DocPlay Review & Guide
There’s plenty to watch on the telly in the Australian streaming scene, with no shortage of brands and genres available to tune into. But for those looking to switch their brain on instead of off, where should you be turning to for all of your documentary needs? DocPlay is likely a service you haven’t heard too much about, but may be your new best friend if you enjoy a doco or two. Find out all you need to know about DocPlay in this Canstar Blue guide.
What is DocPlay?
DocPlay is a streaming service that focusses primarily on documentaries and informative series, rather than a wide spectrum on entertainment like Netflix or Stan. From the minds of Madman Entertainment, the company responsible for delivering various anime shows to Australia, DocPlay was developed in conjunction with Screen Australia to deliver Aussies – and New Zealanders – a quality documentary streaming service, with an emphasis on Australian content.
How much does DocPlay cost?
DocPlay is available for $7.99 a month, or as a $79.99 yearly subscription. DocPlay used to offer a free service where you had to put up with ads (similar to Spotify), but currently only offers a paid subscription.
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| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $10 over one month |
1 | $10 |
Go To Site |
|
min. cost $19 over one month |
2 | $19 |
Go To Site |
|
min. cost $22 over one month |
4 | $22 |
Go To Site |
 |
^^View important information | |||
Does DocPlay have a free trial?
DocPlay currently has a 14-day free trial for new customers, although be sure to cancel your free trial before it ends, or you may end up on a paying subscription.
What can I watch on DocPlay?
DocPlay specialises in streaming documentaries, with its library split into TV series and films, as well as into specific genres. There are some big names on there, as well as some titles you may not have heard of, with hundreds of titles available to stream. Some popular documentaries currently on DocPlay are:
- Old People’s Home for 4yr olds
- Road to Now
- JFK: Destiny Betrayed
- 2040
- 3 Days, 2 Nights
- 93 Queen
- BlackFish
- Bowling for Columbine
- Citizenfour
- Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded
- The Cove
- Hoop Dreams
- The Summit
You may also be interested in:
How can I watch DocPlay?
DocPlay is available to stream via a number of devices, including Smart TVs, devices such as Telstra TV and Google Chromecast, via the DocPlay app on iOS and Android systems, as well as via multiple web browsers.
Sign up to Disney+ Australia
There are two plan options to choose from – a monthly subscription, or prepay for a year. Both plans include the same features, with unlimited downloads and the ability to stream on up to four screens at the same time. This table includes links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month or year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $13.99 over one month |
4 | $13.99 |
Get Deal |
|
min. cost $139.99 over one year |
4 | $139.99 |
Get Deal |
|
^^View important information | |||
How does DocPlay compare to other streaming services?
DocPlay, while supported by the Australian Government and Screen Australia, is still in direct competition with the likes of Netflix and Stan. And while it’s obviously marketed towards a niche group, how does DocPlay stack up?
| Netflix | Stan | Disney+ | Kayo | DocPlay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $10.99 (Basic Plan) | $10 (Basic Plan) | $13.99 | $25 (Basic Plan) | $7.99 |
| Free Trial | No | 30-day | No | Yes | 14-day |
| Number of Screens | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | Unknown |
| HD Streaming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exclusive Content | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Information sourced from respective websites. Accurate as of December, 2022.
There is no explicit information about the total number of simultaneous streams allowed with DocPlay, its Terms & Conditions state that Madman may cancel, suspend or restrict your membership if “we detect an unreasonable number of simultaneous sessions are being accessed on your account”. Whether this means two or 32 streams remains a mystery, but we don’t want to test the waters.
As far as content goes, DocPlay focuses on documentaries, and as such has a pretty niche spectrum of content on offer. Its content list ranges into the hundreds, while Netflix and Stan both range into the thousands, or even tens of thousands, albeit it only a small chunk would be in the documentary category. For hard-hitting documentaries, DocPlay may just be the go-to source as it seems both Netflix and Stan are wanting in terms of popular documentaries, although still offer enough to keep you interested.
Is DocPlay worth it?
DocPlay is another streaming service catering towards a particular genre or category of film, and as such its user base is probably a bit more niche compared to Netflix or Stan. Where DocPlay shines through is with its Australian content, and library of documentaries that aren’t even on Netflix or Stan, although if you’re after something other than a doco, you may be out of luck with DocPlay.
For fans of documentaries it may be a no-brainer to sign up to DocPlay, but for the regular viewer who only occasionally likes getting their brain-tickled, it may not be entirely worth it, despite DocPlay being one of the cheaper options currently available. At the end of the day, what you relax to at the end of the day is up to you, with no shortage of options out there for you. If you can’t decide between the available streaming services, check out our ratings on Australian Pay TV and streaming services to see which one may be the best fit for you.
About the author of this page
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.