RTL+

RTL+ is Germany's largest private-broadcaster streaming app, and the case for it is breadth within one country rather than depth across Europe. Live channels including RTL, VOX, ntv, Super RTL, Nitro and GEO sit alongside a full on-demand library, and RTL+ folds in podcasts and audiobooks as well, so a household that already watches RTL's shows gets its news, true-crime podcasts and audiobooks in the same subscription rather than three separate apps.

RTL interactive GmbH, a company of RTL Deutschland GmbH, operates RTL+ from Cologne, and RTL Deutschland sits inside RTL Group and ultimately Bertelsmann, so the whole chain stays German and European. Sport is a genuine draw: the German national football team, the UEFA Europa League and Conference League, and the DFB-Pokal all sit on RTL+. Pricing runs from about €5.99 a month for Basic, €9.99 for Premium with a lighter ad load, and €12.99 for fully ad-free Premium.

The limits are what you would expect from a national broadcaster's app: content is overwhelmingly German-language and the value drops sharply outside Germany. RTL+ also sells an HBO Max bundle on top, which is convenient but is someone else's catalogue resold rather than RTL's own, and the price climbs quickly once the ad-free tier and a bundle are both added.

What RTL+ does well

• Live RTL, VOX, ntv, Super RTL and more, plus full on-demand
• Podcasts and audiobooks bundled into the same subscription
• Genuine live football: national team, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Europa and Conference League
• Ad-free Premium tier removes advertising entirely
• German company, part of Bertelsmann, EU jurisdiction

Where RTL+ falls short

• German-language content only, little value outside Germany
• Ad-supported tiers still carry mid-roll advertising
• HBO Max bundle is resold third-party content, not RTL's own
• Price climbs quickly once ad-free and a bundle are both added

Standout feature. Podcasts and audiobooks live in the same app as the TV shows, rather than a separate RTL product entirely.