Does Vudu Have Ads and Is It Worth It?

Vudu is one of the many popular video-streaming services on the market, but slightly different from its competitors. 

On Vudu, you can stream a wide selection of movies and TV shows and rent or buy them.

But does Vudu have ads?

The answer is yes, but there is a way to get rid of them.

Let’s go over the details.

What is Vudu?

Vudu is both a digital rental and purchase outlet and an on-demand streaming service. 

It has more than 20,000 titles you can buy or rent, including a large collection of 4K UHD titles, as well as a sizable library of around 10,000 free movies and shows.

The service was launched back in 2007 as a set-top box and was the first on-demand platform that offered movies in HD. It recently merged with Fandango’s FandangoNow in 2021, bringing the two popular streaming platforms under a single brand name.

How Does Vudu Work

Vudu has a vast library of movies and TV shows because it has deals in place with all of the major studios as well as a large number of independent productions. 

It also works with Movies Anywhere, a cloud-based digital rights locker, to share digitally-purchase movies across multiple platforms –such as Google Play, Amazon, and iTunes – which means you can view the same piece of purchased content on any platform.

The site has an intuitive interface and makes it easy for anyone to find their way around. You can create an account on the site (which you’ll need to watch any type of content on Vudu) or log in with a Fandango or Walmart account. 

Once you click on a title, you’ll need to pick whether you want to buy or rent the movie. Vudu gives every user 30 days to start watching the content they rented, but only 24-48 hours once they click the play button.

The platform also lets you choose the video quality of the stream. The content on Vudu comes in standard definition (SD), high definition (HDX), and 4K Ultra HD (UHD). 

The free content, which features a rotating lineup of movies and TV shows, is also available in HD and is clearly labeled with a “free” banner.

When it comes to content variety, Vudu is the place to go. You can find anything from new and old movie hits, popular shows, classics, documentaries, Hollywood blockbusters, and even anime.

The app is available on a wide range of platforms including web browsers, mobile devices (Android and iOS), streaming media devices (, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TVRoku), Blu-ray players and smart TVs, and video game consoles (PlayStation, Nvidia, Xbox).

The only downside is that the service is only available in the US and Mexico (due to licensing agreements). If you want to watch free movies and TV shows on Vudu from outside the US, you’ll need a VPN.

A good VPN tool can easily bypass geo-restrictions, whether you’re watching on Netflix or on an Amazon Fire TV stick to watch content that’s not accessible in your country. 

Does Vudu Have Ads?

Not if you pay. Vudu serves ads only to those who choose to watch the free titles that it offers on the site. If you want to watch a movie or a TV show ad-free, you’ll need to either rent or buy it.

Can you remove ads from Vudu?

Although there is no way to get rid of the ads on the Vudu app directly, you can watch the free Vudu content without the ads with the help of the PlanOn Cloud app. 

This app records streaming content, which you can later watch offline, and has an option that lets you automatically skip commercials when watching the recording.

Note that the PlanOn Cloud app is not free but it has a free trial.

To download and watch free content from Vudu without the ads:

1. Download and install the PlayOn Cloud app on your Android or iOS device. 
2. Open the Channels tab to find the Vudu channel. Click on it and start searching for the movie or show you’d like to download.
3. Find the title you want to record and select the Record button.
4. Once your recording is finished, you will find it in the Recordings tab.

From there you can download it to any device or cast it to your TV using Chromecast, Roku, SmartTV, or FireTV. 

How Much Does Vudu Cost 

Vudu is free to use and download. You’ll only need to provide credit card information if you plan on buying or renting paid content.

The prices for movies and TV shows on Vudu vary based on the video quality, whether you’re purchasing or renting, the type of content (movie or series), and whether the movie is still in the theatres.

One-time movie rentals typically cost between $.99 to $5.99, but movies that are still in the theatres range from $4.99 to $24.99. Single episodes cost no more than $2.99 and entire seasons come with a price tag between $16.99 - $43.99.

You might also catch some content on promotions, get free movie credits as a first-time user, or take advantage of Weekly Deals, Monthly Deals, themed sales, and even bundles.

But, how much does Vudu charge a month?

Unlike services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, Vudu doesn’t offer subscription plans. You can only rent a piece of content, buy it and add it to your digital library, or watch some of the free movies and TV shows on the site.

Is Vudu Worth the Money?

Vudu is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to build a digital library of movies and TV shows and doesn’t mind watching a few ads to watch free content. 

What’s more, you have the option to rent the show or movie you want to watch, which is cheaper. If you want to save an extra dollar or two, you can choose lower video quality.

If you’re looking for a typical subscription-based service, then you’re probably better off with Netflix, which had 221.64 million paying subscribers in Q1 2022, or Hulu, which has a similar free, ad-supported segment and nearly 100,000 million viewers.

Those looking for free content might find something noteworthy on any of these free movie apps or opt for sites like Flixtor.

Bottom Line

Vudu is a blend between a digital rental and purchase outlet and an on-demand streaming service. Unlike most of the popular streaming services, Vudu doesn’t operate on a subscription-based model, but it does offer content that you can watch for free, with ads.