Guide
Streaming in Uganda: what works and what it costs
Every streaming service you can sign up for in Uganda, what it costs, how to pay without a bank card, and how much of your bundle it eats.
Last checked
A note on prices: they change, and several below come from articles a year or more old. We show where each figure comes from in the sources at the bottom. If you spot one that’s out of date, tell us.
The short answer
If you pay for one service, make it Netflix. It has the most to watch, and a mobile plan that costs less than a cinema ticket. If you’re on a tight bundle, set it to Low or Medium data use before you press play.
Service by service
| Service | Monthly price | Pay with | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | from $2.99 (Mobile) | Card, or a mobile money virtual card | The widest catalogue, plus African originals |
| Prime Video | $5.99 | Card | Amazon originals and films |
| Apple TV | see the app | Card | Severance, Slow Horses, a small, high-quality catalogue |
| DStv Stream | from UGX 49,000 (Access) | Card, mobile money | Live sport, African channels, what was on Showmax |
| YouTube | Free (Premium: see the app) | — | Wakaliwood, trailers, free full-length films |
Netflix
Netflix has a Uganda site and charges in US dollars. After the 2024 price cut for parts of Africa, the plans were Mobile $2.99, Basic $3.99, Standard $7.99 and Premium $9.99 a month. Prices can change, so check the current ones at netflix.com/ug.
The Mobile plan only works on one phone or tablet, in standard definition. For most people watching on a phone, that’s all you need.
Prime Video
Prime Video has been available in Uganda since its worldwide launch in December 2016. It has cost $5.99 a month on its own. We haven’t seen a newer price for Uganda; check the app.
Apple TV
Apple TV+ became plain Apple TV in October 2025, and Apple’s Uganda support pages cover subscribing here. The price in Uganda isn’t confirmed: Apple raised prices in the US and some other markets in August 2025. The app shows the current price before you subscribe.
DStv Stream
The DStv app without a dish. Packages in Uganda start at UGX 49,000 a month (Access, two streams). The bigger packages cost more; dstv.com/en-ug lists them all.
From June 2026, new Samsung TVs sold in Uganda come with the app already installed.
YouTube
Free, and more useful than people think: Wakaliwood’s full films are on the official channel (see our guide to Ugandan films). YouTube Premium, which removes ads and lets you download, is available in Uganda. The YouTube app shows the price.
Showmax is gone
Canal+, which bought MultiChoice, closed Showmax on 30 April 2026. Most of its catalogue moved to DStv Stream. Former Showmax subscribers in Uganda were offered DStv Stream Compact at UGX 20,000 a month for a year.
Services that aren’t in Uganda
Disney+ never launched here, and neither did Hulu, Max, Peacock or Paramount+. Crunchyroll says it serves Africa, but we couldn’t confirm it works in Uganda. Our title pages say when something streams on one of these in the US.
People in Kampala still watch them. The usual way is a VPN set to another country, plus a payment method the service accepts there, such as a foreign card or a gift card bought online. Before you try it, know this:
- It breaks the services’ terms. They can block the VPN or close the account, and subscriptions paid that way aren’t refunded.
- Pay attention to what you pay. A VPN costs money too, and paying in dollars on a Ugandan card or mobile money card adds conversion fees.
- It eats data. A VPN adds a little to every hour you stream.
- Check here first. Many films that stream on those services can also be rented or bought from Uganda, on Apple TV for example. Each title page lists the options that work here.
Paying without a bank card
Most of these services want a Visa or Mastercard. If you don’t have one, both networks offer a virtual Mastercard paid from mobile money:
- MTN MoMoCard: dial *165*70#. It costs UGX 1,000 and lasts 30 days.
- Airtel Money Mastercard: set it up from the Airtel Money menu.
Load enough onto the card for the subscription, then use the card number at checkout. Both have been widely used for Netflix. If one is refused, try the other.
How much of your bundle it uses
Netflix’s own figures, per hour:
| Netflix setting | Data per hour | Rough cost on a 20GB MTN bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 0.3 GB | about UGX 400 |
| Medium | 0.7 GB | about UGX 900 |
| High, SD | up to 1 GB | about UGX 1,300 |
| High, HD | up to 3 GB | about UGX 3,900 |
The cost column uses MTN’s August 2026 price of UGX 26,000 for 20GB, which works out to about UGX 1,300 per GB. Airtel’s bundles are priced about the same.
YouTube doesn’t publish per-hour figures. Choose 480p if you want a whole film to come in under about 1GB.
Sources
- Netflix Uganda
- Netflix cuts prices in select African countries, Pulse Uganda (July 2024)
- How much data does Netflix use?, Netflix Help Center
- Paying for Netflix with MTN Mobile Money, Dignited
- Paying for Netflix with MTN or Airtel, Ugtechmag
- Prime Video launches in 200+ countries, Amazon (December 2016)
- Subscribe to Apple TV, Apple Support Uganda
- Apple TV+ becomes Apple TV, Deadline (October 2025)
- Apple TV price rise, Forbes Africa (August 2025)
- Canal+ shuts Showmax, Deadline (March 2026)
- Showmax subscribers get DStv Stream Compact trial, Nile Post (April 2026)
- DStv Stream packages, Uganda
- YouTube Premium locations, YouTube Help
- Recommended speeds, YouTube Help
- Disney+ availability, FlixPatrol
- MTN Uganda monthly data bundles, Pulse Uganda (August 2026)
- Airtel Uganda data prices, Pulse Uganda (September 2026)
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