There are a lot of different ways to watch sports with licensing rights exclusive to Foxtel. The most obvious place is the version of Foxtel with an IQ set-top box but there also Foxtel Now: a cheaper, more convenient box-less, no-contract streaming service option.
But you may have also heard of Kayo Sports – Fox's sports-dedicated streaming service.
With both Foxtel and Kayo boasting a large quantity of quality sporting options, even with stiff competition from rival services like Stan, Prime Video and Paramount Plus, which Fox option is best for you?
Kayo vs. Foxtel Now: Overview
Kayo Sports is Foxtel sports' content separated into its own streaming service.
Effectively, if you purchase a Foxtel Now package which includes the Sport add-on, you can watch all of the same live sports you would get with Kayo Sports, maybe even more (as Kayo doesn't have the live streaming rights to State of Origin games in the NRL, for example).
The difference is that Kayo Sports is designed with a Netflix-like logic to highlight live matches and on-demand replays/highlights without having to rely on live channels.
Here's a comparison of Kayo vs. Foxtel most popular plans will get you:
| Plan | Monthly price | Free trial | 4K content | More info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayo Standard | $29.99/mth | 7 days | No | View Plans |
| Kayo Premium | $45.99/mth | 7 days | Yes | View Plans |
| Foxtel Now Sports + Movies | $84/mth | 10 days | No | View Plans |
| Foxtel Now Ultimate | $104/mth | 10 days | No | View Plans |
| Foxtel Sport | $108/mth | No | Yes iQ4 and after | View Plans |
| Foxtel Sport + Movies | $133/mth | No | Yes iQ4 and after | View Plans |
| Foxtel Platinum Plus | $150/mth | No | Yes iQ4 and after | View Plans |
Kayo vs. Foxtel: Plans and costs
While the prices vary depending on the package or subscription, there's a clear winner in the Foxtel vs. Kayo comparison - Kayo Sports.
Even at its priciest, $45.99 per month for Kayo Sports Premium – Kayo is just under half the price of the cheapest Foxtel-branded service with sports included.
Foxtel Now's cheapest rival sports plan is $84 a month for the Sports + Movies package. However, keep in mind that the pricier Foxtel Now plans do come with more than just sports content.
In the past, you used to be able to buy the Foxtel Now starter bundle ($35 today), then pay around the same price again to add the Sports channels.
That option is sadly long gone, meaning you need at least the Sports + Movies bundle. See below for a handy price breakdown of all the Foxtel Now Sports Bundles:
| Inclusions | Details | |
|---|---|---|
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Foxtel Now
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Foxtel Now
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As for traditional Foxtel setups, the cheapest way to get Foxtel with the sports channels is for $69 a month, but that's with a 12-month contract, mind you. That number jumps to a minimum $108 per month if you want the flexibility of a no-contract setup.
Check out all of the traditional Foxtel sports packages currently available:
| Inclusions | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Foxtel  |
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| Foxtel |
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| Foxtel |
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Kayo vs. Foxtel: Quality and devices
It's a much closer contest for streaming quality.
4K vs HD content
All three of the Foxtel-branded streamers offer Full HD (1080p) streaming. But while that's where Foxtel Now maxes out quality-wise, Kayo Sports and TV-bound Foxtel offer up to 4K resolution. The disclaimer there is 4K sporting content is mostly relegated to AFL, NRL and F1 racing. And while AFL matches are all broadcast in 4K these days, that's not true of the other 4K sports.
Foxtel's internet speed requirements
Traditional Foxtel has an edge here because there are potentially 4K movies to stream as well, depending on your Foxtel package (assuming they're of interest). Higher resolutions use more internet bandwidth, so you'll need at least 25Mbps for 4K content with a Foxtel IQ4 or IQ5 set-top box. Those requirements drop to 7Mbps for HD content and 3Mbps for SD content. Those last two speeds are identical for Foxtel Now download speed requirements, albeit 3Mbps is listed as the minimum, while 7Mbps is the maximum.
Kayo's internet speed requirements
The maths can get a little trickier for Kayo Sports subscribers. For 4K content, you'll want 25Mbps of available download speeds. For Full HD, you'll need at least 7.5Mbps or 4Mbps for HD (720p). At home, the minimum bandwidth to stream Kayo Sports is 2.5Mbps, or it's 1.5Mbps if you're streaming on mobile.
The higher the quality, the more data you'll use. Compounding data usage further is the reality that Kayo has a SplitView feature, which lets you stream up to four videos per compatible device. If those were all 4K streams, you'd need 100Mbps of download speed to cover all four on a single device, plus you'd be using around 45GB of data per hour.
If you're in the market for internet fast enough to handle 4K content, here's a list of popular NBN 100 plans from our comparison engine.
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#1
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Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
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#2
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amaysim
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN100
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
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#3
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Belong
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN Premium – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
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#4
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Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
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#5
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iiNet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
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#6
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy NBN 100/20
$67.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
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Device compatibility
Compatible devices vary based on which service you're using. Foxtel Go, included with a regular Foxtel subscription, is a way to watch content when you're away from your Foxtel set-top box. It supports streaming on two devices simultaneously, but it's only compatible with iOS, Android and web browsers.
Foxtel IQ boxes, on the other hand, can technically connect to any display with an HDMI port, which means 4K TVs, lower-resolution televisions or computer monitors (ideally, with sound out if you don't have PC speakers or a soundbar).
Like Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now can stream on two devices simultaneously, with a decent range of supported devices. You can use Foxtel Now on a selection of TVs, including Android TV and Chromecast devices, as well as iOS, Android, web browsers and PlayStation 4.
Kayo Sports is available on slightly more devices than Foxtel Now, including the PlayStation 5, Apple TV, Amazon Fire devices and, of course, Hubbl.
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| Apple TV (2015+) | * | ||||||||||||
| Fetch TV | |||||||||||||
| Chromecast | ** | *** | |||||||||||
| Hubbl | |||||||||||||
| Amazon Fire devices | |||||||||||||
| PlayStation 4 | |||||||||||||
| PlayStation 5 | |||||||||||||
| Xbox One | **** | ||||||||||||
| Xbox Series X | **** | ||||||||||||
| Xbox Series S | **** |
* Foxtel Now is only available through Airplay, and not as a standalone app.
** Chromecast 1st Generation is no longer supported by Kayo. For optimal streaming using Chromecast, Kayo recommends Chromecast Ultra and latest 3rd generation.
*** Foxtel Now is streamed through the Foxtel GO app.
**** Kayo Sport is only available on Xbox One S (2016), Xbox One X (2017), Xbox Series S (2020), and Xbox Series X (2020) models.
Legend
Streaming Device Compatibility
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| Apple TV (2015+) | ||||
| Telstra TV 3 | ||||
| Fetch TV | ||||
| Chromecast | ||||
| Hubbl | ||||
| Amazon Fire devices | ||||
| PlayStation 4 | ||||
| PlayStation 5 | ||||
| Xbox One | ||||
| Xbox Series X |
Legend
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Netflix
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Stan
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Amazon Prime Video
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Disney +
Final Verdict: Which streaming service is better for sports?
If you've tallied up to here, you can probably already guess the winner. Kayo Sports is the best value for streaming Foxtel sports at just under half the price of the closest Foxtel-branded competitor.
The only disclaimer is that Foxtel Now and Foxtel IQ set-top boxes come with non-sports content but that may not matter much if all you're after is sports. Everywhere else, it's pretty much Kayo at the top of the pack: the sports-focused streamer has better features and is supported by more devices.
Score the best price by check out our Kayo Sports deals guide for the latest discounts and ways to get bonus subscriptions.
Compare more sports streaming services
Foxtel IQ set-top boxes, Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports aren't the only ways to stream sports in Australia. While they can't compete on quantity, there are some quality sports streaming alternatives that are worth considering, especially if you're into codes that aren't present or as well represented on Fox Sports.
More streaming deals
Looking for something to stream tonight but don't want to pay full price? We've rounded up the best deals from Australia's major streaming services.
- Apple TV Plus deals: Get 30% off
- Binge deals: Stream Binge from less than $7 per month
- Disney Plus deals: Get 12 months for the price of 10
- Foxtel packages and deals: Save up to $55 per month
- HBO Max deals: Free HBO Max with Foxtel
- Netflix deals: Free Netflix with Foxtel
- Paramount Plus deals: Save over $40 per year
- Prime Video deals: Score a 30-day free trial
| Inclusions | Details | |
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Paramount+
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Prime Video
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Disney+
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Stan
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Link not supplied
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Binge
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beIN Sports Monthly Plan
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Link not supplied
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DAZN
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Apple TV
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Kayo Sports 
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Foxtel Now
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Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
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