Why OTT subscriptions are expensive in India
OTT costs are increasing as apps prioritise profit over growth and spend billions on cricket and originals. Here's how OTTplay solves this problem, saving you up to 70% on your costs.
Last Updated: 03.07 PM, Jan 14, 2026
By early 2026, India's OTT market will have become a $5-7 billion industry. However, the early era of "cheap digital entertainment" is over. Subscription costs for top platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, Sony LIV, and more have climbed 20%–40% over the past two years. Even as the number of internet users surpasses 900 million, the rising cost of subscribing to multiple platforms has reached an unsustainable level for many Indian households. Amid this, Indian one of the best OTT platforms, OTTplay, gives access to several OTT content at an affordable price.
Here's why OTT subscriptions are expensive in India
Content Costs Are High
OTT platforms spend huge amounts on content. They pay for:
Original shows and movies.
Licensing popular films and sports events.
Regional content in multiple languages.
High-quality content doesn't come cheap. To cover this cost, platforms raise subscription prices.
Market Fragmentation
There is no single OTT platform that has everything. Different platforms have exclusive rights to different shows, movies or sports:
As a result, viewers subscribe to multiple services to watch all their favourite content, which is growing rapidly.
Impact on Users
For an average Indian household:
Internet penetration is high (900+ million users).
But subscribing to multiple platforms can cost hundreds of rupees per month.
This “pay-per-platform” model is starting to strain budgets.
How OTTplay helps
OTTplay is designed to simplify the OTT experience and reduce subscription costs for users. Here’s how:
OTTplay lets you search for any movie, series, or sporting event and instantly see which platforms it's available on. Instead of blindly subscribing to multiple services, you know exactly where your favourite content is streaming. This prevents you from paying for a platform just because you think it has a specific show.
OTTplay brings together current subscription offers, discounts and free trials across all major platforms. Users can compare prices and choose the most affordable option. This way, you get access to content at the lowest price, saving money every month.
Instead of paying for several platforms individually, OTTplay offers bundled packs starting as low as Rs. 149/month. This provides access to up to 29+ OTT services (like JioHotstar, SonyLIV, ZEE5, Lionsgate Play, and FanCode) under one payment.
Users can create watchlists and get alerts when new episodes or movies are out. OTTplay ensures you never miss content, so you don’t feel the need to keep paying for multiple platforms unnecessarily.
OTTplay tracks content in all major Indian languages, so even regional movies and shows are covered. You don't have to subscribe to multiple regional platforms to watch your favorite shows.
OTT subscription FAQs
Q: What is OTTplay and how does it work?
A: OTTplay is a platform that helps you track where movies, series, and sports are streaming across all major OTT services. It shows which platforms have your favourite content, highlights the best subscription deals, and lets you create watchlists so you never miss the videos you love.
Q: How can OTTplay help me save money on subscriptions?
A: OTTplay helps you avoid paying for multiple subscriptions unnecessarily. It shows which platforms have your favorite content, highlights discounts and free trials, and helps you strategically plan your subscriptions. You can get access to 29+ OTTs (JioHotstar, SonyLIV, ZEE5, and more, and also 500+ Live TV channels) under a Rs. 149/month subscription.
Q: Does OTTplay cover regional and multi-language content?
A: Yes! OTTplay tracks content in all major Indian languages, including regional movies and shows.