Vivimate, which publishes this page, sells a general IPTV subscription and doesn't carry DStv or SuperSport. So this is a description of DStv's product, not a recommendation, built from DStv's own news and help pages read on November 10, 2026. Where DStv's pages contradict each other, we show both rather than pick one.
One name, two meanings
DStv uses "DStv Stream" for a subscription and for an app. The subscription meaning comes from its FAQ "What is DStv Stream?", which calls it "the brand and name for our streaming only subscriptions" and says they let customers watch "without the need for a decoder". No decoder means no satellite dish either. The app meaning is the DStv Stream app, which streaming-only customers use for everything and decoder customers use for watching away from the TV.
The practical difference for a household is what it pays for. A decoder home pays for a dish, installation and the package. A DStv Stream home pays for the package plus its internet connection, and DStv's app FAQ says plainly that internet access and data are required.
DStv Stream prices
DStv's article dated September 8, 2026 gives every package from September 17 a DStv Stream price beside its decoder price. In South African rand per month:
| Package | Channels | DStv Stream | Decoder, for comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| DStv Starter | 85+ | R99 | R150 |
| DStv Select | 100+ | R299 | R339 |
| DStv Sports | 115+ | R399 | R479 |
| DStv Movies & Series | 115+ | R500 | R500 |
| DStv Premium | 130+ | R799 | R979 (R799 on a 24-month contract) |
Streaming is the cheaper way in on four of the five packages, and the same price on DStv Movies & Series. DStv Premium on DStv Stream costs what a decoder customer pays only by signing a 24-month contract. DStv's store page loaded only its title for us, so check the live price there. Our DStv packages and prices page covers EasyView, Compact Plus, add-ons and switching.
Devices that run DStv Stream
DStv's compatible devices page, marked as valid at May 2024 and subject to change, lists:
| Type | What DStv lists |
|---|---|
| Smart TVs | LG on webOS 4.0 or later, Samsung on Tizen 4.0 or later, Hisense on VIDAA U3 or later |
| Streaming boxes | Play Protect certified Android TV 8.0 or later; Apple TV 4th generation onwards on tvOS 15 or later |
| Phones and tablets | Android 8.0 or later; iPhone and iPad on iOS 15 or later |
| Other | Xbox consoles; laptops and PCs through DStv's website; DStv's own Streama and Explora Ultra |
An older phone that once ran DStv Now may fall below those minimums. If the app stops working on a device it used to run on, DStv's FAQ "Why has my DStv Stream App stopped working?" says it updates security requirements to meet its rights agreements with content suppliers, which can affect devices that don't comply; the first fix is the newest app version from your store. Codes and messages are on our DStv error codes page.
How many screens at once
This is the question DStv's pages answer least consistently, so here are all three:
The multi-device page has the most detail. Without mobile streams, 2 devices can play at once. Each paid mobile stream, up to 2, adds one more screen, provided it's a phone or tablet, and DStv says an added stream is active within 5 minutes. Mobile streams aren't offered on EasyView. Separately, no more than 4 devices can be linked to the subscription; you manage them in the app under More, Settings, Manage Devices. The package guide dated September 17, 2026 gives the per-package counts in the diagram, while the app FAQ still says one device at a time. Before you plan on two people watching, look at what your own account shows.
Features worth knowing
The rename to DStv Stream, announced in DStv's article dated August 2, 2023, kept profiles, viewing history, watch lists, downloads, Catch-Up, BoxOffice and live TV. It added personalised suggestions, local-language audio where available (including live sports commentary) and a resolution setting for saving data. DStv's article dated November 11, 2024 added Watch from Start, which rewinds up to 24 hours on select channels, and Cloud PVR, which keeps recorded live shows for 30 days in My Stuff, starting on the web from November 12, 2024.
From DStv Now to DStv Stream
Plenty of people still search for DStv Now. It's the same service under an older name. DStv's article dated December 2, 2020 already calls it "the DStv app", previously known as DStv Now, and the 2023 article above announces "the rebranding of the DStv App to DStv Stream". Existing streamers only needed to update the app.
Signing up
- Choose a package on DStv's site for the country where you live; the table above is South Africa's.
- Sign up on DStv.com. DStv's 2023 article says new subscribers can do it in under five minutes, with a smart device and a stable connection and no installation.
- Install the DStv Stream app on a device from the list and sign in. Existing DStv customers who haven't streamed before use their current self-service details, the same article says.
- Set the streaming quality. DStv's 2021 streaming guide says you can lower it to manage data. We found no Mbps recommendation on DStv's pages.
Where DStv Stream works
The app, by DStv's country FAQ, is available in all African countries that offer DStv by satellite, and what you can watch depends on your package and the country of your subscription. Outside those countries, the app FAQ says "there will be no content available", because DStv's content rights don't allow it. For readers in the US and Canada, that means a DStv Stream subscription bought for a relative in South Africa plays there, not here. We don't suggest ways around that. Our DStv overview has more on where DStv plays and what it is.
Where Vivimate fits
Vivimate isn't DStv Stream or DStv Now and isn't a route to either; it doesn't carry DStv or SuperSport, and we don't promise any South African channel. It's a separate IPTV subscription for US and Canadian homes. The 24-hour free trial needs no card and lets you search the guide before paying, and our internet speed guide gives the 10, 15 and 25 Mbps per-stream figures we use for HD, Full HD and 4K. Plans are prepaid, with no auto-renewal: 1 Month for $19.99 ($31.98 for two devices), 3 Months for $29.99 ($47.98 for two devices), 6 Months for $39.99 ($63.98 for two devices) and 12 Months plus 2 free for $69.99 ($111.98 for two devices). A first purchase has a 7-day refund window when a service problem you report can't be fixed, as our refund policy states. IPTV is a legal technology and the seller's rights decide the rest, as our page on IPTV and the law explains; we don't publish the rights agreements behind our channels.
Frequently asked questions
What is DStv Stream?
DStv's FAQ calls DStv Stream "the brand and name for our streaming only subscriptions", which let customers watch without the need for a decoder. The name also covers the DStv Stream app, which decoder subscribers use too.
How much is DStv Stream a month?
In South Africa from September 17, 2026, per DStv's article dated September 8: R99 for DStv Starter, R299 for DStv Select, R399 for DStv Sports, R500 for DStv Movies & Series and R799 for DStv Premium. Other African countries set their own prices.
Is DStv Stream the same as DStv Now?
Yes, under a later name. DStv's article of December 2, 2020 calls its streaming app the DStv app, previously known as DStv Now, and DStv announced on August 2, 2023 the rebranding of the DStv app to DStv Stream. Existing streamers only had to update the app.
How many devices can use one DStv Stream subscription?
DStv's pages differ. One says you can stream on 2 devices at once, link up to 4 devices and add up to 2 paid mobile streams. Its package guide gives 2 anywhere streams, plus 1 mobile stream on Sports, Movies & Series and Premium. Its app FAQ says one device at a time. Check your account.
Does DStv Stream work in the US or Canada?
No. DStv's app FAQ says that outside African countries with DStv there will be no content available, because its content rights don't allow it. We don't suggest any way around that, and Vivimate doesn't carry DStv.
Sources
All read November 10, 2026.
- DStv help: What is DStv Stream?, What is the DStv Stream App?, Which countries is the DStv App available in?, Which devices are compatible? and Why has my DStv Stream App stopped working?
- DStv: Streaming DStv on more than one device
- DStv news: New DStv Packages: Everything changing, dated September 8, 2026, and How to choose the right DStv package, dated September 17, 2026
- DStv news: No dish, no problem, dated December 2, 2020; How to get DStv without a satellite dish, dated September 14, 2021
- DStv Nigeria news: DStv Stream announcement, dated August 2, 2023; DStv news: DStv Stream new features, dated November 11, 2024
Couldn't read: DStv's South African package store (only its title loaded). No DStv page we read gives a recommended internet speed, and the 2023 rename announcement was read on DStv's Nigerian site only.
New to the service? Start with the full Vivimate IPTV guide — what it includes, what it costs and how to set it up.