By CE Critic - Buy Better Tech
Table of Contents
- Plex Launches U.S.-only Movie Rental Store
- Rental Specifications and Limitations
- Content Availability
- Pricing
- How to Rent Movies on Plex
- Technical Considerations
Plex Launches U.S.-only Movie Rental Store
Streaming media platform Plex has debuted a dedicated movie rental service, currently available exclusively to U.S. customers. The service allows users to rent titles from major studios without the need for third-party stores or subscriptions.
Rental Specifications and Limitations
- Rental vs Purchase: Plex currently only offers movie rentals, not purchases.
- Start Window: Users have 30 days to begin watching a rented movie.
- Viewing Window: Once started, a rented movie can be watched repeatedly within a 48-hour window.
- Resolution: Movie rentals are capped at 1080p resolution.
- Surround Sound: Maximum supported audio is 5.1 surround sound.
Content Availability
Plex's movie rental catalog includes recent releases and older titles from studios such as:
- Warner Bros.
- Paramount
- MGM
- Lionsgate
- A24
However, there are notable absences:
- No movies from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, or Lucasfilm studios are available.
- Several popular titles within supported studios' catalogs are missing (e.g., Christopher Nolan films, Dune).
Pricing
- Movies start at $3.99 per rental.
- New releases can cost up to $20.99 (potentially higher than competitors like Apple TV).
How to Rent Movies on Plex
- Supported Platforms: Users can rent via web browser, Android TV, Roku, select Smart TVs, PlayStation, and Xbox.
- Apple Restrictions: Renting directly on Apple TV or Fire TV is not supported. However, renting via other platforms allows playback on Apple/Fire TV devices using the Plex app.
Technical Considerations
- Geo-restriction: Movie rentals are limited to the U.S. at this time.
- Future Expansion: Plex has not announced immediate plans for international rollout or the addition of TV show rentals.