You are looking for a new type of TV show to perk up your entertainment experience. Perhaps you’ve flicked through Netflix’s library, but the problem is you’ve already watched them all. One streaming app that vies to be an alternative is CuriosityStream. It stores a treasure trove of documentaries that will open your eyes to the reality of this world.
In this article, we’ll find out if CuriosityStream will genuinely pique the curiosity in you. Do its features compensate for its price? That’s what you’re about to find out as we uncover its contents and everything in between.
CuriosityStream Backgrounder
CuriosityStream is primarily a streaming service dedicated to presenting documentaries. Most of the documentaries published here are made by award-winning journalists, scientists, and news publishers. It was found by the former boss of Discovery channel, John S. Hendricks, in 2015.
The team behind CuriosityStream aims to feed your curiosity about life with its slew of original documentaries. Their documentaries discuss a wide array of topics from different subjects such as history, science and technology, lifestyle, and nature among others. They upload new films and documentaries at least once a week. This makes its library like the Netflix for nonfiction documentaries.
CuriosityStream Pricing
You can choose between a full high definition (HD) and 4K resolution subscription. The standard HD subscription is priced at $2.99 per month or $19.99 per year. You can also opt to avail of the 4K plan for $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. Curiositystream offers a seven-day free trial for its streaming services but only through Amazon Prime Video. Hopefully, they will also offer this free trial on all platforms including mobile devices.
These prices include applicable taxes and apply to all countries inside and outside the US.
CuriosityStream Features
Here are some of the key features of CuriosityStream you should know. So buckle up and get ready for a one-of-a-kind documentary experience!
Video Quality and Data Consumption
As already mentioned above, you can stream either HD or 4K content on CuriosityStream. Since HD or 4K quality consumes a huge load of data, expect it to eat up your data allocation. You can smoothly stream standard definition videos on a 3 Mbps connection. But of course, you want to stream HD content on your phone. That will require at least a 5 Mbps connection for HD streaming and 25 Mbps for 4K streaming. That is if you are just using your connection alone.
Offline Playback
Want to watch your documentaries on the go? You can save and watch your documentaries offline with your Android and iOS devices. Now, your phone would not eat up all the data allocation on your plan.
To download documentaries on your phone, ensure first that you have downloaded the latest version of CuriosityStream. Then do the following:
- Search for the video you want to save, then hit on the “Save” button (indicated by the down arrow).
- Once it has finished downloading, find your downloaded video in the “My Stuff” section under the “Saved” category.
- Tap on your saved video and enjoy watching.
You can store up to 10 hours of videos for your offline learning. To save multiple videos from a series, download individual videos using the same steps above.
Simultaneous Streaming
Yes, you can watch CuriosityStream on multiple devices simultaneously. You can watch your documentaries on your Android or iOS devices all at once. You can easily share your account with other members of the family. So if you want to watch your nature documentaries but your child wants to watch some history movies, you don’t need to worry about it. What’s more compelling is it can simultaneously stream on an unlimited number of devices. Say goodbye to conflicting streams.
Worldwide Availability
CuriosityStream is currently available in almost all countries. Once you subscribe to any of their plans, you will get unlimited content from different publishers and even from CuriosityStream at your behest. Unleash entertainment and learning with this one huge platform for documentaries.
Take note though that some contents are subject to copyright restrictions depending on your location. So if you are traveling to a different country and still want to get content from the US, install a VPN for your Android and iOS devices. This will enable you to continue watching your favorite content from your origin country on your phone.
Kids Mode Filtering
Almost all CuriosityStream documentaries are technically kid-friendly. But if you want to add a layer of protection, you can activate “Kids Mode.” This will filter out any content deemed to be not too friendly for kids.
To activate this, follow these steps:
- Go to CuriosityStream’s login page. Enter your credentials and tap on “Your Account” from the top-right corner menu.
- On your “Account” page, go to “Settings,” then tap on “Turn Kids Mode On.”
- Enter your account password once prompted. Make sure no one knows your account password except yourself.
If you want to disable Kids Mode, follow the same steps. But this time, toggle off “Kids Mode.” Enter your password afterward.
CuriosityStream Supported Devices
CuriosityStream is currently supported on a bunch of devices. Here is a list of devices that can run CuriosityStream:
- iOS 11 devices (iPhone and iPad)
- Android 5.0 Lollipop and higher phones and tablets
- Android TV 5.0 and higher
- PCs or laptops via a web browser
- Samsung TV, Sony/Android TV, TiVo, and Vizio
- Chromecast via a web browser, iOS, or Android device
- Apple TV 3rd Gen (via AirPlay) or 4th Gen HD and Apple 4K TV
- Xbox One
- Roku 2, 3, 4, Roku TV, and Roku Streaming Stick version 8.1 and higher
- Amazon FireTV Stick with Amazon Fire TV version 5.0 and higher
What CuriosityStream Shows to Watch
Ready to watch and immerse in a new learning experience? Here are our top five recommendations for your watching experience. So sit back, relax, and learn new things about life.
Digits
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
You are watching your favorite documentaries on CuriosityStream mobile. You are scrolling through your news feed online. And you are reading this article online. It’s all thanks to this wonderful invention called the Internet. Digits will reveal the history and secrets behind the internet. It features interviews of the forefathers and whistleblowers of the internet like Vint Cerf and Edward Snowden. This is the internet for you.
Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Navigating the vast universe may be confusing and head-scratching. The good news is, the great Commander Stephen Hawking is here to guide us in exploring the universe, including his Favorite Places. Get to know more about the history of the universe. Buckle your seatbelts and float across the universe.
Out of the Cradle
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Ever wondered where our human ancestors came from? Out of the Cradle gives you a new way of experiencing how our ancestors live. With Square Enix’s computer graphic interface (CGI) effects, seeing the hominids has never been this realistic as ever. Learn and experience how humans evolved to be the most resilient being on Earth.
The History of Food
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
As you subconsciously eat your breakfast, some random thought suddenly burst into your mind. What are the roots of the food I eat right now? The History of Food is there to answer that random question of yours. This will take you to the vast and long, long history of food from two million years ago until today. See how your food changed our very diet and even its impact on our ever-diversifying society.
4th and Forever: Muck City
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
National Football League (NFL) fans will surely love 4th and Forever: Muck City. This TV series features two Florida high schools that fiercely compete on the gridiron. They both aim for glory for their schools. No wonder then why their community has produced more NFL stars than any other states do. Grab onto your seats and get ready to virtually shout “Touchdown!” on this TV show.
CuriosityStream Review: Is It Worth It?
Documentaries are all around CuriosityStream. These documentaries give you the most immersive learning experience outside the academe. But how does it fare against other similar streaming services? Is CuriosityStream worth the $3/month price tag?
Vast Library
As we have already said, CuriosityStream offers a ton of documentaries you can watch at your disposal. Its 2,000+ documentaries are more than enough to satisfy your learning and entertainment needs. Binge-watching and binge-learning will never be a problem. It’s all thanks to this sheer number of documentaries.
Value
What’s more enthralling is its $2.99-per-month price tag for full HD content. At last, you don’t need to pay that much for a streaming service dedicated to documentaries. You can view these documentaries on your phone without any pixelation and blurriness. If you want to perk up your display, you can subscribe to a 4K streaming for $7 more.
Simultaneous Streaming
With simultaneous streaming, you can stream these documentaries not just on your phone but also on your 4K TV. Chilling and learning have never been this easy. And unlike other services, you can play your documentaries in the background, thus letting you do things on other apps while watching your TV show.
Caption Availability
Surely, these features can be easily appreciated because of its mainstay features. But there are some points we’d like to nitpick about. Closed captions (CC) are only limited to the English language. Also, if you’re a frequent traveler, you might not watch the content you usually watch in the US. This calls for a need for a virtual private network (VPN) if you want to watch your usual videos on your phone.
Final Verdict
All in all, if you are a fan of documentaries, CuriosityStream is the perfect app for you. Its vast universe of documentaries is a sure hit for all. This app is designed for those who want to please their eyes and minds at the same time. With its low price tag and cross-platform compatibility, this app is surely riveting with all its features. Its cons are somewhat not that significant, thus giving you the best immersive experience for your entertainment needs without your wallet complaining too much.
If you are more of a movie junkie, Netflix is the more appropriate app for you. Here’s our in-depth review of the Netflix app for you to check out.
FAQs About CuriosityStream
Before subscribing to CuriosityStream, here are some of the questions you may ask about CuriositySstream’s features.
