All Your Quibi Questions Answered, Including How to Pronounce the Name

The new short-form, mobile-only streaming service launched today.

Quibi Shows Launch Price Cost
Everything you need to know about Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Quibi. Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Quibi

Apple TV+ and Disney+ joined incumbents such as Netflix (NFLX), Amazon (AMZN) Prime Video and Hulu in the increasingly crowded streaming field in November. This spring, NBCUniversal’s Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max will also join the fray. But today, Quibi—yes, that’s the name they really decided to go with—is the new kid on the block.

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Former DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has been steadily raising capital for his new unique streaming venture for several years. He’s banking on his model—short-form TV and film that can only be consumed via smartphone in both portrait and landscape mode—connecting with younger consumers to carve out a niche within the overly competitive direct-to-consumer marketplace.

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As Quibi launches today, we know audiences have an abundance of questions. So, to help you navigate the exceedingly complex streaming world, here’s everything you need to know.

What Quibi shows can I watch now?

On Monday, April 6, Quibi launched with 24 programs. Among the highlights of this early content slate are Keke Palmer’s reality dating show Singled Out, Tituss Burgess’ culinary gameshow Dishmantled, LeBron James’ docuseries I Promise, unscripted political docuseries Run This City, and Sophie Turner’s plane crash feature Survive. Quibi plans to launch 175 shows and 8,500 separate pieces of content during its first year. The service should soon have 50 new series and films available to view in “quick bites.” (That’s where they got the name “Quibi” from.)

Overall, the company if splitting its content bundle into three tiers: Movies in Chapters (7-10 minute segments), Daily Essentials (5-minute news and lifestyle clips), and unscripted/documentary programming (5-10 minutes segments).

How much does Quibi cost?

An ad-supported subscription to Quibi costs $4.99 per month and an ad-free subscription will set you back $7.99 per month. Quibi says there will be roughly 2.5 minutes of advertisements per hour of content.

Compare that to the price points for Disney+ ($6.99 per month), Amazon Prime ($12.99) and Netflix (which can run up to $16 per month) and Quibi is among the most inexpensive streaming services available. The company is also offering a 90-day free trial to users who sign up at Quibi.com before the end of April. T-Mobile customers with multiple lines are eligible to claim 12 months of Quibi for free.

Happy streaming.

Where can I watch Quibi?

While Quibi does hope to expand into international markets in the future, it is only available in the United States and Canada at launch. Furthermore, the service is only available on smartphones and specifically designed for mobile devices rather than tablets. You can download the Quibi app for Android or iOS to begin watching.

Can multiple users share the same Quibi account?

Unlike Netflix, which offers multiple profiles under the same account, Quibi will not host more than one profile per account. Why? Because Quibi is designed for smartphone usage and a smartphone typically isn’t a shared device like a computer or Smart TV. Sorry, college kids.

How do you say “Quibi”?

Per Katzenberg himself in this interview with NBC News, it’s not “Key-Bee” nor “Quib-Eye,” which would probably make more sense given its “quick bites” origin. It’s “Kwi-Bee.”

Can I watch Quibi offline?

Yes, Quibi content can be downloaded to your device so that viewing is possible without an internet connection. That should come in handy for long travel (though it’s not as if anyone is taking a trip anytime soon). Quibi is meant for on-the-go consumption and yet, with the coronavirus pandemic, is launching at a time when everyone is stuck in their homes yearning for long-form content. Good luck with that.

All Your Quibi Questions Answered, Including How to Pronounce the Name