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Quick Facts
- RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play and TG4 Player are free — no subscription needed
- Netflix now costs €11.99 to €25.99 a month after its September 2026 price rise
- Live sport runs through NOW Sports, Sky, Premier Sports, TNT Sports and GAA+, plus free coverage on RTÉ, TG4 and Virgin Media
- You don't need a TV licence to stream on a phone, laptop or tablet, but any TV set needs one, even a smart TV used only for apps (the licence is €160)
The short answer: most Irish households can cover everything they watch with the three free Irish apps (RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play and TG4 Player) plus one or two paid services — usually Netflix, Disney+ or NOW. Live sport is where costs climb, so decide what sport you actually follow before you sign up for anything.
This guide covers every major licensed streaming service available in Ireland in 2026, what each costs, and who it suits. Prices were checked in October 2026; providers change them often, so always confirm on the provider’s own site before paying.
Jump to: streaming prices tracker · cost calculator · GAA · rugby · devices · free Irish apps
Why “legal” matters
Every service on this page is licensed to show its content in Ireland. That means official apps, Irish consumer protection, customer support you can actually reach, and no risk of a service vanishing overnight. Pay for the ones you want, or watch the free ones, knowing exactly what you’re getting.
Free Irish streaming apps
You can watch every main Irish channel live and on catch-up without paying a cent:
| App | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| RTÉ Player | RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and RTÉ’s other channels live, plus catch-up and box sets | Free (free account needed) |
| Virgin Media Play | Virgin Media One, Two, Three and Four live, plus catch-up | Free, with ads |
| TG4 Player | TG4 live, Irish-language drama, documentaries and GAA coverage | Free |
| Saorview | Free-to-air channels through a TV aerial (not an app) | Free, but needs a TV licence |
Virgin Media Play replaced the older Virgin Media Player app in 2024, so if you still have the old app, update it. For more detail, see our comparison of Virgin Media Play and RTÉ Player, our TG4 Player guide and 5 free Irish streaming apps worth knowing.
Paid streaming services and prices
These are the standard monthly prices in Ireland as of October 2026. Several services run introductory offers for new customers.
| Service | Plans and monthly price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Basic €11.99 · Standard €18.99 · Premium €25.99 | The biggest general library; no ad tier in Ireland until 1 March 2027 |
| Disney+ | From €8.99 (Standard with Ads) · Standard €11.99 · Premium €15.99 | Families, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar |
| Prime Video | €6.99 | Good value, especially if you already shop on Amazon |
| Apple TV | €9.99 | Apple originals like Slow Horses and Severance |
| Paramount+ | From €5.99 (Basic with Ads); see Paramount+ Ireland for the other plans | US drama and comedy on a budget |
| NOW Entertainment | €8.99 (€11.99 with HBO Max Basic with Ads) | Sky Originals and HBO series without a Sky contract |
| NOW Cinema | €11.99 | New film releases |
| HBO Max | From €6.99 (Standard with Ads) · Standard €10.99 · Premium €15.99; also included with Sky Ultimate TV and NOW | HBO, Warner Bros. and DC in one app |
NOW’s optional Boost add-on (€5 a month) adds Full HD 1080p, ad-free on-demand viewing and a second simultaneous stream.
Read more in our guides to Netflix’s 2026 price changes, Disney+ plans, Paramount+, HBO Max in Ireland and NOW’s latest prices.
Pay-TV packages with streaming built in
If you want live channels, sport and on-demand in one bill, the pay-TV providers now deliver most of it over broadband:
- Sky — Sky Stream works over Wi-Fi with no satellite dish. See Sky Stream vs NOW.
- Virgin Media TV — sold with Virgin broadband as Basic, Core and Loaded TV, now on the Streaming TV box. See Virgin Media TV compared.
- eir — eir TV bundles TV with broadband (from €14.99 a month with broadband). See eir TV explained.
Pay-TV prices depend heavily on your broadband bundle and any current offers, so compare the total monthly bill rather than the TV part alone.
Live sport
Sport is split across several services, so the cheapest route depends on what you follow:
| Sport | Where to watch legally |
|---|---|
| GAA | RTÉ (35 live championship games in 2026) and TG4 (free); GAA+ for 40 exclusive games — the 2026 Season Pass cost €95, or €15 per match |
| Premier League football | Sky Sports (most games), TNT Sports, and Premier Sports, which has an exclusive Saturday 3pm game every round in Ireland. On NOW: Sports (Sky Sports, €38.99 a month) plus Sports Extra (TNT and Premier Sports, €33.99), or both for €27 a month on the 12-month Sports Saver |
| Champions League football | Free games on RTÉ (first pick of Wednesdays) and Virgin Media until 2027; Premier Sports has first pick of Tuesday games. From 2027–28 Virgin drops out: RTÉ keeps free Wednesday games and the final, Premier Sports keeps Tuesdays and Sky Sports gets the rest |
| Rugby | Six Nations free on RTÉ and Virgin Media; Ireland’s November internationals free on Virgin Media; URC free on TG4 (selected games) and every Irish province match on Premier Sports; Champions Cup on Premier Sports |
| Formula 1 | Sky Sports only (exclusive in Ireland until 2034), or NOW with no contract |
| Golf and other events | Mostly Sky Sports, with some free coverage on RTÉ |
Our sport guides go into detail: the GAA guide and rugby guide hubs, where to watch GAA, Premier League football, the Champions League, Six Nations rugby, the URC and Formula 1.
Do you need a TV licence to stream?
The TV licence costs €160 a year. According to Citizens Information, you don’t need one to watch on a computer, phone or other device that can’t receive a TV signal by aerial, satellite or cable. But any TV set needs a licence, even a smart TV you only use for streaming apps, so a household is only exempt if it has no TV set at all. Our TV licence guide explains the rules in full.
What you need to watch on your TV
Most smart TVs from the last few years already have RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play, Netflix and the other big apps built in. If yours is older or missing apps, a plug-in streaming stick is the cheapest fix:
- Amazon Fire TV Stick — wide app support, including Virgin Media Play, TG4 Player, NOW and GAA+. Check price on Amazon
- A new smart TV — worth it if your current set is slow or no longer gets app updates. Check smart TV prices
- A soundbar — the single biggest upgrade for TV speakers. Check soundbar prices
See our best streaming devices for Irish homes and best budget streaming sticks for full comparisons.
How to choose
| If you mainly want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Irish TV and the soaps | The free apps: RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play and TG4 Player |
| One all-round paid service | Netflix, or Prime Video if you want to spend less |
| HBO and Sky shows | NOW Entertainment (with HBO Max) or HBO Max directly |
| Kids and families | Disney+ |
| GAA | Free RTÉ and TG4 coverage, plus a GAA+ pass |
| Premier League football | NOW Sports plus Sports Extra, or a Sky or Virgin Media package with sport |
Not sure how many services you actually need? Read how many streaming subscriptions Irish households really need, or take our quick streaming quiz.
Complete Your Setup
Sharp HT-SB121 Compact Soundbar
TV speakers rarely do streaming audio justice. This 55 cm soundbar connects by HDMI ARC, so the TV remote can control the volume.
One For All Streamer Remote
Cuts down on juggling three remotes to switch between your TV, streaming box, and soundbar.
JBL Go 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
A flexible alternative to a fixed soundbar if you want to move audio between rooms or take it outside for a match.
LG LED AI,32 inch HD Smart TV
A 2026 32-inch LG smart TV with webOS apps built in, plus Google Cast and AirPlay 2 for casting from your phone.
Wireless TV Headphones
Lets one person turn the volume up without disturbing the rest of the house — a favourite for late-night viewing and anyone hard of hearing.
Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer
A bigger upgrade than a compact soundbar — the separate subwoofer adds the depth that films and match-day crowds need.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest legal way to stream TV in Ireland?
How can I tell if a streaming service is legal in Ireland?
Is there a Netflix plan with ads in Ireland?
Do I need a TV licence if I only stream?
Sources
Prices checked October 2026: Netflix price rise (Irish Times) · Disney+ Ireland · Prime Video Ireland · Apple TV Ireland · HBO Max Ireland · NOW memberships · NOW Sports and Sports Extra · Paramount+ Ireland · Premier League broadcasters in Ireland 2025–31 · GAA+ 2026 Season Pass · Champions League rights (The42) · Champions League on RTÉ 2027–31 · URC broadcasters (IRFU) · RTÉ GAA 2026 (Irish Times) · Six Nations free-to-air coverage (RTÉ) · TV licences (Citizens Information) · HBO Max UK & Ireland launch (WBD) · Virgin Media Play launch
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