Kinopoisk

  • Minimum monthly fee: 299 rubles
  • Trial period: free for 90 days

Available as part of Yandex.Plus, this popular service offers a vast collection of films and series. Besides watching them, you can also learn interesting facts about the movies (and the actors in them) or leave a review. As a rule, streaming is available both in the original language and with Russian dubbing. 

Kinopoisk also offers original content subtitled in English, such as the fairytale-like series about the Russian punk band King and Jester or Patient Zero, a series based on a true story about the first HIV case registered in the USSR.

ivi

  • Minimum monthly fee: 399 rubles 
  • Trial period: 30 days for 1 ruble

Along with the usual Hollywood classics you'd expect on a streaming platform – or all the Shrek movies – ivi boasts Turkish period dramas like Magnificent Century and a whole bunch of Asian dramas. Some of the content is free even without a subscription, but get ready to pay for it with a bit of your time by watching ads. One of the advantages of the service is easy navigation, with detailed selections by genre and topic.

START

  • Minimum monthly fee: 499 rubles 
  • Trial period: free for 7 days

Among START's original productions are many worth-watches like the sitcom The Vampires of Midland, or the hit crime drama The Boy's Word: Blood on the Asphalt, which depicts the phenomenon of teen gangs that existed in Kazan in the late USSR. The latter gained popularity in Russia and other post-Soviet countries, spawning memes and heated discussions. Unfortunately, there are no English subtitles available, though it can be a great opportunity to practice your Russian. You can try the platform for free and watch the first episodes of their TV shows.

wink 

  • Minimum monthly fee: 199 rubles 
  • Trial period: free for 7 days 

Recently merged with more.tv, wink now provides even more options for leisure, including vlogs, audiobooks, and karaoke. Here, for a lower fee, you can enjoy the above mentioned Boy’s Word. Another recommendation is the nerve-tickling Fisher, a true crime thriller about a serial killer.

Amediateka

  • Minimum monthly fee: 599 rubles 
  • Trial period: free for 7 days

As HBO's exclusive partner in Russia, it introduces the Russian audiences to such famous series as Game of Thrones, Euphoria, and Succession. 

A tip for saving money: the platform is integrated into Kinopoisk, ivi, and wink, meaning you can pay extra for those services and gain access to Amediateka’s library without needing another subscription. 

What else to look for on these platforms? Follow our Movies tag for top recommendations.