Keeping up with MoviePass
What changes to the service mean for you.
It seemed almost too good to be true. Last summer, we were smitten when the ticket app MoviePass slashed its price to $9.95 a month, allowing users to see one film a day at participating theaters. Subscribers activate their MoviePass with a mobile app, then use it to “pay” for tickets. The company reimburses theaters the full price of tickets its subscribers buy cheap.
Subscriptions have skyrocketed from 20,000 to more than 2 million. But with new users have come growing pains as MoviePass has implemented changes in search of a sustainable business model.
So how do they affect you? We lay out what you can expect and whether it’s still worth the price of admission.
You can still see one movie a day — but for how long?
In mid-April, MoviePass announced that new subscribers would be limited to just four movies a month, as part of a bundle deal with streaming music service iHeartRadio All Access that would give users three months of both for $29.95. Although that still equates to roughly one movie a week, the news garnered backlash and MoviePass reversed its decision just two weeks later.
But even with the about-face, one can’t help but wonder what other restrictions could be on the horizon.
You can’t see stuff more than once
Also among the new restrictions: Subscribers (even those who signed up months ago) are no longer allowed to see the same movie twice.
But the decision ultimately stands to benefit studios as well as moviegoers, who may not otherwise have seen a film because of lack of promotion or a low Rotten Tomatoes score.
It can “help the little movies that would otherwise be at risk at $12 a ticket,” says Scott Mendelson, box-office analyst for Forbes.
Some have it harder than others
Beginning in March, MoviePass aimed to combat fraud by making some subscribers take a picture of their ticket stub after every purchase and submit it through the app. An email warned that failure to share a photo could result in subscription termination, angering those who suspected they were targeted for being frequent MoviePass users.
This is ultimately meant to be a temporary headache as MoviePass tries to weed out scalpers and people sharing their subscription.
So is it still worth having?
For the time being, absolutely. MoviePass competitors Cinemark Movie Club ($8.99 monthly) and Sinemia ($4.99 monthly) only allow you to see one film a month, despite the added bonuses of discounted concession snacks, seat selection and buying tickets in advance. While MoviePass may include a couple of extra hiccups on your way to the theater, it’s ultimately a small price to pay for the small subscription price you’re paying.