Renting movies online makes sense with the average store rental costing about $5. Even if you only rent 2 movies a month, you cut your movie budget in half. Watching 2 movies a week would cost about $40 in a rental store; a $36 online plan can get you over 50 movies a month instead of 8! Free trial periods are available at both Netflix and Blockbuster.

Which one should I choose? That’s what most people want to know when looking at these two online movie rental giants. They both work the same way – you create a list of movies you want to watch, and your selections are mailed to your home in prepaid return envelopes. There are no due dates and no late fees to worry about.

The basics. There are many different plans to choose from at each place and the costs and values are basically comparable. Blockbuster and Netflix both offer a variety of plans ranging from $3.99 – $34.99 per month. The cheapest plans give you 1 DVD at a time by mail and allow 2 rentals per month. The premium plans offer 3 or 4 DVDs at a time by mail and allow unlimited rentals per month.

The extras. While each plan offers a certain number of DVDs by mail, it is the extras that are different with each online rental store. Blockbuster offers in-store movie exchanges through their local stores. When you are done with the mailed movie, stick it in the envelope and take it to your local Blockbuster store, where you can pick out a new movie to take home. Blockbuster will scan your envelope as received, allowing a new DVD to be sent to your home, and return your mailed DVD. Netflix offers movies instantly on your PC from a separate, smaller library of movies. Choose a movie from this selection to watch and it instantly starts playing on your computer.

The plans. A good place to start when deciding on a plan is to figure out how many movies you typically rent each month. Netflix offers a choice of 5 different plans and Blockbuster offers 11 different plans. Whether you watch 2 movies a month or 100 movies a month, there is a plan that fits your movie watching needs.

Isn’t it time? Whether you decide Blockbuster or Netflix is right for you, sign up for a free trial period today and see how easy online renting can be. Start saving time and money today by signing up for a free trial below.