Streaming in Latin America: Netflix, Disney+, Star+ and More

Latin America is the world's third-largest streaming market, with approximately 90 million streaming subscribers across 18 countries as of Q1 2026. Netflix leads with an estimated 44 million LATAM subscribers. Disney+ (which absorbed Star+ in 2024) follows with approximately 26 million. Amazon Prime Video has approximately 15 million subscribers in the region. The market is growing at 12% annually, driven by a young population, increasing smartphone penetration, and relatively affordable subscription pricing — Netflix's standard plan in Brazil costs just R$22.90/month (~$4.50 USD).

Netflix operates across all 18 major Latin American markets and has been present in the region since 2011. The company views Latin America as a strategic content investment region: Netflix has committed over $1 billion to Mexican productions and similar amounts to Brazilian content. Notable Netflix Originals from the region include: Club de Cuervos (Mexico, 2015), 3% (Brazil, 2016), La Casa de Papel (Spain, co-produced with LATAM markets), El Eternauta (Argentina, 2024), and Bandidos (Mexico, 2024).

Netflix pricing in Latin America (as of Q1 2026): Brazil R$22.90/month (~$4.50 USD, standard plan), Mexico MXN$259/month (~$13 USD), Argentina ARS$3,490/month (~$3.70 USD, reflecting Argentina's economic conditions), Colombia COP$19,900/month (~$5 USD), Chile CLP$8,990/month (~$9.50 USD).

In October 2024, Disney completed the full migration of Star+ into Disney+ across Latin America. Star+ had been the LATAM-specific version of the Star brand (carrying general entertainment, FX content, ESPN sports, and local productions). Post-merger, Disney+ Latin America carries all former Star+ content including live sports through ESPN.

This merger gives Disney+ LATAM one of the most content-diverse offerings in the region: Disney content (Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar), National Geographic, FX dramas, ESPN live sports (including Copa Libertadores, MLS, and NFL), and Latin American productions. Pricing post-merger: Brazil R$43.90/month for the Duo Basic plan (~$8.80 USD), Mexico MXN$399/month (~$20 USD for the standard tier).

Globoplay (Brazil) is the streaming arm of Rede Globo, Brazil's dominant broadcaster. With approximately 20 million subscribers, Globoplay is Brazil's second-largest streaming service by subscribers. It carries Globo's massive telenovela archive (30+ years), original series, live Globo TV broadcasting, and sports rights including Brazilian Série A football. Pricing: R$19.90/month. Globoplay is Brazil-only — it makes no pretense of international expansion.

Claro Video (Mexico/Latin America) is the streaming service of América Móvil, Latin America's largest telecoms operator. It operates across multiple Latin American countries and competes primarily in the mid-market tier. VIX (formerly ViX+, part of TelevisaUnivision) is a Spanish-language SVOD/AVOD service available across Latin America and the US Hispanic market, carrying telenovelas, sports (Liga MX football), and original productions.

Streaming adoption in Latin America is partly constrained by internet infrastructure. Fixed broadband penetration varies widely: Uruguay (85%), Chile (78%), and Brazil (68%) lead the region, while Bolivia (12%) and Honduras (15%) lag significantly. Mobile internet — particularly 4G/5G — is growing fastest and is the primary streaming access method for much of the region.

Average fixed broadband speeds in major markets: Chile (262 Mbps), Uruguay (211 Mbps), Brazil (148 Mbps), Mexico (89 Mbps). These speeds are sufficient for 4K streaming (25 Mbps minimum), but in practice, many LATAM subscribers use mobile data at lower speeds and stream at SD/HD quality.