Screaming for Streaming: Alternatives to Netflix

Rip it up!

I love Netflix. How could I not? Well, there was that Qwikster thing, which is not a thing anymore, but really. Where else could I find The Cove, Angus, AND episodes of The IT Crowd?

It turns out that there are more streaming services out there than I realized. Some of them are even completely free! When facing a load of homework, I will never turn down a TV show or movie that’s completely free. For those who think like I do, I have decided to put together a list of lesser-used services available that are nice alternatives to the beloved Netflix.

Amazon Prime

Sadly my first year of college is over, meaning I don’t get Amazon Prime for free anymore. After a year’s free trial, it costs $39 a year (normally $79) with an .edu email address. Amazon Prime enables free two-day shipping on Prime items and unlimited access to Amazon’s streaming services. There are also movies to buy and rent instantly with or without a Prime membership.

Selection: There’s a lot of overlap between what Amazon has to offer and what Netflix has to offer. They have many of the same TV shows, including The Wonder Years, Arrested Development, and 24. In my opinion, Amazon trumps Netflix because Amazon has movies that recently came out on DVD – but that convenience costs money. Bridesmaids can be rented for $3.99 or buy it for $14.99. Older movies cost $2.99 to rent, and their purchase prices differ drastically.

Rip it up!
Competitors, like this dog, aim to take down Netflix. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Crackle

Crackle is Sony’s entry into the streaming world and it’s free. It also has iPhone and iPad apps for easy, on-the-go watching with a Wi-Fi connection. Its price (or lack thereof) is a double-edged sword: there are commercials approximately every ten minutes during both movies and shows.

Selection: Crackle only has about 300 movies, which range from well-known to…weird, but that’s true for most streaming websites. They update their selection pretty frequently. Its choice of TV shows is a bit spotty as there are usually only a few episodes from one season of a show. There is a cool element to the site, the “Featured Collection,” which highlights movies of similar tastes. Currently, Crackle is featuring “True Bromance,” which includes Step Brothers, Big Daddy, and Beverly Hills Ninja.

Vudu

Streaming to many devices is not something that sets apart Vudu from the competition. But Vudu does stream in 1080p, appealing to the cinephiles out there. Pricing is on a per item basis, and Vudu gets titles on the same day they come out on DVD (they really drive that point home on their website). Of course, the website also flashes the words “free trial” everywhere, but the offer isn’t available for PCs, Macs, or iPads – just TVs and PlayStation 3.

Selection: The same-day-as-DVD availability is really great, and there are often many high-quality options for movies (when watching on a TV). For example, Horrible Bosses is available in standard definition, high definition (720p) and high definition x (1080p) for $3.99, $4.99 and $5.99, respectively. The show selection is just as great as the movie selection, with episodes available in the same three definitions for $1.99 to $3.99. One caveat: the website is owned by Wal-Mart—if you have problems with Wal-Mart you’ll have problems with Vudu.

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus subscribers get access to full current seasons of TV shows and full series of selected shows, along with a variety of movies, although many are terrible. It costs $7.99 per month yet many TV shows and movies still have ads. When I first heard about Hulu Plus, I didn’t think I’d mind watching a couple ads. I was wrong. After watching the entire third season of Parks and Recreation (in three days) those commercials were 100% obnoxious, at times lasting for a minute. This happened four times an episode. I know this is clearly a first world problem, but it really killed me. There are fewer commercials in movies (sometimes none at all), but nobody wants to watch Torture Dungeon.

Selection: Hulu Plus provides the same service as Netflix, making it pointless as an addition but a passable substitute. Hulu Plus can be used on any computer, which is great for sharing an account between friends. Like the other services, Hulu Plus has an app for the iPhone and iPad, but not all shows are available on the app.

About Sara Arnold

Sara Arnold, COM '14, loves movies. She likes to think movies love her, too.

View all posts by Sara Arnold →

3 Comments on “Screaming for Streaming: Alternatives to Netflix”

  1. i tried hulu plus. just because of the ads alone it’s not worth it. i definitely feel you in the first world problems. but i watch a lot of stuff for free online at fastpasstv.ms. it’s completely free, and shows are up 15 minutes after they air. the quality can be spotty, but it’s worth it since it’s ad free.

  2. I am one of the millions that canceled Netflix. Another option for online TV is TVDevo website. It’s mostly for TV shows and movies .

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