The good news: You’ve got a free evening to spend however you wish.
The bad news: You are too tired to dress up and go out.
Solution: Movie night!
Even those of us who refuse to pay for cable (and here’s why) can’t bring ourselves to give up on big screen. Nothing can quite replace the experience of curling up with a glass of wine and a good flick.
We’ve said before that your home is your castle (and told you the best places to get artwork for cheap). So we must address the in-home entertainment: We would like to get our Natalie Portman in a tutu without overpaying.
There is a veritable smorgasbord of movie rental services out there—from streaming on your Wii to old-fashion DVDs. But how do you know which is best? (Hint, depending on what you like to watch, it's not necessarily Netflix.)
Since every person’s movie-watching habits are different, we researched the most well-known movie rental services and broke it down for you, so you can choose the best movie rental for your money and your tastes.
| Service | Ease Of Use | Devices | Movie Selection | Cost | Best For… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Through cable providers like Comcast Video On Demand |
Super easy |
TVs |
A combination of early new releases, and bad B movies OK* |
Some rentals free, others about $5 per rental
|
The occasional and/or lazy renter
|
|
Rental by mail and streaming Netflix |
As long as you can stream or mailing isn't a hassle Very easy |
Everything you can think of |
Will fulfill all your obscure movie needs, but you'll have to wait for new releases.
Good |
$4.99-$27.99 per month |
The discerning and enthusiastic film fan
|
|
Kiosks located in supermarkets etc. for 24-hour rental Redbox |
The only option that requires driving
Somewhat easy |
DVD players |
Mostly current movies, new releases are delayed; forget about oldies
OK |
$1 per rental, plus $1 for every late day |
The occasional renter who doesn't mind driving |
|
Streaming Hulu |
Easy |
Macs, PCs, Smart Phones, Blu-ray Players, Tablets, Set-top Boxes, Gaming Devices
Computers, TVs, etc. |
Visit for the TV shows, not the movies
Very limited |
$7.99 per month to watch more shows on devices besides computer Free for limited service |
TV show aficionados |
|
Streaming iTunes |
Very Easy |
Macs, PCs, Apple devices |
New releases are out early, and oldies available too
Good |
$2.99-$3.99 per rental |
Apple fans and the occasional renter |
|
Streaming Amazon Instant Video |
Easy |
Macs, PCs, Set Top Boxes, Google TVs, Xbox360s, Blu-ray Players, TVs
Computers, etc. |
New releases are out early, and oldies available too
Good |
$79 per year or $2.99 – $3.99 per rental without subscription |
The Amazon super user |
|
Brand new, streaming Crackle |
Easy |
Smart Phones, Tablets, Google TVs, Set Top Boxes, Blu-ray Players, PS3s Computers, TVs, etc. |
Rotating selection of 200 movies chosen by editors with a focus on B movies and classics Curated |
Free (Has ads) |
Someone with a tight budget and an open mind |
|
Store, kiosks, streaming and by mail Blockbuster |
Somewhat Easy |
Smart Phones, Blu-ray and other DVD Players, Gaming Consoles, Set Top Boxes Computers, TVs, etc. |
You'll have to wait for new releases, but the classics are there Good |
$11.99- $19.99 per month
|
Especially after their recent bankruptcy and rash of store closures Unless you live near a Blockbuster store, there are better choices out there |
*To assess a service's selection, we read reviews and looked for three movies: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the new documentary Inside Job, and Gone with the Wind.
