Yes, Netflix Still Mails DVDs. Here's Why You Should Care (2024)

Netflix has thousands of movies and series for you to explore, like Dahmer and Breaking Bad, but after you've seen all the popular TV shows and latest movies that the streaming service has to offers, it can unfortunately feel like there's nothing else good to watch.

Well, maybe you're not looking hard enough.

Hidden deep within Netflix's settings lies a feature from the streaming service's past life, that lets you watch movies just recently released in theaters and TV shows that aren't usually available on Netflix -- for an extra cost.

And it involves DVDs.

Read on to learn how to get more movies and TV shows from Netflix on DVD. And if you need more great streaming choices, check out the 44 absolute best movies you should be watching on Netflix. If you're more into TV shows,we've got 50 of those you might want to see as well.

Wait a minute. Netflix still sends DVDs in the mail?

Yes, that's right, you can still order DVDs from Netflix. As long as you have a DVD player or a compatible gaming console, you can order DVDs from Netflix to watch movies that are still playing in the theater, like Jurassic Park: Dominion, hard-to-find classics like The Godfather trilogy and TV shows from other streaming services, like Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale.

What are some movies and TV shows that are only on DVD at Netflix?

The range of video available on DVDs from Netflix includes new movie releases, classic hit TV shows, old Oscar winners, classic horror films and almost any other genre you can imagine.

Below is a small list of content you can currently order from Netflix on DVD only:

Check out more new releases and other collections at Netflix's dedicated DVD website.

How do I order DVDs from Netflix?

Before you can order a DVD, you first need to have a paid Netflix subscription, which includes all of the streaming content. The DVD rental option exists only as an add-on to a general Netflix subscription -- you cannot pay for it as a standalone service.

Currently,Netflix starts at $10 for the basic streaming optionfor standard definition streaming (480p) on one device at a time.

If you already have a Netflix streaming subscription, it's pretty simple to add the DVD plan, although you cannot do it through the Netflix app. Instead, using the web browser of your choice on your computer:

1. Go to the Netflix website.

2. Log in to your account and select your profile.

3. Hover the mouse over your profile icon on the top right.

4. Click Account > Add DVD Plan.

Yes, Netflix Still Mails DVDs. Here's Why You Should Care (1)

Alternatively, you can go to the dedicated Netflix DVD website and click the red Add DVDs button.

You then have three DVD plans to choose from:

  • Basic ($10 per month): 1 DVD at a time, with unlimited DVDs per month
  • Standard ($15 per month): 2 DVDs at a time, with unlimited DVDs per month
  • Premium ($20 per month): 3 DVDs at a time, with unlimited DVDs per month
Yes, Netflix Still Mails DVDs. Here's Why You Should Care (2)

Once you've added the DVD plan, you can create a list of movies and shows, and Netflix will send you the DVDs in the order you've selected. When you're finished with a DVD, place it in a prepaid envelope and drop it in the mail. After Netflix is notified that your old disc is heading back, your next DVD will ship out.

The DVD plan also includes Blu-ray discs.

Is the Netflix DVD add-on worth the money?

Not sure whether you should pay more to rent DVDs from Netflix? It's a pricey move to make for physical media, but it could be worth the money if you fall into any of these categories:

  • You want better quality watching. Although streaming is convenient, you usually can't get the video quality of a DVD or Blu-ray because your internet is too slow.
  • You want the special features on the discs.DVDs and Blu-ray discs can include outtakes, deleted scenes, director and cast commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries that aren't included with streaming versions.
  • You pay for other streaming services and want to save money. If the shows and movies you want to watch from other paid services are available on Netflix DVDs, you could save money by adding the Netflix feature and not paying for other streaming subscriptions.
  • Your internet service is frequently interrupted. You can't stream Netflix without a solid internet connection, but you can watch a DVD whenever you want.
Yes, Netflix Still Mails DVDs. Here's Why You Should Care (2024)

FAQs

Is Netflix still mailing DVDs? ›

DVD member questions

Your last bill for DVD service was in August and DVD subscriptions were automatically canceled on September 29, 2023. If you had both a streaming and DVD subscription, your streaming subscription isn't affected. View your billing history here. Was this article helpful?

What is Netflix going to do with all their DVDs? ›

A Netflix spokesperson told CNN it has no plans to sell the DVD business and will be recycling the majority of its DVDs through third-party companies that specialize in recycling digital and electronic media. It will also donate some of its inventory to organizations focused on film and media.

What happens if you don't return a Netflix DVD? ›

Editor's note: After this story first published, Netflix updated its FAQ page to note that DVDs do not need to be returned.

What will replace Netflix DVDs? ›

2023 Top DVD Rental Services Alternative to Netflix
Whre to Rent DVDs like NetflixPriceMaximum Rental Period
Redbox$1.80 per night for DVDs, $2.00 for Blu-ray.7 days
3D-BlurayRentalStarting from $8.99/1 month for 2 DVDs.As long as you want.
GameflyStarting from $8.95 one movie per month (no 4k).As long as you want.
6 more rows
Oct 25, 2023

Can I keep my Netflix DVDs? ›

You Can Keep Your Final DVDs, Netflix Says - The New York Times.

Did anyone get free DVDs from Netflix? ›

Netflix, in a move to commemorate the end of an era—the discontinuation of its DVD Distribution Service—decided to give away 10 DVDs to random subscribers. Sounds like a feel-good finale, right? Except there was a plot twist: the announcement left everyone wondering whether these DVDs had to be returned.

How many people still use Netflix DVDs? ›

Most of Netflix's 238 million streaming customers around the world will be unaware that the company first launched 25 years ago as a DVD mailing service. Even fewer might realise that operation has continued, with under 1 million people still subscribing.

What will replace DVDs? ›

Best Buy has recently announced that at the beginning of 2024, they will no longer be selling physical copies of DVDs, citing the turn to streaming as the reason for the move.

Is Redbox owned by Netflix? ›

Redbox specializes in its namesake automated DVD rental kiosks, and also operated transactional and ad-supported streaming video and television services. Since 2022, Redbox has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

How to get 10 free DVDs from Netflix? ›

How to get 10 free DVDs from Netflix. Receiving your 10 Netflix DVDs is straightforward, but you have to have a subscription to Netflix DVD plan. Luckily, even though the service is shutting down soon, they're still taking new members until Aug. 29.

Why Netflix change from DVD to streaming? ›

They had to future-proof the business they had built, so Netflix went all in on streaming video. Rather than focus on improving delivery of physical DVDs, Netflix would reinvent entertainment delivery by providing its subscribers with instant access to thousands of titles that they could binge-watch on any device.

Will Netflix ever put their movies on DVD? ›

The Algorithms Won. On Friday, the streaming giant will send out its final disc, ending an era that catered to people who loved films and signaling the age of good enough entertainment. Collectively, separately, Netflix's film nerds mourn.

Is Redbox still renting DVDs? ›

Redbox is no more. The DVD kiosk-rental business is shutting down after its parent company converted its bankruptcy filing to Chapter 7 liquidation.

Can you still rent movies from Netflix? ›

On September 29, Netflix will cease to mail out DVD rentals, the end of a 25-year movies-by-mail operation that expanded people's access to a world of movies and then, eventually, evolved into a streaming model that may have broken the entertainment industry entirely.

How many people still rent DVDs from Netflix? ›

As it shuts down, Netflix still has an estimated 1.1 million to 1.3 million DVD rental subscribers. In announcing the closing of the DVD unit, Netflix said, "Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members, but as the DVD business continues to shrink, that's going to become increasingly difficult.”

Did Netflix began as a DVD rental service? ›

It all began in April 1998, when Netflix started renting out DVD's by mail. Only a year later Netflix changed its pay-for-use model into a subscription model. Nearly a decade later, Netflix changed their proposition to a streaming service, which changed the way millions of people spend their free time.

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