Crave is a Canadian over-the-top streaming television service. Owned by Bell Media, the service primarily distributes original programming (including productions commissioned specifically for the service, and programming originally produced for Bell Media linear television services such as CTV and Noovo), as well as content licensed from other third-party studios and distributors. Crave is available either as a direct-to-consumer service, or through participating Canadian television service providers as the TV Everywhere component of the Crave premium television service.
The service originally launched in December 2014 as CraveTV; it was originally focused on television series, and was initially sold exclusively via participating television providers (although a direct-to-consumer option was later made available). In 2018, CraveTV was merged into Bell's existing pay television service The Movie Network (TMN), with both services rebranded as Crave. With the relaunch, the service was re-positioned as a more direct competitor to U.S.-based streaming services such as Netflix, adding TMN's film catalogue and rights to HBO and Showtime original programming. Crave was similarly launched in French Canada as well, integrating with TMN's French-language counterpart Super Écran.
, Crave's major programming suppliers are Skydance Corporation (HBO/HBO Max programming and Warner Bros. films), and Sony Pictures (theatrical films from labels including Columbia). Starz, offered in partnership with Lionsgate, is available as an add-on. In 2025, Crave subsumed the streaming services offered by other Bell Media properties, adding streaming of live and on-demand programming from CTV, Noovo, and their sister non-sports specialty networks, as well as free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) content from CTV.
Service structure
The Crave video-on-demand service is registered with the CRTC as a licence-exempt "hybrid" VOD service, (search "Crave" under "Name of service") allowing its programming to be offered on-demand through cable/IPTV service providers, without an accompanying linear channel, provided that it is also available via the Internet on a direct-to-consumer basis. Regardless of subscription method, programming is available for streaming through Crave's website, mobile apps, video game consoles, smart TVs and other devices; when subscribed to through a TV provider, some or all programming may be also available through that provider's set-top boxes.
Bell's Crave (formerly TMN), Starz (formerly Encore), and Super Écran linear TV channels are offered under separate licences, however upon its relaunch in November 2018, the direct-to-consumer Crave service launched add-on tiers which includes access to the programming and linear streams of the Crave linear service, and eventually Starz and Super Écran. At the same time, subscribers to the former TMN linear service began to receive access to the former CraveTV VOD library at no additional charge, when signed into the Crave streaming platform via TV Everywhere.
On October 26, 2021, all programming previously included in the Movies + HBO and Super Écran add-ons, and access to the Crave and Super Écran linear channels, was moved into the main library, effectively eliminating the former entry-level programming tier. Direct-to-consumer packages are now divided into "Crave Mobile" and "Crave Total" plans; Crave Mobile, which has the same price as the previous entry-level tier, provides access to up to 720p quality video on a single mobile or browser-based device at a time, while Crave Total, which has approximately the same price as the previous Crave + Movies + HBO (and is marketed as simply "Crave" on most TV service providers), offers up to four simultaneous streams of video at up to 4K resolution (depending on program availability) through a maximum of five registered devices. Customers that subscribed to Crave's previous entry-level package directly through the service's website were offered Crave Total on a trial basis until March 2022.
Starz programming remains available on Crave solely through a separate paid add-on. Additionally, both Starz and Super Écran continue to be available individually through TV service providers. Such subscribers can access programming for their subscribed services through the Crave platform using TV Everywhere authentication, however in these cases they do not receive access to other Crave programming.
2018–21 packaging From November 1, 2018, to October 25, 2021, programming on the Crave streaming platform was divided between up to four packages: Crave – entry-level package including most original programming from Showtime, previously aired HBO programming, past seasons of selected current HBO and Starz programming, and other Canadian and international programming, much of which is available on Hulu in the U.S. and/or has aired previously on other Bell Media channels. Programming is available in both English and French, though not all programming in one language is available in the other. Direct-to-consumer subscribers were required to subscribe to this package to be able to purchase add-on subscriptions. Movies + HBO – add-on subscription providing access to the Crave linear TV channels (including the Canadian version of HBO) and on-demand access to their associated programming. This includes most first-run HBO (U.S.) programming and exclusive "first window" subscription streaming rights to recent theatrical films including those distributed by Warner Bros., 20th Century Studios, Universal Pictures, and Sony Pictures (theatrical releases through mid-2019), which are typically added about 8 months after theatrical release. Bell Media has stated there is no difference in the programming available to direct-to-consumer subscribers to Crave with the "Movies + HBO" addon compared to those subscribed to the Crave pay TV service via a traditional TV service provider. Starz – add-on subscription (launched early 2019) corresponding to the Canadian version of Starz, including most first-run Starz (U.S.) programming, certain first-run Lionsgate films, additional series from Hulu and the Lionsgate library, and older theatrical films from various distributors Super Écran – add-on subscription (launched early 2020) corresponding to Bell's French-language pay channel Super Écran, including original series, French-language (dubbed or subtitled) versions of programming from HBO and select acquisitions and theatrical films, with a lineup similar but not exactly the same as the films carried in English by Crave
History and distribution At some point following the launch of Netflix in Canada in 2010, several domestic media companies including the media divisions of Bell, Rogers, and Shaw, as well as cinema operator Cineplex, were reportedly in talks to launch a joint-venture Canadian streaming service. However, these talks broke down, and the companies ultimately launched separate initiatives, with Cineplex focusing on its Cineplex Store transactional video-on-demand platform, which launched in 2012, and Rogers and Shaw announcing a jointly owned streaming service named Shomi in 2014.
Shortly after the announcement of Shomi, on October 30, 2014, Bell Media revealed its own streaming and video-on-demand service focused on TV series programming, initially referring to it by the code name "Project Latte". The final name of CraveTV was revealed a few days before launch that December, as was its monthly price of $4 per month – half the monthly Canadian price of Netflix at the time, or roughly the retail price of a latte (hence the code name).
However, unlike Netflix which was sold directly to consumers via the Internet, CraveTV was only made available on launch as an add-on for subscribers of television service providers owned by Bell Canada (including Bell Satellite TV, Bell Fibe TV, and Bell Aliant), along with Eastlink and Telus. In February 2015, Access Communications, Cable Cable, Nexicom, and the cable TV division of Bell subsidiary Northwestel were added, giving the service wider availability in Saskatchewan and Northern Canada.
At the time of launch Bell did not indicate any plans to make CraveTV available on a standalone over-the-top basis, instead stating that CraveTV would "enhance the value of the subscription television ecosystem" and would be "available to every TV provider in Canada". Kevin Crull, president of Bell Media at the time, contended that television content on any streaming service "[would not] exist if you didn't have the traditional TV system. So you really can't sustainably have one without the other." Further, he stated that the service would not "cannibalize" Bell's investment in traditional linear television services. Tying the service to a television service also counters the trend of "cord cutting", in which one drops cable or satellite television in favor of exclusively obtaining television programming over-the-air and through SVOD services.
On July 13, 2015, Bell announced that CraveTV would transition to an over-the-top service available to all users, regardless of provider, in January 2016. That month, the service when sold through TV providers increased in price from $4 to $6 per-month. On January 14, 2016, CraveTV was launched as an over-the-top service, costing $7.99 per-month. Prices were raised again in May 2018, with the direct-to-consumer price increasing to $9.99.
Merger with Bell Media premium services (2018–2025) In October 2018, a Rogers Cable service bulletin stated that beginning in November, subscribers to The Movie Network (TMN) would begin to receive CraveTV as part of their service.
On November 1, 2018, Bell announced that CraveTV had merged with TMN as Crave (with the combined service initially promoted as "the all-new Crave"). Under the service's new structure, Crave introduced a $19.98 "Crave + Movies + HBO" tier that added access to TMN's content, including its film library, first-run HBO programming, and live streaming of the Crave and HBO Canada linear channels. The TMN Go apps would be replaced by those of Crave, with subscribers receiving access to Crave at no additional charge via TV Everywhere authentication. The existing CraveTV service without films or current HBO programming became Crave's entry-level plan, and remained available at its existing $9.99 direct-to-consumer price. Distribution of the basic Crave service through service providers (in some cases at a lower price) also continued, now including additional providers such as Rogers Cable. Bell Media head Randy Lennox cited increasing competition with Netflix as a basis for the decision. The following spring, a Canadian version of Starz (which replaced TMN Encore on linear television) was launched on the Crave platform as an add-on, with a direct-to-consumer monthly price of $5.99.
On January 21, 2020, Bell announced that Crave would expand into the French-language market on January 28 of that year. The service promoted that it would add roughly 5,000 hours of content in French to the service for all subscribers (including the new original series Pour toujours, plus un jour), and add a French-language premium tier in conjunction with Bell's Super Écran network. The Super Écran Go app was similarly replaced by Crave.