The choice between Netflix, iflix and Astro is a good but hard one. For many, the prospect of a Netflix vs iflix vs Astro were never on their minds two years ago. It all started when Catcha Group started iflix and all the sudden we had something to look forward to. Last month, Netflix decided to launch globally and all the sudden we have Netflix available officially in Malaysia!
So, who would we vote for in the Netflix vs iflix vs Astro contest? Having been an avid user of Netflix for the last two years, we checked out the competition to help you decide the best.
Netflix vs iflix vs Astro : Best For Sports?
If you are a sports fan, your only choice is Astro. That is if you only watch a staple of sports from soccer, tennis, F1 and the likes. Netflix and iflix do not have live telecasts of sporting events and will stay so. However, you might be able to catch some great matches at the mamak shop down the road if you don’t mind and don’t watch live sports that often.
Having said that, ESPN which is own by Disney, might be available on Apple TV in the future. You can also consider subscribing to Sling TV for ESPN and live sports for only USD 20 per month.
Netflix vs iflix vs Astro : Best for TV series?
For TV series you cannot beat Netflix, who boast a number of Netflix Original titles as well as rolling rights to screen many popular ones. However, you might not be able to find them all in Malaysia. Here is where Unotelly and DNS changing comes in place. With a service like Filmefy, you are able to search for playlists of recommended movies and TV series and then switch over using Unotelly’s Dynamo.
We took a look at iflix’s offering and were dismayed by a lack of top titles. Their collection is surprisingly small considering that Netflix has entered the fray in Malaysia.
We do not rate Astro for TV series because it is really hard to binge watch when you need to record shows on the DVR or watch it on the spot. That will cause many of us to then have to program our recorders for the following episode.
Read : How to watch Netflix USA in Malaysia, Singapore and other Asian countries.
Netflix vs iflix vs Astro : Best for Movies?
When it comes to movies, Astro again finds itself in a disadvantageous position. With a limited OD (on-demand) library that might costs viewers every time they watch, Astro users are forced to watch whatever Astro has on TV. And that might include repeats.
In comparison, iflix and Netflix comes with the ability to watch, pause and switch movies anytime. This beats the need for users to download illegal torrents online.
In terms of movies quality and quantity, Netflix beats iflix hands down. You might not be able to see much of a selection of movies on Netflix though, unless you switch over to US using the Unotelly Dynamo function.
Conclusion
In all, Netflix and iflix are more alike compared to Astro, a cable TV provider. In places like the US, cable TV providers have been haemorrhaging due to their expensive prices and their measly selection of movies and TV series. The lack of free on-demand shows hampers the modern day KL-lite who juggles between his/her job, fitness, dating, investment, children and parents.
You will find it hard to watch a TV series from the start till the end unless you maintain a level of discipline. However, with Netflix and iflix, you can easily pause and resume anytime.
Netflix however dwarfs iflix by a large magnitude. With things like subtitles for most shows, Netflix Originals and exclusive Netflix deals, Netflix is the way to go in terms of modern TV viewing.
If you are into sports, the cheapest Astro package is RM 146 at the time of writing, with ESPN taking up about USD 6 of the total costs. Thats about RM 28 out of the RM 146 you are paying Astro for. Rather, perhaps signing up for Sling TV or making a trip to your local mamak store