With the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, more people choose to watch their favorite films online rather than go to the theater or rent DVDs.
However, not everyone can afford the monthly subscription fees that these services come with. To that effect, we’ve found some of the best places where to watch movies for free online, from streaming services to websites dedicated to hosting popular films.
Each of the following services has been handpicked and tested by us because of their great selection of films, and because they are all legal, legitimate streaming services that shouldn’t put you at risk for malware, viruses, pirating content and other security issues.
Where to watch movies for free online?
Crackle
Crackle is a free, on-demand streaming service that offers a wide selection of movies from major studios like Sony and Warner Bros.
The site is ad-supported, so you will have to put up with ads before and during the movie, but the selection is quite good, and the site is easy to navigate. But if you decide to sign up (for free), you get to see fewer ads, so that’s a plus.
You can get your hands on fan-favorite films like Highlander, Sophie’s Choice, Night of the Living Dead, Train to Busan, The Last of Us, and much more. The platform also has original content, such as Snatch and StartUp, to binge on.
Tubi
Tubi is another fantastic choice for where to watch movies for free online. The video-on-demand streaming service continually updates its selection with new titles every month. The content platform has a vast library of older movies and TV shows, including classic films and fan-favorite series.
Tubi is ad-supported since it doesn’t require a subscription fee of any sort. The website is user-friendly and accessible to various devices. If you want to maintain wish lists and bookmark videos, you might want to sign up (which is free).
Popular titles on Tubi include The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Casablanca, Rocky, Taxi Driver, Jaws, The Terminator, and Star Wars. If classic television shows are your thing, you can choose from popular series like I Love Lucy, M*A*S*H*, Cheers, All in the Family, Friends, and Seinfeld.
Tubi also offers an extensive range of classic animated movies from Disney, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, as well as beloved comedy short films from Warner Bros like Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes.
Popcornflix
Popcornflix is a subscription-free, on-demand website that offers various films and TV shows, including independent productions and foreign films. The OTT (over-the-top) platform is ad-supported, but it’s simple to navigate, and you can access it on different devices.
The Popcornflix website also has an extensive collection of older movies and TV shows encompassing multiple genres, themes, and eras. Some notable options on Popcornflix include films such as Dead Ringers, Lion Heart, Death of a Salesman, Wuthering Heights, Phantom of the Opera, Opening Night, and Dial M for Murder.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a free streaming service that offers a wide range of TV channels and on-demand content across various genres, such as news, sports, entertainment, movies, and more. Its vast library of content includes movies and TV shows from popular networks such as Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Comedy Central.
One of the unique features of Pluto TV is its linear programming, which means that the channels play scheduled programming just like traditional cable TV. However, users can also access on-demand content and watch it at their own convenience.
The platform has a user-friendly interface that allows viewers to navigate through its content easily. The service is available on various devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and streaming devices.
Overall, Pluto TV is a great option for cord-cutters who want to access free TV channels and on-demand content without paying for a cable subscription. Plus, with Pluto TV, film buffs can get their hands on timeless classics like Good Will Hunting, Scream, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Gladiator, American Psycho, Rocky Bolboa, Gladiator, Clueless, RoboCop, and many more iconic films.
XumoPlay
XumoPlay is a free, OTT internet television streaming service that offers video-on-demand content. Although it is ad-supported, the advertisements are not as frequent as what you’d have to put up with on cable television.
From movies and TV shows to news and sports, XumoPlay has quite the collection. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to browse and discover new content, and its advanced recommendation algorithms suggest personalized content based on your viewing history.
XumoPlay brings together content from various sources, including popular TV channels and streaming services. Some of the movies available on the OTT platform are L.A. Confidential, Good Friday, Mary Reilly, Copycat, Mutant Chronicles, Melancholia, The Cuban, and Before I Go to Sleep.
Roku Channel
Roku is a popular hardware and software streaming device platform that allows users to access a wide variety of streaming content on their televisions. Once connected, users can access a variety of streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and many more.
In addition to its streaming devices, Roku also offers a free, ad-supported streaming service called the Roku Channel, which provides access to movies, TV shows, and other content from a variety of sources. The Roku Channel can be accessed on any Roku device, including Roku smart TVs and on mobile devices through the Roku app for iOS and Android. It is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Some of the content on the Roku Channel may require a subscription or rental fee but there’s lots of free content to explore.
Overall, Roku is a popular choice for users who want an easy and affordable way to access free streaming movie content on their televisions. You can binge on crowd-pullers such as Pulp Fiction, The Wolf of Wallstreet; Now You See Me, An American Werewolf in London, Indiana Jones, Shrek, Argentina 1985, Shotgun Wedding, Lost in Translation, and plenty more.
Redbox
Redbox has evolved beyond its original purpose as a DVD rental kiosk and diversified its business to include online streaming. While Redbox initially built its reputation on providing convenient movie rentals to the masses, it now offers new movie releases for streaming at a reasonable cost via its app and website. In addition to this paid service, Redbox also has a separate option that enables you to enjoy a variety of movies for free with ads.
Their selection of free movies includes many older critically acclaimed films, like Monster, as well as several recent, lesser-known movies.
Redbox’s selection of free films is constantly rotating, so don’t wait too long to watch a film that you’re interested in.
Free Trials
Another way to watch free movie content is to sign up for a free trial on a popular streaming platform. Here are a few platforms that offer free trials to film lovers!
Hulu + HBO Max
Hulu has a 30-day free trial period. However, you will be asked to provide your payment details, for which you will be charged at the end of your trial period, so don’t forget to cancel it before the 30 days are up.
The streaming service also offers a bundle with HBO Max. Hulu’s base plan is priced at $7.99 per month, with an additional $14.99 per month if you want to add HBO Max to your plan.
The bundle allows you to access a wide variety of blockbuster movies, including Jurassic Park, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Matrix trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Silence of the Lambs.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream is a multichannel streaming service by DirecTV that offers a free trial period of 5 days to watch a host of movies and TV shows before subscribing. Once the free trial ends, you will be charged as per the plan you chose while signing up. A DirecTV premium subscription starts at $74.99 per month plus taxes.
Some popular movies on DirecTV Stream include Avengers: Endgame, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Deadpool 2, Incredibles 2, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Nun.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a streaming service owned by YouTube that is meant to replace a cable TV subscription. Before subscribing, you can sign up for a free 60-day trial to watch various movies and TV shows. A premium YouTube TV subscription will cost you $72.99 per month.
A few movie fan favorites on YouTube TV include The Godfather trilogy, The Dark Knight, Avatar, Indiana Jones, Rocky, Sleepless in Seattle, No Country for Old Men, and Parasite.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a streaming service from Amazon. The platform has a 30-day free trial period to get your hands on a large selection of movies and TV shows before you decide to opt for a monthly (priced at $14.99 per month) or yearly (priced at $139 per year) subscription. If you’re a student, you can take advantage of a 6-month free trial when you sign up for Amazon Prime for Students.
Some popular film titles available on the streaming platform are The Whale, A Man Called Otto, Megan, Babylon, The Company You Keep, and Devil’s Peak.
Things to remember before signing up for a free trial
It’s worth noting that all of these free trials, such as Hulu + HBO Max, DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video, require a credit card to start a free trial.
Streaming platforms take this measure to ensure that users transition to a paid subscription if they want to continue the service after the trial period ends. However, it’s crucial to note that these platforms will auto-renew after the trial period. You’ll be charged for the subscription if you do not cancel it before the trial period ends.
Happy streaming, and stay safe!