R99 DStv deal to keep Showmax subscribers from bolting

MultiChoice is offering Showmax subscribers access to DStv Stream Compact at R99/month for 12 months — a discount of 67% on standard pricing — in what amounts to an aggressive retention play as it prepares to shut the Showmax platform down on 30 April.

The deal, revealed on Wednesday, gives eligible Showmax subscribers free trial access to DStv Stream Compact until the end of May, after which they can lock in the R99/month rate for a year. The standard price for DStv Stream Compact is R299/month.

The discount is steep — and it implicitly acknowledges the risk that a significant portion of Showmax’s subscriber base may simply not make the jump when the platform goes dark.

That risk is amplified by the fact that migration is not automatic.

Showmax subscribers who want to continue watching will need to sign up for DStv Stream separately, create a new profile and follow instructions sent to the e-mail address linked to their Showmax account.

MultiChoice says the process takes less than five minutes, but any opt-in requirement inevitably means some subscribers will fall away — whether through inertia or a conscious decision not to move.

MultiChoice has not disclosed how many active Showmax subscribers it currently has, making it impossible to gauge the scale of the base at risk.

Competitive

The R99/month price point is competitive. It undercuts Netflix’s Standard plan in South Africa (R179/month), while offering live sport via SuperSport — something other streaming providers do not provide.

But the deal lasts only 12 months. After that, subscribers face standard DStv Stream Compact pricing of R299/month — effectively a tripling of their bill.

Read: Showmax Originals find a new home on DStv Stream

That kind of cliff-edge pricing is precisely the dynamic that drives churn across the streaming industry, and it raises the question of whether MultiChoice is solving a retention problem now only to create a bigger one in mid-2027.

The promotional rate is also contingent on the subscription remaining active and payments being up to date throughout the 12-month period. Any lapse resets the pricing to standard rates.

The offer applies only to Showmax subscribers who do not already have an active DStv subscription and who subscribe to Showmax directly. Existing DStv Compact, Compact Plus and Premium customers already receive Showmax content on DStv Stream at no additional cost, so they are excluded from the promotion.

Customers who choose not to migrate can request a refund for any unused portion of their Showmax subscription. Automatic payments will stop once the platform is discontinued.

Read: Showmax kill date confirmed

MultiChoice is using the transition to push several high-profile titles on DStv Stream, including the true-crime series The People vs VBS, available from 1 April; the finale of Die Kantoor, the Afrikaans adaptation of The Office, on 14 April; and a livestream of the Soweto Derby on 26 April.  — (c) 2026 NewsCentral Media