Blockbuster vs. Netflix DVD Subscription Plans
Netflix is easily king of the online movie rental business even though Blockbuster continues to try to hang around. It’s rather poetic just of sorts that Blockbuster is clawing for life after enjoying the bountiful 90s as king of the brick and mortar rental business. I know that I’ve paid $5 (or more) far too many times for Blockbuster movie rentals.
When I discovered Netflix, I gleefully gave Blockbuster the cold shoulder and took my 3 (at a time) movies at $16.99 per month, which translated somewhere near 6-12 movies a month for the price of 3 Blockbuster movies at the old brick and morter store that was 8-10 miles from my house.
Blockbuster, came back into the game and entered the online movie rental business – quite a ways behind Netflix’s market share. Based on some of their prices and perks though, Blockbuster may be a better choice over Netflix for some people. Let’s take a closer look at what these two online DVD rental services offer.
Netflix Subscription Plans
Sign up for Netflix 2-Week Free Trial. Click here.
| Plan | Rentals/month | Price/month* | 2 week Free Trial |
Additional Perks: Hours Instantly on your PC |
| 3 DVDs at-a-time
Most Popular |
Unlimited | $16.99 | YES | Unlimited hours also included |
| 2 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited | $13.99 | YES | Unlimited hours also included |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Unlimited | $8.99 | YES | Unlimited hours also included |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Limit 2 per month |
$4.99 | YES | 2 hours also included |
*Plus any applicable taxes. The same applies for Blockbuster.
Blockbuster Subscription Plans
Sign up for Blockbuster 2-Week Free Trial. Click here.
| Plan | Rentals/month | Price/month | 2 week Free Trial |
Additional Perks: In-Store Exchanges |
| 3 DVDs at-a-time
Most Popular |
Unlimited | $19.99 | YES | 5 free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 3 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $34.99 | YES | Unlimited free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 3 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $15.99 | YES | $1.99 in-store movie exchanges |
| 2 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $29.99 | YES | Unlimited free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 2 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $16.99 | YES | 3 free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 2 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $13.99 | YES | $1.99 in-store movie exchanges |
| 1 DVDs at-a-time | Unlimited! | $21.99 | YES | Unlimited free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Unlimited! | $11.99 | YES | 2 free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Limit 2 per month |
$9.99 | YES | 2 free in-store exchanges per calendar month* |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Unlimited! | $8.99 | YES | $1.99 in-store movie exchanges |
| 1 DVD at-a-time | Limit 2 per month |
$3.99 | YES | $1.99 in-store movie exchanges |
*In-store exchange of online DVD rentals is good for free movie rentals and discounted game rentals only.
Comparison Considerations
As you can see, Blockbuster technically beats Netflix in price when considering DVDs coming to your house through the mail. 3 DVDs at-a-time is $16.99 at Netflix and is priced at $15.99 at Blockbuster. Both companies, however, offer some sort of additional perks, which are unique to their subscription plans.
Netflix offers online streaming of movies on your PC (now they also offer Mac). This can be a real benefit if you are comfortable watch video on your computer and have the bandwidth speed to make the feature worthwhile.
If you aren’t so inclined to watch your movies on your computer, you may like what Blockbuster offers with their in-store exchanges. By dropping off your movie at your local Blockbuster store, it allows them to check it in that much faster and ship you another movie from your Queue as soon as the next postal business day. Basically, you get access to extra rentals or “quicker” rentals by taking your DVD that you received through the mail back to a Blockbuster store. Be mindful of the fact that in-store rentals must be returned to the store where they were originally rented.
Conclusion
Blockbuster thinks it’s a better option over Netflix, while Netflix says it’s the best. I say choose what works best for you. The “perks” should make the decision easier for you depending on what you and/or your family will get the most use out of.
Pick the best bang for your own buck. If you’re not sure, sign up for both for two weeks for free and test each service to your liking and cancel the one that’s the “loser” in your opinion. Check out the free trial offers for each of the services below.
Netflix Adds Starz Instant Streaming for Subscribers
Netflix and Starz Entertainment Announce Agreement to Make Movies From Starz Play Available for Instant Streaming at Netflix
Starz Play, Included in All Unlimited Netflix Subscriptions, Makes Approximately 2,500 Movies, TV Shows and Concerts Available to be Watched Instantly by Netflix Members
LOS GATOS, Calif. and ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct. 1 – Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world’s largest online movie rental service, and Starz Entertainment, LLC, a premium movie service provider operating in the U.S., today announced an agreement to make movies from Starz, through its “Starz Play” broadband subscription movie service, available to be streamed instantly at Netflix. Access to the Starz Play service at Netflix will be included with Netflix members’ current monthly subscription fee.
The deal adds significantly to a growing library of over 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly at Netflix. Netflix members who have unlimited subscription plans, which start at only $8.99 a month, will have full and unlimited access to approximately 2,500 additional movies and other choices from Starz Play as part of their current monthly subscription. That includes the opportunity to enjoy a live feed of the Starz TV network on their PCs and does not impact the number of DVDs members receive as part of their monthly plans.
The first of the Starz titles — approximately 1,000 — are available now at the Netflix Web site, where they are presented in a distinct area accessible by clicking on the “Watch Instantly” tab on the Netflix member home page. More titles will be added in the coming weeks.
Starz Play, Starz’ collection of programming content for online distribution, features a wide variety of first-run hit movies, independent films and well-known movie classics, in addition to extreme sports, concerts, anime, Westerns and more. “Spider-Man™ 3,” “Ratatouille,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Superbad,” “No Country for Old Men” and “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert” highlight the movie offerings now available to be watched instantly. Starz Play also features new original content from Starz, including episodes of the upcoming dramatic series “Crash,” from the producers of the Academy Award®-winning Best Picture “Crash,” which remains the most-rented DVD in the history of Netflix.
Beginning today, Netflix and Starz Play will offer a sneak preview of the first full episode of “Crash” in advance of the Starz primetime premiere on October 17 at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific. “Crash” will remain a staple in the Starz Play programming mix and new episodes will debut day-and-date with new episode premieres.
“The coupling of Starz Play with our growing library of streaming content is an important step forward for both companies and for consumer choice,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. “Our deal reflects the creative ways we are working with content partners to expand the profile and the number of choices our subscribers can watch instantly over the Internet, in addition to the 100,000 titles we offer on DVD through the mail.”
Netflix also said that as part of the deal it will offer a Starz Play-only subscription for $7.99 a month.
Starz Entertainment’s president and chief operating officer, Bill Myers, noted that this agreement marks a significant step forward in Starz’ efforts to provide consumers with choice and convenience so that they can watch Starz programming wherever and whenever they want. “Netflix has grown to be an innovative leader in the home video space and we are delighted to offer their customers our unique and robust collection of movies on a subscription basis. This agreement is a strong vehicle to promote the Starz brand and showcase Starz’ leadership position in the premium movie category.”
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world’s largest online movie rental service, with more than eight million subscribers. For one low monthly price, Netflix members can get DVDs delivered to their homes and can instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and PCs, all in unlimited amounts. Members can choose from over 100,000 DVD titles and a growing library of more than 12,000 choices that can be watched instantly. There are never any due dates or late fees. DVDs are delivered free to members by first class mail, with a postage-paid return envelope, from over 100 U.S. shipping points. More than 95 percent of Netflix members live in areas that generally receive shipments in one business day. Netflix is also partnering with leading consumer electronics companies to offer a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes to members’ TVs from Netflix. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com/.
About Starz Entertainment
Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. It offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz® and Encore® brands with approximately 17 million and 31.3 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advanced services including Starz HD, Encore HD, Starz On Demand, Encore On Demand, MoviePlex On Demand, Starz HD On Demand, Encore HD On Demand, MoviePlex HD On Demand, and Starz Play. Starz Entertainment (http://www.starz.com/) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty Entertainment Group (NASDAQ: LMDIA), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation.
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SOURCE: Netflix, Inc.
Web site: http://www.netflix.com/
http://www.starz.com/
