FilmRelay vs CineSend: which screener platform fits your team?
CineSend is built for studios and large distributors. FilmRelay is built for independent films, small distributors and agencies. Here is what you get from each, and what you give up.
Free plan. No credit card required.
The short answer
Choose CineSend if
- Your clients or buyers require DRM, geoblocking or forensic watermarking.
- You need native apps for Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV or Android TV.
- You send screeners from a team of five or more and can budget for an enterprise platform.
Choose FilmRelay if
- You are a filmmaker, a small distributor or a PR agency and your screeners go to festivals, programmers, press and buyers.
- You want to see prices before talking to anyone, and start on your own.
- You want the press kit and film page in the same workspace as the screener.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | CineSend | FilmRelay |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Studios, large distributors, enterprise teams | Independent films, small distributors, agencies |
| Entry price | Files Teams: $797 a month (5 users, 150 screener links a month). Enterprise on request | Free plan. Paid from $6, €5 or £5 a month. Team Screeners $59, €49 or £43 |
| How you start | Book a demo or contact sales | Create an account and start |
| Link per reviewer | Yes | Yes |
| Visible watermark per reviewer | Yes | Yes. Free text, with a position you choose |
| Forensic watermark | Enterprise plan (NexGuard) | Not available |
| DRM | Studio-grade DRM listed | Not available |
| Geoblocking | Yes | Not available |
| Password, view limits | Yes | Password, maximum sessions and maximum IP addresses per link |
| Reviewer-specific analytics | Yes | Sessions, watch time, progress, completion, IP and country when available |
| Quality | 1080p adaptive on Teams; up to 4K on Enterprise | 1080p adaptive; your 4K master is kept |
| TV apps | Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Android TV | No native app; plays in a browser |
| File delivery | CineSend Request: $0.50 per GB downloaded | Download links, plus Assets Delivery at $6, €6 or £6 per TB a month |
| Press kit and film pages | Not part of Files | Film pages with posters, stills, press kits and trailer |
| Team size | 5 users on Teams, unlimited on Enterprise | 1, 3 or 10 members depending on the plan |
What CineSend does well
CineSend is the platform studios and sales companies use when security is part of the contract. DRM, geoblocking, forensic watermarks and native TV apps matter when a buyer’s legal team says they matter. It also handles huge transfers with Aspera, and it has dedicated support and migration help.
If that describes your clients, FilmRelay is not the right choice, and we’d rather say so.
Where CineSend can be more than you need
The price assumes a company, not a filmmaker
$797 a month is $9,564 a year. For a producer sending one film to thirty festivals, or a small distributor with a few titles, that cost doesn’t match the job. The limit of 150 screener links a month is also something to plan around.
You talk to sales first
Enterprise plans and demos are the normal route. That’s reasonable for a studio. It’s slow when you have a festival deadline on Friday.
A screener platform, not a press kit
CineSend Files sends screeners. Posters, stills, press kits and the trailer stay in other tools, so the buyer who asks for them still gets a second email from you.
How FilmRelay fits a smaller team
You upload the master, create a link for each recipient with email, name and company, choose a password and an expiry date, and write your watermark text. Recipients open the link in a browser. You see when each link was opened, for how long and whether they finished. The film page keeps the press kit with the film.
Prices are public. Team Screeners costs $59, €49 or £43 a month, with 1,500 stored video minutes, 20,000 playback minutes a month and 3 members. Distributor Screeners costs $175, €149 or £129 with 5,000 stored minutes and 10 members.
What FilmRelay doesn’t do
- No DRM and no forensic watermark.
- No geoblocking.
- No native TV apps; recipients watch in a browser.
If one of those is a requirement in your contracts, choose CineSend or another enterprise platform.
Moving from CineSend
You don’t need to cancel anything to try FilmRelay. Upload one film, send a few links and compare the workflow with what you do today. If your festival and press screeners work here, you can keep CineSend only for the deliveries that need its security.
Frequently asked questions
How much does CineSend cost?
CineSend lists Files Teams at $797 a month for 5 users and 150 screener links a month. Enterprise is priced on request, and CineSend Request charges $0.50 per GB downloaded. Check its pricing page for the current figures.
Is there a cheaper alternative to CineSend?
FilmRelay has a free plan and paid plans from $6 a month. It covers private links, per-recipient watermark and viewing data, but not DRM, geoblocking or forensic watermarking.
Does FilmRelay have forensic watermarking or DRM?
No. FilmRelay uses a visible watermark with text you choose. It discourages sharing and helps you trace a copy to a link; it doesn't make copying impossible.
Can I watch a FilmRelay screener on a TV?
FilmRelay has no native TV app. Recipients watch in a web browser, so a TV with a browser can play it. If your buyers expect Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV or Android TV apps, CineSend fits better.
Can a small distributor use FilmRelay for market screeners?
Yes. Create a link per buyer with an expiry date that matches the market, and check who watched afterwards. FilmRelay doesn't manage territories or rights.
Send your next screener without a sales call
Public prices. Free plan. A link for each recipient.