4.5. If that's what you're into, there's no better option. PBS Video is home to plenty of high-quality documentary programming. For its part, CuriosityStream has two separate revenue streams: As you can see above, CuriosityStream has as its business model to monetize its content by either its own direct to consumer platform or via partner channels. Yes. To be clear, a simple HD subscription allows you to see these documentaries, except not in 4K. As of 2021, CuriosityStream does not have a free version or free trial, and does not offer a way to watch CuriosityStream online for free. When you read our reviews or check our top picks for cord-cutting products and services, you can trust that you're seeing the result of hours of testing and years of experience in the cord-cutting space. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. CuriosityStream offers you the option to save a documentary onto your mobile device (only when connected to Wi-Fi) and then watch it offline. Some of these, like NBC Universal's comedy streaming app Seeso, are backed by major companies. The Streamable helps you find the best way to stream anything. From Oscar-winning wartime films from the likes of Frank Capra to a humorous look at a Belgian ghost town in the film Doel, there are many high-quality documentaries in the GuideDoc library. For example, Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris features the powerful words and history of acclaimed activist and writer James Baldwin. Includes Tastemade, Da Vinci Kids, One Day University, SOMM TV, Topic, and Nebula, Crusades, Viking, and the World of Stonehenge. Click here to get your hands on the free trial. Parentsare another core demographic of CuriosityStream. On the mobile apps, the Explore tab offers a little more in terms of content discovery, allowing users to drill down by types of content (Performances, Lectures, etc.) Netflix has lots of popular documentaries about household names. Because PBS Documentaries is a Prime Video channel, it is available nearly everywhere, including on mobile platforms (Android, Fire OS, and iOS), media streaming devices (Apple TV 4K, Fire TV, Google TV, Nvidia Shield, Roku, and TiVo), game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox), and Smart TVs. The settings will sync across all of your devices. Our guide helps you select the right documentary streaming services based on your interests and budget. You can download the app on mobile devices (Android and iOS), gaming platforms (Xbox One), streaming media devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), and smart TVs. I know that this topic is in bad taste, given that the share price is soaring even as I write this. In this show, celebrities give highly personal interviews about what inspires them every day. You can get a sneak peek of their library on their website. There are also a fair number of entertainment documentaries, such as Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway. I host The Pop-Off, PCMag's video game show. Only valid for new Hulu Live TV subscribers. Each week I send out the SecurityWatch newsletter filled with online security news and tips for keeping you and your family safe on the internet.. In many ways, its the company Discovery should have launched (or The biggest difference between the subscription services is the size of their respective libraries. When it comes to documentaries, Netflix and CuriosityStream are not actually direct competitors. If youre the kind of person that wants to see the latest and greatest documentaries, youll likely be a bit turned off by CuriosityStream since it may take years for certain documentaries to appear on the platform. If you just want the PBS type stuff, yes you can get some of that on Prime however they do the Teaser Trick you get one season free or part of a season free then the rest costs per show. CuriosityStream Throws Shade On Discovery+ Model - 12/03/2020 A CuriosityStream already covers factual programming well and appears to Documentary television shows on Prime Video, such as Hoarders, a series about people suffering from extreme hoarding, and The First 48: Missing Persons, round out the catalog. Kanopy has a rating system for films and shows, so you can become a critic. First things first: what is CuriosityStream? Cancelled after my one year subscription! Curiosity Stream has unknown on demand performance. History Vault gives you access to much of the video content you don't see on the History channel prime-time lineup anymore, including long-form documentaries and docuseries, such asAmerica: The Story of Us,Ancient Discoveries, andMysteries of the Bible. Discovery Plus will remain a standalone streaming service that houses Discovery-branded content from networks like TLC, HGTV and Food Network. However, fuboTV's gross profit margins are much lower, even if we factor in advertising and possibly sports betting, its gross profit margins are likely to be around 20%. Purchase must be completed on the DIRECTV STREAM website. If you pay for an entire year, the 4K plan is discounted to $69.99. really bad. Realistically, the slide is slightly outdated, so I won't be overly surprised to find out that the total number of shares outstanding is now closer to 80 million compared with 77.4 million laid out in the presentation. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. Because Roku doesn't create much of its own content. Mainstream services, such as Hulu ($6.99 per month), Netflix ($9.99 per month), and Prime Video ($8.99 per month) start somewhere in the middle of that range. Along with its streaming catalog, Mubi lets you join an enthusiastic, online film community powered by Mubi's database. However, given that its stock has so dramatically underperformed both the market as well as Netflix, I am suspecting that may now be inclined to do something and take back some market share from CuriosityStream. One other point worth understanding the annual renewal takes effect at the minute you sign up +1 year. As such, a good way to think about CuriosityStream is to see it like the old Discovery Channel / History, except that you can stream documentaries like on Netflix. Initial loading times were minimal, while choppiness and freezing were essentially non-existent on all of the platforms we tried. They only give you 7 days for free and then you are on the hook. If murder and mystery are what you're after, there are many true crime documentaries, such as Amanda Knox, Long Shot, and American Murder: The Family Next Door on Netflix. CuriosityStream offers a larger number of documentaries and cuts out the pseudoscience and paranormal stuff, but it doesn't have the big-budget documentary projects. No gimmicks. For 4k, its $52.49/year. I was previously the Senior Editor for Geek.com. Like any other video streaming service category, documentary streaming services must have an appealing content library. It is home to Miss Americana: Taylor Swift; Becoming, a documentary about Michelle Obama; and even Beyonc's Grammy-winning Homecoming. Along these lines, not only will CuriosityStream need to flawlessly execute, but the market will need to be very positively surprised over the next several quarters. MagellanTV offers a wealth of information about an array of topics related to the content it offers, with many articles about science, culture, and history. You can subscribe to CuriosityStream directly, just as you can with most other SVOD services; but you can also subscribe to CuriosityStream through the Amazon Channels subscription platform or as an add-on to the skinny bundle streaming service Sling TV. Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video lead the others in accessibility features because they support audio descriptions(Opens in a new window). Major streaming services, such as Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video, include documentaries in their vast libraries, but other on-demand services that focus exclusively or (at least largely) on documentaries have popped up to meet the diverse needs of documentary fans. You'll also find nature documentaries, including a startlingly new take on the human body and the ancestors who shaped it, called Your Inner Fish. Growing & high-quality revenues. Not worth the money. We participate in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. The streaming landscape is changing fast. I provide a hand-holding service. CuriosityStream certainly has a lot of potential. Only valid for new Sling TV subscribers to Sling Orange, Blue, or Sling Orange + Blue. However you can use devices such as Chromecast, Fire Stick, Android or iOS devices and others to stream CuriosityStream directly to your TV. This article does not answer that question and in fact, begets the question: did the author even bother to watch anything more than five minutes? Save with an annual subscription ($39.99). Amazon's Prime Video has a large documentary section with titles you rarely see on other platforms. For instance, CuriosityStream starts at $2.99 per month, while PBS Documentaries costs $3.99 per month. I also worked at CNN International, where I did field producing and reporting on sports that are popular with worldwide audiences. Click below and use our channel finder tool to find the best streaming service for you. WebFor ancient history, I think my wife and I have gotten more out of Discovery Plus, but The HD CuriosityStream subscription costs $2.99 per month, or $1.67 per month if you purchase the $20 yearly HD subscription. Despite its international selection of films, Ovid.tv is only available in the US and Canada. If military history documentaries appeal to you, History Vault is the right on-demand video streaming service. The more expensive plan just unlocks 4K streaming. Its very possible to buy a year-long 4K subscription, only to finish most of the interesting 4K documentaries in 2-3 months (even less if youre a binge watcher). Curiosity Stream is a subscription streaming service that offers 1,800+ documentaries and series on science, space, technology, nature, history, health, and more. Investors are positively attracted to this fast growth story, which is eyeing up more than 80% y/y growth rates for 2021. September 02, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time Curiosity (Nasdaq: CURI), the leading global factual media company, announced today an enhanced strategic partnership with and investment into Nebula, the worlds largest creator-owned streaming and technology platform. To keep this resource free, Cordcutting.com is compensated by certain providers listed below. The docuseries, The Last Dance, covers Michael Jordan's legacy, while Last Chance U takes an often heartwarming look at junior college football players as they struggle to make it to bigger college football programs. Roku's platform's gross profit margins were 61%. CuriosityStream content is very child friendly for the most part. Definitely not worth any type of charge for this service. Undoubtedly, from my perspective, the biggest risk here is that investors are paying a very large premium. message that said my email account didnt exist ! Im simply thrilled. CuriosityStream currently has a library of around 3000 documentaries, which sounds respectable. The apps were very similar across all platforms, as was streaming quality. The faint red glow of Mars has intrigued those watching it from Earth for centuries. 1) No refund for subscription cancellations. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. CuriosityStream is the Netflix of documentaries, and has a library of over 3,000 documentaries you can watch. Yes, I know the rules of cricket. The author is long FUBO, ROKU. Offline downloads. CuriosityStream does not come included for free with Dish Network but as an add-on subscription for $3 per month, and doesnt offer the $1.67 monthly price or 4K content if you subscribed directly on CuriosityStream.com. In the streaming wars, content rules. For a list of devices that you can use to watch CuriosityStream through Sling TV, check out our guide to Sling TV. CuriosityStream does not come included for free with Sling TV but as an add-on subscription for $3 per month, and doesnt offer the $1.67 monthly price or 4K content if you subscribed directly on CuriosityStream.com. Mubi curates its streaming lineup so that you'll frequently encounter films you've never seen, including its documentaries. There are too many streaming services that do return fees for unused portions of a subscription, to make CSs inability to offer such anything more than excessive greed. CuriosityStream is a factual streaming platform. I tried to reset my password but could not got an error A fair amount of CuriosityStream's offerings are originals. I also compared it Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. For a yearly plan, CuriosityStream is normally priced at only $19.99 for 12 months of HD streaming! CuriosityStream also offers a 7-day free trial. but i regret buying a 1 year subscription and me being low on cash it hurts double. I love their content, but every video has loud background music so loud I cannot understand the audio. The last thing that should be mentioned is that if you subscribe to CuriosityStream for 1 month and then immediately cancel, you canstill use the service for the entire 30 day period. We work with partners and may receive compensation through these partnerships. 10 Ways to Use Essential Oils in the Shower, How to Use Scented Sachets (& Get The Most of Them). Paying annually instead of monthly will effectively save you at least 42% on your membership fees. Youll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month). Ovid.tv's website has interviews with filmmakers, along with other articles and film reviews. Is CuriosityStream worth it? The table below contains a short list of its pros and cons. It's essentially Discovery (DISCA) on demand. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Netflix. Some of the documentary-streaming sites have profit-sharing models that pay filmmakers for the streaming rights to their films. On the other hand, it's typically very difficult for an incumbent to pivot as they won't want to cannibalize their rich cash stream from their existing business model. Please. They also tend to be better made in terms of narration, quality of explanations and general production quality. Cannot be combined with any other promotion and wont be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site. GuideDoc is available to stream without ads on streaming platforms, such as Apple TV and Chromecast, as well as Android and iOS devices. You can get a 25% discount bringing an HD annual plan to only $14.99/year. However, Hulu and Netflix require you to pay for more expensive tiers to get all the best features. A years subscription cost $59.99. It's very inexpensive. Buy the service, cancel cable and start saving serious cash. Click below and use our channel finder tool to find the best streaming service for you. 5) Arbitration to be conducted in Maryland (Im in California). The streaming service includes both original and acquired content including those featuring Stephen Hawking, David Attenborough, Richard Dawkins, Peter Diamandis, and Richard Hammond. However, many of these documentaries are short, meaning 30 minutes or less. GuideDoc and Ovid.tv have blogs that highlight the services' new content and recommend related programs. Very little. Is there a significant visual difference in quality between Basic and Standard? 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. Moreover, CuriosityStream's only ambition at this point is growth, which brings me to the arguably most important aspect of this story. Ovid.tv includes approximately 900 titles from documentary production companies, such as Bullfrog Films, The dGenerate Films Collection, Distrib Films US, First Run Features, Grasshopper Film, Icarus Films, KimStim, and Women Make Movies. The app home pages all feature sorted rows of titles, though only a couple of rows (Trending and Recently Added) are new the rest are just the same four genres as can be reached through the genre pull-down menu. You should always start monthly on a new service anyway. CuriosityStream's emphasis on one type of video makes it what we call a niche streaming service. That makes the whole CuriosityStream experiment seem a bit superfluous. Mubi has the most complete range of supporting materials and the most active community discussion boards of any of the services. Kanopy supports unlimited simultaneous streams, which is an excellent feature for large households, but it does not offer unlimited streaming access to its full catalog each month. CuriosityStream on Sling TV is a documentary streaming service that carries over 3,000 documentaries, that are factual, credible and with verified information that costs as low as $1.67 per month. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. To activate your subscription, simply follow the steps below: First things first: CuriosityStream is the real deal if youre looking for a documentary only streaming service. However, the subtitles are only available in English, so no support for Spanish, French, Portuguese or Chinese subtitles. The PBS Video app is available on the web, mobile platforms (Android and iOS),media streaming devices(Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), and Samsung's smart TVs. None of the documentary-focused services serve ads, however. Thank you. Instead, you can mostly expect documentaries of the quality that you might see airing on PBS in the middle of the day. However, the streaming service did at some point have a free tier that was financed through ads and sponsorships. CuriosityStream's content is solid, but in some ways itdoesn't measure up tothe documentary selection that subscribers get on multi-genre streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu. Is It Worth it or Does It Suck? As of 2018, it had over2000 documentaries. I just started a trial for CS Standard, with HD. As noted at the start, once all the warrants and options are exercised, its market cap is close to $1.6 billion right now (not what is reported on SA and other financial outlets). Stay curious, says the tagline on CuriosityStream's website. How did dogs come about? Only watch because I get it for free with my cable. Another issue with the slow content growth is that after the first 6-12 months of watching the most interesting shows, youll likely reach a point where you just browse the same docs over and over again trying to find something new youve overlooked. Nobody investing in CuriosityStream at this point has anything else in mind: As you can see above, CuriosityStream is guiding for $136 million in revenues by 2022. Netflix has plenty of documentaries in its content library, but most of these are reality TV (Tiger King), biographies of currently famous people and social & political commentary. Its so sad, a science/documentary focused channel is exactly what I would be interested in if I were going to sign up for a streaming service, but not having a public list of their content is a huge red flag for me. Prime Video supports offline downloads, includes 4K titles, and has a wealth of accessibility features, including audio descriptions for visually impaired viewers. Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox. CuriosityStream has a partnership in place with Suddenlink and Optimum by Altice where you get a free subscription to the streaming service. 1-2 hour series, with 10-25 minute episodes. CuriosityStream is a video-on-demand documentary streaming platform, and does not offer any kind of live streaming of TV channels. Documentaries are sorted into four categories Science, Technology, Civilization, and Human Spirit -, and those four categories are each split into eight further sub-categories. Our goal at Cordcutting.com is to help people save money on the TV they love and access it on-the-go. In 2013, I started my Ziff Davis career as an intern on PCMag's Software team. There is no restriction on concurrent devices. I decided that with a 40 Sony Bravia, HD would be a waste of money, and downgraded to basic service @ $29.99/year. Dont have Internet connection but still want to watch a documentary? If you were to go by the name, youd think the highest resolution would be 720p, but thats not the case:every documentary on CuriosityStream has a 1080p version. In addition, History Vault supports offline downloads on Apple devices, doesn't show ads, and offers apps for mobile platforms and streaming media devices. In fact, the shortest documentaries are less than 10 minutes long. I subscribed for $19.99 per YEAR. Those are the equivalents of $1.67 and $5.83 per month, respectively, though of course the actual charge is a lump sum paid once a year. However these short mini-docs are counted the same way as full length documentaries. 3) Learning from third party web pages that their streaming content is not as robust as they make it out to be. As mentionedabove, CuriosityStream focuses entirely on documentary content. Roku is more of an open and neutral platform, with very compelling economics, acting as a platform to connect viewers to their desired streaming platform and taking a fee along the way. Netflix, as it has a broader range of content, offers top-notch, profile-based, parental control tools. Thank you for answering. Fortunately,the service does come with an Add to Watchlist featurewhere you can save certain documentaries for later viewing. Hulu makes you pay for its ad-free tier to get this capability. In general, CuriosityStream documentaries have fairly good production values. CuriosityStream offers three pricing tiers one each for standard Im currently working on a book about the history of video games, and Im the reason everything you think you know about Street Sharks is a lie. But CuriosityStream's biggest problem is in the most important department: content. On the other end of the spectrum is GuideDoc, a prestige documentary subscription service that features hundreds of films chosen because they won or were nominated for major festival awards. WebIf youre looking for documentaries like on the old Discovery Channel, then Navigate to the Your Account page, then click CANCEL. Although parental control tools are not common for the category, given the nature of the content, Kanopy includes a separate section for children, Kanopy Kids, that features documentaries and educational programming. You can also choose to pay for your subscription annually, in which can you'll enjoy a significant discount: an annual Standard membership costs $19.99 per year, while an annual Premium membership is $69.99 per year. PBS Documentaries is a paid Amazon channel focusing on long-form features, whereas PBS Video is free with optional paid content. The platform offers two price tiers, though both include access to the same streaming library. It's essentially comparable to Discovery on demand (Discovery+). Its true that CuriosityStream continually adds new content, but the pace is painfully slow and may not keep up with your viewing habits. But this article not so much. CuriosityStream was founded by John Hendricks, the same person who created the old, good Discovery Channel before it was overrun by reality TV and pseudoscience. As an experienced professional, I highlight the best stocks to grow your savings: stocks that deliver strong gains. There is some overlap. Curiosity Stream is compatible with these devices: Curiosity Stream is not compatible with PlayStation or Nintendo devices. Warning: Do not subscribe to this channel. The Streamable is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission when you sign up with our links. For even more on streaming, check out five reasons to ditch your video subscription andkeep cable. Looking for more investing ideas like this one? Cordcutters save $100/mo. Netflix has lots of popular documentaries about household names.