--- title: "What Is TVOD? Transactional Video on Demand Explained" description: "TVOD is video on demand sold one title at a time, as a rental or a purchase. See how it works, when it earns more than a subscription and how to price it." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/tvod" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/tvod.md" category: "Monetization" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is TVOD? TVOD (transactional video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers pay once for a single title or event, either renting it for a limited time or buying it to keep. ## How TVOD works A viewer picks a title, pays for it and gets access to that title only. There is no recurring charge. The same catalog can offer both options side by side, with the purchase priced above the rental. - Rental: access for a limited window, typically 48 hours from first play - Purchase, also called electronic sell-through (EST): permanent access to the title - Pay-per-view (PPV): a one-time payment for a live event - Premium VOD (PVOD): a higher-priced early rental of a new release ## When TVOD is the right model - You have a few high-value titles rather than a deep catalog - You release new films or events that people will pay for individually - Your audience watches occasionally and won't commit to a subscription - A rights holder requires per-transaction reporting and revenue share ## TVOD vs SVOD vs AVOD TVOD earns the most per viewer for a single title, but nothing recurring. SVOD charges a recurring fee for a whole catalog. AVOD is free to the viewer and earns from advertising. A common mix is a new release sold as a rental first, then moved into the subscription catalog, then into a free ad-supported tier. ## TVOD on RentAnOTT TVOD rentals and purchases are included on every RentAnOTT plan alongside SVOD and AVOD, and RentAnOTT takes no cut of one-time sales. PVOD premieres are a $59/month add-on. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [SVOD](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/svod) — SVOD (subscription video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers pay a recurring fee, usually monthly or yearly, for unlimited access to a catalog of on-demand video. - [AVOD](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/avod) — AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers watch on-demand video for free and the service earns from the ads shown before, during or after it. - [PVOD](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/pvod) — PVOD (premium video on demand) is a one-time rental or purchase of a new release at a premium price, offered early, while or shortly after the title is in cinemas and before it reaches subscription or ad-supported catalogs. - [Electronic sell-through](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/electronic-sell-through) — Electronic sell-through (EST) is a one-time payment that gives a viewer permanent access to a digital title, such as a film, a season or a single episode. It is the digital equivalent of buying a disc. - [Pay-per-view](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/pay-per-view) — Pay-per-view (PPV) is a model where a viewer pays once to watch a single program, most often a live event such as a fight, a match or a concert, rather than subscribing to a channel or catalog. - [Release window](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/release-window) — A release window is a period during which a title is available through one distribution channel or business model before it moves to the next. Windowing is the practice of ordering those periods so that each audience pays the most it is willing to. ## Further reading - [Electronic sell-through explained](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/electronic-sell-through) - [What is PVOD streaming?](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/what-is-pvod-streaming) - [Pay-per-view for IPTV and OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/iptv-pay-per-view) - [OTT revenue calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/ott-revenue-calculator) ## Frequently asked questions ### What does TVOD stand for? TVOD stands for transactional video on demand. ### Is TVOD the same as pay-per-view? Pay-per-view is one kind of TVOD. TVOD covers any one-time payment for a title, including rentals and purchases of on-demand video; pay-per-view usually refers to a one-time payment for a live event. ### Can TVOD and subscriptions run on the same service? Yes. Many services sell new releases as rentals or purchases to everyone, including subscribers, and keep the rest of the catalog inside the subscription. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt