Starzplay: What It Is and How to Watch It

Starz is a premium channel that shows both movies and original series. Its same-named streaming service, called Starz Play in some regions, allows viewers to access a library of films and the network's catalog of shows without a cable or satellite subscription. Instead, you can access the streaming content via the internet or a mobile app.

Where to Sign up for Starz and Starz Play

You have no shortage of options to sign up for Starz:

You only have to sign up for Starz once to use it on all of your devices. For example, if you sign up through the official website, you can use the same account on your phone, tablet, or TV.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can register through Prime Video Channels.
iOS users and Apple TV owners can download Starz through the App Store.
Android users can get the app from Google Play.
Another app is available for Windows users in the Microsoft Store.
If you have a cable or satellite plan, you can register with that login info.
A Starz app is also available in the Roku store.
Sling TV subscribers can add Starz to their account.
Samsung smart TVs have Starz available in their app store.
Sprint offers Starz as an add-on to its wireless customers.

How to Sign up for Starz

Regardless of where you activate your Starz account, the instructions are generally the same. The main differences will be the payment options available to you. If you sign up through the iOS app, you can set up your monthly payment through your Apple ID instead of using a credit card or PayPal.

These instructions involve going directly to the Starz website.

Go to the Starz website.
Select Start Your Free Trial.
Enter your email address and select Continue.
You have two options for plans: monthly and annually. With a monthly plan, Starz will charge you each month until you cancel. If you decide to pay annually, it costs more upfront, but you'll receive a discount.

Starz offers a seven-day free trial when you first sign up. Once the first week is over, the service will charge you to renew unless you cancel. You must enter payment information on this screen to start the demo.
Select Continue when you've entered your personal and payment info.
Create a password for your account and select Get Started to continue.
Starz will log you in, and your free trial will begin. At the end of the seven days, you'll start paying based on the option you chose while you were setting up the service.

Starz Subscription Plans

Unlike other streaming services like Hulu or Netflix, Starz doesn't offer different tiers or subscription plans. Your only choice is whether you pay monthly or annually. Regardless of your choice, you'll be able to access the full library, ad-free.

Which Devices Can You Watch Starz On?

You can use your Starz account on several different devices, but they do have some minimum requirements.

iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch: iOS 8.1 and newer.
Apple TV: 3rd-generation and up, running tvOS 9 and up.
Mac: OS X 10.5.7 and later.
Windows PC: Windows 8 and newer.
Browsers: Edge, Firefox, Safari, Chrome.
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire Stick
Kindle Fire Tablet: 2014 or later.
Kindle Fire Phones (all)
Android Phones and Tablets: Android 4.1 or later.
Android TV: Razer Forge, Nexus Player, NVIDIA Shield
Roku: 2nd-generation Rokus 2 and up.
Roku Stick
Xbox One
Sony TVs: 2014 and newer running Android 5 and up.
Samsung TVs: 2014 models using Samsung Smart Hub.
LG TVs: WebOS 3 and later.

How to Watch Starz

Once you've set up your account, you're just a few clicks or taps away from checking out movies and TV shows. Here's how to get started watching Starz.

These instructions also use the Starz website, but they'll be similar for each platform.

Go to the Starz website, or open the app on a device.
Select or tap Log In.
Enter the email address for your account and select Continue.
Select how you want to log in based on how you receive the service.
Enter your password and select Log In.
You'll arrive at the Home screen. This page shows new and upcoming content. You can find things to watch using the headings at the top of the screen.
- Featured: Shows you recommendations, new arrivals, and curated lists.
- Series: Lets you browse available TV shows.
- Movies: Contains the same curated content as the Featured tab but without the recommendations.
- My List: Where you'll find content you've marked to watch later.
- Schedule: Shows you what's playing on Starz and lets you watch the TV broadcast live.
- Magnifying glass: Search for specific programs, movies, and actors by name.
Once you've found a show or film you're interested in, select it to go to its view page.
This page shows you a synopsis of the movie, along with cast and crew information. You'll also see some options, including:
- Play Trailer: Shows the trailer for the movie if one is available.
- Play: Starts the movie.
- Share: Lets you post the link to the page on social media.
- Playlist: Lets you add or remove the program from your list of saved titles. If the icon is a plus sign, select it to add. If it's a minus sign, select it to remove.
Pages for TV shows have the same options in a different arrangement. You can also scroll down to see a list of available episodes.

Downloading Content From Starz App

If you're watching Starz on a mobile device, you'll have an extra download option on the programming screen. If you tap this, you can install the movie or show onto your device so you can watch it without an internet connection.

A movie page in the Starz app with the Download button highlighted

How Many Users Does Starz Support?

If your household shares a Starz account, each person can set up a profile to create a watch list and get recommendations based on what they like.

You can register up to four devices to use your plan, and you can watch on two of them simultaneously.

Which Internet Speed Should You Have for Starz?

Because streaming high-definition content needs a lot of bandwidth, you need reasonably fast internet to get the most out of your subscription. Starz requires at least 2.5 Mbps but recommends 6 Mbps or more.