The New Netflix? ITunes, Cable, Blockbuster Offer Alternatives

NEW YORK (AP/The Huffington Post) -- The DVD-by-mail service Netflix built its business on will soon be known as Qwikster. The rebranding follows Netflix's decision to split its DVD rental business from its online streaming service, a move that raised the prices for customers who want both by as much as 60 percent.

Netflix and the newly-minted Qwikster have a growing list of competitors that offer movies and TV shows streamed online, on DVDs, or through on-demand cable TV. Choosing the right service will depend on your appetite for video. Do you want the latest movies or the greatest classics? Would you prefer cheap or better on-the-go access?

Of the online options, Netflix has the most content available for streaming over the Internet, though cable TV providers have pay-per-view options with a better selection of recent movies. Apple and Amazon, meanwhile, let you rent a la carte if you don't want to commit to a monthly plan but want the latest movies.

Here's a look at some of the options out there:

(For a look at some of the smaller, more offbeat alternative to Netflix, click here.)

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Comments

[falcon421]

10:57 AM on 09/21/2011

What was all this bow-ah was about? After reading this, I stay with my Netflix. After all other companies are more expensive and they have limited content.

[cordcutterguide]

03:04 PM on 09/20/2011

Ironic isn't it? Netflix got it's start by stealing angry customers away from Blockbuster who pissed off about late fees. Netflix was a monopoly and a good service. It looks like management missteps could derail the whole company.

http://cordcutterguide.com/

[Max Shaw]

01:32 PM on 09/20/2011

RedBox is cheaper and more convienient than NetFlix DVD-by-mail service. Not to mention that they have new releases a lot sooner.

[falcon421]

10:59 AM on 09/21/2011

Not really, sometime you forget to take the DVD back, and you will be charged for it every night. Netflix, you don't have to worry about it.

[RattleCat]

09:38 AM on 09/20/2011

This is my last day before my plans split and i no longer have Netflix streaming.  Just for grins and giggles, I checked my DVD queue to see if any of the 34 movies - all less than 18 months old - had any new streaming options.

One.

Not exactly what I would call a winning selection.

[thebodach1]

09:12 AM on 09/20/2011

Wow. I didn't know Amazon offered unlimited streaming for Prime members. At $79 a year, that's roughly $6.60 a month which is cheaper than Netflix. Although not as many movie selections, but they look like better movies. I think Amazon just filtered out all of Netflix's 2-star cheap budget movies.

[garumphul]

09:35 AM on 09/20/2011

The low price is just bait to attract users and get device manufacturers convinced enough to add an 'Amazon' button on the remote like I've got a Netflix button on my Sony TV.

There is no way Amazon can afford to offer unlimited 2-day shipping *and* unlimited streaming of high-quality movies for $80 a year.

That deal will be split off and the the price raised *substantially* in a year or so.

[RattleCat]

09:48 AM on 09/20/2011

Amazon has averaged $200M net profit per quarter for the past 12 months.  And year over year increasing revenues since inception.

They absolutely can afford it.

And even if they do increase prices, there is no commitment.  One is free to leave and find a more cost effective service.  Something Netflix is learning.

[DRaymond]

04:37 AM on 09/20/2011

Netflix streaming still offers the biggest library for a moderately prices subscription.  Hulu may offer more current shows which makes them a likely winner, but beyond that their content is limited.  The other streaming options are all pay-per-view, so they represent an entirely different business model and aren't really competitors.   As for physical disks I like Redbox, which has a lot of convenient locations.

[thebodach1]

09:13 AM on 09/20/2011

Netflix's streaming library is also a joke. Count how many 2-star never-heard-of-it movies they have. But, hey, they have 20,000 so they win (so they think).

[garumphul]

09:36 AM on 09/20/2011

Nobody has a great streaming service for tier-one movies yet, because the studios won't let them.

[DRaymond]

01:57 PM on 09/20/2011

Well, whose streaming subscription library is larger than theirs?  So they are the best of an imperfect field.

Actually I find part of the enjoyment of netflix is being able to sample some obscure stuff that I would never chance wasting a pay-per-view fee on.

[edgeninja]

03:52 AM on 09/20/2011

I'm thinking Hulu is gonna be the first to jump on Netflix's boondoggle. If they were smart, they'd start adding A LOT more movies to their catalog right now.

[mad as heck]

11:24 PM on 09/19/2011

Misleading article. What's changing with Netflix is the DVD rental portion; none of these offer that option. And none of them match up to the Netflix streaming option either - all either more expensive or with fewer selections.