Scout for Netflix; is it Worth $1.99 a Year?


By

on

in


Scout

Scout for Netflix does a beautiful job addressing the poor user interface with older Roku’s, specifically Roku 1 and Roku 2. Scout also works well with Roku 3 and Roku stick; however, the newer Roku Netflix app has some playback issues with Roku 3 and Roku stick that the older models do not experience.

Our video review:

Scout allows you to explore the full Netflix catalog with your Roku; no longer are you limited to only the 50 TV dramas Netflix wants you to see. With Scout, browsing by release date, title, ratings, and other categories make your Netflix search smooth and easy.

There are few drawbacks with Scout right now. Once you start a video with a Roku 3 and the new Netflix app, you cannot pause, rewind, etc. Also, while Scout does a great job categorizing movies into different genres, the TV section is just has one long list. If you are in the mood for a TV comedy you will have to dig to find it.

With the new Netflix app, the Roku 3 does not give you the option to select a specific episode or movie, instead you are launched directly into viewing your initial selection

The Roku 1 and Roku 2 do not have these issues; when you select an episode or movie to view with Roku 1 or Roku 2, you are brought to the Netflix app listing for your selection which gives you two options: one is to select a specific episode or movie, and the other is to immediately begin watching your selection. You can also pause, rewind, etc. with these versions of Roku and the Netflix app.

These issues look simple to fix, and are not unexpected with a service as new as Scout. Hopefully, they will quickly address creating categories for TV selection and resolve playback issues with the Roku 3.

If you have the older version of Netflix on your Roku you may be wondering if you should get Scout for the better interface. It is only $1.99 a year or about $0.17 a month. So, let us break this down one more time.

The positives:

  • Beautiful new user interface
  • Full access to the Netflix library on your Roku
  • Works smoothly with the Roku 1 and Roku 2

The negatives:

  • Has playback issues on the Roku 3 and Roku stick
  • There are no categories for TV shows

We highly recommend Scout for anyone with an older Roku who really wants full access to the Netflix library; however, if you have a newer Roku, with the newer Netflix app, we do not see a great need to spend $1.99 a year for Scout.

Please follow us on Twitter or like us on our Facebook page.

Disclaimer: To address the growing use of ad blockers we now use affiliate links to sites like http://Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. Affiliate links help sites like Cord Cutters News, stay open. Affiliate links cost you nothing but help me support my family. We do not allow paid reviews on this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

* indicates required

Please select all the ways you would like to hear from :

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp’s privacy practices here.