Which Streaming Services Allow Downloads?

01 The Quick Comparison

If you only need the short version, this table is the fastest way to compare the main download rules as of 19 May 2026. The biggest pattern is simple: the cheaper ad-supported tiers are the ones most likely to limit downloads, remove them entirely, or make the rules stingier than you expect.

02 Best Download Setup Before You Travel

Before a flight, train journey or hotel stay with unreliable Wi-Fi, I would not rely on a single app. The safest setup is one main paid service with generous downloads, one UK catch-up app if you are travelling from the UK, and a quick expiry check the night before you leave.

03 Netflix Offline Rules

Netflix still does downloads well, but the rules depend heavily on which plan you pay for. The ad-supported plan is the tightest one: it allows 15 downloads per device each calendar month, and only on up to two devices. On ad-free plans, the limits are far more generous, but they still depend on your plan and the title itself.

The bit I still rate most highly is Smart Downloads. If you are working through a series, Netflix can automatically remove the episode you have finished and queue up the next one when you are back on Wi-Fi. It saves space and saves faff. The catch is that licensed films can disappear or expire faster than originals, so always check the expiry label in the Downloads tab before you leave the house.

04 Amazon Prime Video

Prime Video remains one of the easier services to live with if offline viewing matters to you. Downloads are available through the Prime Video app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows and Fire tablets, and Amazon still gives you the sort of flexibility most people want on a trip.

The usual rule of thumb is this: you get around 30 days to start watching a downloaded title, and once you hit play you normally have around 48 hours to finish it. Another useful detail is that the same title can usually be downloaded to two devices at once. It is still worth double-checking the label on rentals, add-on channels and live-event content, because those rules can be stricter.

05 Disney+ Downloads

Disney+ keeps things fairly straightforward once you know the one big catch: downloads are tied to ad-free plans. In the UK, Standard and Premium include downloads, while Standard With Ads does not. In the US, the download route is the Premium/No Ads-style plan or an eligible no-ads bundle. If someone in the family downgrades to the cheaper ad tier, your existing downloads can disappear along with the feature.

For UK readers, the current Disney+ line-up is now Standard With Ads at £5.99 per month, Standard at £9.99 per month and Premium at £14.99 per month. Standard and Premium both include downloads on up to 10 supported mobile devices. Disney+ still does not allow downloads on TV-connected devices, computers or Windows tablets, and you need to connect to the internet and open the app at least once every 30 days to keep everything alive. Before a holiday, that quick app refresh is well worth doing.

06 Apple TV+ Integration

Apple is better for offline viewing than a lot of people realise. You can download Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass and eligible Apple TV channel content in the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Apple Vision Pro. That makes it more flexible than services that lock downloads to mobile only.

Where Apple is more restrictive is on living-room gear. You cannot download content from the Apple TV app on Apple TV boxes, smart TVs, streaming devices or on the web. Those are streaming-only. For most Apple TV channels, downloads stay available for up to 30 days before they expire, although some channels can have shorter windows and tighter device limits.

07 UK Catch-Up (BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4)

BBC iPlayer: BBC iPlayer is still firmly UK-based, and you need a TV Licence to use it. You cannot stream or download while abroad, but you can watch programmes that you downloaded before travelling. In practice, many programmes stay available for around 30 days after broadcast, although rights can shorten that window. If you used the old desktop download route, that has effectively gone now, so offline iPlayer is really a phone-and-tablet feature.

ITVX: ITVX Premium offers downloads on mobile devices, and the rules are clearer now than they used to be. Most downloads are available offline for up to 7 days, and once you start watching you get 48 hours to finish. It is handy for travel, but it is still subject to licensing restrictions, so not every title gets the download icon.

Channel 4: Channel 4’s current app supports mobile and tablet downloads, which is useful, but it is still the least tidy of the main UK catch-up services in terms of what is and is not available. Some programmes can be saved for offline viewing and some cannot, depending on rights. My advice here is simple: never assume a box set is downloadable until you actually see the icon on the episode page.

08 HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock and Paramount+

HBO Max: HBO Max is no longer a US-only story, because it launched in the UK and Ireland on 26 March 2026. For downloads, the current UK help page is clearer than the old Max wording: Basic with Ads gets no downloads, Standard with Ads and Standard get up to 30 downloads, Premium gets up to 100, and the UK TNT Sports plan does not support downloads. Unwatched downloads last 30 days, and once you start watching you have 48 hours to finish.

Hulu (US only): Hulu keeps downloads for its No Ads plans. You can have up to 25 downloads across five supported mobile devices, with up to 30 days to watch an untouched download and 48 hours once playback starts. If you switch away from a qualifying plan, you lose access to those downloads.

Peacock (US only): Peacock reserves offline viewing for Premium Plus. You can keep up to 25 pieces of content downloaded across your account at once, and some titles can only be downloaded a limited number of times. If you start watching, the download is removed after 48 hours. If you do not watch it, it is usually removed after 30 days or when the title leaves Peacock. It is also one of the stricter services geographically, so treat it as US-based.

Paramount+: Paramount+ is another one where “Premium only” wording can mislead UK readers. In the UK, downloads are offered on Standard and Premium, but not the Basic ad-supported plan. In the US, downloads remain a Premium-style feature rather than an Essential plan feature. The practical takeaway is that downloads usually sit on the ad-free tier rather than the entry plan. You can have up to 25 downloads at a time, and once you start watching one, you typically have 48 hours before it expires.

09 Editorial Changes Made in This Update

This section is included for transparency, so readers can see what changed during the 19 May 2026 review rather than wondering whether the page was only given a new date.

The aim of these edits is to make the article more useful for real-world decisions. Offline viewing rules are rarely as simple as yes or no, so the page now puts plan restrictions, travel risks, device limits and expiry windows closer to the front.

10 Download FAQs

Can I watch downloads abroad?

Sometimes, yes, but the answer depends on the service. BBC iPlayer and ITVX are both useful here because content downloaded in the UK can often still be watched while you are abroad. Others are stricter. Peacock is US-based, Hulu is effectively US-based for offline viewing, and any service can lose a download if rights change while you are away.

Do downloads expire even if I never press play?

Yes, often. Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max and Peacock all commonly work on a “download it now, watch it within around 30 days” model. That is why it is better to download the night before you travel than two weeks earlier and forget about it.

Which plans are most likely to block downloads?

Usually the cheapest ad-supported tier. Disney+ Standard With Ads / With Ads plans do not allow downloads, Peacock needs Premium Plus, Hulu keeps downloads for No Ads plans, Paramount+ excludes downloads from its entry ad-supported plans, and Netflix’s ad-supported plan allows downloads but caps them much more tightly than ad-free options.

Can I download on a laptop?

It depends on the platform. Apple TV and Prime Video support downloads on computers through their apps. Disney+ does not support downloads on computers. BBC iPlayer’s old desktop download route has gone, so offline iPlayer is mainly a mobile-and-tablet feature now.

What is the safest thing to do before a flight or long train journey?

Open every streaming app on Wi-Fi, refresh anything that shows an expiry warning, and actually tap into one downloaded episode or film for a few seconds to make sure playback starts. It sounds obvious, but it is the quickest way to catch a broken or expired download before you are stuck without signal.

Sources & References