What Is MBC Shahid?

MBC Shahid is the leading MENA-focused streaming platform, leveraging MBC Group's massive content library to offer exclusive Arabic Originals, live TV, and HD sports. While it holds a strong grossing position (#25 in US Entertainment), its free ranking is declining, and it suffers from a severe user sentiment crisis. The platform's core value lies in its cultural exclusivity, but this is being undermined by technical instability and billing disputes.

What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Upset
Content Variety
Customer Service & Billing Issues... Show more

What does it look like?

What are the key features?

Exclusive Arabic OriginalsDifferentiator

Access to premium, high-quality Arabic drama and comedy productions produced exclusively for the platform.

Live Sports & EventsDifferentiator

Streaming of local and international sports tournaments and major live events like Riyadh Season in HD.

Live TV ChannelsStandard

Real-time access to broadcast TV channels with news and entertainment content.

Offline DownloadsStandard

Ability to download movies and series to watch without an internet connection.

Personalized ProfilesStandard

Customizable profiles for family members with tailored recommendations and watchlists.

Family-Friendly ContentStandard

Dedicated, safe environment with curated content specifically for children.

What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Upset

Recent user voice shows a upset sentiment. Users appreciate content variety, but report customer service & billing issues and technical performance & bugs.

What Users Love

Content Variety

it includes all my favorite movies and series

فيه كل المسلسلات

Pain Points

Customer Service & Billing Issues

worst customer service ever very bad

They are a scam bad service... I paid for the subscription but cannot activate it

Technical Performance & Bugs

Shahid keeps freezing all the time

app crashes... on mobile some time I need to restart the mobile

High confidence · 796.1K reviews available

How is it ranked?

ChartRankChange
Grossing#261
Free#7930
No rank history available for this chart.

What are the pros and cons?

Pros

  • Dominant library of exclusive Arabic Originals
  • Exclusive digital rights to major MENA live events (Riyadh Season)
  • Strong brand backing from MBC Group
  • High-definition live sports streaming (MENA only)

Cons

  • Severe customer service and billing transparency issues
  • Technical instability including frequent crashes and playback freezing
  • Excessive ad load on the free tier
  • Inconsistent content release scheduling

What is the market outlook?

Growth Opportunities

  • Improve retention by fixing the subscription activation flow
  • Expand hyper-local content for specific markets like Iraq
  • Leverage AI for better personalized discovery to compete with Yango Play

Market Threats

  • Global streamers (Netflix/Disney+) increasing Arabic content spend
  • New AI-powered super-apps like Yango Play capturing engagement
  • High churn due to perceived 'scam' billing practices

Who competes with MBC Shahid?

Contenders

+

Competes for the family-friendly and premium segment in MENA with a localized interface and content.

+

Content Bundling

Peers

+

Broad ecosystem player with localized MENA pricing and a growing library of Arabic titles.

+

X-Ray Access

beIN CONNECT (MENA)

beIN CONNECT (MENA)

beIN Media Group, LLC

Focuses purely on the live sports streaming segment that Shahid targets with its sports packages.

+

Focuses purely on the live sports streaming segment that Shahid targets with its sports packages.

What are the key takeaways?

MBC Shahid is a upsetting entertainment app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 3.2/5 rating from 796.1K reviews, it upsets most users from users. Users particularly appreciate content variety, though customer service & billing issues remains a common concern.

Best for: Arabic-speaking audiences and fans of Middle Eastern entertainment looking for a centralized platform for regional series, movies, and live sports.

How much does it cost?

Model: freemium

Tiers:
Free tier with limited access and ad-supported contentSubscription packages for ad-free, premium, and exclusive content access

Uses a freemium model to attract a broad user base with free content, then converts users to paid subscriptions for exclusive originals, ad-free viewing, and premium live sports.

iOS Version

7.109.0

Android Version

7.117.0

Release Date

Mar 16, 2016

iOS Price

Free

Android Price

Free

Developer

MBC Group

Independent intel to help builders create better apps.

No publisher influence. No third-party bias. Built with objectivity in mind to serve the builder community. Reports are continuously improved and refined. For informational purposes only.

Hope this helps & keep building! · Found an error?

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “MBC Shahid Intelligence Report.” Updated Apr 4, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/entertainment/net-mbc-shahid-iphone

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