Netflix recently announced that they are changing their plans and pricing options. I'm an avid Netflix and streaming video users, so to help you decide which one you should use, here's a breakdown of Netflix and other DVD options available to most of us.  Streaming Netflix: When it comes to sheer selection, Netflix is my first choice, hands down. Of the subscription streaming video services, they have the largest selection. They do not have the movies released this week or available on Pay-Per-View.  (that is controlled by the movie studios, not Netflix.) But when it comes to selection, they are the largest around, and the movies do tend to be fairly recent. We use it a lot for children's movies, and for tv shows both old and new. My kids love to watch Pink Panther and Looney Tunes on it, while my husband and I love to watch shows from the BBC.  It also is the easiest to use on multiple devices. We have Netflix on our laptops, on the Wii, on our Roku players hooked up to our tv for HD streaming, and on our iPhone and iPad devices. Doesn't matter where we are or which member of the family wants to use it, we have access to it anywhere we have access to the web. Even more, I can be watching something completely different than my husband, who is watching something different than my daughter, all without issue. Unlimited Netflix streaming is $7.99 a month. If you'd like to get DVD's to rent as well, there are several options: 

• One DVD at a time: $7.99/month
• Two DVD's at a time: $11.99/month
• Unlimited streaming and unlimited DVD's: $15.98/month

 Amazon Instant Video: This service is a little harder to describe, as there are several different levels of streaming video available through Amazon. I have used it several times and found it to be both a good resource for movies not available through Netflix. It is also simple to use, though there are a few more steps between finding a movie and hitting "play" than with Netflix or Hulu. It can be a good value, especially for those who are Amazon Prime members or if you stream movies only once in a while. Amazon Instant Video currently can be streamed to your laptop or computer, Tivo, Roku, Xbox or selected compatible tv's. If your tv offers the ability to connect to the internet via a broadband connection, your tv could be compatible. Check their website for a full list of compatible devices. At this time I do not see any mobile devices that can use Amazon Instant Video. From time to time Amazon will offer free video rental credits, and does offer deals regularly on selected movie rentals.  

• Amazon Prime members receive free access to over 6,000 instant videos. You must be a paid Amazon Prime member to receive these free--those who have Prime via Amazon Student or Amazon Mom are not eligible for the free streaming movies. My experience so far has been that the Prime movies are older, like You've Got Mail. Or they're not as well known--I find a lot of foreign films on there. For the tv shows it does get a bit better, though nothing appears to be the current season's shows. I've found Sesame Street, Doctor Who, and Monty Python. (All of those are available on Netflix and Hulu, with a lot more episodes available as well.)
• The rest of Amazon Instant Video acts more like Pay-Per-View. You may purchase a movie outright, or "rent" it for a smaller fee for a 24 hour period. This is where you will find more current movies and more of the latest releases. For example, I found Rango for purchase for $14.99. It downloads instantly for viewing right away, and stays in your Amazon Video Library for life. I do use this feature from time to time on my laptop or my Roku player when there are movies I want that aren't available via Netflix. It is quick and easy to use, but does require you install the video player on your computer. 

 iTunes: Just like with music, this is a pay-for-play setup. You can rent movies and television shows for a 48 hour period, or buy them outright. They are available only on iTunes enabled devices, but there are cables you can buy to hook the devices up to your TV. iTunes does often have the most recent releases before others do. Because there isn't a monthly fee, iTunes is a good option for those people who only buy movies once in a while.  Hulu and Hulu Plus: Most people are familiar with streaming television shows on Hulu. Hulu is free and easy to access on any computer. There are thousands of popular and current television shows available free of charge on Hulu.com. However, the free version of Hulu is not available on mobile devices, and does not offer many movies. Hulu.com is almost 100% television shows. Hulu Plus was introduced recently, with a subscription fee of $7.99/month. (There's a free month trial offer on their site right now.) I recently tested it for a couple of months, using my iPad and my Roku player for TV. It offers even more television shows, and makes many shows available on mobile devices. However, there still aren't that many movies available on Hulu Plus yet. They describe their movie collection as "hundreds of movies." One of the things I noticed while testing Hulu Plus was that not everything they offer is available on mobile devices. I had several shows that I could only watch on my laptop or Roku, not on the iPad. In my opinion, Hulu Plus is only worth the money if you do not have a DVR service at home.  DVDs Redbox: Great for occasional dvd rentals, Redbox charges $1 per rental, per night. These are available at stand-alone kiosks at many locations like Walgreens and McDonalds. Redbox frequently issues free one-night rental codes, so the chance of getting a free rental is pretty high! Movies often aren't the most recent releases, but they are often fairly popular movies.  Blockbuster Express: Like Redbox, Blockbuster Express are stand-alone kiosks that are great for occasional dvd rentals. They can be found at local Speedway gas stations and many local stores. They too offer free rental codes pretty frequently. The standard one-night rental is $1. Blockbuster Express won't have the most recent movie releases, but the movies are a popular selection of old and new movies, and are fairly up-to-date.