What is a NOW TV Stick and how does it work?
Find out everything you need to know about the smart device.
Smart sticks are becoming steadily more popular, as demand for maximum channels and streaming options rises. Increasingly, service providers are finding ways to combine various platforms into one place to offer more value for money - and less time spent remembering all your logins.
The NOW TV stick is no exception, offering customers a convenient and portable take on its service. Below, we take you through exactly what one is, how it works and what you can expect to pay for it. You can also check out our NOW TV guide to find out more about NOW TV as a service and why it might be worth signing up.
If you’re convinced or have already signed up, here’s everything you need to now about the NOW TV stick.
Or, if you'd like to compare some of the other best streaming stick options, you can see our Amazon Fire Stick review, Fire TV Cube review, and Roku Premiere review for comparison. Or, head straight to our best streaming device guide.
What is a NOW TV Stick?
The NOW TV Smart Stick is a streaming stick which is plugged into your TV via the HDMI port. It is a light, portable device which can be easily transported and means you watch all the programs from your NOW TV passes (explained below) and access apps on any TV screen.
More like this
The NOW TV Smart stick also has HD and comes with voice search, meaning you say goodbye to long-winded typing via the number buttons on your remote.
Read more in our NOW TV Stick review, or read the NOW TV Stick vs Box explainer to see what each device offers.
What is a NOW TV pass?
NOW TV passes give you access to various genres of programs, for instance Entertainment, Movies and Sport. The passes are available for set lengths of time, typically one month, and incorporate a huge range of channels from the likes of Sky, HBO and hayu. We explain more about these in our NOW TV guide.
It’s worth highlighting that some passes are mobile-only, like the Sky Sports Mobile Pass. These won’t be available to watch on your TV screen with the NOW TV Stick.
What can I watch on NOW TV?
There are a whole range of great shows available to watch right now on NOW TV, including some of the biggest and most talked about programs currently streaming.
There are classics like The Sopranos and The Wire as well as new, dramatic smash hits like Gangs of London. HBO shows including vampire hit True Blood and superhero hit Supergirl are available on the platform as well as much-loved British sitcoms such as Peep Show and Gavin and Stacey.
If you’re after more inspiration, we’ve put together a full list of the best shows on NOW TV to watch this month.
As well as watching any of your purchased NOW TV passes, you can also add on apps such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney + YouTube and more, meaning all your entertainment sits in the same place. Although Disney+ wasn't available on NOW TV to begin with, it now is - and there's a new, 'adult' channel soon to be added called Star. You can read our Star on Disney Plus article for more information, and there's also our full list of Disney Plus Star content.
If you were to buy a TV today, what would be the most important factor in you making your decision?
We created this short poll to understand our audience's TV buying preferences. Thank you for taking part and helping us with our research.
What brand is the main TV in your house?
We created this short poll to understand our audience's TV buying preferences. Thank you for taking part and helping us with our research.
How many TV sets do you currently own?
We created this short poll to understand our audience's TV buying preferences. Thank you for taking part and helping us with our research.
What size is the main TV in your house?
We created this short poll to understand our audience's TV buying preferences. Thank you for taking part and helping us with our research.
The main TV is the TV in your living room, or the TV set that you spend the majority of your watching time using.
How much would you typically spend on a new TV?
We created this short poll to understand our audience's TV buying preferences. Thank you for taking part and helping us with our research.
Quiz Maker - powered by Riddle
How does a NOW TV Stick work?
If you’re familiar with other plug-in smart devices like Chrome Cast for instance, then the NOW TV stick should be pretty straight forward. Essentially, pretty much everything you need is within the stick, so you just need to plug it into your HDMI port and connect to start streaming content on your TV.
The smart stick functions by connecting to WIFI and, once plugged into your TV, you simply log into your NOW TV account. The internet connection is also how it can offer content from BBC iPlayer and Netflix accounts with the optional apps. Note that for apps like Netflix you will need to already have your own Netflix account.
The pocket-sized stick is portable, meaning you can take it with you wherever you go. This makes the smart stick ideal for trips away and a lot more convenient than clunky boxes which require much lots of wiring.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021
Although the first time you connect your NOW TV Stick you will need to plug it into a power socket, from then on it is simply powered by batteries.
How much is a NOW TV Stick?
The NOW TV Stick typically costs £24.99. There are also various bundles available which include various passes for differing lengths of time depending on the package you go for.
Thinking of getting a new television? Check out our best TV to buy guide before you flash the cash, or browse the best smart TV deals.
