Arte.tv
France
EU
Arte.tv is an innovative European television network that features a diverse range of cultural programming. The platform is operated by ARTE, a public service broadcaster based in France and Germany, which promotes...
European Alternatives to Netflix
Atresplayer
Spain
EU
Atresplayer is a leading Spanish streaming platform that offers a wide range of content, including live television, on-demand series, movies, and original programming produced by the Spanish media group Atresmedia. The platform...
BFI Player
United Kingdom
BFI Player is the British Film Institute's official streaming platform, offering a diverse array of films, documentaries, and special video content from the UK and around the world. Providing access to a...
CANAL+
France
EU
CANAL+ is a French pay-TV and streaming brand of Canal+ S.A., a media group headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris. The channel Canal+ launched in 1984 as France's first pay-TV channel. Since the...
Cinetree
Netherlands
EU
Cinetree is a European streaming service that focuses on independent films and documentaries, catering to a diverse audience with a love for unique storytelling and alternative cinema. Based in the Netherlands, Cinetree...
DAZN
United Kingdom
Non-European Parent Company
DAZN is a subscription-based sports streaming service that offers live and on-demand coverage of various sporting events, making it a go-to platform for sports enthusiasts in Europe and beyond.
EON TV
Netherlands
EU
EON TV is a modern streaming platform that delivers a variety of television content including live TV, on-demand shows, and movies directly to your devices. Through its user-friendly interface and diverse offerings,...
filmfriend
Germany
EU
filmfriend is a video streaming platform operated by filmwerte GmbH in Potsdam, Germany. It gives members of participating public and university libraries access to films and series through an existing library card...
Filmin
Spain
EU
Filmin is a prominent online streaming platform based in Spain, specializing in independent films, documentaries, and Spanish cinema. Designed for cinephiles, Filmin offers a wide array of titles that cater to diverse...
Joyn
Germany
EU
Joyn is a popular streaming platform based in Germany, offering a diverse range of TV shows, movies, and live television. It serves as a one-stop destination for users looking to enjoy on-demand...
LaCinetek
France
EU
LaCinetek is an online platform that offers a curated selection of classic and contemporary films from European cinema. Designed for film enthusiasts and casual viewers alike, it provides access to a unique...
MEGOGO
Ukraine
MEGOGO is a leading Ukrainian multimedia platform that provides access to a vast array of digital content, including movies, TV series, cartoons, and live broadcasts. The platform serves as a one-stop destination...
MUBI
United Kingdom
MUBI is a subscription streaming service for independent and prestige cinema. It describes itself as a streaming service, curator, publisher and distributor, and presents films and series chosen by its own curators,...
NOW
United Kingdom
Non-European Parent Company
NOW is a popular streaming service based in the United Kingdom, offering a variety of entertainment options including movies, television shows, and live sports. It provides users with an on-demand viewing experience,...
Pathé Home
France
EU
Pathé Home is a video-on-demand service by Pathé cinemas, offering nearly 3,000 films for rental or purchase without a subscription or ads. It features the latest releases, classics, and heritage films from...
Pickbox Now
Croatia
EU
Pickbox Now is a prominent streaming platform that offers a diverse range of movies and television shows to viewers, particularly catering to audiences in Europe. With a user-friendly interface and a broad...
Play Suisse
Switzerland
Play Suisse is an innovative streaming service that offers a vast selection of Swiss films, series, and documentaries. It provides a platform for viewers to explore high-quality audio-visual content created by Swiss...
RTL+
Germany
EU
RTL+ is the streaming service of RTL Deutschland in Germany. The service is operated by RTL interactive GmbH in Cologne, a company of RTL Deutschland GmbH. It combines on-demand series, films and...
SWEET.TV
Slovak Republic
EU
SWEET.TV is a prominent streaming platform that offers a diverse range of films, series, and TV channels to its users. With a focus on delivering high-quality content and an intuitive user experience,...
Viaplay
Sweden
EU
Viaplay is a popular streaming service based in Europe, offering a wide range of entertainment options including movies, TV shows, and live sports. It aims to provide viewers with access to a...
Videoland
Netherlands
EU
Videoland is a popular online streaming service based in the Netherlands, offering a wide array of movies, series, and documentaries to its subscribers. With a commitment to providing quality entertainment, Videoland stands...
Voyo
Czechia
EU
Voyo is an innovative streaming platform based in Europe, specifically tailored to provide users with a wide range of entertainment options. It is a product of RTL, a major player in the...
Did we miss one? Feel free to submit a suggestion!
Submit SuggestionThere is no single European Netflix. Netflix is headquartered in Los Gatos, California; Netflix International B.V. in Amsterdam is only its European office. European streaming services are mostly national or regional, so the right Netflix alternative depends on the country and language. For series, shows and live TV in Germany there are RTL+ and Joyn, in the Netherlands Videoland, in the Nordic countries Viaplay, in Spain atresplayer and in Croatia VOYO. For films, Mubi, Filmin, Cinetree and LaCinetek offer curated arthouse and film heritage. The public services ARTE and Play Suisse are free. For the full overview see the category European video streaming services.
European Netflix alternatives compared
| Service | Country | Focus | Availability | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTL+ | Germany (RTL Group, Bertelsmann) | Series, shows, films, live TV, sport | Germany, EU portability | Subscription tiers with and without ads |
| Joyn | Germany (ProSiebenSat.1) | Live TV, on-demand library, originals | Germany, limited abroad | Free with ads, Joyn+ subscription |
| Videoland | Netherlands (DPG Media) | Dutch and international series, films, RTL channel replay | Netherlands | Subscription tiers |
| Viaplay | Sweden | Nordic series, films, live sport | Nordic countries and the Netherlands | Subscription |
| atresplayer | Spain (Atresmedia) | Spanish series, shows, news, live TV | Spain, "Premium Internacional" for Europe | Free with ads, Premium subscription |
| VOYO | Croatia (CME) | Croatian productions, live TV, series, films | Croatia, EU portability | Subscription |
| Mubi | UK | Curated arthouse and world cinema | Worldwide, catalogue differs by country | Subscription |
| Filmin | Spain | Independent film, series, shorts | Spain | Subscription and rental |
| Cinetree | Netherlands | Curated arthouse and documentaries | Netherlands | Membership and rental |
| LaCinetek | France | Film classics of the 20th century | France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg | Rental, purchase, optional subscription |
| ARTE | France and Germany (public service) | Culture, documentaries, cinema, concerts | Full replay in Germany and France, parts elsewhere | Free |
| Play Suisse | Switzerland (SRG) | Swiss films, series, documentaries | Switzerland | Free, login required |
Which Netflix alternative fits which viewer
Viewers who want a broad mainstream offer in their own language will find it in RTL+ and Joyn (German), Videoland (Dutch), Viaplay (Nordic languages), atresplayer (Spanish) and VOYO (Croatian). Joyn, atresplayer and the public services ARTE and Play Suisse also have free tiers. Film lovers get the most out of Mubi, Filmin, Cinetree and LaCinetek, which are small, curated catalogues and a supplement to a main service rather than a replacement. ARTE is a free library for culture and documentaries.
Other services listed in the category
BFI Player serves the UK only, with a subscription and a rental catalogue for independent and classic cinema. filmfriend from Potsdam is free for holders of a library card from a participating library. Pathé Home offers films for rent or purchase in France, with no subscription. EON TV, Sweet.tv, Megogo and Pickbox NOW serve markets in South-East and Eastern Europe, partly as live TV. NOW (Sky UK, owned by Comcast) and DAZN (sport, controlled by Access Industries in New York) are based in London but have US owners.
Limits of European streaming services
- No European service matches Netflix's worldwide catalogue of originals. Most rights are sold country by country.
- Geoblocking is common: NOW and BFI Player work in the UK only, Videoland in the Netherlands, Play Suisse in Switzerland. Under EU portability rules RTL+ and VOYO can be used on trips inside the EU.
- Content is mostly in the national language. Before subscribing, check which audio and subtitle languages a service offers.
- The Viaplay group has pulled out of several markets since 2023; the Dutch business is due to be sold to DPG Media, pending approval.
- Mubi is based in London, but its largest investors are US funds, so check ownership if that matters.
FAQ
Is there a European alternative to Netflix?
Not one for the whole continent. RTL+, Joyn, Videoland, Viaplay, atresplayer and VOYO each cover a country or region. Mubi, Filmin and ARTE cover films and culture.
Which European streaming services are free?
ARTE and Play Suisse are free. Joyn and atresplayer have free tiers with ads, and filmfriend is free with a participating library card.
Can I use European streaming services abroad?
It depends. Under EU portability rules RTL+ and VOYO work during stays in other EU countries. Several services, such as NOW, BFI Player and Videoland, are limited to their home country.
Are NOW and DAZN European?
Both have an office in the UK, but their owners are American: NOW belongs to Sky, which Comcast owns, and DAZN is controlled by Access Industries. They are marked as having a non-European parent.
Which European services suit film lovers?
For curated films Mubi, Filmin, Cinetree and LaCinetek are the specialists. For mainstream series and shows national services such as RTL+ or Videoland are broader.