Will Redbox Instant be a Netflix killer?

The company behind the ubiquitous DVD rental kiosks is launching a streaming-video service later this month — a clear attempt to dig into Netflix's market share

RedBox DVD rental kiosk
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

After months of planning, Redbox — the company behind those ubiquitous DVD rental kiosks — has announced a plan to fire a major salvo at Netflix, the dominant player in the streaming-video market. In a partnership with Verizon, Redbox will begin offering its own streaming-video service, called Redbox Instant, in a public beta test later this month. Does Redbox Instant have the potential to be a Netflix killer?

It's arguably a better deal: For $8 each month, says Himank Sharma at Reuters, Redbox Instant will give users unlimited streaming and credits to rent four DVDs from any Redbox kiosk. That's just a penny more than the subscription price for Netflix's own streaming service, which doesn't include any DVDs. (Redbox Instant also offers a $9-a-month option, which lets subscribers sub out DVDs for Blu-Ray discs.) Netflix's comparable DVDs-plus-streaming deals start at $15.98 per month, making Redbox Instant a huge value for movie lovers who want both.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.