Zee5 favicon

Zee5

by Zee Entertainment Enterprises

ZEE5 - Watch TV Shows, Web Series, Movies & Live TV Channels

Freemium๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ71%entertainmentMumbai
Visit WebsitePartner link

About This App

ZEE5 is an Indian OTT streaming platform launched in February 2018 by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, one of India's oldest media conglomerates (founded 1992). Headquartered in Mumbai, ZEE5 serves over 100 million monthly active users and is available in 190+ countries. The platform has over 500 million downloads on Google Play. ZEE5's strength is its deep regional Indian content library โ€” 200,000+ hours spanning 12 languages including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Bhojpuri. It carries the entire Zee TV network catalog (Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, etc.), plus a strong originals slate with critically acclaimed shows. ZEE5 Originals like Abhay, Rangbaaz, and Sunflower have earned high IMDb ratings (7.7โ€“9.6). The platform also offers 90+ live TV channels, making it a cord-cutting option for Zee network viewers. ZEE5 pricing is competitive: the Premium HD plan costs Rs 999/year, Premium 4K is Rs 1,299/year, and a monthly HD plan runs Rs 199/month. A South-focused 4K plan is available at Rs 749/year for regional content lovers. There's also a free ad-supported tier with limited content. Compared to JioHotstar (Rs 499โ€“2,199/year) and Netflix India (Rs 649/month), ZEE5 sits in the mid-range with a strong value proposition for regional content. ZEE5 is best for viewers of Zee TV network shows, Bengali and Marathi content enthusiasts, and users wanting affordable regional entertainment. The originals quality has improved significantly. However, users wanting Hollywood content, live sports, or a polished Netflix-like UI may find ZEE5 lacking โ€” the app's ad frequency and technical stability are common pain points.

Information updated 6 months ago

App Details

Company
Zee Entertainment Enterprises
Location
Mumbai
Pricing
Freemium
Twitter
@ZEE5India
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ
71%Mostly Swadeshi

Zee Entertainment Enterprises

Honest Review

4.5/5 on Google Play Store ยท Last verified 2026-04-25

What works well

  • +Deepest Bengali, Marathi, and regional Indian language content library among major OTTs
  • +200K+ hours of content across 12 languages โ€” massive catalog for the price
  • +Strong originals slate with critically acclaimed shows (Abhay, Rangbaaz, Sunflower)
  • +90+ live TV channels included โ€” works as a cord-cutting solution for Zee network
  • +Affordable pricing: Rs 999/year for Premium HD, Rs 199/month option available
  • +Available in 190+ countries โ€” good for Indian diaspora

What needs improvement

  • -Excessive and intrusive ads even on paid plans โ€” users report ads every few minutes
  • -No live sports โ€” a dealbreaker compared to JioHotstar and SonyLIV
  • -Limited Hollywood and international content compared to Netflix or Prime Video
  • -App buffering issues even on fast internet connections โ€” stability needs work
  • -UI/UX feels dated compared to Netflix and JioHotstar

Common user complaints

  • !Auto-renewal charges without clear notification โ€” difficulty getting refunds
  • !Episodes resume incorrectly after disconnection โ€” app loses progress between seasons
  • !Audio quality issues on some shows (mono instead of stereo) with no fix from support
  • !Customer support is nearly non-existent โ€” no phone support, email responses are slow
  • !Subscription charges continue even when app is not working or account is inactive

Learn Zee5 on YouTube

Hand-picked videos to help you get started โ€” tutorials, demos, and reviews.

Tutorial

Zee5 App Kaise Use Kare | How To Use Zee5 App

Tutorial

ZEE5 App Kaise Chalaye | Full Episode Download and Open Guide

Tutorial

ZEE5 How to Use Step by Step Tutorial in Hindi

Product demo

ZEE5 App Full Guide | Best Features, Subscription Plans & How to Use

Zee5 preview

Indian Alternative To

Zee5 is a powerful Indian alternative to these international apps:

Is Zee5 an alternative to Netflix?

Yes, Zee5 by Zee Entertainment Enterprises is an Indian alternative to Netflix. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to Netflix โ†’

Is Zee5 an alternative to Amazon Prime?

Yes, Zee5 by Zee Entertainment Enterprises is an Indian alternative to Amazon Prime. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to Amazon Prime โ†’

Is Zee5 an alternative to Disney+ Hotstar?

Yes, Zee5 by Zee Entertainment Enterprises is an Indian alternative to Disney+ Hotstar. It offers similar functionality while being developed and maintained in India.Explore other Indian alternatives to Disney+ Hotstar โ†’

Related Indian Apps

MX Player favicon

MX Player

MX Media (Times Internet)

MX Player is India's most-downloaded video player and OTT platform, launched 2011 as an Android local player and acquired by Amazon in 2024 (now Amazon MX Player). 250M+ MAU and 3.1B+ Google Play downloads โ€” India's largest free ad-supported streaming service. Streams free movies, web series, K-dramas, Turkish dramas, and originals in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam. MX Gold premium at Rs 499/year removes most ads. Best for budget viewers and Android users.

FreemiumView Details
SonyLIV favicon

SonyLIV

Culver Max Entertainment

SonyLIV is India's first OTT streaming platform, launched January 2013 by Mumbai-based Culver Max Entertainment. 310M+ Google Play downloads. Hosts critically acclaimed originals like Scam 1992 (IMDb 9.3), Rocket Boys, Gullak, and Maharani, plus live UEFA Champions League, La Liga, WWE, UFC, and Sony TV shows (KBC, Indian Idol). Premium Annual at Rs 1,499/year (~Rs 125/month) โ€” far cheaper than Netflix. Best for premium Indian originals and football fans.

FreemiumView Details
Hotstar favicon

Hotstar

JioStar (Reliance-Disney JV)

JioHotstar is India's largest OTT platform, born from the Feb 2025 JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar merger under JioStar (Reliance-Disney JV). 1B+ Google Play downloads with 500M+ monthly active users. Streams 300,000+ hours of Bollywood, Star Plus serials, Disney, Marvel, HBO, Nat Geo, and regional content in 19 Indian languages โ€” plus exclusive live IPL and ICC cricket. Plans from Rs 79/month or Rs 499/year. Best for sports + entertainment in one sub.

FreemiumView Details
Amagi favicon

Amagi

Amagi Media Labs

Amagi is a Bengaluru-based media tech company (founded 2008, IPO Jan 2026) providing cloud-native broadcast, CTV, and FAST solutions powering 5,000+ channels across 50+ streaming platforms globally. Suite includes CLOUDPORT (cloud playout), THUNDERSTORM (server-side ad insertion), and Amagi NOW (self-serve FAST channel launcher). Serves NBCUniversal, A+E, Bloomberg, CBS, ZEE5, and more. Enterprise pricing on AWS. Best for content owners scaling FAST channels.

Atoplay favicon

Atoplay

Bluedoors Technologies

AtoPlay is an Indian YouTube alternative for short and long-form video across entertainment, education, news, sports, and tech. Built by Bengaluru-based Bluedoors Technologies, it crossed 500K downloads on Google Play. Creators get a lower monetisation threshold than YouTube, a tiered rank system, and strong support for Indian regional languages. Best for creators diversifying beyond YouTube; Android-only.

BookMyShow favicon

BookMyShow

Bigtree Entertainment

BookMyShow is India's largest entertainment ticketing platform, run by Mumbai-based Bigtree Entertainment (founded 1999). Serves 30M+ customers across 650+ cities and 5 countries with movies, live concerts, comedy, theatre, sports, and experiences. Seat selection on cinema maps, exclusive event pre-sales, and integrated cinema food ordering. FY2025 revenue Rs 1,869 Cr. Free app; convenience fees per ticket. Refund policy is rigid.