Netflix and Showmax showdown in South Africa

There are approximately 6.3 million South African residents who have Netflix in South Africa, according to data from the Market Research Foundation.

The Market Research Foundation released its MAPS data overview for the period from January 2021 to December 2023, revealing a steady uptick in on-demand video streaming in South Africa.

Its MAPS data comes from annual surveys of a sample of the South African population. It interviews women and men aged 15 and older from all races and provinces.

Its research into on-demand video streaming revealed that roughly eight million South Africans have access to such services, with YouTube taking the top spot in the country.

The Market Research Foundation determined that roughly 10.9 million South Africans have access to YouTube, making it the most popular in the country.

At the same time, roughly 6.3 million South Africans have Netflix, and 3.6 million have Showmax.

These results come from a sample size of 8,072,102 interviewees, of which 55% were male and 45% were female.

55% of respondents reside in metropolitan areas, while 30% and 15% live in urban and rural areas, respectively.

The Market Research Foundation noted that streaming penetration has reached 19% in South Africa.

However, viewership has declined slightly since the fourth quarter of 2022.

In the first quarter of 2021, approximately 15% of the South African population used on-demand streaming services.

By the fourth quarter of 2022, viewership had grown to roughly 20% of the population before dropping to 18% throughout 2023.

Jo Heshu, Showmax COO

While Netflix and Showmax have previously mentioned subscriber targets and growth, they haven’t revealed actual figures.

Showmax owner MultiChoice revealed in its latest annual results that its Showmax subscribers had grown by 26% year-on-year.

This was for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. However, it didn’t disclose the actual figures.

“Users of the group’s DStv app and Showmax services continue to grow as online consumption increases,” said MultiChoice.

“The overall online user base increased by 12% YoY, with the growth rate for paying Showmax subscribers at a strong 26%.”

Most recently, MyBroadband asked MultiChoice about the popularity of its mobile-only apps. The streaming platform underwent a revamp and was relaunched in February 2024.

The revamp included reworked subscription models, including two mobile-only tiers. It previously only offered one mobile-only plan.

Showmax chief operating officer Jo Heshu said the platform’s mobile-only plans have always been popular, but its relaunched subscriptions have seen even more uptake.

“In South Africa, the combo Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League plan for R99 per month is the most popular with live sports fans,” said Heshu.

“Outside of South Africa, we see a slightly higher number of Showmax subscribers on mobile-only plans than locally.”

He did not comment on how the popularity of its mobile-only plans compares to the Showmax Entertainment subscription, which lets customers stream on various device types.

Heshu said part of the relaunched platform’s success is due to partnerships with companies like MTN in South Africa, Safaricom in Kenya, and Infinix in Nigeria.

“Data bundle offerings with mobile partners such as MTN and Safaricom, as well as smartphone brands such as Infinix Nigeria, are key to this success, making Showmax affordable and accessible to a mobile-friendly African market,” he said.