8 Streaming Services For Night Owls and Insomniacs [March, 2020]
Sleep doesn’t come easily for everyone and as the number of candles on your birthday cake starts to cause a fire hazard your ability to sleep declines even more. Just because you are getting older doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy every moment, even if it means being awake well past your ideal bedtime. Take some time for you instead of fretting and let shows like; Grace and Frankie, House of cards or the blacklist help you to get some shut-eye (or maybe you will learn the art of binge-watching). Be a happy night owl, stay entertained and let others (who can) sleep with these key streaming services you will wish you had found years ago!
What is a streaming service you ask? Well, it is a way to watch all your favourite movies, shows and documentaries without TV reception, without a satellite dish and you don’t even need a TV! Just a smart device like a phone, laptop or tablet. You can watch the latest shows on your commute, on holiday or even in bed, with a pair of earphones, when you can’t sleep.
Here are a few of the best streaming services in Australia right now:
1. Netflix
Your best friend when you cannot fall asleep is Netflix. Instead of folding the washing again or baking more cookies that you will never get to eat, watch some thrilling, dramatic or funny shows that will make you feel a whole lot better about being awake at 2am.
Key points:
Netflix offers an amazing portfolio of shows, movies, and documentaries that will have you clicking “next episode” in no time. You can expect to be watching the shows you love like; Dirty dancing, Indiana Jones and Shawshank redemption. Some new shows we think you will rate are; The Crown, Peaky Blinders and Suits.
Netflix is a high-quality streaming service with HD available for most shows, movies etc. With their 3 tier of plans available you are able to choose one that suits you and your family’s needs. On their premium plan, 4 people can be watching their own Netflix suite of shows on 4 different devices, at once! Gain access to all the latest releases, newest original shows and thrilling true crime documentaries that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the world.
Enjoy your night time bliss through a personalised profile that stores your favourite shows, shows you are currently watching, recommendations, new releases, and your very own watch list. Experience genres such as; classics, horror, thriller, drama, rom-com, true crime, comedy, and even Netflix original series. Not only will you become addicted (in a good way) you will never be stressed about your insomnia or inability to go to bed at a reasonable hour again. Netflix will be your saviour!
Netflix
2. Stan
The man of all Stan’s, Stan is one of the top streaming services on offer in 2020. Not only can you explore new shows, genres, and actors, but you can experience it all for free as part of their 30-day free trial.
Key points:
They offer the best shows from around the world, with international and subtitled titles to Aussie shows and movies that you know and love.
Watch titles like:
- Tomorrow when the war began
- Golden girls
- Underbelly
- Friends
- Little Britain
- Top Gear
From as little as $10 a month you can stream everything, they have to offer in HD and 4K quality, meaning you won’t be squinting or have trouble seeing what’s going on. All you need is a decent internet connection to stream or download so you can watch wherever you are. Save your mobile data with wifi only downloading. With no ads whatsoever you can enjoy your show and movies uninterrupted without the drama of sifting through DVDs or TV guides.
Stan
3. Kayo – For the lovers of sport
Kayo is an Aussie sports streaming service that offers you access to over 50 different sports whenever you want. Forget about rushing home and missing kick-off, or pre-recording from free-to-air. Kayo has got you covered with all your top sporting games ready to be streamed or downloaded for your commute or for when the missus makes you go shopping. Grab a seat on the “dad” chair and dig into some real live action. Back to those who don’t sleep, put the footy on and yell very quietly at your phone screen.
They guarantee “Every match of the 2020 Toyota AFL premiership season and final series before the grand final” so you don’t have to worry! No one hates anything more than spoilers, so Kayo has a NO spoilers guarantee, allowing you to experience the game without knowing the outcome. The suspense has us on the edge of the couch!
Extras you will love:
- Split-screen view – giving you the chance to watch 4 videos at once with either multiple games or camera angles.
- Key moment recaps for those times where you jump for joy or the ones you need to see again to believe.
- Game stats to keep you up to date and in the know.
Kayo
4. Apple TV+
For Apple lovers everywhere, not the fruit, this one’s for you. We all know once you are an Apple user, more often than not, you remain one. It just keeps things simple and linked and once you know how to use one apple product the rest comes pretty easily. The same goes for Apple TV, now available for anyone, but especially for Apple lovers.
What you get:
Apple TV+ isn’t just another streaming site, it comes with an Apple TV box that you can plug into your TV and sync with your other streaming services like Netflix or Stand or download the app to any smart tv or device to get watching.
Expect new and innovative shows every month when they release their apple originals. The quality, sound, and storylines are simply outstanding. Does someone else in your family suffer from night owl syndrome? Up to 6 family members can download and watch their favourite titles offline or on-demand.
Special deals:
Get 1 year of apple tv+ free when you buy an Apple device.
Price:
$7.99 a month.
Apple TV+
5. Disney+
Don’t deny it, we all know that deep down you love a superhero, damsel in distress or princess finding her prince. No matter your age, social status or intellect, Disney+ has all your entertainment needs covered. Watch over 6500 TV episodes and 600 movies that will have you smiling, laughing, crying and reminiscing every time.
Walt Disney classics are of course included, but so are the newly revamped versions like The Lion King.
Not a Disney fan? It’s okay, we will forgive you, they also offer Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic titles as well. So there is always something for when you need a little midnight pick-me-up.
Special deals:
7-day free trial.
Price:
$8.99 a month.
Disney+
6. SBS on Demand
Many of you will be familiar with the traditional SBS channels that offer international news, cooking, and more worldly shows. Well, this is the cream of the crop! SBS on demand not only has a whole range of shows you can stream from your phone, tv or smart device, you can also cast your screen to anyone who has a chrome cast and a wifi connection.
The best bits: It is free! Absolutely free, no catches, no hidden fees. All you need to do is sign up for an account and all your shows will be in there waiting for when you are lying awake staring into the black abyss of your never-ending, poor sleep patterns.
They tend to break down their genres a little differently such as; War stories, spies and lies and politics and power – which all sound really appealing actually.
Start expanding your knowledge of world films, shows, and documentaries that will be totally eye-opening.
Our picks:
The handmaid’s tale, Bone Tomahawk and The Young Pope
SBS on Demand
7. Fetch TV
Make yourself some midnight snacks because Fetch TV will have you not wanting to sleep anyway. You can pause, rewind, record & catch-up on TV you love. Fetch TV is a modern-day set-top box. It allows you to have access to a range of streaming services like Netflix and Stan as part of their wide array of packages.
How it works:
Simply sign up for a subscription, get sent the box, plug it in and connect it to the internet. In a matter of moments, you will be able to watch everything you want from the comfy couch that you just can’t seem to let go of, even though your dog or cat basically owns it now.
They have two key packages; The Mighty and the Mini, both come with all the equipment you need to get started and it is super easy to add on your other subscriptions like Netflix, etc. from only $6 a month.
Fetch TV
8. Amazon Prime Video
Similar to the other streaming services above, Amazon Prime Video allows members to watch all the best shows on the go or on-demand with their download feature. They have also thought about your precious mobile data and built-in a data saver mode so you can keep track of how much data you are using on your wifi or mobile.
They too have their own original shows that get released regularly and offer a competitive price of only $6.99 a month with no lock-ins. Do their free 30-day trial with no obligations to stay, unless you get hooked onto their original star trek like us!
Amazon Prime Video
9. Hayu
For all of the secret reality TV lovers, Hayu has all of your favourite shows lined up for your 12am snack and trashy TV date. Indulge in The Kardashians or The Real House Wives at your leisure, put it on when the hubby starts snoring or sneak in a cheeky episode in bed from your phone. Your escape from the real world awaits!
Hayu
Let these streaming services be your modern way of counting sheep, counting the number of episodes you can get through in one night instead. Put bad nights to bed as you find a new love and appreciation for shows and movies tucking you in and putting you into a calm state of relaxation (just take it easy on the horror!).
