MovieMe launches pay-per-minute streaming platform

MovieMe has launched a pay-per-minute streaming platform for long-form video and says it has already attracted paying users in more than 90 countries.

Viewers can buy bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000 minutes and use them to watch films, series and other long-form content through the website or app. Creators receive 70% of the revenue from every minute viewed, according to MovieMe.

MovieMe is entering a market where subscription fatigue is becoming a growing issue for audiences and media companies. It is positioning the service as an alternative to monthly subscriptions and ad-supported viewing, with revenue tied directly to time spent watching individual creators' work.

During beta, the platform generated more than 150,000 app downloads without paid marketing, the company said. It also reported first-month user retention of 43.5%, while 60% of paying users were aged 18 to 34.

India, the UK and the US were the top three markets during beta, according to MovieMe. The official launch begins in Türkiye through a partnership with creator Alper Rende, who has more than 8.7 million followers across social media.

Monetisation Shift

The service targets filmmakers, documentarians, journalists, educators, comedians, travel creators and other producers of premium long-form video. Instead of relying on subscriptions or ad sales, MovieMe distributes earnings based on how long viewers spend watching each creator's content.

The approach reflects a wider shift in the creator economy toward direct payment models. MovieMe cited Patreon's State of Create report, which found that 67% more creators now earn income from direct payments than five years ago.

The business is also tapping into concern over unused subscriptions. A survey by Self Financial found that 60% of Americans had at least one paid subscription go unused each month, while a UK Government Department for Business and Trade study said unwanted subscriptions cost families more than £1.6 billion a year.

Founder Background

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bhavesh Joshi trained at the School of Visual Arts in New York and the National Film and Television School in the UK. He later worked in filmmaking, acquisitions and distribution before starting the company.

Joshi said that experience shaped the platform's model. He saw creators build loyal audiences without reliable ways to turn that attention into income, while viewers kept paying for content libraries they did not fully use.

"The creator economy is one of the most remarkable cultural shifts of the last two decades, but the economics have never worked for the people actually making the content. At MovieMe, we believe creators should be rewarded based on genuine attention, not just algorithms or advertising," said Bhavesh Joshi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MovieMe.

International Reach

Early user figures suggest MovieMe has gained traction across several markets despite launching without an advertising budget. India and the UK were among the strongest beta markets, which may help explain the company's early focus on international expansion rather than a single domestic base.

Its agreement with Rende gives MovieMe a high-profile creator partner in Türkiye at launch. The rollout is described as the first step in broader international expansion, with creators also being onboarded in documentary, travel, education, journalism, comedy and lifestyle.

For creators, the key question will be whether direct payment for viewing time produces steadier income than advertising, sponsorships or revenue shares on other platforms. For audiences, the proposition is simpler: pay only for what they watch, minute by minute.

MovieMe says creators keep 70% of revenue earned from actual viewing time.