STARZ review 2024: Everything to know before subscribing

STARZ is a premium network available via your cable provider, an independent app and several live TV streaming platforms. For instance, you can add the STARZ network to your Hulu + Live TV subscription for an additional fee. What is STARZ content like? The network focuses on movies and TV shows. You’ll find both original content and a library of on-demand content. 

The network is priced about the same as many competitors, such as Max or SHOWTIME. Whether or not it’s right for you comes down to how much you love its original shows. 

STARZ at a glance

STARZ experience

I signed up for STARZ using Amazon Prime, and the experience took just a few minutes. To add STARZ to your Amazon subscription, just go to the “Store” tab at the top and then choose “Channels” from the drop-down menu. If you use another cable or streaming subscription, you’ll need to research how to add premium channels. Most platforms allow you to add STARZ in your account settings under a “Manage Add-ons” section or similar. You can also use a streaming device or mobile device to sign up directly in the STARZ app. 

If you pay for the channel add-on with an existing streaming service, you can watch it within that streaming app. If you use a cable subscription or the STARZ app to sign up, you’ll need to add the STARZ app to your streaming device or smart TV. 

Once I was on the platform, navigating the page had a familiar feel. Much like Max, Netflix and other streaming apps, the content is broken into categories. You can choose from comedy and action movies, for instance. STARZ also tells you what’s trending right now, which makes it easy to get started if you’re unfamiliar with STARZ content. 

One thing I wasn’t expecting was the availability of multiple live channels within the STARZ channel. At the bottom of the screen, STARZ lets you watch whatever is streaming live across STARZ HD East, STARZ HD West, STARZ Kids & Family and a variety of other niche channels. Starting the content is just a click away without having to leave the STARZ app. 

STARZ content

STARZ content is mostly aimed at an older audience. This works fine for me, but if I needed to rely on the channel to entertain kids, I don’t know that I would be satisfied with my options. There is a family section of content that features titles like “The Cat in the Hat” and a live-action version of “Cinderella.” Popular STARZ originals for adults include “Minx” and “Power.”

STARZ streaming content is full of old favorites in addition to new movies and STARZ originals. For instance, you have “Home Alone” at your fingertips, as well as “My Best Friend’s Wedding” and “The Equalizer.” 

Is STARZ worth it based on content offerings? That will depend on how much you fall in love with the originals. While the on-demand library is good, a lot of the titles there can be found on other streaming platforms. 

STARZ viewing experience and video quality

Watching live TV is easy on the app as long as you have decent Wi-Fi. STARZ recommends a download speed of at least 6 Mbps to view content on their app and get a good live TV stream. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust the quality of the stream using STARZ, and the service doesn’t offer 4K streaming. If you have a bad connection or trouble downloading movies, your only troubleshooting upgrade would be upgrading your internet. 

STARZ user profiles

STARZ lets subscribers create up to five unique profiles for each account. You can’t create a different password for each profile, but you can restrict content on some profiles using parental controls. 

To set parental controls, you first need to create a PIN. Once you have a PIN, go into a profile and choose the level of content rating you want to be available to that profile, and update the settings. The process is easy and allows members of all ages to use the same STARZ account. It’s worth noting, however, that you can’t change a PIN once you set it. So, if your kids figure out the PIN, you can’t alter it.

STARZ for sports fans

STARZ doesn’t offer any sports content. If you’re looking for live games or on-demand clips, you’ll have to look elsewhere. That being said, if you use Amazon Prime to get STARZ, you can count on the streaming service for some live sports. Amazon Prime has the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football for the NFL, and you can add the MLB.TV or NBA League Pass to your account. Outside of those, you'll want to check out some top sports streaming services to zoom in on your sports needs.

How does STARZ compare?

Price-wise, STARZ is pretty competitive with similar premium channel add-ons. Most price points for these channels live at or around the $10 mark. The app also operates similarly to competing premium networks. 

Given that STARZ’s most similar competitors also provide original content and an on-demand library, the right option for you really depends on the content you love. The only app with a significant difference is Max, which doesn’t have a live viewing option like STARZ, SHOWTIME and Cinemax do. 

Paramount Plus offers live sports thanks to its relationship with CBS Sports. If you’re looking for live events like golf and basketball, Paramount Plus will be the better option. That being said, if you have cable or another way to access your sports content, STARZ may be worth your money to access more original content. 

How to subscribe to STARZ

STARZ is available through a variety of platforms. If you want to use an existing service, you’ll need to consult their help center about how to add STARZ. If you sign up directly with STARZ using either the mobile app or the web, you can use the following instructions to start your subscription. 

On the Web 

1. Go to STARZ.com. You can only sign up on the web if you’re doing so through a cable provider. On the web page, you can either scroll to the very bottom of the screen and choose “Order STARZ” or click the link in the upper right corner. Any available promos will be advertised on the home page. 
2. Click on the name of your cable provider. You will be directed to a new web page. 
3. Log in to your cable provider’s website and follow their instructions to add STARZ to your service.