Online movie rentals are giving video stores a run for their money because, let’s face it, people like to stay home. They don’t want to have to go out if they don’t need to, especially when it comes to movie rentals. And sometimes individuals will take late fees over having to go out and return the videos. Sure, that is their own fault, but there are other people who forget or they have a situation that keeps them from making the trip.

How they work

Online movie rentals are easy. You sign up online, create a movie queue, and you pay for your first month. As soon as you make that payment, processing starts on sending you your first movies. You can continuously work on making your queue what you want it to be. It is necessary so that the company knows what to send you next when they receive your returns. You don’t have to think another thing about it unless you want to add another movie to your queue or move your queue around a little bit. You can also delete movies in case you decide you don’t want to see them anymore.

There are also different packages to choose from. The packages involve how many movies you want to rent at a time. You may want one, two, three, or four.

You also have Netflix that offers online streaming. Some of the movies in their library have been brought online so you can watch the movies on your computer screen. There have also been talks of a set top box so you can watch streamed movies on your television.

Blockbuster is an online DVD rental service that works very much the same as Netflix with the exception of the streaming that comes with a subscription. They do, however, offer to rent and sell movie downloads from their site. They also allow you to return your DVDs at an area store so that you can get the DVDs that you want a lot faster.

And the money you save is amazing for the fact that you pay around $4.00 per rental at the video store, but less than $20 for 12 or more rentals per month with online DVD rentals.

Other options

There are a lot of other options available out there, but it is important to evaluate before making a decision. You need to realize that your online movie rental services that deliver DVDs to you do so through the postal service. They are rather fast in their processing as well. The same day they receive your returned rentals, they are able to send out your new ones. You’re looking at about a two day turnaround and that really isn’t that bad when you don’t have to worry about making extra trips to the video store. Your movies will be in your hands before you know it.

But much of that has been solved through the offering of streaming video  online and DVDs being delivered to your door. You don’t have to go to the video store and look for the movies you want anymore. You also don’t have to deal with your desired movie being gone and having to wait until it comes back to the store.

But which do you choose?

The question here, however, is which service do you use when you want to rent videos? Do you use streaming video online or do you have actual DVDs delivered to your door?

Well, let’s look at both of these:

• Streaming video – This is available through many outlets. Streaming video means that you’re streaming the videos online, directly from a website. You may have to download some sort of video player to stream it. Unfortunately, a lost Internet connection could result in disruption of the movie. A download can solve this problem because the download saves to your computer. It is important to assess this because you may want to use your computer for something else as you watch television. You also have to make sure your computer is capable of handling the videos and the streaming. Sometimes computers may not have the requirements to get through it.

• Physical delivery – Physical delivery consists of you choosing your DVDs online, subscribing to that service, and managing a queue of the movies you want to watch. The movies you want are hardly out of stock. If they are, you are given an availability date. In the meantime, you are able to have other movies you want to watch delivered to your home. You can watch the movies, send them back by placing them in your mailbox, and wait one or two days for your next batch to come in the mail. You never have to leave your home.

Companies that offer these services

Both Netflix and Blockbuster offer streaming videos online and physical delivery. Blockbuster offers downloads, whereas Netflix offers streaming through their movie player. If there is a movie that you would rather watch on your computer than DVD, you can choose to do that. If it isn’t available to stream, you can rent it on DVD.

So if you don’t know which you want, you have your choice of both when it comes to Netflix and Blockbuster. You’ll find that all services work the way you want and need them to work.

But which is really better? Is it online streaming video with instant access through your computer or the ability to have your DVDs delivered straight to your door?

Each has its pros and cons and it is important to understand those pros and cons in order to make the right decision for you when it comes to how you want to entertain yourself.

For instance, you have the option to download movies from such services as iTunes. Yes, you have to buy them, but you are able to watch your movies whenever you want on your computer or your iPod that has video capabilities. You also have streaming services through a variety of other services. There are companies such as Amazon offering different ways to stream your movies directly from them.

But you also have a method in which you can rent actual DVDs by mail. They are delivered to your mailbox, you watch them, and then you put them back in your mailbox when you are done so that the postal service can return them. These programs are usually very affordable and they have no late fees. This means that you can keep the videos for as long as you want. You can keep the same movie for a year, but you’ll be paying your monthly fee to have it.

Netflix and Blockbuster are the two main services that allow you to rent by mail. You control the rentals you receive online. You can create a queue and everything is delivered in order to you unless you change it before the next shipment goes out to you. You don’t have to worry about making that trip to the video store and getting late fees because you forgot to make that trip.

Yes, you can make your own decisions regarding how you watch your favorite movies, but it is important to take into consideration how you will watch that video and what sort of charges and fees are included. Some people operate on a budget, but still want to have some of the great things in life. It just so turns out that movies are one of those things. They are entertaining, educational, and they can make a bad day that much better.

What you will find here is a comparison between the different services. You will see how they are different, how they function, and how they compare to other services. It is all about convenience, so those conveniences should be pointed out and explained. The inconveniences need to be assessed as well and that is what you are going to find. That way you can make an informed decision the next time you are looking for a new entertainment method.