem like Binge would stand a chance against the tidal wave of streaming services available in Australia, but over the last few years its proven itself a solid contender in the streaming space. If you're tossing up between Binge and Netflix, there are a few factors to consider but none more important than the exclusive content each service houses. 

Thanks to VPN and smart DNS services, Netflix has been a favourite of Australian SVOD bingers since before it officially launched in Australia in 2015. Despite a library that’s smaller than its US and UK counterparts, Netflix has become synonymous with SVOD services in Australia to the tune of more than 11 million subscribers. That number has likely surged upwards, too, since the coronavirus pandemic pushed the majority of the population indoors.

The Netflix library is locationally determined, meaning if you were to travel overseas and log in to your account, you’d have access to the library based on that location. Certain licensed titles may still be available that are identical to the Australian library, but the only thing you can count on is that Netflix’s original programming, movies and TV series, will be available in every region in which Netflix is available.

Binge is exclusively for use in Australia, which means you can only access the content in Australia on supported devices (unless you have a VPN service that hasn’t been blocked). Under normal circumstances, select Netflix content can be streamed in up to 4K quality. Binge launched with no 4K streaming but added a premium Ultra High Definition tier in late 2023. 

Both Binge and Netflix have a similar approach to a multi-tiered pricing structure that, the more you pay, unlocks additional streams and higher fidelity.

Netflix offers three plans:

• Netflix Basic with Ads costs $7.99 per month for two HD 1080p streams and two offline download devices and ad breaks
• Netflix Standard costs $18.99 per month for two HD 1080p streams and two offline download devices with no ads
• Netflix Premium costs $25.99 per month for four 4K Ultra High Definition streams and four offline download devices with no ad breaks

For help deciding what Netflix plan is best for you, check out our guide on Netflix prices.

Binge has three plans, all of which revolve around a mix of simultaneous streams at HD or 4K quality.

• Binge Basic with ads costs $10 per month (or $79 per year) for 1 HD 1080p stream with ad breaks
• Binge Standard costs $19 per month (or $149 per year) for two HD 1080p streams with no ad breaks
• Binge Premium costs $22 per month (or $179 per year) for four 4K streams and no ad breaks

Currently, Binge doesn’t offer the option to save and view content offline.

Specific library sizes for both streaming services are difficult to calculate as new content is regularly added and removed. That said, at the time of writing, Netflix Australia has a library of over 7,000 titles across movies and TV series.

Binge, on the other hand, has a more modest library of just over 2,500 titles. 

Still, it matters not the size of your streaming library rather the TV shows and movies in it and Binge doesn't disappoint. 

Aside from a rotating roster of licensed movies, TV shows and documentaries – some of which are there for a short time, while others feel more or less like permanent fixtures – Netflix Australia’s biggest selling point is its original content. While the quality of its movies tend to leave a lot to be desired, Netflix original TV series have a strong reputation for quality and, like HBO’s best watercooler shows, are a big part of the home entertainment day-to-day conversation. Some of the most popular TV shows currently streaming on Netflix include The Rookie, Line of Duty, 3 Body Problem and The Dragon Prince.

Binge’s library is effectively the Foxtel channels distilled into a streaming service. This means it’s a mix of mostly licensed content, as well as Foxtel originals like Wentworth. Where Netflix has a tendency to drop an entire season of content at once, Foxtel offers a mix of on-demand content, as well as new episodes that air for the first time simultaneously with the Foxtel schedule.

Some of Binge’s bigger licensees include HBO, BBC, FX, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros. Some popular TV shows currently streaming on Binge include The Day of the Jackal, The Penguin, The White Lotus and True Detective: Night Country.

Regardless of what device you’re using or whether you’re streaming on home or mobile internet, Netflix’s bandwidth requirements break down like this.

• 0.5Mbps is the minimum connection speed.
• 1.5Mbps is the recommended connection speed.
• 3.0Mbps is recommended for SD quality.
• 5.0Mbps is recommended for HD quality.
• 25Mbps is recommended for Ultra HD (4K) quality.

In terms of data usage, Netflix can use as little as roughly 225MB of data per hour of streaming or as much as 1.35GB (SD), 2.25GB (HD) or 11.25GB (UHD) per hour.

Binge claims the streaming service uses around 3–4Mbps for streaming at HD quality, with SD streaming measuring in at “about a third” of that, according to Les Wigan. This means an SD stream will use around 450MB to 600MB per hour of SD playback or as much as 1.35GB to 1.8GB per hour of HD streaming.

This puts the lower-end estimates of Binge’s HD streaming as equivalent to Netflix’s SD bandwidth usage, which means that, overall, Binge is using less data per hour.

Whether you open Netflix in a browser or an app, you’re greeted with ‘hero’ content at the top, which tends to be spruiking the latest Netflix TV series, movie, or documentary release. Scroll down and you’ll find a ‘My List’ carousel, which is comprised of content you’ve added for later viewing.

Below this, there are various carousels spread into different content, some of which are logical –what’s popular (including a separate top 10, by region), what’s trending, Netflix originals, and items you may want to watch again – while others are quite niche and algorithmically linked to your viewing habits.

Shows can be rated with a simple thumbs up or thumbs down, and you can search for content by name, category, or the talent involved. There is also support for up to five profiles to keep content separate and personalised between household viewers. For kids, there’s a dedicated ‘Kids’ tab that automatically populates this home screen with age-appropriate content.

On the mobile versions of Netflix, you can download content for offline playback on supported devices.

It’s clear that the user-experience wizards at Binge have used Netflix as a template for building its user interface, but they’ve also spliced streaming expectations with traditional TV viewing. In terms of content categories – movies, TV series and documentaries – Binge will should feel right at home for Netflix users. While there is hero content at the top of the Binge experience, scrolling also reveals additional promoted content to tempt you into watching faster.

It also uses a data-driven algorithm to recommend personalised content, but there’s also expertly curated content that Binge promotes. If you use Binge on a web browser or streaming device, there’s a ‘Surprise Me!’ feature that plays content immediately, with the option to continuously reroll your luck if you don’t like what you see.

Building on this logic of getting you playing rather than scrolling are ‘Binge Centres’ that bundle relevant TV series, movies and documentaries into one place for convenient bingeing. Or you can build your own ‘BingeLists’, with the option of continuing where you left off within each list. On top of this, there’s the option for up to six Binge profiles per account.

Both Netflix and Binge are supported on a variety of devices, and Binge has only increased its availability since launch.

Netflix is supported on a wide range of devices, including media players, smart TVs, game consoles, and mobile devices.

• Streaming media players: Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, Amazon Fire Stick
• Smart TVs: select models from Hisense, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony and Hubbl Glass
• Game consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X
• Blu-ray players: select models from LG, Samsung, and Sony.
• Smartphones and tablets: Select Android (Android 5.0 or later) and Apple (iOS 12.0 or later).
• PC and Mac: Google Chrome (720p), Internet Explorer (1080p), Microsoft Edge (4K), Mozilla Firefox (720p), Opera (720p), Windows 8 app (1080p), Windows 10 app (4K).
• Set-top boxes: Fetch TV, Hubbl and Hubbl Glass

Since it first launched, Binge has become available on more devices, including PlayStation and Xbox consoles. 

• Streaming media players: Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, Amazon Fire Stick
• Smart TVs: select models from Hisense, LG, Samsung, Android TV 8.0+ and Hubbl Glass
• Game consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One S, Xbox One X, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
• Smartphones and tablets: Select Android (Android 8.0 or later) and Apple (iOS 15.0 or later).
• PC and Mac: macOS 10.12 and later and Windows 10 or later
• Set-top boxes: Fetch TV and Hubbl 

Take a look at the table below to find out how Binge and Netflix stack up against Stan, Prime Video and more.