Although free movie streaming may seem synonymous with piracy, there are plenty of legal free movie websites on the internet. These are packed with movies that you can stream for free without breaking the law.
Whether you’re looking for movies or TV shows, finding free videos to stream is totally doable; it just requires you to know where to look. With that in mind, here are the best free online movie streaming sites to check out.
What to expect from free movie streaming sites
There are plenty of free legal videos online, so you’ll find a real mix of content in the services below. A good number of the movies available to stream for free are in the public domain. Since the ownership of these films has lapsed and become common property, many sites are home to these types of video treasures.
But it’s not just the B-movies available to stream online; you’ll also find plenty of big-budget releases. Usually these are ad-supported. Just like watching a movie on TV, you’ll have to sit through limited commercials. However, the films are usually presented without cuts.
You shouldn’t expect to see the latest releases. Instead, you will mostly watch movies dating back anywhere from a few months to many years. Also, some sites include original productions and amateur movies.
To watch on the go, don’t forget to install some of the best free movie apps on your phone as well.
It comes as no surprise that YouTube is among the best free movie streaming sites you can find. It offers a ton of free movies to choose from, including many public domain movies from channels like the aptly titled public domain films.
Also, channels like popcorn host full movies via YouTube, and you will find an official Free section to see in the YouTube Movies & Shows hub. There’s a fantastic mix, with everything from classic sitcoms to sports and much more. It’s a far cry from channels that only show 1950s movies that you’ve never heard of.
You may have to dig a bit to find what you want to see. But for those with patience, YouTube is a treasure trove of free, legal movies to stream.
With a solid variety of syndicated content and its own productions, Crackle is a must-have for any movie buff. Their rotating selection varies, but you’ll find quality movies of all genres here.
Aside from movies, Crackle hosts television shows, including original programming. And by creating a free account, you can also enjoy Crackle on your TV.
CONtv, formerly known as Viewster, features comics and videos. You can use the menu at the top left to show only Videos if you are not interested in the first
Among the TV shows on offer, you’ll still find some free movies to enjoy here, including plenty of horror B-movies. Some of them require a subscription, but much of the content is available to view for free.
While Vudu is known for its digital video rentals and sales, it also has a sizable selection of free movies to stream. With a wide range of movies and TV shows, plus new additions arriving regularly, it’s a fantastic service.
Vudu’s free section works similar to Crackle by providing full movies with limited commercials. By hosting movies with ads, Vudu can legally offer free movies and TV shows.
You need to sign up for a free Vudu account to use this service, but it’s worth doing. Once you do, you can use your account to activate digital copies of movies and shows, as well as buy and rent movies from Vudu.
Peacock is NBC’s streaming service and relatively new to the free movie streaming space. While you can sign up for Peacock Premium to get access to top-tier shows and movies like The Office and Despicable Me, there’s plenty available in the free tier, too.
Create a free account and you can enjoy tons of content from the NBC catalog on all your devices. There are ads in the free version, as you would expect.
Like Crackle, Popcornflix features full movies with limited ads. Here you’ll find a variety of movies in a rotating selection, and no account is required to start watching. The service even offers original content, for starters.
Movies are segmented into genres that are more exclusive than the standard ones, such as disasters Y medieval action. With a robust lineup and easy navigation, Popcornflix is ​​a great choice for free, legal movie streaming.
Offering free movies and shows, Tubi is another fantastic service for legal movie streaming. Here, you’ll be able to watch newer movies from 2021 as well as your older favorites.
Fortunately, Tubi offers a Soon we will go category. This allows you to prioritize your streaming queue so you can watch movies and shows before they disappear. Be sure to check out the First time on Tubi collection, too.
Pluto TV has a lot to offer. you will find a On live Tv section where you can switch between channels, just like traditional cable. switch to Films in the left-hand section to jump to channels that only play movies, though they might be in the middle of something depending on when you start watching.
If you can’t find something you like on the live stations, switch to the On demand section at the top. Here you will find tons of free movies that you can start streaming right away.
As the name suggests, Classic Cinema Online focuses on old content. Even their website aesthetic captures a decidedly retro vibe, using a backdrop of red theater curtains. Here you can walk through the decades with movies from the 1930s to the 1960s. There are even some silent movies on sale, if you’re interested in them.
Some of the inclusions may make you question the definition of “classic cinema.” However, Classic Cinema Online is pure gold for old school movies and one of the best sites for public domain movies.
Hoopla has a barrier to entry, but it’s still an easy way to watch movies online legally and for free. To use Hoopla, you’ll need to create an account and link your compatible public library card.
Once you do, you can use Hoopla to borrow movies and TV shows, plus audiobooks and eBooks, from your library. The service is available on the web, as well as apps for all your devices and streaming TV boxes.
If you don’t have a library card or your library isn’t compatible with Hoopla, you won’t be able to use it. But if you can, it’s a service worth checking out.
Although Yidio is not a video host, it acts as a great aggregator for free movies and TV shows. The way Yidio works is to redirect you to third-party services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and others. As such, certain movies and shows here require a subscription.
Using the Free The filter on the left side will help you find free movies and TV shows. Unfortunately, not everything in the free categories is actually free. Clicking on some titles prompts you to sign up for a free trial.
Still, Yidio makes finding free movie streams much easier than checking individual sites manually. You can filter by rating, genre, and more to find something to watch.
Don’t be fooled by The Roku Channel name. While it’s available for Roku streaming devices via an app, you can also watch it on the web. With a few clicks, you can stream Roku Originals, popular TV shows, and new arrivals movies.
The selection rotates and there are categories on the front page to help you find something you enjoy. As expected, you’ll have to go through the ads, but ad-supported means free, right?
Libraries are often associated with books, but that’s not all they offer. Kanopy, like Hoopla mentioned above, lets you stream tons of “thoughtful entertainment” movies for free, making it another great way to get free content with a participating library card (or college login).
With any of them, you can watch hundreds of movies for free. These include a large number of documentaries and international films, making it ideal for those who want something a little different.
Amazon Freevee (formerly IMDb TV) lets you enjoy free movies on Amazon Video. The service launched in 2019, and while its name has changed, the experience remains the same. Allows anyone with a free account to watch a selection of free movies and TV shows. In addition to watching it online, you can enjoy this content on your Fire TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and other streaming devices.
In addition to movies, you will also find some TV series (including live channels) and originals to enjoy.
As the name suggests, Free Movies Cinema offers free and legal movie streaming. Unlike many sites, the selection promotes not only general categories like action and comedy, but also short films and feature films.
There’s also a collection of fan-made movies, like Portal and Watch Dogs, based on the video game of the same name.
If you’re looking for free documentaries, you’ll find plenty at Top Documentary Films. It includes a diverse selection, including amateur documentaries you may not have heard of before.
Browse the top 100 documentaries to find something that’s popular, or take a look at recently added movies or various genres to dig a little deeper.
Best free movie sites for everyone
With these free online movie streaming sites, you now know where to look for hundreds of free movies. Enjoy these legal movies anytime, anywhere so you’re never without something to watch.
In the meantime, you should also know how to legally download movies for offline use so that you can enjoy them on your next flight or long trip.