So we all know MoviePass is dead as a doornail by now. Other programs have (or will) pop up, like AMC’s A-List and Alamo’s upcoming season pass (get on the waitlist now if you’re interested).

I used the ever-loving crap out of MoviePass, so losing it stung hard. But I’ve had Sinemia for a couple of weeks now and I gotta say – I like it even better than MoviePass.

Right now, they have a fall promotion to see a movie:

• Every day for $30 a month
• 3 times a month for $10 a month
• 1 time a month for $5 a month

Considering the average movie ticket is $10+, that’s a great deal. But with MoviePass in the can, it begs the question: how long will this one last?

So far, so good, though. I like that you can buy tickets in advance. And there are a couple more ways to get an even better deal out of the membership.

My Sinemia Review

• Key Link: Join Sinemia or check current prices

First, let’s look at the elephant in this room. Yes, the prices above are real but – HUGE CAVEAT ALERT – you have to pay annually to get them.

So $7 a month is really $84 for the year. You have to be willing to sink $84 into the enterprise to secure the rate. Which is still a good deal.

Or!

You can pay monthly with an initiation fee when it’s sometimes offered. Click the link above to explore their current pricing. I was able to choose a pay-per-month plan.

I personally went this route to have the option to cancel any time. For the $10 a month plan, you’ll pay $20 straight away. Which means your first month is actually $30, then $10 a month afterward.

And after you sign up, you can’t use the service right away. You have to wait ~2 weeks for them to “activate” your cardless payment option. Or, you can pay $10 more to activate it instantly.

I was actually packing for a move, and then went to FinCon for a week, so I was happy to wait. But I was a little bummed there was one more “gotcha” before I could start watching movies. I mention it here to set expectations. When your card is active, that’s when your membership month begins.

Keep in mind, you’ll also pay a $1.80 “processing charge” each time you use the cardless payment method, in addition to any fees charges by the ticketing website.

Or you can pay a one-time charge of $25 to order a physical payment card. In exchange, you can simply show up at the theater and pay for your ticket in-person. While $25 sounds like a lot, if you plan to use the service for a while, you’ll save ~$2 + extra ticketing fees every time you see a movie.

How Sinemia Works

It’s all in the app. To buy a ticket, load the app and click the “Planning” tab, then “Advance Ticket” – even if you are seeing a movie that same day.

It’ll ask you which theater you’re going to, and the date and time. This is awesome because you can buy a ticket in advance – something you could never do with MoviePass.

I bought a ticket for “A Star Is Born” 2 days from now. So I don’t have to worry about it selling out day of. This puts Sinemia far above the competition. 🔝💯

Plus, you can see a movie at any theater. You are not locked into one chain, like with AMC A-List. This is important because a movie you want to see might only be in 1 theater across town. The big chains sometimes don’t carry indie flicks. And others have special screenings.

And I’ll always value flexibility above all else.

You have to buy your ticket from:

• Atom Tickets
• Fandango
• “Other website”

Theoretically, you can buy your ticket from anywhere. But you WILL have to pay service fees, if there are any PLUS a $1.80 processing fee on every ticket. Sinemia charges your card on file for the amount. But more on that in a moment.

After you input your screening, you’ll confirm any fees, which go to the card you have on file with Sinemia.

Finally, Sinemia displays a debit card number you’ll use to complete your purchase on whatever website you’re using to purchase the ticket.

You can save this number in your online loyalty programs and ticketing sites because it’s unique to you and never changes.

Then follow the prompts to finish buying – that’s it!

When you get to the show, you need to check in via your app. Sinemia wants to know you actually attended. And this is location-based, so you can’t fake it.

If you don’t show up enough times, you’ll lose your membership – they don’t want to cover your tickets if you don’t use them. Fair enough.

Or, you can pay $25 to order a physical card and just show up when you want to see a movie – easy peezy.

But it’s me, so here’s your stack

Did you really think I’d let you get away without showing you a couple cool tricks? 😎

Here are 3 ways to save money with your Sinemia membership.

1.   Click through Facebook

• Link: Facebook movie ticketing

Click through… Facebook? Yes. Go to Facebook’s movie page to buy your ticket. Why?

Because when you click through their site, they’ll automatically remove any convenience charges.

This way you pay for the ticket at cost – without any markup.

2. If you have the choice, book through Atom Tickets NOT Fandango

• Link: Atom Tickets buy 4, get 1 free

“For a limited time” you get a free movie ticket for every 4 tickets you buy. This has been going on since June 2018, but could end at any time. So get it while you can!

If you get the 3 movie per month plan and hit your limit, you can pay for your 4th one – and get a 5th one for free. So it’s essentially a BOGO for that 4th and 5th movie. Or you can just save them up – but the free tickets do expire after 30 days.

To use your free ticket, simply book it through Atom Tickets – the promotion should automatically show up in your account.

This deal combined with Sinemia is sweet! Even if you get the 1 movie per day plan, you can always use your free tickets to bring a friend along every once in a while.

3. Enter your loyalty numbers

Both Atom Tickets and Fandango let you enter your theater loyalty numbers for credit. You get points instantly when you pick up your tickets.

Most notably, you can enter AMC Stubs and Regal Crown Club numbers. All the other programs look like local or regional chains – but it’s worth checking so you can get credited if a theater near you participates.

And just FYI – if you buy your Alamo Drafthouse ticket through Atom Tickets or Fandango, you will NOT get Victory Rewards credit. I tried and no luck. The only way to get credit is to book with Alamo Drafthouse directly. Just in case anyone else out there is a fan. #TheTea

Bottom line

• Key Link: Join Sinemia

After a couple of experiences seeing movies with Sinemia, I really like it. A lot, actually. Even better than MoviePass (RIP).

That’s because you can buy seats in advance. And there’s no physical card to keep track of. Although it’s a minor hassle to enter in a new card method every time, but that’s such a small thing it’s barely worth mentioning.

Or you can order a physical card for $25 to avoid all the processing and ticketing fees forever.

If the pay-per-month option is offered, you have to pay an initiation fee of $20 or $30, depending on which plan you choose. Don’t like it? Then you’ll have to pay the whole year upfront. I chose to pay the fee one time so I could cancel whenever I wanted.

Their promotions have no specific or set end dates. So if you’re interested, I’d join sooner rather than later.

To skirt convenience fees, book movies through Facebook. Buy through Atom Tickets to get every 5th movie free through their service. And be sure to enter theater loyalty program numbers to earn credits toward more free movies.

Using these tricks, you’ll never pay more than the monthly price, and even get a few more free movies along the way. I’m really enjoying Sinemia so far. Hopefully they last longer than MoviePass did – but like all good deals, get them while they’re hot. We all knew MoviePass would end eventually. But maybe Sinemia is propping themselves up buy charging in advance, or with one-time fees.

Do you have Sinemia? Do you like it as much as I do? Feel free to ask any questions if I missed anything!

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