Netflix free rival Popcornflix hits 400,000 users

A free alternative to Netflix and Hulu is managing to make its voice be heard – the service, Popcornflix, has been downloaded 400,000 times. A big part of the service's strategy is being made available through Roku's set-top box. That's where its largest group of users is coming from right now. In May, more than 350,000 movies were streamed.

As you would expect, the revenue model from Popcornflix comes in the form of advertisements. "In the movie and TV category, we are right up there with the big players," said the SVP of Popcornflix parent company Screen Media Ventures, Gary Delfiner. Of course, the company has a long way to go before it can truly compete with Netflix and Hulu.

After all, Popcornflix is only available on one major device, and its library doesn't exactly consist of major blockbusters. "We don't have huge movies, we have good movies," Delfiner said. There are between 400 and 800 movies in every territory in which Popcornflix operates. For now, it's just working on building its user base. It seems to be on a good track to do that.

[via GigaOM]