How Can You Rent the Latest Movie Releases Closer to the Release Date?

Usually the more popular a new release, the harder it is to rent. This is the case with traditional stores as well as online.

If the movie you want to rent is not immediately available, both Netflix and Blockbuster suggest how long your wait time will be when you add that movie to your rental queue. When you rent at Netflix, they use the terms “Short Wait”, “Long Wait”, and “Very Long Wait”.

According to Netflix, a “Short Wait” means your wait time to rent a movie will be less than two weeks. “Long Wait” means less than 30 days, and “Very Long Wait” means less than four months.

Another thing to keep in mind when you rent movies online, is what position you place the movie in your list. For example, if you list Harry Potter 6 at the very top of your favorites list, you will receive it sooner than if you rank it third or fourth.

How does Blockbuster compare to Netflix? Until recently, consumers still ranked Netflix above Blockbuster in the online movie rental business. But that may be changing. Currently, wait times for new releases at Blockbuster Online tend to be shorter than at Netflix.

That’s especially true when it comes to Blu-ray, because Blockbuster has a greater volume of Blu-ray discs than Netflix. And you may know that you get charged extra for Blu Ray at Netflix.

With Blockbuster, this is not the case. Blockbuster also has a list of high-demand new releases which are guaranteed to be in-stock, but Netflix does not offer such a guarantee. Furthermore, Blockbuster’s “Guaranteed In-Stock” policy applies whether you rent movies online or from a store.

Game rentals are also offered at Blockbuster. So if you like to play games, only blockbuster offer them.

How much do rental plans cost? Rental plans at both Netflix and Blockbuster cost the same. You can rent either 1, 2 or 3 movies at a time. These plans cost $8.99, $13.99 and $16.99. Both companies offer the usual options to keep the movie as long as you want with no late fees. If you want to rent and return movies in store, Blockbuster will charge a little extra. These plans cost $11.99, $16.99 and $19.99 per month.

Why choose Blockbuster? If you’re deciding where to rent movies online, the availability of Blu-ray at no additional cost and the “Guaranteed In-Stock” policies are two good reasons to choose Blockbuster over Netflix.