In-depth, Independent Research
Online instant video streaming, downloaded video and DVD rental services makes it cheaper and easier to enjoy as many rentals as you want. But which site is the best? We looked at each of the top services, rating them based on pricing, selection, video quality, viewing options and customer service. Check out the chart below to compare services at a glance, or read our detailed individual reviews. To learn more about online video streaming and DVD rental services, visit our FAQ.
Online Video & DVD Rentals Reviews & Prices
Updated 04-03-2013
| Service Name / Rating: | Free Trial: | Monthly Price: | Selection: | Video Quality: | Viewing Options: | Customer Service: | Bottom Line: |
 | 30 days | $7.99/mo for unlimited streaming and/or $7.99/mo for one-at-a-time DVD delivery | The best collection of unlimited streaming videos, both TV shows and movies | High-Definition | Streaming through computer, Playstation, XBox, Wii, Internet-ready TVs, AppleTV, Roku | Email & help page | Largest collection of unlimited streaming videos plus 30-day free trial make it the best online video site |
 | 1 week of Hulu Plus | $7.99/mo for Hulu Plus; standard Hulu is free | A great variety of television shows; lacking on movies | High-Definition | Streaming through computer, Playstation, XBox, Wii, Internet-ready TVs, AppleTV, Roku | Email and help section | The best collection of current TV programming, unlimited streaming and a free version of the service make this one of our top choices |
 | None | Price varies per video, average is $0.99 to rent, $14.99 to buy for movies; Free for Amazon Prime members | An expansive mix of TV shows and movies | Standard quality and High-Definition | Downloads, streaming through computer, Playstation, XBox, Kindle Fire and Roku | Phone, email, chat and help section | Good selection of movies and TV shows, but most are pay-per-video, which gets expensive. Amazon Prime members get a great selection of free movies/TV shows. |
 | None | Pay-per-video; pricing depends on the video | Best selection of TV shows and movies | Standard quality and High Definition | Only downloads; viewing through computer, Internet-ready TVs, AppleTV | Email and help section | One of the best selection of TV shows and movies, but pay-per-video pricing makes it expensive |
| Service Name / Rating: | Free Trial: | Monthly Price: | Selection: | Video Quality: | Viewing Options: | Customer Service: | Bottom Line: |  | Half off first month | $9.99-$19.99/mo plans for DVD rentals; streaming is pay-per-video | Great selection of movies and solid TV selection for DVD rentals; streaming selection is seriously lacking | Standard quality and High-Definition | DVD player; streaming through the website; downloaded to your computer | Email & phone; chat function for streaming | Good option if you want DVD rentals but don't want Netflix; streaming has very limited selection |
 | None | $1.99-$4.99 to rent movies; $1.99 for most TV shows | Some TV shows and movies; mostly random short-clip videos uploaded by users | Ranges from low-res to standard quality | Streaming through computer | Email and help section | Short selection of TV shows or movies, and interface is confusing and limited |
 | None | $1.99-$4.99 to rent movies | Great selection of movies to rent and buy; TV shows are only available for purchase | Standard quality and High-Definition | Streaming through computer, Playstation, XBox, Internet-ready TVs, Blu-ray players; downloads limited based on device | Phone, Email and Chat | Great selection of instant streaming movies, but no TV show rentals |
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Disclosure: NextAdvisor.com is a consumer information site that offers free, independent reviews and ratings of online services. We receive advertising revenue from most of the services we review. Our editors thoroughly research and whenever possible test each service we review and offer their honest opinions about each one. We are independently owned and operated and all opinions expressed on this site are our own.