Family Filter TV
VidAngel and ClearPlay alternative for Stremio households
VidAngel and ClearPlay are the two best-known language and content filters for streaming. Both are excellent at what they do — and both are built for the United States. Here's a fair, sourced comparison, and where Family Filter TV fits for a Stremio and Android TV household instead.
What each one actually is
VidAngel connects to an existing US streaming subscription — Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, Paramount+ and a number of Amazon premium channels among them — and filters language, sex/nudity, violence and substance use with fine-grained sub-category controls. ClearPlay works as a Chrome browser extension over Amazon, Apple TV+, Disney+, Max and Netflix's ad-free tiers, skipping or muting unwanted scenes and language. Family Filter TV is different in shape: it's a native Android TV app that mutes spoken profanity in titles played through Stremio, and nothing else.
| Service | What it filters | Platforms | Price | Available in South Africa | Works with Stremio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VidAngel | Language, sex/nudity, violence, substance use — filters an existing US streaming account | Web, VidAngel TV app; connects to Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, Paramount+ and more | $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr direct; $11.99/mo via Roku/Apple/Google Play app stores (since 1 Jan 2026) | No — confirmed US-only by VidAngel's own support docs | No |
| ClearPlay | Language, violence and other content categories over supported streaming titles | Chrome browser extension, over Amazon, Apple TV+, Disney+, Max and Netflix ad-free tiers | $7.99/mo or $79.99/yr, 30-day free trial | No — ClearPlay's own docs say "designed for use in the United States only," with no plans to expand | No |
| Family Filter TV | Spoken profanity only — not violence or nudity | Android TV, Android TV boxes, Android phones — the TV itself, no browser or computer | US$14.99/yr after a 14-day free trial (Google Play shows local currency) | Yes — Google Play or direct install, not geo-restricted | Yes — built specifically for supported Stremio playback |
Figures checked 24 September 2026 against VidAngel's and ClearPlay's own help documentation and pricing pages; see sources at the bottom of this page. Prices and availability change — check the source pages for the current figures before deciding.
The honest trade-off
VidAngel and ClearPlay filter more: violence, nudity and substance use alongside language, and they work across a wide library of mainstream streaming titles once connected to a US account. That's a real advantage if you're in the US and already subscribed to the services they support. Family Filter TV filters less — profanity only, nothing else — in exchange for working on the television itself, without a browser or a US-based streaming account, and without the geographic restriction. If violence or nudity filtering matters most to you and you're in the US, VidAngel or ClearPlay do more than Family Filter TV does today.
Why "not available in South Africa" keeps coming up
Both services filter by matching timing against the specific US release of a title on a specific US streaming service — that's how VidAngel and ClearPlay know exactly when a line or scene occurs. That approach doesn't travel: VidAngel's support pages say plainly that the service can't be used outside the United States, not even from US military bases or embassies, and ClearPlay's help documentation states it is "designed for use in the United States only" with no plans to expand. Family Filter TV takes a different approach — reading the subtitle track of whatever's actually playing in Stremio, rather than matching a specific US release — which is what lets it work anywhere Stremio and a subtitle track do, South Africa included.
If you're weighing this up
- Already have a US-based Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+ subscription and want violence and nudity filtered too, not just language? VidAngel or ClearPlay filter more broadly — worth a look, U.S. availability permitting.
- Watching through Stremio on an Android TV, TV box or phone, anywhere in the world, and mainly want the swearing muted? That's what Family Filter TV is built for.
- Neither VidAngel nor ClearPlay works with Stremio, and Family Filter TV doesn't filter Netflix or DStv — they solve genuinely different problems.
Questions
Does VidAngel work in South Africa?
No. VidAngel's own support documentation says it cannot support its service outside the United States, including US military bases and embassies.
Does ClearPlay work in South Africa?
No. ClearPlay's help documentation describes it as designed for use in the United States only, with no plans to expand.
What's the difference between VidAngel and ClearPlay?
Both filter language, violence and nudity over an existing US streaming subscription. VidAngel connects directly to services like Netflix and Prime Video; ClearPlay is a Chrome extension over services including Amazon, Disney+ and Netflix. Neither is a standalone Android TV app.
Is Family Filter TV a VidAngel or ClearPlay alternative?
For a narrower problem: it mutes spoken profanity in Stremio playback on Android TV, TV boxes and phones, anywhere Stremio and subtitles reach. It doesn't filter violence or nudity, and it doesn't work with Netflix or DStv.
Sources
Checked 24 September 2026. VidAngel: "Can I use VidAngel outside of the United States?" and "What Filters options do you provide?", VidAngel support. ClearPlay: "Clearplay Availability by Country" and "What is Clearplay?", ClearPlay support.
Family Filter TV is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to VidAngel, ClearPlay, Stremio, Google, or any streaming service.