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Well that didn’t take long. Netflix launches in the UK with unlimited streaming for £5.99 and Amazon replies with a streaming-only package at an “introductory” price of £4.99.
Despite each service tying up exclusives that could mean you might have to subscribe to both of them to have everything available, it looks like the two are going to battle it out on price. A price war over streaming media is great news for Brits looking for more content, but who don’t want to pony up for Sky or Virgin.
Although LoveFilm’s streaming-only £4.99 package wasn’t live on its site at the time of writing, you should be able to get both LoveFilm and Netflix streaming for £11 all-in – sounds like a bargain for a pay-TV non-subscriber like me.
I’ll wait paciently for your catalog comparison.
I’ll wait impatiently for it. Seriously though a comparison of what’s available would be amazingly useful.
As long as it was factual and impartial.
Well, we already know they each have their exclusives. I know for a fact that Netflix streaming quality is miles better than LoveFilm, I don’t know whether anyone cares about quality any more though.
Both Lovefilm and Netflix are funning free trials at the moment so why not sign up to both and check them out and just cancel whichever one you dislike the most before paying for the next month?
Errm, why would you want both?
Loveflim seems to have everything Netflix does, and more. (and the disks by post service).
I also like the ability with Loveflim to upgrade and downgrade your package whenever you wish, and even take service breaks.
I’m fairly confident both have exclusive content.
Yeah they do, and if Netflix is as good as it is in the US, it’ll be fantastic for TV; something LoveFIlm is a bit poor on.
With their various exclusivity deals, there will be new films which will not be available on one of the services depending on the studio -Lovefilm has Sony, Warner Bros etc & Netflix has MGM, Miramax etc. Getting both gives you all those films.
Based on a quick skim through their catalogs, both services seem woefully short on quality movies – with many of the movies I want to watch on Lovefilm being pay-per-view, which makes the whole subscription moot.
Netflix looks to be a bit more transparent though – even if it seems to have a smaller catalog for now, with everything there on unlimited streaming and not the restricted access lovefilm seems to provide.
True, a lot are pay-per-view. Might as well get it from iTunes or on disc if you’re going to have to pay for it on top of a subscription fee.
Yeah, Netflix looks like it is doing an 80′s revival, while Lovefilm is little better. I think I’d prefer an unlimited streaming, films and games with 3 discs at a time from Lovefilm (but I play pc games, and they don’t do that), put if get a xbox or Ps3 I’d so get that deal, such good value to get a couple of blue ray films and a games once or twice a week, with unlimited streaming.
But I think we are 1-2 years away from getting a real deal till the media business gets the fact that the days of screwing customers up the arse are dead and gone. Where is the £15-20 a month deal for streaming all the latest music, films and game downloads – I’d pay that and expect the best content in return, until then I’ll stick to traditional means of acquiring content.
Either way, I’ll probably give both services a proper whril once the iPad and Xbox apps for Netflix are live.
I managed to get the Lovefilm lightning deal from Amazon recently, which includes unlimited streaming and 2 DVD/Blu-ray rentals at a time for 6 months at £17.
So far I have been very impressed with the service, and the streams, while not HD, they haven’t failed me all yet, and have been consistent at DVD quality. From my compiled lists online, I received my blu-rays on the day of my confirmation emails, and find I am working through my lists faster than expected.
I am excited about Netflix, which I managed to have a play with a couple years ago on my in-laws Apple TV, but nothing really there yet that would have me jumping ship. Will let it run its course for the next few months and see how they compare
I’m still waiting for Amazon to offer its Amazon Prime customers free streaming movies like they have in the US
Wishful thinking? Probably..