Now Thats TV

Review by eFreeware

Now Thats TV is a streaming app from Now Thats TV LLC, an independent network that the developer says is built around influencers and filmmakers. It sits in the Entertainment category on Google Play, costs nothing to download, and has passed half a million installs since its release in March 2022. The main reason to consider it is simple: if the programming on the big services feels interchangeable, this is a catalog assembled around creators.

The app itself is a free download, but access to everything it carries runs through a monthly subscription bought inside the app. That is the model here, and it shapes everything else about how the service works. I would treat Now Thats TV as a small, curated network you subscribe to directly, not as a free video app with a paid upgrade on the side.

It currently holds a 3.6 average from 2,682 ratings, which is a middling score for a streaming app. That number tells you subscribers have opinions, but it does not tell you whether the shows are any good. For a network this size, the more useful question is whether its particular roster of creators matches what you like to watch.

A network built around creators rather than studios

The pitch is an independent network for influencers and filmmakers, which is a different proposition from a general-purpose streaming service. Instead of licensing a broad catalog of films and series, Now Thats TV presents work from people who built an audience on their own. That is the whole idea, and it is worth taking at face value when you decide whether to subscribe.

What appeals to me about this framing is the specificity. A network organized around creators tends to have a recognizable personality. If you already follow someone who publishes on Now Thats TV, the app is a way to watch their work.

The developer is not claiming otherwise. Now Thats TV is meant for people who want independent voices.

How the subscription works

Everything runs through a monthly auto-renewing subscription purchased inside the app. The developer notes that pricing can differ by region and is confirmed before you buy, so the figure you see at checkout is the one that applies to you. You pay via Google Play, and you can manage the subscription later in your account settings.

Renewal is automatic unless you turn it off. The developer states that the charge for the next cycle is applied at least 24 hours before the current one ends, and that you cancel by disabling auto-renewal rather than by any separate step. If a free trial is involved, any unused portion is forfeited once payment is made. These are standard terms for app subscriptions, but they are worth reading before you commit, because the renewal timing is earlier than some people expect.

Because the app is free to download and the subscription covers the content, the decision comes down to the subscription. That keeps the decision simple.

Watching on a big screen

The developer cautions that some content is not in widescreen format and will show letterboxing on widescreen televisions. That is a small but honest note. Black bars at the sides or top and bottom are a cosmetic issue rather than a functional one, but on a large display they are noticeable.

If you mostly watch on a phone or tablet, this matters much less. The format note is the kind of detail that a network working with creator-supplied footage tends to run into. I would rather see it disclosed than discovered halfway through a series.

The latest update brings performance improvements, which suggests the developer is still tending to the app.

What you are committing to

The practical requirement here is a subscription. The app is best understood as a paid service with a free download. If you are the sort of viewer who subscribes to one or two services at a time, Now Thats TV is asking to be one of them, and you should weigh that against how much of its creator roster you actually want to follow.

The content rating is Teen, which gives a rough sense of the material without saying much about any individual title. Beyond that, the subscription terms are the main thing to understand: monthly billing, automatic renewal, cancellation through auto-renewal settings, and regional pricing confirmed at purchase.

I would also keep the install figure in perspective. Half a million installs is a healthy number for an independent network, but it is a fraction of what the mainstream services carry. That is not a criticism so much as a description of scale, and scale is exactly what an independent network trades away in exchange for a distinct catalog.

Who this network is built for

Now Thats TV suits viewers who already care about specific creators and want a dedicated place to watch their longer work. It also suits people who make a point of seeking out independent film and creator-driven programming, and who would rather pay a small monthly fee to a niche network than add another large service to the pile.

It is less obviously a fit for someone who wants a broad catalog to browse at random. The network's identity comes from the people publishing on it, so the value depends on whether those names mean something to you. That is a personal calculation, and it is the one that should decide whether the subscription is worth starting.

The 3.6 rating suggests a mixed reception, and I would read that as a sign to check the current lineup before subscribing rather than as a verdict on the app itself. Ratings on streaming apps often reflect catalog taste as much as software quality.

A niche subscription with a clear audience

Now Thats TV is a straightforward proposition: an independent network app, free to install, with a monthly subscription that opens up programming from influencers and filmmakers. It has been on Google Play since March 2022, it has passed 500,000 installs, and its most recent update is a round of performance improvements. The developer is upfront about the subscription terms and about the letterboxing that can affect some titles on widescreen televisions.

I would recommend it to viewers who follow creators publishing on the network and want to watch their work properly, and to anyone who prefers independent production to studio output. If that describes your habits, the subscription is easy to justify. If you are looking for a large general catalog, the network's focus on its own creators is the thing to weigh before you sign up.

The free download makes trying it a low-risk decision, provided you read the renewal terms first. For the right viewer, this is a small network with a specific point of view rather than another generic streaming app.

What's new

Performance improvements.