MoviePass Boosts Movie Theater Attendance By 111%, But Is It Still Worth The Price?

It's been a few years since MoviePass hit the scene in 2012, providing a location-based app and exclusive payment method to give users the ability to attend as many movies in theaters as they want for one monthly rate (with some restrictions). At the time it was introduced, exhibitors were worried that it would cut into their profits, but some recently released numbers would seem to indicate otherwise.

A new report indicates that MoviePass has raised movie theater attendance in its users by 111%, and that boost in attendance also comes with quite the increase in the money spent on concessions, where movie theaters truly make their money. Get the MoviePass statistics after the jump.

Variety has details on how MoviePass has helped with movie theater attendance, at least among those who have subscribed to their monthly service, which costs between $30 and $45 depending on where you live. Mather Analytics is behind the numbers that were documented after looking at MoviePass users in two markets from July 2014 through December 2015, tracking "customers who belonged to an unnamed exhibitor's loyalty program both before and after they signed up for the service."

While the exact number of MoviePass subscribers survey was not revealed, it was said to be in the "thousands" to make for an adequate representation. In both markets, it was clear that users attended movies more after subscribing for the service, increasing in one market from an average of 1.56 visits to 3.12 in an average month, and in another market, from 1.58 to 3.54.

Perhaps the more important statistics indicate that MoviePass also increases attendance during off-peak days of the week, and that it's also getting more of the coveted 18-39 demographic into movie theaters — the same group that has begun to lose interest in attending movies in recent years.

Along with the increase in attendance, MoviePass users also splurged on concessions, with spending among those surveyed increasing 123%. While the average moviegoer spends about $120 a year on concessions, MoviePass users spend about $400 each year, according to MoviePass founder Stacy Spikes.

So the service might be working out well for movie theaters and apparently MoviePass, but is it worth it for you to subscribe? That all depends on how many movies you see and how much money you spend on concessions.

As long as the total ticket cost of the movies you see in a given month with MoviePass is higher than your subscription fee, then you're in the clear. But keep in mind if you're buying concessions each time you go to the movie, you're probably spending more than the money you're saving each month once you actually start seeing more movies than you'd be paying for with your monthly subscription fee.

The other thing to consider is how many 3D and IMAX movies you see in a given month. MoviePass still doesn't cover those premium tickets as part of their subscription service, though there have been rumblings that could change in the future with some different subscription costs.

Basically, MoviePass will save you money if you're smart about how many times you go to the movies, which format you see them in, and how many concessions you buy once you get there. At the very least, it's enticing more people to go to the movies, which may very well be needed if The Screening Room gets off the ground and makes a huge impact on the moviegoing scene.