How to Tell if You’re Netflix Subscription is Worth It
At one point or another while you’ve been renting movies from Netflix, you have probably wanted to know whether you were able to justify the cost of your monthly subscription. Really, who has never done this? A new web application has come along that will show you objectively if you really are getting your money’s worth out of Netflix.
FeedFlix is free, and functions by gathering RSS feeds from the Netflix service in order to compile usage statistics for you and other FeedFlix users. With it you can see in objective terms how much value you’re getting out of Netflix.
Getting started with the FeedFlix service is fast and painless (I mean one minute fast). After going to FeedFlix, you’ll see a large “Connect to Netflix” button. FeedFlix is an independent web site, meaning it is in no way associated with Netflix, but it does access the Netflix API to access your RSS feed. To authorize this, you’ll need to generate a token on the Netflix site (done for you with authorization).
After this is done, FeedFlix will start analyzing your usage data. Within a few minutes, your home page should be filled with some interesting numbers. Check out the video walk-through above to see how this looks, but here are some interesting measures you’ll find:
- How many movies you rent per month
- How long you hold movies on average
- The calculated cost per DVD delivered to your door
- Average cost per total rentals (physical plus on demand)
- Trend chart of your weekly rentals
- What percentile your statistics place you in
You’ll also find some interesting aggregate information about users of the Netflix service in general. For example, how your usage and return rates compare to others, what the most requested movies are, which movies are stocked in the largest quantities, historical rentals and favorites, and more.
What makes the tool so interesting is its singular focus. It will tell you at a glance if you really are getting your money’s worth out of Netflix.
For more information about FeedFlix, You might want to look at this detailed FeedFlix review.
Being an active and longtime online DVD rental fan, I have some inside perspectives on both Blockbuster and Netflix. Check out my Blockbuster and Netflix comparison if you’re thinking about joining one of these rental plans. It is the most comprehensive, objective review available for these two services.
