South Africa Trends: Local Platforms Lead the Market

Local Platforms Dominate South Africa’s Streaming Market

In a world where global streaming giants dominate, South Africa streaming trends reveal a strong preference for local platforms. Within subscription streaming services, DStv streaming service leads with a net penetration of 16% as of Q3 2024. Showmax trails with 11%, while Netflix follows closely at 10%.BB Media tracks 510 streaming platforms available in South Africa, yet only 7 are local:  DStv, Showmax, SABC+, eVOD, Todazon, AfriDocs and Freevision Play.  Despite being few, they cater to a significant portion of South African audiences. Most of these platforms offer a free or free with ads option and one (SABC+) is government owned. 

South Africans Prefer Local Content  

South African audiences strongly favor homegrown entertainment. Among those who have watched online content in the past three months, 76% said they had streamed local content during that period. Among viewers who consume local content, Action ranks as the top genre (76%), followed by Crime (57%) and Romance (47%). Meanwhile, those who haven’t watched local content recently prefer Adventure (82%), Action (82%) and Drama (78%).

BB Media reports that South Africa offers 259 local movie and 55 local series titles. In contrast, over 15K titles originate from the U.S. Locally produced content is diverse, with 13% of South African titles in the Comedy genre.  Meanwhile, for U.S. content, Documentaries lead with 14%. When considering all available content in the country, Drama stands out as the dominant genre, accounting for 23% of titles.

Free with Ads Grows in Popularity

The free with ads revenue model hold the largest penetration in South Africa (59%), while subscription services lag with 45%. However, only 15% of platforms operate under the free with ads model, compared to 40% using a traditional subscription approach. As so often happens in the industry, some platforms offer more than one business model, but BB Media took it into consideration for the analysis. Subscription with Ads remains the least common model, representing just 2% of available platforms. However, consumer interest is evident—76% of households stated they would opt for a more affordable plan with ads to cut costs.  

The Influence of Illegal Streaming

Piracy continues to be a challenge in South Africa’s streaming landscape. Illegal platforms hold a 13% market share, with Goojara leading at 12% penetration. Many consumers turn to these services due to financial constraints. This highlights a significant opportunity for platforms to expand ad-supported offerings and attract cost-conscious viewers. Among former Netflix subscribers, cost concerns are a major factor. When asked why they canceled, 40% cited financial difficulties, while 27% said the platform was simply too expensive. This also explains the success of competitors like Showmax, which as of the last month of 2024 only cost USD 4,83 on average, compared to Netflix’s USD 6,75 price point.  

What’s Next for South African Streaming?

As local platforms continue to dominate, South Africa’s streaming trends highlight a strong demand for regional content. The rise of Free with Ads services also indicates shifting consumer priorities, with affordability driving preferences. With piracy still a challenge, understanding user behavior is key to shaping the future of the industry. 

Want to learn more about the local platforms? Dive into BB Media’s Streaming Services Directory, select “South Africa” on the country of origin filter and get free data of the local players!

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