There are plenty of free streaming platforms out there, some better than others. We’ve gathered the top 40 best free movie streaming sites in this list:
- Peacock TV – the best overall free streaming website
- Crackle – stream free movies from Sony Pictures
- Tubi – a legitimate streaming experience with minimal ads
- Cineb – great categorization and classification of free movies
- SolarMovie – free movie website with the best personalization
- IMDb TV – reliable and quick with a good collection of titles
- MovieStars – stream free movies with very low ad intrusion
- Vudu – an up-and-coming legitimate free movie website
- AZMovies – a very popular website with an extensive collection of free movies
- MyBundleTV – your directory for free movies online
- FlixTor – updated library with several free movies in HD
- USTV Go – the go-to website for pre-scheduled channel-based streaming of movies
- Streamm4U – one of the few movie sites that offers a completely ad-free experience
- Music HQ – great search functionality to help you discover the best movies
- YouTube – most popular streaming platform in the world with a great collection of old titles
- YesMovies – a great overall free movie streaming website
- 123moviesgo – best free movie site to find the latest releases
- Internet Archive – the best site to watch classics
- Afdah – large collection of high-definition movies with few ads
- Pluto TV – the best option to watch movies and shows from the Viacom network
- Yify TV – the best bet to find obscure movie titles
- GoStream – a great option to watch the latest hits in 720p
- Xumo TV – watch live TV in addition to free movies
- Bounce TV – a free streaming website that caters to Afro-American culture
- Yidio – a streaming platform aggregator
- PopcornFlix – user-friendly website that works across devices
- VexMovies – a great option to watch pre-2018 movies without any ads
- Tiny Zone – the YouTube clone for free movies and TV shows
- Movies Found Online – good-variety of free movies and TV show streams
- VidCloud – updated with the latest episodes of TV shows
- Kanopy – use your library card to access free movies
- FMovies – free movie streams in 4K and 1080P
- MoviesJoy – offers Google-like simplistic movie search functionality
- StreamLord – quick and easy access to high-quality streams
- Putlocker – a simple and clean interface with blockbusters and classics
- The Roku Channel – the best legal site to watch free content across devices
- PrimeWire – simple streaming website with an extensive library of free movies
- ConTV – the best streaming site for Comic-Con fans
- Crunchyroll – the best site for anime content
- Vumoo – pick the resolution of your movies
Just beware! Watching movies for free online can be dangerous if the site you use doesn’t have distribution rights for the content you want to enjoy. We recommend you only stream copyrighted content from legitimate distributors. Additionally, when you decide to venture on free streaming sites, make sure you use a VPN to protect yourself.
Wondering what the best tool for the job is? Our answer is NordVPN (currently with a solid discount). It’s fast, reliable, and has dedicated features for streaming.
If you want to find out more about the best streaming sites, as well as which ones are legitimate businesses, read our full article below.
The wonders of modern living are hard to ignore. With streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max, you can enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows from the comfort of your own home.
However, when you sum up all those subscription costs for movie streaming, it’s a lot of money. Plus, sometimes these platforms don’t have all the content you want to watch. This is why a lot of people prefer using free movie streaming sites. These are sites anyone can access and use to watch movies online. You don’t have to pay a cent!
Free Movie Streaming Sites: Are They Legal?
The existence of free streaming sites itself is not illegal. Simply navigating to these free movie websites isn’t illegal either. Some free movie websites we’ll list here are legitimate streaming platforms that own the distribution rights for the content they share.
However, streaming copyrighted content for free is illegal if you don’t have the necessary permissions and rights. This is a case of piracy, and it can have serious consequences.
We don’t recommend you use these sites to catch the latest MCU movie or binge the newest show. There are legal alternatives, and you can stream movies on them even if you’re on a budget, or if they’re not available in your country.
The Best Free Movie Streaming Sites in April 2022
In the list below, you’ll find the best free online movie streaming sites that still work in 2022. These are the most popular platforms of this moment, but that doesn’t mean they all show content legally. We’ll flag each entry appropriately to let you know which ones actually own the distribution rights, meaning you can enjoy them without breaking the law.
#1 Peacock TV – The best overall free movie streaming website
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Legitimate streaming platform | Unavailable outside the US |
Decent pricing for paid subscriptions | |
Impressive library of movies and TV shows | |
Perfect to watch new movies free online |
Peacock is a platform we’ve written a lot about because it is an amazing option to watch new movies free online. We have an article about how you can access it wherever you may be on the planet, and it’s one site where you can watch free movies without breaking any laws.
Peacock was launched in July 2020 and has an impressive library of free movies and TV series. All of it is available for free, as long as you’re fine with viewing advertisements. If you want to get rid of the ads, you can also subscribe to Peacock TV for $4.99 a month.
Keep in mind though that Peacock is only available in the US. If you want to access it from any other place in the world, you’ll need to change your IP with a VPN. NordVPN is the best option for unlocking free streaming sites in the US.
#2 Crackle – Stream free movies from Sony Pictures and more
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
No illegal content | No subscription plan |
A varied library with lots of categories | Outdated interface |
Low ad intrusion |
Crackle, also sometimes referred to as “Sony Crackle”, since Sony bought it in 2006, is a pretty unknown free streaming service. This is a shame, because it’s completely legit and has a varied library perfect for watching movies online. It features free movies and TV series from popular studios like Lionsgate, MGM, Sony Pictures, and DreamWorks.
However, it’s only available in a few countries, so if you want to watch Crackle anywhere in the world, you’ll need a VPN so you can get a US IP address.
Crackle doesn’t have a subscription model, but the ads on the platform aren’t too bad. You can enjoy any type of content offered by Sony Pictures, from classics to newer releases.
#3 Tubi – a legitimate streaming experience with minimal ads
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Distribution rights | No subscription plan |
Access to content from Fox Corporation | More ads than its competitors |
Decent library |
Tubi is another free movie streaming platform that owns broadcasting rights for all its content, so it’s a legitimate streaming service. You can watch free movies on Tubi without breaking the law. This platform is owned by Fox Corporation and has been around since 2014. It features media from big names in the entertainment industry, like Paramount, MGM, and Warner Bros.
Just like Peacock, however, Tubi is only available in the US, so you’ll need to use a US-based IP if you want to access it. You can use NordVPN to access thousands of free movies and TV shows on Tubi.
Unlike Peacock, you can’t subscribe to a premium account and get rid of the ads with Tubi. If you use Tubi, you’ll have to view the ads.
#4 Cineb – great categorization and classification of free movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Good content updates | No distribution rights |
Great content categorization and personalization | Messy interface in some sections |
Low ad intrusion |
Cineb is a relatively new free streaming site that’s trying to make a name for itself in this niche. It has a nice minimalist design, decent video quality, and pretty low ad intrusion, which makes it a great site to watch movies online!
On top of that, it also features a “Trending” section on the main page and has a decent slew of categories, although minimally populated. Cineb tries to capitalize on new audiences with its content personalization. Moreover, it’s on top of new releases, always uploading content as soon as they can get their hands on it.
However, like most free streaming sites, Cineb doesn’t own distribution rights for its content, so watching movies and series on this platform is considered illegal in a lot of countries. Moreover, some sections of the site have weird formatting.
#5 SolarMovie – free movie website with the best personalization
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong personalization options | Interface can be overwhelming at times |
Decent library | A lot of ads |
Good categorization | No distribution rights |
Like Cineb, SolarMovie is a new player in the scene, but it’s gaining a lot of popularity thanks to its personalization. Users will appreciate just how easy it is to sort media based on genre, country, launch date, with several categories to choose from including anime, fantasy, mythological, sci-fi, and a lot more.
But this can sometimes be a double-edged sword. The strong personalization and categorization of free movies and TV shows can mean that SolarMovie’s interface seems a bit overwhelming in the beginning. Not to mention, ads on the platform can get annoying, but it’s still a decent website for anyone interested in free streaming.
They also don’t own the distribution rights to movies and TV series on their website.
#6 IMDb TV – reliable and quick movie website with good titles
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Legitimate platform | Not a huge collection of movies and TV shows |
Quick-loading media player | Unavailable outside the US without a VPN |
Contains lots of information about motion pictures |
If you’ve ever Googled a movie, TV show, director, or actor, you’ve probably already heard of IMDb. It’s a directory of information about any motion picture.
IMDb TV is the service’s free streaming platform. Like Peacock or Tubi, it allows users to watch movies online for free in a completely legal manner. However, it’s only available in the US, so you’ll need a VPN like NordVPN if you want to access it. Since its acquisition by Amazon, IMDbTV is not on its own site anymore. But users can still enjoy its library on Amazon.
Just because IMDb TV is owned by Amazon doesn’t mean that the content variety is as large as on Amazon Prime. It’s a considerably smaller collection of movies and TV shows. But that’s probably why it’s free.
#7 MovieStars – stream free movies with very low ad intrusion
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Very low ad intrusion | No distribution rights |
Slow to upload new content | |
Not a very impressive library |
MovieStars is a pretty unknown free streaming site. It attracts 10% of its competition’s audience on a good day, but we’ll feature it on our list thanks to its very low ad intrusion. Anyone bothered by intrusive ads when they watch movies online will have a good time on MovieStars.
However, it doesn’t hold distribution rights for any of the movies and TV series on the website. Also, MovieStars doesn’t seem to be on top of new releases. It takes a while for new content to be featured on their platform, as you’d probably expect from free streaming sites.
You’re better off with one of the legitimate free movie sites, like Peacock or Tubi.
#8 Vudu – an up and coming legitimate free movie website
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Legitimate and free streaming site | Small library |
Buying and renting available | Unavailable outside the US |
Not a lot of recent releases |
Vudu is a great legitimate alternative to MovieStars. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a vast library, and you probably won’t be able to find the latest releases here as soon as they hit other streaming platforms. Even so, it’s still one of the best free streaming sites that only show openly available content.
It’s a great way to watch movies online without being constantly disrupted by ads. Not all content on Vudu is free to watch, but you can use Vudu to buy or rent individual movies and TV shows for very low prices.
As always, there’s a catch. Vudu only operates in the US. If you live anywhere else, you’ll need a VPN to access it. Seeing as you need a US IP address, you may want to give NordVPN a try.
#9 AZMovies – popular website with an extensive collection of free movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A popular platform with a big library of movies | No TV shows |
No distribution rights | |
Has annoying ads |
AZMovies is one of the most popular free streaming platforms out there, and it’s been around for quite a while. It features thousands of movies and has a huge following of people tuning in every month.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much everything that AZMovies has going for it. It features no TV shows, just movies, and the ads on the site can get pretty annoying. Not to mention, AZMovies operates outside the confines of the law, so we don’t recommend you venture there.
#10 MyBundleTV – your directory for free movies online
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Big directory of movies and TV shows | No content available on the platform |
Easy to find HQ streams | Not all sources are free |
Quick overviews of streaming options |
MyBundleTV is a very different streaming platform compared to what you’ve seen on the list so far. It doesn’t host its own videos. Instead, it’s a free movie streaming site that helps you find a platform where you can enjoy particular pieces of media. It’s like a directory or listing site for free movie streaming.
People use it to find the best source for the content they want to stream online. With a huge directory like MyBundleTV, visitors are guaranteed to find the motion picture they’re looking for in 4K too! Just keep in mind that not all movie sources displayed on the site are free. For example, if you search for “Black Widow”, it’ll only display Disney+ as an option, which is not a free streaming site. On the flip side, it’ll tell you exactly how much you can expect to pay if you want to watch a movie or TV show.
#11 FlixTor – updated library with several free movies in HD
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High-quality files | Not a legal streaming platform |
A huge library | |
Low ad intrusion |
FlixTor is one of the most popular free streaming sites. We’ve actually written about it before, in our piece on how Flixtor works and whether it’s illegal (it is). It has a smooth interface, high-quality movies and TV shows, and an immense library. It’s basically guaranteed that if you search for a title on FlixTor, you’ll find it in high definition. The ads aren’t too intrusive either.
Contrary to popular belief, Flixtor isn’t a legitimate streaming platform. Watching your favorite piece of media on it can be considered piracy, so we recommend using one of the legitimate alternatives on this list instead.
#12 USTV Go – the go-to website for pre-scheduled channel-based streaming
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Interesting take on free online streaming | Outdated visual style |
No ads | Not a legal platform |
Shows cable-exclusive content |
This is as close as you can get to a real TV experience on the web. USTV Go features cable-exclusive content from basically all US channels. It’s all completely free, and the platform has absolutely no ads to pester you while you enjoy TV on your computer.
Unfortunately, USTV Go has a very outdated visual style. It doesn’t even have a logo. It’s pretty clunky to navigate, and you are more than likely to encounter errors. Moreover, it doesn’t have the right to distribute cable content online, so viewing content on USTV Go is considered piracy.
#13 Streamm4U – offers a completely ad-free experience
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
No ads whatsoever | Small library |
Clunky interface | |
Not a legal streaming platform |
Streamm4U lands a spot on our list of the best free online movie streaming sites thanks to its ad-free library. It doesn’t have the biggest selection of free movies, it’s not the prettiest, and not all files are high quality. Suffice to say, it’s not anyone’s first option when looking for free movie streaming sites. But it’s free, so people still use it.
For people that hate ads, Streamm4U is a great free streaming alternative. Keep in mind, however, that Streamm4U is not a legitimate platform. Accessing the site and consuming copyrighted content on it is illegal and could land you in trouble.
#14 Music HQ – great search functionality to help you discover the best movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Great user experience | Not a legal streaming platform |
No pop-up ads | Contains banner ads |
Strong search engine |
Despite what the name might suggest, Music HQ is not a music streaming site. It’s a free movie and TV show streaming site, with a very strong search engine, and a Night Mode if that’s something you value.
The best part is that it doesn’t have any pop-up ads, just the occasional banner. When you add it all up, Music HQ stands out among free streaming sites thanks to a great user experience.
However, ads are still prevalent on the platform, and since Music HQ doesn’t hold distribution rights to the content they feature, it’s illegal to stream content on it. We recommend one of the legitimate alternatives on this list.
#15 YouTube – most popular streaming platform in the world with a great collection of old titles
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
The largest video streaming platform on the internet | Quite pushy with their ads |
A great selection of older titles | No new releases |
Exclusive content from indie developers |
We’d be very surprised if you hadn’t heard of YouTube before. It’s only the most popular video streaming platform on the Internet. However, what you might not know is that it often features full-length movies and TV shows.
You’ll have more luck looking for older, more obscure titles on the platform. Things like The FBI Files have entire seasons available in various playlists on YouTube. You can also find a lot of exclusive content from indie developers, like the Fool’s Day short.
It’s definitely not your first pick if you want free access to the latest releases. However, you might find older titles on the platform.
#16 YesMovies – a great overall website to stream free movies online
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Great navigation | Riddled with ads |
Enormous library | Illegal platform |
Options for personalization |
If YesMovies was a legitimate site, it’d be a treat. It has a friendly interface, good navigation, and an enormous library with thousands of free movies and TV series. It’s a popular site for free movie streaming, and it even has personalization features, like a favorite list.
Apart from that, it’s easy to search for titles. You’ll just get a search bar to find what you’re looking for. Compared to the market standard – a page loaded with various titles – this is refreshing to see.
The only downside is that YesMovies is extremely intrusive with its ads. You’ll be closing pop-ups left and right before you can enjoy your favorite show or movie on it. Besides, it’s an illegal platform, so we don’t recommend it.
#17 123moviesgo – best free movie site to find the latest releases
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Huge variety of content | Bad user experience because of ads |
Constant uploads | Not a legal platform |
Beautiful site |
123moviesgo is a popular movie site with a huge library. On top of the existing titles, it’s also very quick to upload new content on the site. They even have leaked content that is yet to release. This huge library is a very strong point. It also has an intuitive interface, clean design, and the video content is of fairly decent quality.
The only problem comes from the user experience. Ads can get annoying at times, and trying to start a show can be tiring – you’ll be getting a few advertisements before you can enjoy the content you’re after. On top of that, 123moviesgo doesn’t have streaming rights for the shows they offer, so using the platform is illegal.
#18 Internet Archive – the best site to watch classics
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A special library of classic movies, likely unavailable anywhere else | No releases outside the public domain |
No ads | |
Completely legal |
Are you passionate about golden-age media productions? Then The Internet Archive is the movie site for you. All content on the site is legal, featuring classic movies that are in the public domain, so no distribution rights are needed. If you’re looking for the latest summer blockbuster, there’s nothing on the Internet Archive for you.
On the other hand, if you love classic movies, give it a shot. If you need any more convincing, keep in mind that the Internet Archive also has no ads, and it’s completely free to access for everyone.
Lastly, the Internet Archive is much larger than just movies. On it, you’ll find millions of multimedia productions with historical value.
#19 Afdah – large collection of high-definition movies with few ads
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
High-quality files | Not operated legitimately |
A substantial library | |
Low ad intrusion |
Keeping the low ad intrusion trend going, Afdah is one of the most popular free online movie streaming sites. It has a substantial library, offering high-definition quality for all of its movies and TV shows, and only features a pop-up ad occasionally. While the name might be harder to remember, the experience on the platform isn’t lackluster.
Unfortunately, Afdah is still an illegal platform. It has no distribution rights for the content it offers, so if you want to watch legitimate content when streaming free movies online, look at the legal entries on this list instead. Moreover, during our last check, the site seemed to be unsecured. It should be fully functioning again shortly. For now, we recommend you check out some of our other entries.
#20 Pluto TV – the best option to watch movies and shows from the Viacom network
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Great library of content from popular distributors | Ad timing is bad (in the middle of your content) |
Low ad intrusion | No paid subscription options |
Legally operated |
PlutoTV is another platform that is owned and operated legally. It’s part of the ViacomCBS family and lets you watch the best movies and TV series from companies like MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central.
It doesn’t have a subscription model, so you can only enjoy PlutoTV for free. The good thing is that it has very few ads. You will need to suffer the occasional break during your content, but there are no pop-ups and no banners. If you’re not from the US, you’ll need a VPN like NordVPN to access it. If you want to find out more about enjoying PlutoTV outside the US, you can read here how to access PlutoTV abroad.
#21 Yify TV – the best bet to find obscure movie titles
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A big library | Horrendous ad intrusion |
Intuitive navigation | Operated illegally |
Dedicated subtitles available |
Yify TV has a substantial library and a very simplistic interface. It also has subtitles available, which makes it a good entry on our best free movie streaming sites list. Other than that, however, it’s an ad-filled mess, and it doesn’t have distribution rights for the content it streams.
People usually steer towards Yify when the title they’re looking for isn’t available anywhere else. Besides an exclusive movie or TV show, there’s no reason anyone would venture there, especially since it doesn’t operate legally.
#22 GoStream – a great option to watch the latest hits in 720p
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent quality files | Pretty high ad intrusion |
Comprehensive library | Operate illegally |
No TV shows |
GoStream operates differently than most entries on this list. In appearance, it’s the same thing – free content, a lot of ads, decent quality, and a pretty comprehensive library. However, GoStream only specializes in movies. This means that users won’t find any TV shows on the platform.
A first glance, this might not be a problem for most people. But considering the myriad of market alternatives that feature both movies and TV shows, it’s not a surprise that GoStream isn’t anyone’s first choice for free online streaming. Not to mention, it operates without distribution rights.
#23 Xumo TV – watch live TV in addition to free movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Operated legally | Small library |
Shows live content as well as on-demand | Confusing interface at times |
Available on multiple devices |
Xumo TV is another legal streaming platform, but it’s considerably lighter in content. With no big corporation behind it, Xumo struggles to attract a huge audience. Still, it offers both VODs and live content, and it’s available on a suite of devices.
Just don’t expect much in terms of content variety. Also, first-time users might find its interface pretty confusing. Xumo will automatically display the live content it’s streaming at the moment you end up on the site.
Unfortunately, Xumo is only accessible from the US. If you want to try it from outside the States, you’ll need to use a VPN. We recommend NordVPN for this:
#24 Bounce TV – a free streaming website that caters to Afro-American culture
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Focused on a specific niche | Only available in the US |
Low ad intrusion | |
High-definition available |
Bounce TV is a US-based digital streaming platform marketed to the African-American community. It features shows and movies with a diverse cast and is targeted to a very specific niche.
It’s free to access, has high-definition quality media, and the ads are not really annoying. If that sounds interesting and you aren’t currently in the United States, a VPN is all you need to check it out. NordVPN in particular is good at unlocking platforms from the US, so you can give it a try.
#25 Yidio – a streaming platform aggregator
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Large directory of media sources | No content available on the site itself |
Not all options are free | |
Outdated interface |
Yidio is not your average streaming site. Much like MyBundleTV, it’s a directory where you can find the sources for any movie or TV show. It doesn’t host content on its servers, but it still makes it on our list for the best free movie streaming sites. The sources for media are sometimes free, and Yidio itself is always free.
The only difference between Yidio and MyBundleTV is that Yidio’s interface is a bit outdated. Other than that, the sites feature pretty much the same content recommendations.
#26 PopcornFlix – user-friendly website that works across devices
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Few ads | Small movie collection |
Available on multiple devices | No distribution rights |
Library with many TV shows |
PopcornFlix is a free movie streaming site that prides itself on easy navigation on-site. It’s also extremely easy to use on a variety of devices, which is rare for illegitimate streaming sites.
It is mostly focused on TV shows, so movie buffs won’t be blown away by this site. But it’s still not riddled with ads, so it’s a pleasant choice for people that want to catch the latest episodes of their favorite show, especially if you want to enjoy them on the go.
Still, we don’t recommend PopcornFlix, since it’s not a legal way to stream movies for free online. This is one of the most popular Popcorn Time alternatives out there.
#27 VexMovies – a great option to watch pre-2018 movies without any ads
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
No ads | Not operating legally |
Decent library size | Not updated since 2018 |
Lots of HD titles |
VexMovies provides free access to a lot of HD titles, both movies and TV shows. There’s nothing special about it when compared to other entries on the list, but it ranks lower because it has a huge downside. It hasn’t been updated since 2018, so it’s not the place people go when they want to check new releases.
Other than that, it has no ads and a pretty massive library, so it’s still a good pick for people looking for the best free movie streaming site. That is, as long as they want to watch something released before 2018.
One final note: Vexmovies doesn’t operate legally, so users should be wary when accessing the site.
#28 Tiny Zone – the YouTube clone for free movies and TV shows
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Great loading time | Operated illegally |
An extensive collection | |
Easy to navigate |
While it’s clearly ripping off YouTube’s interface, Tiny Zone is still a free movie streaming site appreciated by many people. It’s easy to navigate, not too intrusive with its ads, and it boasts an extensive collection of both movies and TV shows.
Add to that the fast loading time and little to no buffering, even on slow connections, and you can see why people still consider it one of the best free movie streaming sites. Just know that it’s operating with no distribution rights for the content on offer.
#29 Movies Found Online – good-variety of free movies and TV show streams
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Good content quality | Public domain movies |
Variety of free movies | Tons of ads |
User-friendly |
The next free movie streaming site on our list of free movie websites is Movies Found Online. It has a decent library of free movies ranging from old cult classics to newer independent films. The site even offers animated shorts and films, documentaries, stand-up comedy, and TV series. However, it’s not a fan favorite, because users are met with tons of ads before they even get to hit play on their favorite show or movie.
It’s near the bottom of our list because ads on free movie sites aren’t just a small annoyance. When they’re so abundant, it makes it hard to enjoy even the best movie, TV show, or standup comedy act.
#30 VidCloud – updated with the latest episodes of TV shows
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Non-intrusive advertising | Illegitimate platform |
Constant updates with new episodes | Not a vast library |
Library has some popular shows |
VidCloud is often updated with the latest episodes of popular shows, but its library isn’t impressive. When users are looking for a timeless classic, VidCloud isn’t the first option. Still, it finds a place on our list of the best free movie streaming sites thanks to its non-intrusive advertising.
Just remember that, like many sites on this list, VidCloud doesn’t have streaming permissions from the creators of the content it offers. That’s why we recommend you pick one of the legal options higher on the list.
#31 Kanopy – use your library card to access free movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Completely legitimate ad-free platform | The content library is fairly limited |
A great option for users with library memberships | |
Allows simultaneous streaming |
Kanopy is one of the more interesting options on our list. For starters, you’ll need a library card to access the movies on this website. This can be a library card from your university or even a public library. Once you sign up using the card, you get free access to some of the latest movie titles.
The best part about Kanopy is that it’s totally legit and completely ad-free. It also works beyond the USA, so you’ll be able to use it as long as your library or university card is accepted by the platform. Keep in mind, though, that the overall selection of movies is pretty limited.
#32 FMovies – free movie streams in 4K and 1080P
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Large and updated content library | Content is not always legitimately obtained |
Clean and simple interface | High number of ads |
High-quality streams are available |
FMovies is one of the most popular free movie streaming sites out there. It attracts more than a million users every month and owes its popularity to its vast and updated collection of movies. The titles on the site are available in 1080p HD, and some even in 4K.
There are, however, a couple of drawbacks to using FMovies. The first is that you’ll have to navigate through a number of ads before getting your movie stream. The second is that the content uploaded on the site is generally in violation of copyright law and could get you in trouble.
#33 MoviesJoy – offers Google-like simplistic movie search functionality
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User-friendly Google-like interface | Operated in an illegitimate manner |
HD streams for most movies | |
Ads are not intrusive |
If you’re looking for a simple free movie streaming website with great search functionality, then MoviesJoy is the best option for you. The site has a minimalist design, which mimics Google. You can find the latest blockbusters as well as older classics on the website. Movie streams are also available in HD.
While you will see ads on MoviesJoy, they’re not too intrusive. Moreover, the site doesn’t feature pop-ups and instead uses space on the webpage itself to host ads.
Like many of the sites listed above, the movies and TV shows uploaded on MoviesJoy don’t usually have the necessary copyright permissions and licenses. Viewing such content can be considered illegal in some countries.
#34 StreamLord – quick and easy access to high-quality streams
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
No ads | Not a legal streaming website |
Easy-to-use website | |
No login or sign-up required |
StreamLord is another great free movie streaming website. It features high-quality streams of some of the latest flicks and TV shows. The website is easy to use, though it doesn’t sort movies by genre or year of release.
StreamLord’s biggest plus point is that it’s virtually ad-free. In our use, we didn’t encounter a single ad despite not having created a free account. You should be able to watch the movie of your choice within a few clicks of landing on StreamLord.
Do note that StreamLord does not own the rights to the streams it provides.
#35 Putlocker – a simple and clean interface with blockbusters and classics
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Well-organized website that makes it easy to find content | Intrusive ads |
Features HD streams of the latest movies and TV shows | Exists through mirrors which change frequently |
Illegitimate streaming website |
Putlocker is one of the most well-known free online movie streaming sites in the world. Though the original project is no longer in existence, the site continues to operate through a series of mirrors and clones.
The Putlocker site makes it easy to watch free movies thanks to its effective search functionality. It also sorts movies by genre, country, and release date.
Because Putlocker exists only in the form of mirrors, users can sometimes land up on the wrong site and end up infecting their computer with malware. That’s why it’s important to always use Putlocker in a secure and safe fashion.
#36 The Roku Channel – the best legal site to watch free content across devices
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Legitimate ad-supported platform | Site layout makes it difficult to discover new titles and shows |
High-resolution videos | The library is limited in comparison to other free streaming websites |
Provides free live TV streams |
The Roku Channel is an ad-supported movie streaming platform that allows you to watch Roku originals, movies, and TV shows for free. You can access the website from your web browser or even add The Roku Channel to your streaming device.
The streams are all high-quality and buffer really quickly. You can also use The Roku Channel to watch free TV. The content library of this free movie website is limited in comparison to others. Also, the site doesn’t sort movies into any categories, which can make exploring new films and shows a challenge.
#37 PrimeWire – simple streaming website with an extensive library of free movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Large repository of high-quality free movies | Mirrors keep changing consistently |
Basic but effective and efficient interface | Lots of ads |
Content is pirated |
PrimeWire is one of the original free movie streaming websites. It’s been around for a while and continues to be popular with users due to its up-to-date and extensive collection of movies.
The site design is pretty basic, but it gets you to the movies you want to watch without much delay. Most streams that we tried out were available in HD, though some of the latest releases were CAM-rips.
Much like Putlocker, PrimeWire also functions through copies and mirrors. To avoid getting your device infected with unwanted malware, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to use PrimeWire safely.
#38 ConTV – the best streaming site for Comic-Con fans
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Completely legal website | Site can be a little buggy |
No sign-up or sign-in required to watch most movies | Available only in the US |
Perfect for watching Comic-Con related content |
This entry on our list should appeal to fans of Comic-Con. ConTV is a streaming platform dedicated entirely to movies, TV series, and other content that is popular with Comic-Con fans. This includes anime, cult films, and classic martial arts films.
The site is completely free to use and you don’t even need to create an account to start watching your favorite movies. The ConTV website isn’t the easiest to use and can be a little buggy. But hey, it is a free service!
ConTV is available only in the United States. So if you’re trying to access it from elsewhere, you’ll probably need to use a VPN. We’d advise using NordVPN to watch ConTV from abroad.
#39 Crunchyroll – the best site for anime content
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Extensive library of anime content | Ad-based streaming platform |
Legal and free | Some content is only available with a subscription |
Works on several devices |
Anime is one of the most popular genres among today’s younger generation. So, we had to include Crunchyroll, which is by far the best platform for streaming anime movies and TV shows online. It features classic titles, such as Naruto Shippuden, in addition to mangas, news, and even games.
While streaming on the website is free, you will encounter ads. If you want to get rid of these ads entirely, you can opt for a premium subscription on Crunchyroll. The premium subscription also lets you watch the latest shows and movies a day after their release in Japan.
#40 Vumoo – pick the resolution of your movies
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Offers different resolutions for each movie | Content hosted on Vumoo is pirated and illegal |
The site is quick and responsive | |
User-friendly platform |
Rounding out our list of the best free sites for streaming is Vumoo. This platform’s unique feature is that it lets users pick from multiple different resolutions to watch their movies in. The site is pretty clean and runs smoothly as well.
Unfortunately, the content hosted on Vumoo is pirated. Viewing it could land you in trouble with your country’s legal authorities, so be careful while using the website.
What are the Risks of Using Free Movie Streaming Sites?
Some of the websites mentioned above contain pirated content. While you can technically be taken to court over piracy charges for watching free movies online, it’s unlikely that’ll happen. Most law enforcement efforts to combat piracy focus on the owners of piracy sites, not on the users themselves.
That being said, there are genuine risks you need to know about if you’re thinking of using illegitimate free movie sites. For starters, in some countries, your ISP may try to terminate your internet connection if you engage in piracy. While it’s not so common, it’s happened before, and it may become more prevalent in the future.
In particular cases, you may even be contacted by a third party with a cease and desist letter. While this doesn’t happen all too often, it could result in serious fines.
Of course, the consequences depend on where you live. Eastern Europe, for example, is infamous for a lack of action against piracy. However, consuming copyrighted content is still illegal, and we urge you to stay away from it.
How to Visit the Best Free Streaming Sites Safely
If a free streaming site is breaching copyright laws, you might find yourself in hot waters with your ISP and even the government, in extreme cases. If the site operates legally, there’s a good chance its content is geo-blocked, meaning a lot of users won’t be able to access it without a little help.
That’s where a VPN comes in. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) will hide your IP, anonymize your connection, and protect your digital endeavors. This means others will have a much harder time trying to uncover what you’re doing online.
On top of that, you can easily use a VPN to pretend like you’re in a different location. If you want to watch a free movie streaming site that’s only available in the US, you can simply choose a US VPN server and enjoy movies from the comfort of your couch, whether you’re in Brazil, Turkey, or anywhere else in the world.
For streaming, we recommend you use NordVPN.
- Excellent protection and a large network of servers
- Nice and pleasing application
- No logs
NordVPN is a fast, reliable, and secure VPN. With it, you can enjoy your favorite movies online without buffering, and without having to worry about geo-restrictions. If you want to use it for unblocking geographic restrictions, make sure you pick a server from the US.
NordVPN is also relatively affordable, so you won’t have to worry about its price. Suffice to say, it’s a safe pick. But if you want to know all of your options, don’t forget to check our list with the top 5 best VPNs.
Protect Your Online Presence
Streaming a free movie online will never be a straightforward affair for most people. Users from all over the world need VPNs in order to be able to use legal platforms like Pluto TV, Bounce TV, or Vudu. That’s the only way to get access to these movie streaming websites that tend to only be available in the US.
Other users, who don’t necessarily want to use those platforms, might activate their VPN in order to stay safe from malware while browsing other streaming websites. However, we recommend you don’t go around copyright laws. It’s possible, but it can be risky depending on where you live.
If you’re a movie buff and want to enjoy movies and TV shows online, don’t forget to check our other articles on the topic:
- The Best Video Streaming Services
- Is Streaming with a VPN Legal?
- How to Watch Lord of the Rings Online
Streaming movies and TV shows online for free is fun, but it can also be tiring to find the best site without endangering your digital life. If you want shorter, more straightforward answers to your questions, check our FAQ section below.
Peacock TV has one of the largest, legitimate libraries for movie and TV buffs out there. It’s all free, provided you can sit through their ads. With the help of a VPN, you can access it even if you don’t live in the US. If Peacock doesn’t have the movies or TV shows you’re looking for, make sure you check our list of the best free streaming sites.
Streaming movies and TV shows for free online can be legal, depending on a few factors. If the platform streaming said content has distribution rights for it, then yes, it’s legal. The best free streaming sites in this category include Pluto, Vudu, and Peacock.
However, if the platform streams content without distribution rights, then that content is illegal, and it’s considered piracy. Famous sites in this category include Flixtor and AZMovies.
The repercussions of breaching copyright laws and watching movies for free on platforms that don’t have distribution rights for them will depend on where you live. While this is illegal in most parts of the globe, these laws are not uniformly enforced.
In a worst-case scenario, you can be throttled by your ISP, receive a fine, or be sent a cease and desist letter for illegally watching movies for free online.
Yes, you need a VPN when accessing free online movie streaming sites for two reasons:
- Some of these sites, like Vudu and Peacock TV, are available only in select locations. You’ll need a VPN to overcome these restrictions.
- Sites like Putlocker and Primewire are considered illegal in many countries as they host pirated content. It’s best to use a VPN to change your IP address when accessing these sites to avoid potential legal scrutiny.
Prime Wire has been busted now it is just a trailer page
It seems to work fine for us! Have you tried the link listed in this article? That will lead you straight to the right page.
Fmovies does *NOT* stream anything in 4k, and as of today they’ve disabled the site for anyone using any type of ad block and it is completely unusable. You can’t click on any movie of show because of all the overlay ads.
Site is dead unless they stop blocking ad blockers.