7plusSafe

Editor's Review

Seven West Media built 7plus as the streaming home for its broadcast channels, and the app carries that brief faithfully: live feeds of the network's channels, catch-up episodes after transmission, box sets of older series, and whatever sport the broadcaster holds rights to.

What works:

Nothing costs money. Register an account and the whole catalogue opens, which is a different proposition from the subscription services sitting beside it on the home screen. Casting to a television is supported, and episodes can be downloaded to watch on a plane.

What holds it back:

A 3.56 average across 5M+ installs is low for a broadcaster's flagship product, and the complaints cluster in predictable places: playback that drops out mid-episode, advertising breaks that repeat the same spot several times an hour, and a library that rotates titles away without notice. Rights deals also geo-lock the service to Australia, so it is no help to anyone travelling.

Judged as free catch-up television, it does the job it was built for. Judged as a substitute for a paid streaming platform, it will irritate.

Features

• Live streams of the network's free-to-air channels

• Catch-up episodes available after broadcast

• Box sets of complete seasons for selected series

• Live and on-demand sport carried by the broadcaster

• Casting to a television

• Episode downloads for offline viewing

Pros

• Everything is free once an account exists

• Live channels and catch-up viewing live in the same place

• Casting and downloads are included at no cost

Cons

• A 3.56 average rating reflects recurring playback complaints

• Advertising breaks are frequent and often repetitive

• Restricted to viewers inside Australia

• Titles rotate out of the library with little warning

Questions people ask