In Summary
- Movies and TV shows entertain us all in our free time. The cinema experience is now being transferred to the devices in our homes.
- Besides paid streaming services, there are also some great free streaming services that allow you to watch movies and TV for free and legally.
- The following streaming services are some of the best legal streaming services to find and stream movies.
Movies are a great form of entertainment. With the availability of the internet at higher speeds and the advancement of technology, everything is just a few clicks away, including movies. Although there are quality premium movie streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, etc., there are also some free options.
These free options are ad-supported and have limited movie offerings, but they are a great way to pass the time and entertain yourself without using up data. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the best websites where you can watch movies for free, and that too, legally.
Table of Contents
Best Websites to Watch Movies for Free Legally
YouTube
YouTube is one of the best free video streaming platforms, powered mainly by the ads on the videos we watch. There are not only short videos but also many full-length movies that you can stream for free and enjoy your time. With its vast library of movies, user-friendly interface, and compatibility with various devices, YouTube offers a convenient and enjoyable movie streaming experience.
Major film and entertainment studios around the world make their movies available on YouTube for rent or purchase for a few dollars. Some of them are occasionally released for free viewing for a limited time. In addition, indie filmmakers and creators make their own movies and upload them to showcase their work to the world and prove their skills in the entertainment industry.
On YouTube, you’ll find a variety of options, from YouTube originals to homemade movies, videos, or TV series. All you have to spend is your broadband data to stream them and a few ads, along with the movies or content you want to watch.
Amazon Freevee
Formerly known as IMDb TV, you can watch movies for free with Amazon Freevee. It is owned by Amazon and supported by advertising, offering a variety of movies, TV shows, licensed content, and live entertainment channels 24/7.
Freevee is currently available in the United States and its territories on various platforms and devices such as Xbox, Roku, Fire TV, PlayStation, Android TV, Google TV, Apple TV, Android phones, iOS, etc.
The content you play on Freevee includes ad breaks to support the platform and its maintenance. If you already have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can watch Freevee content on the Prime Video platform itself through the Freevee channel.
CONtv
CONtv is a freemium streaming platform that streams a variety of content related to geek and nerd culture. It features cult classics, television series, and digital comics from Wizard World comic cons.
The streaming platform is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with free and paid subscriptions. The free version displays the library of limited content and plays ads along with the content. You can opt for the premium tier to get rid of the ads and stream the content available on CONtv.
Some of the classic titles available on CONtv include The Evil Dead, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Repo! The Genetic Opera, etc.
Hoopla
Hoopla is another great streaming platform that lets you stream movies in their library for free. The only catch with Hoopla is that you need a library card to access this free streaming service. This can be issued by any public library in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since the service is only available in these countries.
On Hoopla, you’ll find movies, comics, music, and audiobooks that you can access for free. The catalog is regularly updated to offer users new contents to stream and enjoy.
You can rent ten titles at a time on Hoopla and keep them on your account for 72 hours. You can also download them and enjoy them offline. Since it’s also an ad-supported platform, you’ll have to sign up for a premium subscription to get rid of the ads.
Popcornflix
Popcornflix is a great ad-supported streaming platform that shows a wide variety of movies and TV. You can find classics and the latest hits in the library and enjoy them. As a legal streaming service, Popcornflix offers a wide range of movies across various genres, including crime, action, drama, romance, horror, thriller, documentaries, and sci-fi.
When streaming content on Popcornflix, you will have to watch some ads. Popcornflix is a great option if you want to watch movies and shows on TV for free without spending a cent since the library is constantly updated with the latest movies and shows. Unlike many other streaming platforms, Popcornflix does not require users to sign up for an account, allowing them to simply choose a movie and start watching immediately.
Popcornflix is only available in the United States and Canada. If you want to access it in other countries, you’ll need a premium VPN that supports streaming content with geographical restrictions.
Tubi
Tubi is a highly popular and widely recognized platform for streaming movies legally and for free. It has a library of over 30,000 movies and television shows. It’s owned by Fox Corporation and was launched in 2014. It is a good choice to stream movies and TV shows (including K-Dramas) for free, supported by ads that play along with the content you stream.
The ads on Tubi are not too intrusive, and you do not even need an account to watch content on Tubi. Just visit Tubi, or install the Tubi app on your device, select a track, and play it. Tubi has a partnership with major Hollywood studios like Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM. Whether you are in the mood for slapstick comedy or gripping mystery and suspense films, Tubi’s extensive library is designed to satiate your thirst for entertainment.
Tubi is available on multiple platforms and devices, including web browsers, mobile devices, tablets, and streaming devices. Sadly, it’s available only in a handful of countries, such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.
Movies Found Online
Movies Found Online (MFO) is another platform for watching movies for free. The website does not host any content that you see on the website. Instead, it gathers all the content from other websites and streaming platforms that offer the content for free.
Although MFO collects movies from various sources, you will have to see advertisements when watching movies on the website. These advertisements are for both the service and the backend team.
Movies Found Online is definitely a good choice if you want to stream movies for free and pass the time.
The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is another free and ad-supported streaming platform with a huge library of movies, TV, and live news channels. The Roku Channel is operated by Roku Inc., which manufactures streaming devices.
The Roku Channel is currently available to stream content for free in the U.S., U.K., and Mexico. Users in other countries will have to wait for it to launch or use a premium VPN service to stream content for free.
The Roku Channel does not just offer free content. It also includes premium channels like Max, Showtime, Starz, etc. You need to subscribe to each channel to stream their content on The Roku Channel.
Kanopy
Kanopy is an on-demand video streaming service with an extensive library of over 30,000 movies, documentaries, and educational videos. It partners with public libraries and universities so that you can access the Kanopy service for free with a valid library card.
The best thing about Kanopy is that no ads are streamed or played on its platform. You can have an ad-free experience on your devices and stream your favorite content available on Kanopy. All costs related to Kanopy are covered by public libraries and universities.
Simply create an account with Kanopy using your library card or college login and use the Kanopy service to view content. Kanopy is available for iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Samsung televisions, etc.
Top Documentary Films
Top Documentary Films, which was founded in 2007 as a documentary review website, offers nearly 3000 full-length documentaries for free viewing. If you love documentaries and are interested in learning new things, Top Documentary Films is a good choice.
You can also find suggestions on Top Documentary Films for great documentaries that you may have missed or are unaware of. This is a great website that features documentaries and indie films. You will not find mainstream films that you usually find on other platforms.
Crackle
![20 best websites to watch movies for free legally [2023] - crackle](https://techpp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Crackle.jpg "crackle")
Crackle is an American video streaming service that allows you to access movies and TV for free. It was founded in 2004 as Grouper and renamed Crackle in 2007.
Movies such as The Big Lebowski, The Breakfast Club, The Karate Kid, and The Shawshank Redemption can be watched for free on Crackle. You can even watch series like Seinfeld, The Office, Justified, etc., for free.
Crackle, like other free streaming platforms, is supported by ads. You can also get rid of the ads by signing up for a premium subscription, which also gives you early access to new content.
Peacock
Peacock offers a free tier in addition to its paid plans with advertising. Although the content is limited, unlike the premium plans, you can still view some titles for free in the library.
Peacock is managed and operated by NBCUniversal. On Peacock, you will find many great movies and TV shows, all of which you can watch with a paid subscription without any hassle or advertising.
With the free subscription, you have to compromise on the number of titles available. Try Peacock and see if you like the titles in the free offer and stream them.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a free and ad-supported streaming television service owned and operated by Paramount Streaming. It offers over 250 channels of live television and on-demand movies and shows. Pluto TV is currently available in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.
You can watch content on Pluto TV for free, as it is supported by advertisements that play between the content. It is one of the most popular streaming services, with over 50 million active users.
Pluto TV is available on multiple platforms, including smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, and smart TVs.
Xumo
Just like Pluto TV, Xumo is an ad-supported streaming television service. It is operated as a joint venture between Charter Communications and Comcast. Xumo offers a variety of channels, including news, TV, movies, sports, kids, and lifestyle programming.
You can use Xumo in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico. No subscription is required to watch the content. Just access it from your devices and stream whatever you want.
Yidio
Yidio works similarly to Movies Found Online. It collects movies and TV shows from over 100 streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and more. You can access it and watch content for free from your computer, phone, or tablet.
Yidio not only shows you free content, but you can also find details about the availability of specific tiles and where you can access and watch them. You can find all the details about a title, including the price to rent or buy it.
You can get personalized recommendations, create a watch list and receive notifications when a title you are eagerly waiting for is available.
Vudu
Vudu is known by users as a movie rental platform. It is owned by Fandango Media, a joint venture between NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery. In addition to rentals, Vudu also offers users free content to stream. It displays its free content with ads and provides a great service to its users.
With its user-friendly interface and extensive collection of movies, Vudu has become a go-to destination for movie enthusiasts looking for a convenient and legal way to watch their favorite films. Vudu has partnered with Movies On Us, which allows users to access a wide range of movies without any subscription or rental fees.
Just visit Vudu and create an account. Then go to the “Free” section and find titles that you can stream for free without renting or buying them. Whether you’re looking for action-packed blockbusters, romantic comedies, or thought-provoking documentaries, Vudu has something for everyone.
MX Player
MX Player is an Indian streaming service that offers an extensive library of movies and series in Indian languages for free. It is an ad-supported platform, and there is also a premium plan that offers content without ads.
To access MX Player’s content, simply go to the MX Player website or app, find the tile, and play it. You do not need to create an account to stream the content.
Disney+ Hotstar
Disney+ Hotstar is one of the most popular streaming services in India. It is known for streaming cricket matches in India. There is a huge library of movies in Indian regional languages that you can watch for free on Disney+ Hotstar without an account or subscription.
Advertisements are shown before, between, and after the movies. There are also paid subscriptions that let you get rid of the ads and play the content in the best quality available.
SonyLiv
SonyLiv is another great streaming platform for the Indian audience, where you can watch movies both for free and with a subscription. You need an account to access the content.
The titles available on SonyLiv are marked as free or premium so that you can find and stream the free content. Like other Indian streaming platforms, SonyLiv has content in almost all major regional languages spoken in India.
The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a nonprofit digital library that offers a variety of content, including movies, TV, etc. The films you can view on the Internet Archive are mostly in the public domain and available without legal restrictions or payment barriers.
As a rule, you can find movies and TV programs in the Internet Archive that are no longer protected by copyrights. You can stream them without worrying about breaking the law.
Legally Stream Movies for Free Without Paying Anything
The above options are great services that are mostly ad-supported and give you movies, TV, and other content for free. Some of them have a large catalog of content, including classics and new movies.While the movie catalog is still much lesser as compared to popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, the movie websites we have mentioned above are a great option especially when you are traveling out of your country or if you rarely wish to watch a movie.
FAQs on Best Websites to Watch Movies for Free Legally
What can I use instead of 123movies?
There are many great streaming platforms that offer movies and TV shows for free. As we have mentioned in our list, the 123movies alternatives which are legal include Tubi, Kanopy, Vudu, Crackle, Freevee, and others. 123movies is a piracy website that brings legal issues if you use it to stream movies that are available there.
Are all free movie sites illegal?
Not all websites with free movies are illegal. There are some websites that offer free movies and TV for free with ads. Websites that stream movies for free with a paywall from official websites or production companies are considered illegal because the content was acquired through piracy. Some of the free movie sites which are legal include Crackle, Kanopy, Vudu, Tubi, and others.
What Are the Risks of Using Free Movie Sites?
Risks of Using Free Movie Streaming Sites:
- Legal Consequences: Many of these sites contain pirated content, which is a violation of copyright laws in many countries. While law enforcement efforts primarily target the owners of these sites, users can still be held accountable for engaging in piracy.
- Cease and Desist Letters: Another risk associated with using unauthorized movie streaming sites is the possibility of receiving a cease and desist letter from a third party. While this may not happen frequently, it can result in serious fines and legal action.
- ISP Termination: In certain countries, ISPs may take action against users who engage in piracy by terminating their internet connection. While this is not a common occurrence, it has happened in the past and may become more prevalent in the future.
- Malware and Security Threats: Free movie streaming sites that host pirated content often have a poor user experience, with invasive and annoying advertisements. These advertisements can sometimes contain malware or redirect users to malicious websites. Hackers may inject malware code inside banner ads, a technique known as "malvertising," which can infect a user's computer and compromise their security.