Quickflix has announced a new range of subscription plans which provide “unlimited” access to a library of 60,000 movies and TV shows via a combination of video streaming and DVD/Blu-ray rentals. Pricing starts at $14.99 per month with no lock-in contracts. Here’s how the new deals compare to other options on the market.
The new Quickflix plans are priced at $14.99, $24.99 and $34.99 per month, which include one, two and three DVD/Blu-rays at-a-time, respectively. The Bly-rays and DVDs can be returned at any time with no restrictions on the amount of rotations/swaps per month (well, apart from the restrictions imposed by transit times — you’ll obviously have to wait a few days for each new batch to arrive in the post).
All three plans come with unlimited video streaming of “hundreds” of movies and TV shows in both standard-definition and HD (720p). You can register up to six streaming devices per subscription, with support for IPTVs, online game consoles, desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Content can be streamed on up to three devices simultaneously.
“Our subscription plans are easy to understand, deliver incredible value and provide the utmost flexibility with no long term contracts or fussy [sic] with set top boxes,” boasted Quickflix CEO Stephen Langsford. “For as little as $14.99 per month, all Australians have access to unlimited entertainment through Quickflix and we think that’s hard to beat.”
While it’s true that Quickflix is considerably cheaper than a Foxtel subscription, there are plenty of other frugal-friendly options on the market that are also worth considering.
If you’re only interested in the streaming side of the things, you may want to plump for an ISP service such as Fetch TV, which costs around $4.99 a month. However, most of the plans offered by internet service providers lock you in for at least one year; at least with Quickflix you’re free to shop around. You’re also limited to a choice of just 30 free movies per month on Fetch TV, with additional titles incurring rental fees.
You might also want to consider Netflix; which is basically the US equivalent of Quickflix. Pricing starts at around US$8 per month, although you’ll need to jump through some geo-blocking hoops to sign up for this service.
The cheapest way to get (legal) online movies in Australia is by signing up to one of the advertising models, which provide on-demand movies interspersed with revenue-generating adverts. Two of the most popular services are Viewster, which offers a selection of Warner Bros. films and the Sony-backed Crackle. On the downside, the movie selection on offer is usually pretty dodgy — you definitely get what you pay for.
On the other hand, if you’re primarily interested in the physical media side of things, traditional brick-and-mortar rental stores like Video Ezy probably remain your best bet; especially if you tend to stick with older movies that fall within the weekly section. That said, the point becomes moot if there are no rental stores near your location — Quickflix, meanwhile, posts to anywhere in Australia.
One compelling reason to go with Quickflix is its recent digital streaming deal with HBO that will see the service providing pay-per-view access to hit TV shows like Game Of Thrones. An actual commencement date has yet to be announced, however. As they say in showbiz, watch this space.
See also: Australia’s Best (Legal) Online Movie Services
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