Streaming services are all the rage. And indeed, the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, and a slew of other free or paid sites have enhanced the movie and TV watching experience. However, for true home theatre enthusiasts, physical media continues to reign supreme. While once brick and mortar video rental stores reigned supreme, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, and Family Video have largely disappeared. Red Box remains, but DVD Netflix maintains a disc-by-mail service that’s a must-have for any true cinephile. Learn all about DVD Netflix and why you should subscribe!
PSA: DVD Netflix is shutting down and will mail its final discs in September, 2023. As such, we’ve put together a list of the best DVD Netflix alternatives on the market.
What is DVD Netflix?
When Netflix first began, it was a DVD-by-mail platform. The company first rolled out its disc rental service in 1997, later debuting streaming video in 2007. While the streaming video-on-demand component of DVD Netflix may remain popular, DVD Netflix offers a video store delivered straight to your mailbox. Simply add items to your queue and you’ll enjoy unlimited rentals for a low monthly price. There are no late fees or contracts, and you can rent Blu-rays in addition to DVDs. Overall, the long-running DVD rental service is an excellent bargain.
1. DVD Netflix has a Huge Library
If you’re a film buff, DVD Netflix is a must-subscribe. You’ll find a massive library of movies and TV shows available for rental. From new releases to retro cinema and under-the-radar television or flicks, DVD Netflix boasts an unparalleled content repository. Whereas streaming Netflix features around 6,000 movies and shows, DVD.com boasts around 100,000 discs available to rent. As such, you’ve got way more options at your fingertips. Sure, with DVD Netflix you’ll need to wait for your discs to physically arrive unlike the streaming option. But its vast arsenal of Blu-rays and DVDs to rent makes DVD Netflix a compelling service.
2. DVD Netflix Pricing is Competitive
You’ll find three different cost-effective rental plans. The base plan of 1 disc out per month clocks in at $9.99 USD. Two discs at a time retails for $14.99. Step up to the top-shelf three discs out at a time plan for $19.99. With each DVD Netflix plan, you’ll enjoy unlimited DVDs rented per month, with a choice of 1, 2, or 3 discs out at a time. DVD Netflix ships out both DVDs and Blu-rays. And since turnaround time is typically pretty fast, only a few days between dropping one disc in the mail slot and another red envelope arriving, DVD.com is a phenomenal value. For the cost of one movie ticket or Blu-ray purchase each month, you’ll gain access to an enormous library of movies and TV shows.
3. Blu-ray too – Rent More than Just DVDs
Don’t be fooled by its name. DVD Netflix isn’t limited to DVDs. You can rent Blu-ray discs as well. What that means is you’ll be able to enjoy up to 1080p video from discs. Although you won’t find 4K ultra HD (UHD) Blu-rays, the majority of 4K Blu-ray players handle upscaling extremely well. As such, your DVDs and Blu-rays from DVD.com will look stunning on even your 4K panel. Because of its DVD and Blu-ray offerings, DVD Netflix is a great platform.
4. Top-quality Audio and Video
Despite many streaming services including Netflix, Vudu, and Disney+ supporting 4K UHD video streams, high dynamic range (HDR) standards such as Dolby Vision and HDR10, and audio codecs like Dolby Atmos, physical discs boast superb value. Even with surround sound, streaming audio is limited to compressed lossy formats. But Blu-rays for instance pack in lossless audio such as DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD. Despite its higher resolution, 4K streaming video still remains about on par with 1080p Blu-ray quality. While 4K streams tout twice the resolution and noticeably increased sharpness, a standard Blu-ray sports greater contrast and color depth. Most 4K streams are limited to around 15.6 megabits per second (Mbps) versus 40Mbps on the average 1080p Blu-ray. On my Hisense H8F 4K UHD TV, upscaled 1080p Blu-rays look nearly as good, if not even better, than 4K streaming content.
5. There’s an App for That
Streaming Netflix doesn’t hold a monopoly on apps. DVD Netflix features a polished app available for Android and iOS devices. From the DVD Netflix mobile app, you can search for movies and shows to add to your queue, view what’s at home, see what’s arriving next, and peruse various categories such as new releases, coming soon, top curated picks for you, and a range of genres or subgenres. You can use the DVD.com app to add or remove titles plus re-arrange your DVD queue. It’s great for on-the-go management and saving movies to your queue at any time. The app provides great personalized recommendations and lets you browse DVDs easily.
6. Special Features and Extras
If, like me, you’re a hardcore cinephile, you’re of the ilk that actually watches DVD extras such as behind the scenes featurettes and making-of videos, or re-watches an entire film with the director’s commentary track enabled. Unfortunately, most streaming services don’t provide extras and special features. A bonus of subscribing to DVD Netflix is that you’ll get a full disc replete with hours of bonus content to enjoy.
7. No Reliance on the Internet
Unlike streaming services, DVD Netflix frees you up from relying on your Internet service provider. Whether you suffer from spotty home Internet, a stingy data-capping ISP, or something else, Netflix’s DVD service solves that problem. Instead of consuming precious bandwidth, simply pop a disc into your Blu-ray player.
8. Save Money
You can save a decent amount of money with DVD Netflix. New releases often take a while to hit streaming services, but come to DVD and Blu-ray faster. Therefore, you can watch new releases without having to pay for a rental. Moreover, for those patient enough to wait, DVD.com lets you watch network exclusives without shelling out for another subscription. You can find Hulu exclusive “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Netflix streaming original “Stranger Things,” and HBO hit series “Game of Thrones” on DVD Netflix. It’s a great alternative to maintaining a bevy of streaming video on-demand subscriptions. Plus, you can rent new releases on DVD or Blu-ray instead of paying $19.99 or more for a one-time digital rental.
9. Community – #DVDChat, A Blog, and More
Arguably my favorite aspect of DVD Netflix is its community. DVD.com far surpasses a mere DVD-by-mail service. Instead, it’s a community for, and by, cinephiles. There’s a thriving blog with articles ranging from actor and director spotlights to popular movies by year and decade, and listicles of underrated movies. DVD Netflix throws regular #DVDChat sessions on Twitter, and swag giveaways on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Sure, the discs delivered straight to my mailbox are fun, but interacting with like-minded film buffs on social media, bonding over a mutual admiration for a movie, or discovering a new film is all made possible through the DVD Netflix community.
What is DVD Netflix: FAQs
DVD Netflix is a disc-by-mail rental service that lets you rent DVDs and Blu-rays which are shipped directly to your mailbox.
While DVD Netflix and Netflix are owned by the same parent company, the DVD service requires a separate subscription in addition to or instead of Netflix streaming. So as a Netflix subscriber, you’ll need two plans for both streaming and disc-by-mail rentals.
Yes, DVD Netflix boasts many DVD subscribers with the service having shipped 5 billion discs since its beginning.
With a DVD Netflix plan, you’ll enjoy access to DVD and Blu-ray format discs with three plans: Basic includes 1 disc out at a time, Standard is 2 discs at a time, and Premium is 3 discs at a time.
Yes, DVD Netflix is absolutely worth it since you can rent unlimited DVDs and Blu-rays each month, with access to many movies and TV shows so you don’t have to keep paying for tons of streaming service subscriptions.
DVD Netflix sets you back $9.99/month for Basic, $14.99/month for Standard, or $19.99/month for Premium.
DVD Netflix has a catalog of over 100,000 DVDs and Blu-rays.
Why You Should Subscribe to DVD Netflix – Final Thoughts
DVD Netflix remains one of the best value services you can, and should, subscribe to. I love the pure, unadulterated joy of opening my mailbox and seeing a welcoming glimmer of red cheerfully waving from inside my mailbox. DVD.com has enabled me to discover fresh film favorites and re-visit old classics. It’s cost-effective, lets me geek out over special features, and best of all, has provided me a lively community of fellow #DVDNation friends to chat with.
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