There are many options in downloading and/or watching movies online. From the beginning, like music downloading, downloading movies online usually meant doing something illegal. These days, there are many places to download or watch movies online. The illegal choices are still available, as always, but the legal movie sites are picking up steam. This information will focus on the legal websites to watch and/or download movies.

There are a number of options available. Each site offers their very own pricing model, selection, movie formats, and user experience.

You will find 2 main pricing models that the online movie download sites use – monthly subscriptions and per download pricing.

Sites that offer monthly subscriptions give unlimited downloads, for a flat monthly cost. CinemaNow, Netflix, and Vongo operate under this model.

Another major pricing model, per download pricing, is precisely what it sounds like. There will be a fee for each movie download. Amazon Unbox and iTunes operate this way.

Unless you are not planning on watching very many movies in a month, the flat monthly fee will be the way to go. There are also some movies that are accessible for free from each of the services and various free trials will be accessible to try them out.

The selection varies from service to service. see new movie releases are hit or miss. Movies seem to be available on DVD and then for rental prior to being available for download. CinemaNow appears to get the movies more quickly than the others. iTunes selection is the most limited of the major services.

The predominant file format for the download services is Windows Media Video files (.WMV). iTunes will be the obvious exception, which offers files as MPEG-4s.

Each service requires you to download their software to be able to download and watch movies. Each interface is unique, but its really a matter of personal preference. Vongo and CinemaNow each have good interfaces.