We had dealt with days when televisions were rare, and the government would only broadcast a few channels on TV. As days passed by, due to new technologies, there was the arrival of private TV channels in the global market. Only the personal media were broadcasted through cable connections, and then came the DTH, also known as ‘Direct to Home’ connectivity. It was an excellent time for the operators of private channels and the viewers too. 

Then came the Internet and on-demand video streaming, which left no stones unturned. It transformed the very way the entertainment and television industry worked. Video streaming apps have become the new future, and most people prefer them as they offer fresh and unique video content and especially without any commercial breaks. 

Who would choose cable TV when they have high-speed internet connections and a wide range of video content? Therefore, it is safe to assume that cable TV is not the top choice for many viewers. 

Nowadays, people neither have the time nor have the patience to watch their favorite movies, shows, or TV programs sitting at their homes. And realizing that this is the right chance, most popular video streaming apps like Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime entered the show. These applications have helped entertainment lovers in humongous ways. How? They get to watch their favorite videos on the go, at home, at work, or even during traveling. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss one of the leading on-demand video streaming apps called ‘Hotstar.’ Let’s cover what the app is, its uses, features, and the cost of developing a Hotstar Clone app.

What is Hotstar? 

Hostar is an on-demand video streaming app owned by Star India that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney. The platform offers 100,000+ hours of video content like web series, movies, and many more in seventeen different languages. Apart from this, Hotstar also streams live sports matches that are conducted across the globe. 

Hotstar became the on-demand video service of Disney when Disney purchased Star India’s parent company in 2019, and it was renamed Disney+ Hotstar. 

It offers the service to the Indian audience in a distinct way. The app’s success relies mostly on the content, which attracts users of all ages and thereby combines with the exponential growth of the online medium. 

The app’s premium members have the facility to watch the local TV shows even before they are telecasted on television, and the non-premium members can watch programs and movies after a day. 

What is Disney Plus (Disney+)?

Disney Plus is an on-demand video streaming platform from America that is operated by Walt Disney Company. The app has a large variety of video content with 6000+ TV episodes and 500+ movies. The contents of Disney plus come from Pixar, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Marvel. 

Moreover, the premium bundle pack of Disney+ comes with the streaming service Hulu and with premium live sports streaming service like ESPN+. On the whole, it offers all kinds of entertainment works, catering to the needs of both children and adults. 

The on-demand streaming apps have seen exponential growth, and the projected growth rate is 20.4% from the year 2020 to 2027. 

More video streaming apps are streaming their content on their own apps just like Disney+, Hotstar, and more. They have their shows available on their platforms. By this, we can conclude that the on-demand video streaming services are having their precious time in the market. 

Hence, it is making the market more investible. If you are keen on developing a Hotstar like app, this blog will help you in the process. 

Gilded business and revenue model of the app

Subscription model

The app would work under the subscription-based model to earn money. To access any content, the users have to subscribe to any plans available and pay cash for it accordingly. The charge varies according to the number of users who access the content through a single account and depending on the format and quality of the video they want to watch. It can be SD, HD, or UHD. 

The app offers a free trial for the first month of usage, where the users get to watch all the video content, and they can decide upon the plan that suits best for them. This is one of the crucial factors for Hotstar’s success, and it made the app generate billions of dollars per year. 

Advertisement

As we saw earlier, there is also a free plan that the app offers. Advertisements are the primary source of revenue for this plan. For every video streamed through this plan, the app will show advertisements in 5-10 minutes. 

Prominent features of the app

The features of an app are what defines the app. So here are some features that the on-demand streaming app like Hotstar should contain for making it profitable:

Video library

As an on-demand video streaming app, it is natural to showcase rich video content. The video library would include all the video contents of the app ranging from movies, TV series, shows, etc., for an audience of all age groups to watch. 

Multi-language content 

To retain people and to increase the number of users, the platform should offer content in more than just one language. The contents should be of various regional languages as this is one of the best ways to target a large audience. 

Search option

The app has to be categorized with different genres of video content. Classify them based on options like live videos, then various options for series, movies, kids, etc. Dividing these options according to genre can be more beneficial for users, as they can easily find some interesting content according to their perspectives. 

Privacy option

Some users may not want to share their recently watched videos or watchlists with their families and friends. To tackle this situation, providing them with a facility to add a password to make their profile private can be the right choice. 

Screen mirroring

Screen mirroring or multiple screen mirroring enables the users to watch their videos on various gadgets like TV, laptops, tablets, and many other devices. This feature comes in handy for users who would like to access content from any device they want. 

Multi-payment option

As the app will follow the subscription-based model, the app must have a feature to let people pay if they have decided to subscribe to any plan after the trial period. So add multiple payment options to make the process easier and convenient. 

Cost to develop the app

The total cost to develop an Hotstar Clone app depends on the requirements and features to be integrated into the app. If you wish to add all the essential elements of the app and some unique add-ons, the cost will be on a higher-end. 

Also, it depends on the budget and time constraints, and the developers’ charge on an hourly basis to whom you outsource the process of development. 

However, purchasing a ready-made video streaming app solution can considerably abate the time and budget, offering you the best and user-friendly app in return. 

It’s about time for launch!

Now that you got to know everything about the video streaming market and what it takes to develop a Hotstar clone, it’s high time you start with the launch. And Appdupe, as the expert team that we are, will help you get through the competent industry and crown your success with the sleek app. So hurry!