My latest monthly sponsored Plex video takes a look at Plex’s new movie rental feature that allows users to rent and watch popular films without having to leave the Plex interface.
Rentals can be found in a new tab that’s been added to Plex’s free movies and TV shows section. Here, a variety of films are available for rent, distinct from the platform’s ad-supported content. You will also find rentals integrated into Plex’s universal search and watchlist features. Users who prefer not to see rental options in their search results can adjust their settings to exclude them.
The rental process within Plex is straightforward. Upon selecting a movie, users have a 30-day window to commence viewing. Once the movie is started, there is a 48-hour period to complete it.
After renting a movie, it appears on the user’s Plex home page and will also be at the top of the rental tab. Rentals will be integrated with the rest of the media accessible to the viewer. Users will also receive email notifications reminding them to watch the film before it expires.
A notable feature of Plex’s rental service is the capability to view rented movies across different devices, maintaining continuity in the play location. But there is currently no offline viewing option and rentals can only be played back on one device at a time. At the moment rentals are limited to 1080p only with 5.1 channel surround sound.
The pricing structure for rentals varies. Older movies generally cost around $3.99, newer releases are priced at $5.99. I noticed a few rentals available for movies currently in theaters that are priced higher.
Currently, the rental feature is only available in the United States, with plans for future expansion to other regions. As the feature evolves I’ll post some updates. You can also keep track of changes on Plex’s support pages.
Disclosure: This video was a paid sponsorship from Plex. However they did not review or approve this before it was uploaded.