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LIMITED TIME: Get 2 months of Kayo Sports for just $5 if you act fast
When Netflix first launched in Australia, one of the most common questions we got was "will it stream sports?" The answer was, of course, no. Not only is it now obvious that Netflix is completely dedicated to housing and creating television shows and movies, but that sports broadcasting rights in Australia are also ridiculously complicated. Rights to certain sports, leagues and even matches are disseminated among free-to-air providers, pay-TV providers and standalone apps like Cricket Australia Live.
That all changed with the launch of sports streaming app Kayo Sports, which has taken the lead in the race to become the "Netflix of sports."
Stream Kayo Sports for 14 days FREE and no lock-in contract
The sports streaming app that was codenamed Project Martian was revealed to be Kayo Sports in November 2018. Kayo markets itself as a one-stop shop for live streaming sports in Australia with the rights to over 50 sports. From Aussie rules to wrestling to... lawn bowls, Kayo has taken the extensive sports coverage previously only available through Foxtel - including ESPN, beIN Sports, Racing.com and all of the FOX SPORTS channels - and given it a new home.
Live sports is just the hook; Kayo is also home to high-definition on-demand content like replays, interviews, documentaries, bespoke highlights packages and more.
Kayo Sports first launched on smartphones (iOS and Android), Mac, PC, Apple TV and ChromeCast compatibility. However, it soon expanded by adding Telstra TV, then Android TV and Sony Bravia plus Samsung TVs (2018 or later). Video game consoles such as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and 5 have since been added, along with LG smart TVs in November 2021.
We have a step-by-step guide to watching Kayo on your TV using ChromeCast so you can get watching on the big screen now.
While we have seen other sports streaming apps in the past - such as Optus Sport, NRL Live and Foxtel Now - the Kayo Sports app offers an experience vastly different from anything else out there. The user-interface has a very Netflix feel, not displaying a classic channel-by-channel listing, but a mix of all the available sports live and on replay at any given time as best fits your viewing history.
There are also some incredible viewing features, such as SplitView (allowing you to watch four channels at once), a picture-in-picture mode, No Spoilers, a Key Moments timeline for easy navigation of live sport and more. In our Kayo Sports review we take a deep dive comparing it to other services and get hands on with the app.
Yes. You can test drive Kayo's sports streaming app on a 14-day free trial before committing to a month-to-month subscription. The free trial gives you unbridled access to the app's full suite of sports and services.
In 2021 Kayo Sports released a free version of the platform. This moved some content in front of its existing paywall. Sports that are already simulcast between Fox Sports and free-to-air like V8 Supercars and Formula 1 qualifying (not the races themselves) have been moved in front of the paywall for select races. Other content like some shows and viewing features are also available.
There are three plans available for the Kayo Sports app. In January 2021, Kayo Sports added a Freemium tier to its existing Basic and Premium tiers. It allows you to access a selection of live sport, replays, entertainment shows and documentaries at no cost. The service is called Kayo Freebies. There's not too much on offer, but you still get access to all of Kayo's viewing features.
As for the Basic and Premium plans, the only difference between them is how many simultaneous streams you can have. Kayo's standard plan lets you stream on two devices at the same time and will cost you $25 per month. The premium plan will let you stream up to three devices at once and will set you back $35 per month.
Otherwise, both plans stream in the same quality, allow access to the same number of sports and are compatible with the same range of devices. All you get for paying extra is an additional device to stream on.
With the 14-day Kayo free trial, you select either the Basic or Premium plan, put in your credit card info, and then get access to the entire Kayo Sports experience. If you decide to opt out before the end of the 14-day period, there is no charge and you are reduced to Kayo Freebies access only.
Kayo Freebies is not the 14-day free trial.
Kayo Freebies does not require any credit card info to be added. You simply sign-up for an account, download the app or login to the website, and begin watching. While the Kayo Freebies experience does give you access to the full suite of Kayo Sports features, you don't get access to all the content. In fact, you only get a small taster of sport and entertainment, which changes each month.
As we mentioned earlier, Kayo Sports will have the rights to stream over 50 different sports at launch. Kayo has backed some of the biggest horses in sport, with content from every FOX SPORTS channel, ESPN and beIN SPORTS in one streaming destination. Recently, Racing.com was added as 14th channel as well, and Red Bull TV is expected in the near future.
We've got a full list of Kayo sports available here, but here are a few key sports you can stream on Kayo and their hub pages on Finder:
One feature any rabid sports fan will appreciate is the No Spoilers view. If you're late to the game, Kayo will allow you to hide all scores and news from your user interface so you can enjoy the sports stream without knowing how it all ends.
However, the feature we most enjoy is the aforementioned Key Moments. A content team over at Kayo will be marking the video's timeline with "key moments" as the action happens. So if you hop in 15 minutes after kick off, the video's progress bar will let you skip to the key moments you missed (e.g. goals kicked, tries scores, wickets taken) before catching up with the rest of the crowd.
Main Event had only ever been available through itself directly or on Foxtel. However, that all changed when Kayo offered access to Main Event for the Horn vs Tszyu fight on 26 August. You do still need to pay for the event, but most importantly you don't need a Kayo account.
Since that fight Kayo will have more Main Event PPV events. This includes Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr and the boxing double header of Tszyu vs Bowyn Morgan and Mark Hunt vs Paul Gallen. For more information we've put together a how to get Main Event on Kayo guide.
Stream Main Event PPVs via Kayo Sports
Both the standard and premium plans allow you to stream in high definition. So Foxtel manages to keep the "first to 4K" title when it comes to streaming sports in Australia, but Kayo's HD stream still has some interesting perks that aren't offered by any other sports streaming service in Australia.
On mobile, Kayo allows you to stream two different sports in split screen. Anything bigger than a smartphone screen (tablet, connected Apple TV etc.) will allow you to watch up to four sporting events simultaneously in split-screen mode.
Kayo's official documentation claims the app will burn through 2.5GB per hour in standard definition and 3.25GB per hour in high definition. If you use SplitView, however, then those figures are multiplied by the number of channels you are watching. So it can add up quickly if you are experiencing the Kayo Sports app like this on public transport or off your home Wi-Fi. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the data cost of Kayo.
Perhaps unsurprising given the fact that Telstra is a stakeholder in Kayo's parent company Foxtel, the national telecommunications company has a special Kayo offer for its customers.
For new and returning Kayo customers on a Telstra consumer post-paid plan, Telstra is offering the Kayo subscriptions at $10 off the standard monthly rate for up to 12 months.
That means if you are a Telstra customer, you could get the Kayo Basic subscription for just $15 a month or the Kayo Premium subscription for $25 a month.
Naturally, conditions apply, so make sure you read the fine-print before you switch to take take advantage of the offer.
Kayo Sports isn't the only sports streaming service out there. We've already compared what's available in Australia, including Optus Sport, DAZN, NBA League Pass and more.
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Is Kayo part of Foxtel? Will the Kayo app suffer Foxtel's app issues? And what does Kayo beta actually mean? We've heard the feedback and we've got the answers in our Kayo FAQ.
As long as you have a compatible Android TV device, setting up Kayo Sports will only take minutes.
Sony BRAVIA owners have easy access to Kayo Sports.
Kayo Sports is compatible with 2018 and later models of Samsung TVs.
Is the Kayo live sports streaming service any good? Our in-depth hands-on review looks at Australia's live sports app.
If you’re looking to watch your favourite sports live or on replay, there is a fair chance it is available through Fox Sports and Kayo.
Use this step-by-step guide to get Chromecast working with the Kayo Sports live streaming app and browser.
Our guide covers everything from creating an account to watching on the big screen.
Watching Kayo with Apple TV is as easy as pie.
