All conceivable streaming services in a single subscription and at a “discounter” price? At least that is the promise of the German streaming provider Cliq. TECHBOOK knows the strengths and weaknesses of the alternative to Netflix and Co.
Cliq wants to be an all-in-one streaming service. And by streaming, the Düsseldorf-based company doesn’t just mean films and series, but also music, audio books and games. The idea: Why have multiple subscriptions to Netflix, Audible and Disney+, Spotify, Sky and WOW when a single provider offers all these forms of streaming content bundled? Films, music, sports, audio books and games are the pillars of Cliq’s current range. For 6.99 euros on Monday, this seems to be a promising start for the young streaming provider. There are no different tariffs like the competition – for the sake of simplicity – and account sharing is expressly supported.
Lower costs, less content
What sounds almost too good to be true reveals a few weaknesses at second glance: Starting with the film and series category, Cliq only has a mediocre selection. A few classics as well as some blockbusters and independent productions worth seeing are also included, but the offer cannot be described as brand new. Series fans in particular will have to be content with an unusually narrow selection from the past ten years.
Unlike the big streaming providers, Cliq only makes licensed content available, but does not produce its own originals. So if you really want to use Cliq as an alternative to Netflix, Disney+ and Co., you will have to do without many popular series and films without receiving other exclusive content in return. But everyone else who is looking for lesser-known productions and can do without topicality will discover a few surprises on Cliq.
Cliq tries to bridge the lack of originals and big current titles with rental films. Similar to Amazon Prime, you can rent certain films, many from Disney, on top of the standard offering. For this purpose, subscribers have access to rental credit per month, which they can use to rent one film per month free of charge – everything else costs between EUR 3.99 and EUR 4.99.
Strong audiobook offer
Cliq can score points with its range of audio books, which have a lot of exciting and up-to-date content in store, from literary to belletristic, from children’s books to crime thrillers. Here it is worth browsing for young and old. The only drawback is the rudimentary filter function, which runs through all categories.
In the musical field, Cliq primarily offers concert recordings and playlists depending on the genre or occasion – good mood, air guitar, cardio. Those who prefer to put together their own playlists will not be happy here. For this, Cliq sticks to its own motto: Make streaming as easy as possible and without long scrolling. Consequently, the company makes the decision itself as to which songs belong in an 80s hit list or are best suited as karaoke for children.
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Soccer and eSports
In the sports category, the focus is on football, motor sports and extreme sports. Lovers of sports documentaries and series will find what they are looking for, but here too there is still room for improvement when it comes to topicality. However, Cliq also relies on live broadcasts and offers 8 sports channels, including Sport+1, More Than Sports TV and Sportdigital FUSSBALL.
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When it comes to games, Cliq is mainly aimed at a young audience with its really extensive range. Lego and Disney are well represented with their popular protagonists, but there are also a few gems for adults in between. Seen in this way, Cliq offers a nice extension for gamers, but certainly not a comprehensive alternative.
Is a Cliq subscription worth it?
Behind the streaming service Cliq is the company of the same name, Cliq Digital, which launched the new streaming platform at the end of 2022. Overall, Cliq attracts with low prices, account sharing and very different streaming content. The topicality and size of the offer leave a lot to be desired, so that a subscription is only worthwhile to a limited extent. According to the company, 1.2 million people in over 30 countries use the still young streaming provider. In comparison, Netflix has 232.5 million users – so there is still room for improvement for the Düsseldorf newcomer.