5 Offbeat Alternatives To Netflix: Crackle, Vudu, And More

After publishing a list of the best alternatives to Netflix in the wake of the company's surprise price hike, many of our readers took to the comments section of my piece to explain to me how stupid I was for overlooking their favorite services, and for only covering the largest, most mainstream options instead of more deserving underdog websites.

I always welcome insults to my intelligence, of course; and this time, I am responding to those insults with a list of 5 more movie delivery websites that are legitimate alternatives to Netflix. This time we're not focusing on the Blockbusters or the Apples or the Hulus of the world; we're looking at some smaller, less popular websites, run by mom-and-pop operations like Wal-Mart and Sony.

But seriously, we've highlighted 5 fresh, insurgent alternatives to Netflix that are out of the view of most mainstream online movie watchers. Did I once again forget your favorite alternative to Netflix? Let me know by suggesting it using the "Add a Slide" tool below.

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• Crackle

  <a href="http://paidcontent.org/article/419-draft-sonys-grouper-evolves-into-more-complex-video-package-rebrands-as/" target="_hplink">Crackle was bought by Sony in 2006</a> (when it was a startup called Grouper), and now its <a href="http://crackle.com" target="_hplink">streaming-only movie and TV library </a>features mostly Sony productions. It is free to watch, and you don't have to register, but you do have to sit through advertisements that break up your movie. The options are fairly limited right now--there are about 250 full-length movies and episodes from 50 TV shows, though apparently Crackle adds about 10 of each every month. The quality of the options is pretty good, however; I've been watching "Pineapple Express" since lunch, and I'm moving on to the original "Bad Boys" when that's done. The stream looks great at 480p on my laptop, though would probably pixellate on a television screen. <strong>PROS</strong>: Totally free, no registration required; varied quality options; user-friendly website design; good picture on laptop for free service; free iPhone, iPad and Android app. <strong>CONS</strong>: Ads, ads, ads; limited quantity of movies and especially TV shows; no DVD rental option.

• Vudu

  A startup founded in 2004 and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/walmart-vudu-deal-walmart_n_472838.html" target="_hplink">purchased by Wal-Mart</a> in 2010, <a href="http://vudu.com" target="_hplink">Vudu is a movie-streaming service</a> that prides itself on two key features: first, it has a database of high definition, 1080p movies that is larger than any other website's; and second, it is accessible on any device that connects to the Internet, from PlayStation 3s and Blu-Ray Players, to laptops and Internet-enabled TVs. Vudu is compatible with over 300 devices and works as a simple laptop movie streamer, too. The selection is terrific--over 20,000 movies are available-- though the payment option (for me) is not as terrific. Renting a movie for two days costs between $2 and $7, depending on the desirability of the movie and the streaming quality. A new release in high definition at $7 for 2 days? Pass. <strong>PROS</strong>: High definition streaming; terrific selection of new releases and classics; great "Collections" sections, including my personal favorite, a "Best of Rotten Tomatoes" playlist. <strong>CONS</strong>: Pay-per-view on-demand system can get very expensive very fast; no DVD rental.

• Facets.org

  That ".org" is not a typo: <a href="http://www.facetsmovies.com/user/homeNewUser2.php" target="_hplink">Facets Multi-Media is a Chicago-based non-profit</a> founded in 1975 as a film appreciation group that now has a monthly DVD-by-mail rental system similar to Netflix's. There are over 75,000 movies in its warehouse, and one-out-at-a-time plans are $8.99 a month or $90 a year. If you're a little squeamish about signing up for a year, the monthly plan is one dollar more than the new Netflix DVD-only plan ($7.99), but perhaps you can justify the extra expense with the knowledge you're supporting a non-profit. As a film appreciation society, Facets has a great selection of rare and imported films, as well as playlists <a href="http://www.facetsmovies.com/user/moviePickExpert.php" target="_hplink">curated by "experts" that are worth checking out</a>. <strong>PROS:</strong> Reasonably priced DVD-by-mail rentals from a non-profit; excellent selection of independent and foreign films; recommendation lists from Werner Herzog, Stephen Sondheim, Dan Savage, and other notables. <strong>CONS:</strong> No streaming (yet--a company spokesperson says it's on its way); cannot match Netflix's prices, even after the price hike.

• Zediva

  <a href="http://zediva.com" target="_hplink">Zediva</a> is an intriguing video-streaming service that may or may not be legal (they are <a href="http://paidcontent.org/article/419-mpaa-v.-zediva-is-shaping-up-to-be-quite-the-legal-showdown/" target="_hplink">currently being sued by the MPAA</a>). It is streaming-only, and there is no high definition streaming, but the prices are incredibly low ($2 for a 14-day rental of a new release, or 10 rentals for $10). <a href="http://www.zediva.com/faq" target="_hplink">How do they do it</a>? When you rent a movie online, you are really renting a physical DVD and a DVD player at Zediva headquarters. The DVD player plays the movie for you and streams it--and thus Zediva does not have to pay the Motion Picture Association of America. So if you're looking for a way to both save money and tick off the MPAA, Zediva might be your best option. <strong>PROS:</strong> Very cheap prices for streaming new releases; no monthly fees; chance to stick it to the man. <strong>CONS: </strong>Might not exist soon; possibly illegal; substandard video quality and website design.

• GreenCine

  <a href="http://greencine.com" target="_hplink">San Francisco-based GreenCine is Netflix for film buffs</a>; they have "an accent on independent, art house, classics, foreign, documentary, anime and Asian cinema," as their website <a href="http://www.greencine.com/central/dvdrentalinfo" target="_hplink">boasts</a>. With over 30,000 DVDs available for rent at plans starting at $9.95 per month (which lets you take out one video at a time), it's a little more expensive than Netflix for mail rental, but that is the price you pay for Greencine's "eclection" (again, per their website). Not included in your monthly fee are on-demand rentals: rather than streaming, you download the movie on DivX. Most of those rentals are $5 for 30 days with the DRM-protected flick. So, streaming is available, but only for a price. <strong>PROS:</strong> Awesome online selection of niche films, including anime, indie, and foreign; Blu-Rays available; DivX-quality watching on computer <strong>CONS:</strong> The prices. More expensive than Netflix, and the per-rental fee for streaming is way too high unless you are only streaming one movie a month

Comments

[BJVoll]

02:28 AM on 09/13/2011

I don't mind paying for streaming video but I do expect it to stream! Has anybody used Netflix lately? Everyone is leaving Netflix because they can't stream anymore. Pay more for less?

[Alan]

07:51 PM on 09/01/2011

What strange timing. Things start to change with the netflix pricing just as the local video stores go under.

[techievega]

09:28 PM on 08/11/2011

I like the convenience of renting old/current DVD’s, Blu-ray’s and video games all from one place. So even though Blockbuster was mentioned in the earlier article it’s still a better catch than these options with limited offerings. Blockbuster is known for having large selections that vary over numerous genres. So you can see I was pretty happy when my employer, DISH Network, started offering new subscribers 3 months free of Blockbuster. I won’t go into details but they can be found here. http://bit.ly/l2OWJ8

[footearowl]

03:26 AM on 09/01/2011

F&CK DISH NETWORK AND F&CK DIRECT TV AS WELL!!!!! ALL OF THESE MANGY, LOWLIFE, GREEDY OUTFITS OFFER THE ABSOLUTE WORST PROGRAMMING AT SUCH REDICULOUS PRICES THAT IT'S SICKENING AND THEY "SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!!!! IF OUR LOUSY BOUGHT OFF govt DID THEIR JOB, WE AS THE CONSUMER WOULD "ALWAYS HAVE A DECENT AND WORTHWHILE ANYTHING" BUT BECAUSE OF THE ABSOLUTE CORRUPTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS WHERE PEOPLE ARE PAID TO SIGN A PAPER AND ALLOW THE HIGHEST BIDDER WHO'S PAYING THEM OFF UNDER THE TABLE THEY ARE ALLOWED AND ALL SUPPOSEDLY NICE AND LEGAL TO BEND US ALL OVER THE CHAIR AND PULL OUR LIL PANTIES DOWN AND CRAM AS MUCH F'N BONE TO US THAT IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE AND THE CAPPER IS "THAT WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE SOOOO APPRECIATIVE OF THE LIBERTIES AND AFFORDABILITIES THAT WE ARE GIVEN!!!! YEAH, RIGHT THEY CAN ALL TAKE A HUGE, MANGY LOAD STRAIGHT TO THE HAIR, EYE AND MOUF AND LIKE THAT INSTEAD!!!! LMFAO!!!

[Lindstr7]

05:06 PM on 07/26/2011

i quit using their DVD service months ago cuz all their "new" movies were mostly B movies. I DID loVE the instant streaming but the main reason I am mad at Netflix is for screwing up their user interface which is now a pain in the butt to use. The "mouse over" scroll is a PAIN! You can no longer read viewers other reviews (a nice feature because if you agree with one viewer you used to be able to read all their reviews), and their "suggestions" for you have all but disappeared. All the "new" movies are crap and the quality of the playback seems to be getting worse. I used to think the CEO, Reed Hastings, was a genius, now I think he's losing it.

[wieliczka]

07:16 PM on 07/22/2011

I rented 2 films from Facets today. They have an amazing selection of foreign and obscure films. I've been plumbing their archives for Scandinavian films in the same genre as "You the Living" and have come up with quite a few. I use no other film rental service. Facets is the best by far.

[iperea]

05:02 PM on 07/22/2011

I support Facets, and subscribe to their mailing service, but I wouldn't replace Netflix with Facets. Facets is a supplement, where I can get the few titles that Netflix does not offer. My biggest complaint about Facets is that delivery of the next DVD in my queue is unpredictable. It may take anywhere from a few days to over a week. Netflix, on the other hand, takes about 2 days.

[Elizabeth E]

06:10 PM on 07/22/2011

Have you tried checking the "returned" box in Your Account/Current Rentals? A big part of the variation of DVD delivery tends to stem from the Chicago postal service, which is less than exemplary, so we've implemented a workaround that lets you mark things as "returned" as soon as you stick them in the mail, and hopefully get your next movie with more reliable speed. Elizabeth at facets dot org if you want more info/help on how to do this.

[iperea]

10:56 AM on 07/23/2011

Thanks for the response. I'll try that next time I return a DVD.

[Alexander Cardosa]

04:09 AM on 07/22/2011

Unless they are doing Blu-ray level graphics and sound they are worthless. I can see low budge equipment owned by high school students, but for me I need blu-ray and if you have a better one I am all for 4K any time people.

[TarynCaroline]

12:43 PM on 07/21/2011

I work for a new alternative to Netflix streaming called FlixFling (www.flixfling.com). We have thousands of titles live and are adding movies and shows to our library on a daily basis. A subscription is only $7.99/month OR you can just pay as you go. A 14-day free trial is included with every new subscription so there's nothing to lose by checking it out. Hope we can provide some happy viewing to all of you fed up with Netflix's antics!

[darquelourd]

10:35 AM on 07/21/2011

5 really offbeat suggestions:

use your video display device purely for mood lighting only
because whenever you are inside your either reading, listening to music, or making something
otherwise you're outdoors

[bubbajoe62]

10:19 AM on 07/21/2011

Want a real "under the radar" alternative to not only Netflix but all Hollywood products? The popularity of international cinema and television is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to sites like Dramafever and Viikii. I've seen better turnaround time, wider offerings and upgraded video players over the last year due to the increased popularity and they continue to attract new fans by feeding their best stuff to Hulu. Not to mention the content is incredible and will definitely broaden your horizons. I have not been able to find one story on this world-wide phenomenon in the main-stream media. I suppose they would prefer to ignore it.

[Lindstr7]

05:11 PM on 07/26/2011

That's all great if you're only into watching Asian television.

[bordway]

10:12 AM on 07/21/2011

I've tried to stream Crackle several times through my Roku without success.

[sensimilla]

11:27 AM on 07/22/2011

strange, works fine for me, but i can't stand the commercials so i dont use the channel.

[xeronius]

09:51 AM on 07/21/2011

Another alternative, for fans of independent films, is Fandor. $10 a month to stream a couple thousand (I believe) indie flicks isn't a bad deal. The fact that you can watch one for free by logging in with your Facebook profile doesn't hurt either. http://www.fandor.com/

[Toonguy]

09:22 AM on 07/21/2011

You left off Amazon Prime. For about $80 annually you can stream selected movies for free. Other movies can be "rented" like other VOD services.

Additionally, If you like classic titles like those from Critereon and Mirimax, Hulu Plus can't be beat.

[dreadylocks]

08:51 AM on 07/21/2011

Love Facets!

[ObamAtomic]

08:01 AM on 07/21/2011

Netflix is the better deal ,streaming movies 24/7 for Eight dollar per month.