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If you’ve been searching the Amazon App Store on your FireStick, chances are you’ve heard of Vudu.
But what is Vudu, exactly, and why is it worth adding to your ever-growing collection of apps?
Vudu may not be as well-known or widely utilized as some of its competitors. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth mentioning.
In this article, I’ll give a brief overview of what the Vudu app is, how to install it on your Amazon FireStick, as well as answer some frequently asked questions.
Vudu Overview
Vudu is a Video-on-Demand (VOD) streaming media platform currently owned by Fandango Media, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal.
Like similar services such as Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, and RedBox, Vudu allows users to select titles from an extensive library of popular movies and TV shows for rental or purchase. It costs nothing to download or browse Vudu—you only pay for what you watch.
As a streaming service, Vudu has several feathers in its proverbial cap. For example:
- It was the first service to offer high-definition movies for purchase under its “HDX” (1080p) branding.
- It routinely claims top spots on “Best Video-on-Demand Apps” lists online.
- Comparative testing has shown that the streaming speeds offered by the Vudu app are some of the fastest on the market.
In addition to its on-demand format, Vudu was also an industry-backed digital locker up until 2019.
Earlier iterations of the app allowed users to access the digital versions of previously purchased DVDs and Blu-ray discs at any time and from any login device. This option meant that if you’d recently picked up one of your favorite films on Blu-ray, simply scanning the barcode would enable you to watch it through Vudu whenever you pleased, no physical copy required.
The company has since discontinued its digital locker function, but longtime users can still access the libraries they amassed before the shut-off, which is pretty cool.
How to Install Vudu on FireStick & FireTV Cube
These days, Vudu is pretty easy to install, since it’s found in the Amazon app store. You’ll need to activate it immediately after installation. We’ll go through that process below.
To start, click on the Find button on the center menu ribbon. Then click Search.
Next, search for Vudu, and click on the first result you see.
The official Vudu app is listed as VUDU for Fire TV and includes the FANDANGO logo on the icon.
That takes you to the Vudu for Fire TV app detail page. Here you can see more details on the developer, read customer reviews and see trailers and screenshots of the app in action.
Click the Get button to start the download.
Installation starts immediately after the download completes. The entire process only takes a few seconds, depending on your Internet connection speed.
Once that’s finished, a pop-up message box appears in the lower right-hand corner to let you know the installation was successful.
You can either open the app directly from this screen by clicking the Open button. Or, you can go back to your FireStick home screen and select the icon. In the image below, you can see it’s under my Recently Used Apps heading.
The first time you open the Vudu app on your FireStick or FireTV, you’ll need to sign in.
Thankfully, you won’t need to enter your username and password on your FireStick. The Vudu app will give you a code to enter on any web-enabled device.
Simply go to vudu.com/start to enter the code. The app will automatically sign you in.
The My Vudu section will have all of the movies that you’ve purchased that also have digital copies.
If you don’t put your collection on Vudu, you can still use the Movies and TV sections for some ad supported content.
FAQ
Keeping up with the nitty-gritty details of so many different streaming services can get confusing. To help provide a little clarity, here are answers for a few of the most commonly asked questions about the Vudu app for FireStick and its most noteworthy features.
Is Vudu on FireStick?
Vudu is indeed available for Amazon FireStick.
Before July 2020, Amazon didn’t carry the platform in their app store, because its previous owner Walmart is one of Amazon’s biggest corporate competitors. In fact, Walmart still won’t sell the Amazon FireStick.
Now, FireStick users can download and use Vudu without having to go to the trouble of “sideloading” the app through indirect channels.
Sadly, this only applies to U.S. users. If you live elsewhere, you’ll have no choice but to set up a VPN to access streaming content on Vudu.
How Much Does Vudu on FireStick Cost Per Month?
Using the Vudu app for FireStick doesn’t cost a penny.
Unlike many streaming services, Vudu doesn’t come with any subscription rates or sign-up fees. You can browse the platform’s library of 200,000-plus movies and TV shows instantly for free, and you’ll only pay for the titles you decide to rent or purchase.
The average rental through Vudu costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $0.99-5.99, with purchase prices being closer to $4.99-24.99, depending on what you’re buying. This price point puts it on par with other Video-on-Demand apps.
How Can I Watch Vudu on FireStick for Free?
Once you’ve successfully installed Vudu on FireStick, navigate to the “Movies on Us” section of the home screen. There, you’ll find a huge catalog of both new and classic movies and TV shows that Vudu has made available to its users free of charge.
Just keep in mind that “Movies on Us” titles are ad-supported. That means you’ll have to sit through commercials, like you would on Amazon Prime Video.
If you’d prefer to enjoy what you’re watching without ads, you’ll have no choice but to rent or buy it.
Can I Watch Vudu on FireStick Without Internet?
With Vudu, it’s possible to watch movies you’ve downloaded to your device’s hard drive without an internet connection. The catch? You have to purchase a title to make it eligible for download.
To download a movie or series, pull up the title you’re interested in and choose the “Buy” option from the item’s detail page. Next, select your preferred video quality setting and finalize your purchase. Finally, scroll down to the “Download and Watch Later” option to add the title to your media library.
