zee5.com
Today, the TV and movie streaming industry is becoming increasingly crowded and competitive. I recently learned about a new streaming service that has joined the competition, making it even more difficult for any one site to stand out. The fact that there are so many streaming services available is, at the end of the day, a blessing and a curse.
It's a blessing that there are so many streaming sites to choose from. This means we have more options to find the best TV streaming site on the web. And with more sites offering high quality content, we're getting better and better options every day.
This is, indeed, the golden age of TV because there are so many excellent options for watching precisely the kinds of content that we enjoy. Each of the competing services is forced to try and offer better content, better features, a better user experience, and more affordable prices than the next.
This abundance of streaming sites is both a blessing and a curse. The downside is that it can be hard to decide which ones are the best for us, individually.
We don't have the time or the money to go through and test out each of the premium TV streaming sites, both in terms of the kind of content offered and the respective price points of each. Sure, many of these sites (especially the newer ones) do offer a free trial period for new users. Some even have something of a freemium model built into the infrastructure of their services, hoping to hook viewers by allowing them to watch, say, the first episode of a series without any registration or payment required.
I understand that our lives are busy. Too busy, even, at times to make sampling all of the streaming sites (even the freemium ones) a viable option. This is why I dedicate my work life to providing detailed and comprehensive reviews of all the best TV and movie streaming sites on the web. All you need is a few minutes of your time; just read a few of my reviews and, in no time at all, you'll be able to discern which TV streaming site is going to be the best addition to your monthly entertainment budget.
Which brings us to the TV streaming site that we will be taking a look at today: Zee5. Zee5 is not only one of the newer TV streaming sites in India, but it has quickly become one of the most popular in the country. The service claims 56 million active monthly users (as of December 2019), and it appears to have only grown in popularity since then.
What makes Zee5 such a popular TV streaming site? It seems to have synergy of several factors - like cross-platform availability, plenty of high-quality content (both syndicated and original), some unique features, and an easy-to-use site and app design. All of these contribute to the site's popularity among TV streaming buffs both in India and abroad.
History
Zee5, a relatively new site that launched in February 2018, initially only offered content in Hindi, with plans to add more languages later. The site made accessibility a top priority from the start, with notable features including the ability to access content in 12 languages on various platforms (including Android and iOS devices, as well as the web and Smart TVs), as well as almost immediate availability on Android and iOS.
Since then, Zee5 has become available in almost every country around the world except for the United States. Even though it is still unavailable in the US, many experts believe that Zee5 will be a threat to some of the best-established streaming giants, like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
Design
Although it is not Netflix- or Hulu-specific, the site does offer an excellent selection of movies and TV shows for streaming. Overall, Zee5?s website is an impressive and user-friendly option for streaming content.
Zee5's website is very impressive. It is dynamic, it is immersive, and it offers a user experience that is equal parts enjoyable and intuitive. Although the general layout of the site should strike users of Netflix and Hulu as somewhat familiar, it does offer a few unique quirks of its own. The layout is similar to that of the typical streamer, offering collections of content that are organized by category or genre (horizontal menus which can be browsed via a smooth side-scroll). Although it is not Netflix- or Hulu-specific, the site does offer an excellent selection of movies and TV shows for streaming. Overall, Zee5's website is an impressive option for streaming content.
This TV streaming site breaks tradition by having many live and dynamic thumbnails that preview the show or movie in question. The staggered thumbnails do not create too much chaos, and the end result is a perfectly immersive experience that lends itself well to browsing thousands of hours of TV series and movies.
When I click on a title, the site design continues to impress. Beside the media player, I find a sizeable collection of recommended or related titles which enables an easy and intuitive continuation of browsing that doesn't depend too heavily on clicking the back button (a design feature that I always appreciate). In the end, Zee5 is smooth, easy to use, and experiential - all things that I look for in stellar streaming site design.
Content and Features
Zee5 is a feature-rich app with many ways to keep you organized. You can easily add titles to your watch list, and there are also social features for sharing episodes of your favorite series with friends or family. With the click of a button, you can embed links to content in your watch list too.
Zee5 is a big and diverse TV and movie streaming site. You'll find lots of shows and movies here, in 12 different languages. You can also watch popular TV series, popular movies, original Zee5 series, news coverage, exclusive Zee5 Club shows, exclusive premium content, user-generated videos, and even video games. This makes Zee5 one of the most unique and effective streaming sites I've ever reviewed.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
Another great thing about Zee5 is that it is available on many different devices and platforms. The mobile apps are really easy to use and the site looks great on a lot of different TVs.
Pricing and Plans
I think Zee5 is also, I believe, fairly priced. There are different package options and prices available for premium subscriptions.
999
I just signed up for a one-month subscription to the magazine.
Three months ago, the Indian Rupee was worth INR299.
.
Six months ago, the rate was INR599.
The price of one year's worth of Indian Rupees is INR999.
For the Zee5 Club (an offering that provides access to exclusive content and TV episodes prior to air date), you are looking at paying INR365 per year - a price that is INR1 for each day of the year. This isn't too shabby.