MoviePass is the movie-going tool that had a meteoric rise and just as steep a fall in the late 2010s, but has relaunched to once again try to make a trip to the movie theaters easier and more affordable for consumers.
Though it first launched in 2011, MoviePass made headlines in August 2017 when it set its monthly subscription fee to $10 per month and gave users the ability to see one movie every day. The app soared in popularity, but the model soon proved unsustainable. Price increases, in-app technical difficulties and a pullback on the one-movie-a-day format had users sour on the app. In September 2019, MoviePass shut down.
MoviePass did have an impact, however, as movie theater subscription deals have become popular ways for movie theater chains to attract repeat customers.
After announcing its plans to relaunch in February 2022, MoviePass is back for movie fans across the country. We've get everything you need to know about the subscription service, from price to the available plans to how you can sign up.
What is MoviePass?
MoviePass is a subscription service that allows moviegoers to pay a flat monthly fee and be able to see a certain number of movies in theaters each month. According to MoviePass' website, the app can be used with all major US theater chains that accept major credit cards, different than theater-specific subscription services where you can only see movies at their locations.
While the previous iteration of MoviePass famously allowed subscribers to see one movie per day, the new MoviePass uses a credit-based system. Subscribers get a monthly allotment of credits (based on what pricing tier they sign up for) that can be used for seeing movies. The number of credits it takes to go see a movie is supposed to depend on the time and day of the week that you go see it. For example, seeing something on opening night is likely to cost more credits than seeing something on a Tuesday afternoon. Credits can be used on more than just movie tickets and any unused credits are rolled over to the next month.
A number of other new features are expected (including being able to bring a friend).
MoviePass is only available in the US.
MoviePass price
The price of MoviePass depends on what plan you want to get and where you live, with those in the Southern California and New York metro area needing to pay more for each plan, but also getting a bit more with their increased monthly rate.
There are three plans for MoviePass that breakdown like this for those outside of Southern California and the New York metro area:
- Basic: $10 per month
- Standard: $20 per month
- Premium: $30 per month
Here is the price breakdown for those living in Southern California and the New York Metro area:
- Basic: $20 per month
- Standard: $30 per month
- Premium: $40 per month
MoviePass plans
Here is a breakdown of what you get with each of the three MoviePass plans. All plans are the same regardless of location save for the amount of credits that those in Southern California and the New York metro area get with their increased prices; credits for those two areas are listed after the "/" below.
Basic
- Movies per month: 1-3
- Credits per month: 34/68
- Number of theaters available: 4,000+
- Formats available: standard 2D screenings
Standard
- Movies per month: up to 7
- Credits per month: 72/140
- Number of theaters available: 4,000+
- Formats available: standard 2D screenings
Premium
- Movies per month: Up to 11
- Credits per month: 113/200
- Number of theaters available: 4,000+
- Formats available: standard 2D screenings
NOTE: MoviePass only offers the ability to see movie showings in standard 2D, but it says that it is working to incorporate large format and premium screens in the future.
How do MoviePass credits work?
MoviePass operates on a credit system. Depending on what plan you sign up for, you are given a certain amount of credits each month. These are what you are using to go see a movie.
The amount of credits that it is going cost to see a movie depends the time of day and the day of the week you go see it. Seeing a movie on the weekend is going to cost more credits than seeing one on a week night.
The MoviePass website says that MoviePass is still experimenting with the credits needed with different times, but here is a general breakdown:
- Weekday afternoon: 10-12 credits
- Weekday evening: 15 credits
- Weekend afternoon: 20 credits
- Weekend evening: 30 credits
Any credits that you do not use in a month can be rolled over to the next month. However, you can not have more than two months worth of credits in your account at any time.
Where is MoviePass available?
Currently, the site says that it has more than 4,000 theaters that subscribers can access across the country.
How do you sign up for MoviePass?
You can sign up for MoviePass directly through their website. Through that you'll see what plans are available in your area. Once you select your plan, they will ship you a MoviePass credit card, which should arrive within 10 business days. Once you activate the card you can start using MoviePass.
