About STARZ
As someone who cuts the cord but still craves good TV, I gave the STARZ app a shot mainly for “Outlander.” What I found was a surprisingly deep library that’s kept me subscribed long after finishing that first series. It’s not trying to be everything to everyone like the massive platforms; it feels more like a curated channel with a strong identity, focused on premium dramas, comedies, and a solid movie selection. I use it on my iPad during my commute and on my TV at home, and it’s filled a specific niche in my streaming rotation.
Features & Highlights
The offline download feature is a lifesaver. Last month, I downloaded a few episodes of “Power” before a long flight, and it worked perfectly. I also appreciate that the parental controls are straightforward—I set a PIN for mature content in about 30 seconds, which gives me peace of mind when my niece is over. Creating a watchlist is simple; I just hit the plus button on any title. One feature I use more than I thought I would is the “Continue Watching” row. It reliably picks up exactly where I left off, even if I switched from my phone to my laptop, which doesn’t always happen smoothly on other apps.
User Experience
Navigating the app feels intuitive. The home screen is clean, not overwhelmingly crowded with a hundred rows. I particularly like the themed collections like “Critically Acclaimed Indies” or “Starz Original Series”—they feel hand-picked. The search function works well, but I wish it had a better filter for movies by decade. The video player is solid; tapping the screen brings up a clean progress bar and quality selector. My only gripe is that about once a week, the app on my smart TV needs a quick force-close and restart to load properly, a minor but noticeable hiccup.
Pricing
The app itself is free to download, but you need a STARZ subscription to watch anything. You can subscribe directly through the app or via a cable/streaming provider. At around $9.99 a month, it’s cheaper than the big premium channels. For me, it’s worth it because I consistently find 2-3 things to watch each month. If you’re only interested in one specific show, it might be better to subscribe for a month, binge, and cancel. They do offer a 7-day free trial, which is perfect for testing the library.
Updates & Support
The app gets updated every few weeks, mostly for bug fixes and performance improvements. I noticed one recent update significantly sped up the menu loading times on my older phone. I had to contact support once about a billing question via the website’s live chat. The wait was about 10 minutes, but the agent was helpful and resolved my issue quickly. They don’t have 24/7 phone support, which is a downside, but the help articles in the app are actually useful for common problems like login issues.
Security & Privacy
I downloaded the app directly from the official Apple App Store. The app requires a stable login, which is standard. In terms of privacy, STARZ’s policy states they collect viewing data to make recommendations (which works well—it suggested “The Spanish Princess” to me after I watched “The White Queen”) and for service improvement. You can opt out of personalized ads in your account settings. I don’t see third-party ads during playback, which is a huge plus. The data seems to stay within their ecosystem for the core service.
