Stiftung Warentest: Test of streaming providers
Stiftung Warentest tested 13 streaming providers and compared them to a Berlin video store. The streaming offers were tested on subscription as well as individually. All major VoD services such as Netflix, Maxdome and Amazon Instant Video have been secretly tested. They all promise the big cinema in the small living room. You can find out who can do this best in our summary of the streaming test.
Streaming portals at Stiftung Warentest 2017
After Amazon Instant Video was in the lead in the 2015 test, Stiftung Warentest again tested the eight largest providers in 2017 - with some surprising results.
- Maxdome secures first place among the streaming providers with subscriptions and individual rental options. However, film and series fans often cannot find the films / series they want by subscription or to borrow. But at least the picture and sound quality is satisfactory. Result: grade 2.8.
- The runner-up Amazon Prime Video is the only provider to receive a "good" for its film and series volume. In addition, Amazon is significantly cheaper than Maxdome. There's also not much to complain about in terms of picture and sound quality. However, it is only enough for a grade of 3.0. Because the terms and conditions contain defects, criticized goods test. Hence the devaluation to the worse grade.
- Among the purely online video stores (without subscription), Videoload leads the ranking (rating 3.2). As with Juke, Google Play and iTunes, the experts criticized the limited range of films and series.
- If you only want a subscription for films and series, the best thing to do is to use Netflix. The platform is ahead of Sky with a grade of 3.2. But the availability of series and films is grotto bad - in this category there was a grade of 4.4. Netflix has just 14 of the 160 most popular films.
- Conclusion: The best offer from films and series is still on Amazon Prime Video. At least every second of the 40 most popular series is there. Amazon also has the most of the top 160 films with 114.
Streaming test 2015: Stiftung Warentest is disappointed
In 2015, the testers searched the streaming portals and a Berlin video store for 100 popular films and almost as many series. The result was a bit of a disappointment at the time: The test winner Amazon Instant Video only had 22 films and 20 series on subscription.
- With a grade of 3.5, test winner Amazon Instant Video was the only streaming portal to receive a "satisfactory" in the subscription test. The good image quality of the films was particularly positive.
- Sky Snap followed in 2nd place (grade 3.6): Of the films and series searched, the testers found 20 films and 11 series on subscription. The image quality was not quite as good as with Instant Video, Netflix and iTunes.
- In our picture gallery you will find further results from the streaming test.
The secret streaming test winner 2015 at Stiftung Warentest: Netflix
- Netflix only comes fourth in the test, but this was due to a devaluation due to defects in the terms and conditions (now corrected according to the provider). Without the devaluation, Netflix could even take on the test winner Amazon.
- At Netflix you received 25 series and 11 films from the titles you were looking for.
- It gets even better for us: the image quality of Netflix is almost at Bluray level.
Goods test: Rent and buy films and series individually
You don't usually get the latest blockbusters in a subscription model. Instead, you have to rent the film separately or buy it straight away. Since this single access model is more lucrative for the streaming portals, you will also find significantly more titles here than in the subscription:
- Most of the films for rent were on iTunes (rating 3.1) in 2015 with 71 of 100 films searched for. But there are no series to borrow, only to buy.
- Maxdome (grade 2.8) has a slightly smaller offer with 61 out of 100 films, but also a few series on loan. There are 24 series and 47 films to buy (see picture gallery).
- Videoload is also impressive (Note 3.1): There are only films to rent here, but the range of films and series available for immediate purchase is somewhat larger than with Maxdome (64 films / 26 series).
- All details about the test can be found at test.de.
Conclusion: Streaming providers fail again in the subscription test
- As also shown in the large CHIP test, the streaming subscriptions only contain every fifth film (Amazon) searched, even in the best case. The series is even worse for series (see picture gallery).
- In the CHIP test with the top 50 films, Amazon Instant Video only came up with 7 films. Instead, Sky Snap and Watchever won - but only with just 16 films available.
- According to Warentest, iTunes is equipped with a good film repertoire for borrowing individually and streams around 70 percent of the films sought. Apple is also one step ahead when it comes to buying individual films and series.
- Tip: on werstreamed.es you will quickly find the providers for your favorite films. Our picture gallery shows you which streaming options from each provider are worthwhile.
In our VoD comparison you will find the advantages and disadvantages of Amazon, Watchever, Maxdome and iTunes. New in comparison is Netflix vs. Max cathedrals.
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