Goodnight, sweet discs. After DVD Netflix closes, many staunch physical media supporters (myself included) mourned. When the final DVD Netflix credits rolled, other DVD by mail services offer solace. If, like me, you’re a physical media enthusiast, there are plenty of DVD by mail rental services and other cinema sources to keep your entertained. Personally, I’ve been enjoying DVDInbox as my DVD Netflix replacement, but you’ve got a slew of choices. Let’s dive in to explore the best DVD by mail rental services to keep you getting discs in the post and watching movies.
Best DVD by Mail Rental Services for 2024
Service | DVDInbox | CafeDVD | GameFly | Redbox | 3D Blu-ray Rental | Scarecrow Video | Facets |
Library size | Hundreds of thousands | 60,000+ | 2,315+ | 600-700 discs, 70-200 different titles | 20,000+ titles | 145,000 titles | 45,000+ |
Discs out at a time | 1-4 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 3-5 | 1-8 | 1-6 | 1-3 |
Price | $8.99-$29.99/month | $9.99-$35.99/month | $9.95-$32.95/month | $2.25+ | $9.99-$62.99/month | $3-$11/disc + $12 shipping for up to 6 discs | $10/month-$250/year |
Disc types | DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Blu-ray | DVD, Blu-ray | DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD Blu-ray | DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD Blu-ray | Blu-ray, 4K UHD | DVD, Blu-ray | VHS, DVD, Blu-ray |
Sign up | Try DVDInbox | Try CafeDVD | GameFly Free Trial | Try Redbox | Try 3D Blu-ray Rental | Try Scarecrow Video | Try Facets |
DVDInbox
DVDInbox is one of the latest DVD by mail options, and a promising DVD Netflix replacement. Like CafeDVD, DVDInbox lets you import your DVD Netflix queue CSV so you can pick up getting through your queue where you left off. The interface looks really slick, there’s free shipping, no due dates, or late fees. Its library consists of hundreds of thousands of movies, with a bevy of out-of-print and hard-to-find flicks.
You’ll have a choice of three plans:
- 1 disc out at a time, unlimited discs per month: $12.99/month
- 2 discs out at a time, unlimited discs per month: $19.99/month
- 3 discs out at a time, unlimited discs per month: $24.99/month
DVDInbox offers both DVDs and standard Blu-rays.
DVDInbox features:
- Ability to import your DVD Netflix queue as a CSV
- Hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows
- Blu-rays and DVDs to rent
- Plans starting at $12.99/month
- 1-3 discs out at a time, unlimited rentals per month
- Free shipping, no late fees
GameFly
GameFly has long operated as a video game rental service, but it expanded into movies and TV shows as well. You’ll find a great catalog of over 2,315 movies and TV shows on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, making GameFly one of the best DVD by mail platforms on the market.
Its selection of films is largely comprised of newer fare, like “Evil Dead Rise,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” and “Creed III.” Still, you’ll find plenty of older fare too like “Soylent Green,” “Jaws,” and “Blow Out.” As such, GameFly is a good source for disc by mail rentals of everything from new releases to classic cinema and even documentaries. A free trial and outstanding customer service make GameFly a worth consideration as a DVD Netflix alternative.
Moreover, we like that you can rent games too. Its expansive video game catalog includes PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch titles. There are even some older games like PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, PS Vita, Wii, Nintendo DS, PS2, PSP, original Xbox, GameCube, and GameBoy Advance titles. Older platforms may have few if any discs available, but it’s still nice that you can rent retro games.
Plans start out at $9.95/month for one disc out at a time with Blu-rays and DVDs, to $32.95/month for two rentals out at a time with movies and games included, with up to 4K Blu-ray support. There’s a generous 30-day free trial which is great for seeing how you like GameFly.
Overall, GameFly is an exceptional DVD by mail service for gamers and movie buffs alike.
GameFly features:
- 2,315+ movies on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray
- Variety of movies and TV shows including new releases, blockbuster films, and classic cinema/older movies
- Outstanding catalog of movies/TV shows and video games
- Monthly pricing from $9.95-$32.95/month
- Up to 2 rentals out at a time
CafeDVD
CafeDVD is one of the best DVD rental by mail platforms founded in 1999. It boasts an impressive collection of over 60,000 films, ranging from blockbusters to indie, arthouse, and foreign films. Plus, CafeDVD expects to grow its collection with tens of thousands of new movies by the end of August 2023. There’s even a planned website redesign.
If you’re migrating from DVD Netflix, CafeDVD welcomes you and eases the transition by offering a way to import your DVD queue in a CSV to transfer to your CafeDVD account. This means it’s ok if you don’t manage to get through your queue.
While it’s called CafeDVD, you can rent DVDs or Blu-rays. There are no late fees or due dates. Pricing is pretty reasonable with a monthly subscription. Here’s how CafeDVD pricing breaks down:
- 2 DVDs/month: $9.99
- 2 DVDs out at a time, limit 4 DVDs per month: $17.99
- 2 DVDs out at a time, unlimited discs per month: $19.99
- 4 discs out at a time, limit 8 DVDs per month: $27.99
- 4 discs out at a time, unlimited discs per month: $35.99
CafeDVD features:
- DVDs and Blu-ray discs available
- Over 60,000 titles in catalog (movies and TV shows)
- Everything from recent blockbusters to classic films, indie movies, and arthouse flicks
- Monthly and pay per rental options available
- Price: $9.99-$35.99/month
- Ability to import your DVD Netflix queue as a CSV to easily transfer platforms
Redbox
Because of its wide availability, Rexbox is one of the best DVD Netflix replacements. There are at least two Redbox locations within walking distance of my house alone – one at a Harris Teeter, another at a Circle K gas station. Chances are, there’s a Redbox movie rental near you, and one you pass by regularly no doubt.
Redbox sports a smattering of movies to rent, mostly new releases. As a first-time Redbox customer, you can get three discs out at once, but returning customers can rent up to five movies at a time. Each Redbox kiosk holds around 600-700 discs, with anywhere from 70-200 different titles.
You can rent flicks on DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K ultra-high-definition (UHD) Blu-ray. Pricing starts at $2.25 per disc to rent. Additionally, Redbox provides select films for purchase on disc. Outside of its physical media kiosks, Redbox also features a great streaming service with free live TV, free on-demand ad-supported content, paid rentals, and paid purchases.
Redbox features:
- Up to 5 discs out at a time (returning customers) or 3 discs out at once (new customers)
- Pricing from $2.25/disc
- Kiosks feature 70-200 different movies, mostly new releases
- Lots of kiosks at grocery stores, gas stations, etc.
- Movies available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD Blu-ray
- Discs for rental or purchase
- Streaming service with vast catalog of rentals, digital movies for sale, plus free ad-supported live TV and on-demand content
3D Blu-ray Rental
The aptly-named 3D Blu-ray Rental sports a massive collection of Blu-rays (2D, 3D, and 4K UHD), making it one of the best DVD by mail companies on the planet. Its impressive library consists of over 20,000 movies and television shows. Aside from film and TV, you can also rent PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games.
You’ll find several subscription plans starting at $8.99/month:
- 1 disc out at a time, limit 2 rentals/month: $9.99
- 2 discs out at a time, limit 4 rentals/month: $19.99
- 3 discs out at a time, limit 6 rentals/month: $25.99
- 4 discs out at time, limit 8 rentals/month: $31.99
- 6 discs out at a time, limit 12 rentals/month: $47.99
- 8 discs out at a time, limit 16 rentals/month: $62.99
We appreciate that 3D Blu-ray Rentals offers not only 4K Blu-rays, but also 3D Blu-rays. Note that for 3D movies, you’ll need a pair of 3D glasses (we recommend Boblov 3D glasses) and a TV or projector that supports 3D content. 3D Blu-ray Rental touts a stellar selection of films ranging from new releases to retro flicks and cult classics.
3D Blu-Ray Rental features:
- Over 20,000 movies
- Carries 2D, 3D, and 4K UHD Blu-ray movies/TV shows
- Plans range from $9.99-$62.99/month
- Anywhere from 1 disc out (max. 2 rentals/month)-8 discs out at a time (max. 16 rentals/month)
Scarecrow Video
Scarecrow Video is a brick-and-mortar video rental store based out of Seattle, Washington. It flaunts an incredible 145,000+ title library of movies and TV shows including some hard-to-find titles. In-person, you can rent DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS tapes, and even LaserDiscs (if you’re like me and enjoy backing up your film collection, learn how to transfer your VHS tapes to DVD and digital). But for its rental by mail program, Scarecrow Video only offers DVD and Blu-ray, which makes sense as VHS and LaserDisc are more delicate (heck, I’ve had LaserDiscs suffer disc rot sitting in a climate-controlled room).
For pricing, most discs cost $4.50 to rent, although some titles like children’s movies and documentaries are $3. But pricing ranges up to $11 for multi-disc sets like TV show seasons or miniseries. Shipping and handling is a flat fee of $12/six discs, and the maximum you can rent at a time is, you guessed it, six discs. Note that this is dictated by the total number of discs in a set, not by the number of titles. For instance, if you rent a collector’s edition Blu-ray that includes three discs, that counts as three discs even if it’s one movie.
Scarecrow Video is a fantastic DVD by mail rental service for hardcore cinephiles. You can even find obscure titles and foreign films. Because select discs are PAL or non-US movies, you might need a region-free Blu-ray player or DVD player (luckily, Scarecrow Video puts that information in the description).
Scarecrow Video features:
- Over 145,000 titles
- Physical rental location in Seattle, Washington offering VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray
- Rental by mail program with DVDs and Blu-rays
- Pricing from $3-$4.50/disc, $11/multi-disc set, $12/flat rate shipping fee
- Up to 6 discs out at once
- Tons of movies including an exceptional selection of tough-to-find flicks
Facets
Facets is a nifty option for movie buffs. It offers over 45,000 titles on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray. You’ll find a veritable treasure trove of indie, arthouse, and tough-to-find films. Pricing starts out at $10/month and goes up to $250/year. Shipping is generally around $8-$11, and you can get up to three rentals per month.
If you’re looking for niche movies and shows, Facets is a good option. Plus, it’s a non-profit, so the $250/year tier includes with a $100 tax deductible donation.
Facets features:
- Over 45,000 titles
- VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray rentals
- Limited-edition DVDs available to purchase
- Plans from $10/month-$250/year
- 3 video rentals/month
Other DVD Netflix Alternatives
Aside from DVD by mail services and video rental kiosks, you’ll find several other DVD Netflix alternatives. Your local library probably includes a decent collection of movies and TV shows on disc to rent. Many libraries even partner with Hoopla and Kanopy to offer free video rental/check outs. There are also still some awesome physical video rental stores like Video Vortex.
On the streaming side, you’ll find a slew of different apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Paramount+, Peacock, Vudu, Shudder, Criterion Channel, and Full Moon Features.
There are loads of free streaming sites too like Crackle, Tubi, Freevee, Popcornflix, Crunchyroll, FilmRise, Pluto TV, and ConTV.
Plus, you can always purchase films on DVD and Blu-ray from sites like Amazon and Best Buy or directly from sites like Orbit DVD, Diabolik DVD, Shout/Scream Factory, Arrow Video, Zavvi, Vinegar Syndrome, etc.
Best Disc by Mail Services for Renting DVDs and Blu-rays: Final Thoughts
DVD Netflix shutting down is truly a massive blow to film lovers. There’s no replacing this fantastic community, since DVD Netflix was far more than just a service. Rather, it was a true community with its Inside the Envelope blog, regular Twitter DVD chats where like-minded cinephiles could gather online to discuss films, and some of the best swag around. So there’s no true DVD Netflix replacement. Still, you’ll find plenty of DVD by mail platforms like CafeDVD, GameFly, 3D Blu-ray Rental, Scarecrow Video, Facets, and DVDInbox to keep the discs arriving in your mailbox. Additionally, you can always supplement with streaming services and physical media purchases.
Best DVD Netflix Alternatives: FAQs
There are several alternatives to the Netflix DVD service, including DVD by mail services like CafeDVD, 3D Blu-ray Rental, Scarecrow Video, GameFly, Facets, and DVD Inbox as well as kiosks like Rexbox.
No, Netflix is not still shipping DVDs. After 25 years of service DVD Netflis’s final discs shipped on Septemebr 29, 2023.
No, Netflix does not offer a DVD plan anymore and is streaming only.
Netflix stopped its DVD by mail service, citing dwindling revenue from its disc by mail service versus its streaming platform.
DVD by mail means that you can rent DVDs or Blu-ray discs which are shipped straight to your mailbox, rather than going to a brick-and-mortar store or kiosk to check out movies and TV shows on physical media.
Netflix ended DVD by mail because of lower revenue and a smaller subscriber base compared with its streaming component.
You can rent DVDs at many places besides Netflix including Redbox, GameFly, CafeDVD, 3D Blu-ray Rental, Scarecrow Video, Facets, DVDInbox, and your local library or a video rental store like Video Vortex. In all, there are many DVD by mail alternatives to Netflix.
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