FilmRelay vs Privio: two ways to send a film screener
Both send a film to a named person with protection and tracking. Privio goes deeper on security and on festival workflows. FilmRelay starts free and keeps the press kit next to the film.
Free plan. No credit card required.
The short answer
Choose Privio if
- You work with European distributors, sales agents or festivals that already use it.
- You need geoblocking, optional DRM or a viewer registration flow (Invite or Request).
- You run a festival and want a dedicated screening platform with a mobile app.
Choose FilmRelay if
- You want to start today without talking to anyone, on a free plan.
- You want prices in dollars, euros or pounds on a public page.
- You want posters, stills, the trailer and the screener under one film in the same workspace.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Privio | FilmRelay |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Sellers, distributors, festivals, servicing companies, producers, press agents | Independent films, small distributors, agencies |
| Entry price | From €25 a month | Free plan. Paid from $6, €5 or £5 a month |
| How you start | Try it or book a demo | Create an account and start |
| Unique file per viewer | Yes | Link per recipient |
| Watermark | Position and size per media | Free text, with a position you choose |
| Password | Optional | Optional |
| Limits | Restrict to a number of IP addresses | Maximum viewing sessions and maximum IP addresses per link |
| Geoblocking | Yes | Not available |
| Encryption and DRM | AES128, DRM possible | Not available |
| Viewing data | Geolocation, device, date and time, duration, fullscreen | Sessions, watch time, progress, completion, IP and country when available |
| Viewer access flows | Invite, Request, festival platform | Link opened without an account |
| Mobile app | Yes, online and offline for contacts | No app; plays in a browser |
| Team roles | Admin, servicing, corporate user, press agent | 1, 3 or 10 members |
| Own branding | Colours and logo | Logo and a workspace address like name.filmrelay.net, on paid plans |
| Press kit and film pages | Not the focus | Film pages with posters, stills, press kits and trailer |
| Other products | Digital lineup, Shop, Dailies, Cloud | Assets Delivery for original files |
What Privio does well
Privio is a serious option for the European market. Each viewer gets a uniquely identifiable file, and the security stack is deeper than FilmRelay’s: geoblocking, AES128 encryption and DRM on request. It also covers use cases FilmRelay doesn’t: festival screening platforms, viewers who register through Invite or Request, a mobile app that works offline, and roles for servicing and press agents.
If your buyers or festivals ask for that level of control, Privio fits better.
Where FilmRelay is the simpler choice
Starting without a conversation
Privio offers a trial and a demo, and some products, such as the festival platform, are priced on estimate. FilmRelay lets you create an account, upload a film and send a link on the free plan, then upgrade yourself when you need more.
Recipients who just click
FilmRelay recipients open the link and press play. No registration, no app. For a programmer with sixty films to watch, that step matters.
One place for the film and its materials
The same workspace holds the screener and the film’s page with posters, stills, press kit and trailer. You publish the page when you want and keep the rest private.
Prices you can read
FilmRelay’s plans and the Assets Delivery add-on are on the pricing page in USD, EUR and GBP.
What FilmRelay doesn’t do
- No geoblocking, encryption or DRM.
- No registration flows for viewers, no mobile app.
- No tools for running a festival.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Privio cost?
Privio lists plans from €25 a month. Some products, such as the festival platform, are priced on estimate. Check its site for the current figures.
Is there a free alternative to Privio?
FilmRelay has a free plan with one film, 100 stored video minutes and 125 playback minutes a month, with watermarking and viewing analytics.
Can I geoblock a screener on FilmRelay?
No. You can limit each link by expiry date, viewing sessions and IP addresses, and revoke it at any time.
Is FilmRelay a good fit for festivals?
FilmRelay is built to send a film to programmers and see whether they watched. It isn't a platform for running a festival's own screening room.
Do my recipients need an account on FilmRelay?
No. They need the link, and the password if you set one.
Try the lighter way to send a screener
Free plan. A link for each recipient. Your press kit in the same workspace.