The Education Network Best Ten List Articles
Because there are some great websites to watch movies online free and legally, more and more people are ditching cable in favour of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus. These subscription services are usually easier to set up and more flexible than standard cable, but the more you use, the more expensive it can get.
Lucky for you, you don’t have to pay for every streaming service to get your movie fix. That’s because there are many free movie streaming sites completely legal.
Free Movie Streaming Websites To Watch Movies
There are plenty of websites where you can legally stream movies and TV shows for free.
Streaming has made movie-watching much more fun, even more, when it’s free. Fortunately, there are tons of free online movie streaming sites, and all you have to do is sign up for a free account or watch a few ads along the way.
Remember that some sites are unavailable in some countries or have limited content. Of course, you can use VPN software to switch the IP location and enjoy more content. But as we list so many free websites to watch movies online, I’m sure you will find one that works best for you.
The wait is over. Here is our list of the best 22 websites to watch movies online. Try them, and you can thank me later when you save money by canceling your Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney Plus subscriptions.
1. POPCORNFLIX
Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Thriller, Romance, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Family, Foreign Films, Documentaries
Best for Independent films
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Popcornflix PROs
- No account needed to start streaming.
- All movies play on a large video player.
- Let’s make GIFs from scenes.
- You can make comments that are pinned to specific parts of the movie.
- It includes a movie streaming site just for kids.
Popcornflix CONs
- Some movies are not available in all countries.
- I can’t view subtitles.
- You won’t find many well-known titles if you’re looking for popular movies/TV shows.
- The video quality could be better.
- Content is not downloadable.
Popcornflix tops our priority in this list of the best sites for watching online movies for free. This website and over-the-top service offer free ad-supported streaming videos of feature-length films and webisodes. Screen Media Ventures own it.
This excellent website has over 1,500 movies, including comedy, drama, horror, action, romance, family, documentary, and foreign films. They also feature web and film school originals.
This website’s unique feature is that you don’t need to take any burden for creating an account. Just click the PLAY button and enjoy watching the best movies on Popcornflix.
Watch Movies at Popcornflix2. Crackle
Major Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Classics, Thriller, Reality, Original, Documentary
Best For Classic shows, comedy movies, star-studded favourites
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website) and TV (TV app/casting).
Crackle PROs
- Extensive selection of films.
- Good video quality.
- Great mobile app.
- You don’t have to create an account to stream.
Crackle CONs
- It displays more ads than most video streaming sites.
- You can’t use adblocker software.
- Some movies and shows are only available for a limited time.
Crackle tops our 2nd priority in this list of the best sites for watching online movies for free. This service is a joint venture between Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television, an over-the-top video streaming platform. Its library consists of original content and programming acquired from other companies.
Like most other services on this list, it’s ad-supported. Still, Crackle’s library is more robust than others, and it is available in your web browser and through various smart TV and mobile apps whether you like watching your movies on your TV, computer, or Smartphone.
Watch Movies at Crackle3. Freevee
Major Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Reality
Best For Classic shows, comedy movies, star-studded favourites
Platforms: Amazon Fire TV, Tablet, Phone, Playstation, Xbox, SmartTV
Freevee PROs
- Award-winning movies on the menu.
- More original content is in production
- It’s available on a lot of devices
Freevee CONs
- Not many new release movies or shows;
- It’s ad-supported but ads are not so intrusive;
- The original content menu is still relatively small.
Amazon Freevee is a free streaming service that offers on-demand movies and TV shows, live streaming channels and a small collection of original content. This service is ad-supported. Yes, there are commercials.
It was originally created in 2019 as a service dubbed IMDb TV before undergoing a brand refresh in 2022.
Freevee is not to be confused with Amazon’s Prime Video service. Prime Video is a video-on-demand service that comes with an Amazon Prime subscription. Prime subscriptions cost $129 per year, but you can subscribe to Prime Video as a standalone product for $8.99 per month.
You’ll find that the content on Freevee is not as “premium” as what you’d find on Prime Video or its competitors like Netflix or Disney+, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a useful service.
During the movie, I found that I was subjected to a mere 100 seconds of commercial breaks for a film that lasted one hour and 35 minutes.
Watch Movies on Freevee4. Top Documentary Films
Major Genres: Crime, Economics, Health, History, Politics, Science, Nature, War, Sports, Technology
Best For Documentaries
Platforms: Computer (website).
Top Documentary Films PROs
- There are over 3000 documentaries in 25 categories.
- You can easily filter them by popularity or category.
- There are no ads.
- You can play them on your mobile phone without issues.
Top Documentary Films CONs
- There are only documentaries, no other genre.
- The interface is quite outdated.
- Some documentaries are hosted on unreliable services.
Whether you are looking for a film on human health, financial crisis, outer space, or even cybersecurity, there’s something on Top Documentary Films for you. It features some of the best documentary movies you can find online, covering a vast selection of topics, and it’s all completely free.
Some movies are only a couple of minutes long, while others are as long as any standard movie. So whether you have only 15 minutes or a few hours, you’ll be able to find something on Top Documentary Films.
Netflix released more than 20 documentaries that can be watched for free on their Youtube channel during the pandemic.
Watch Documentaries at Top Documentary Films5. Yidio
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Action, Adventure, Kids & Family, Horror, Crime, Mystery, Animation
Best For: Variety
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Yidio PROs
- It makes it easy to find free movies on various sites.
- You don’t need an account to watch free movies.
- You can sort the movies by popularity and recently added
- Can also be used to see where you can rent or buy a movie
Yidio CONs
- Some movies are free, but you must take a free trial from a service.
- No movies are available directly on Yidio, so you’ll always have to visit a second website.
- Some of the movies include ads.
Unlike the other websites on this list, Yidio is a video aggregator that compiles links to videos and TV shows on other streaming services. One such category is designed specifically for free online movies.
What sets Yidio apart from the rest is that it’s like a search engine for free movies. Your search for a movie title, and it finds all the places where you can watch it. Most of the sources are free or streaming services that offer free trials.
Watch free movies at Yidio6. Youtube Free Movies
Genres: Animated/Kids, Documentaries, Comedies, Action & Adventure, Romance, Classics, Horror, Drama
Best for Family and kids movies.
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Youtube Free Movies PROs
- There is a great variety of movies you can watch for free.
- Some free movies are hosted on official YouTube channels.
- There are many kids and family-friendly movies.
- Viewers can leave comments below movies.
Youtube Free Movies CONs
- Most free movies are not in HD.
- You can’t sort free movies by category.
- It’s common for movies to be taken down without notice.
You can easily access thousands of popular movies on the Movies & Shows section of YouTube literally. You can also browse through different genres and, of course, free movies that you can watch now at no cost.
Recently, as a tribute to Sean Connery’s death, Youtube released the James Bond franchise’s first 20 films for free.
Watch Movies on Youtube7. Pluto TV
Genres: Classics, Comedy, Comfort Movies, Sitcoms, TV Dramas, Action, Drama, Family, Indies
Best For: Classics and Live TV
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Pluto TV PROs
- Has the same feel as a TV’s channel guide.
- You don’t need an account to stream.
- It includes thousands of on-demand movies.
- It streams TV shows, news, music, and more.
Pluto TV CONs
- Has only a dozen or so channels for just movies.
- You can’t watch live-streamed movies again on demand.
- Content is not downloadable.
You can watch live TV and movies from your web browser through Pluto. Tv/live-tv page or the mobile or desktop app by downloading the appropriate software. Among several other devices, Pluto TV is available as an app for iOS and Android app.
Find comedy, drama, action, horror, and other movie types here, both on-demand and live. If you’re streaming live TV, the movie channels include 57, 60, 70, 100, and more; others have more like live sports, music, and news.
Watch free movies at Pluto.tv8. The ROKU Channel
Genres: Family, Adventure, Drama, Reality, Anime, Sports, News
Best For: Reality and live TV
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
The ROKU Channel PROs
- Provides many high-quality movies.
- Relatively few ads compared to other free movie sites.
- Works on computers, mobile devices, and TVs.
- You don’t have to create an account to stream movies.
The ROKU Channel CONs
- It shows ads.
- Doesn’t work in some countries (EU).
- You can not disable the adblocker.
- Premium subscriptions require paid memberships.
Roku channel is also a service provider for watching free online streaming movies. You can install the Roku Channel on your Smartphone and enjoy watching movies for free at your utmost comfort and ease. Roku Channel allows cinephiles like you to get many options for viewing unique cinemas like the best British TV, Netflix top-rated episodes, and Oscar-nominated films.
Yes, we need to mention commercial interruptions between the movies, but it is available for 10 seconds with a countdown.
Watch free movies at The Roku Channel9. Vudu
Genres: Comedy, Action, Adventure, Horror, Family & Kids, Classic Films, Crime, Drama, Documentaries
Best For: Hidden gems
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Vudu PROs
- There are many high-quality movies.
- “My Vudu” tab lets you track what you’ve watched/want to watch.
- Films can be filtered and sorted in many ways.
- You can also buy and rent movies.
Vudu CONs
- You’ll need an account to begin streaming.
- Includes ads.
- Doesn’t work in all countries.
- Not everything is free to watch.
Formerly owned by Walmart, Vudu is primarily a platform for buying movies and TV episodes and has many free feature-length movies and TV show episodes for you to watch. Vudu is good at reporting how long movies will remain free (the catalogue changes monthly). It has a ton of modern movies and some beloved older dramas and comedies.
You can get Vudu on your computer, game consoles, streaming devices, smart TV, Blu-ray players, phones, and tablets. You must sign up for a free Vudu account to use the apps and site.
Watch free movies at Vudu10. Tubi
Genres: Action, Classics, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Family Movies, Foreign Films/TV, Indie Films, Kids’ Shows
Best For: Reality TV and kids shows
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Tubi PROs
- There are many high-quality movies.
- You don’t need an account to stream content.
- Adjustable video quality up to HD.
- Infrequent ads.
Tubi CONs
- Includes ads that appear randomly.
- Content is not downloadable.
- There isn’t an extensive selection of well-known movie titles.
Fox Corporation launched Tubi on April 1, 2014. Tubi offers free movies and TV shows that you can stream right now. Some can only be rented and not viewed for free, but many are free to stream.
There are dozens of genres you can pick from at Tubi, including regular ones for romance, drama, documentary, kids, comedy, and horror films, as well as unique genres like Holiday Movies, Home & Garden, Preschool, and Sword & Sorcery.
Watch free movies at Tubi11. Peacock
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Documentaries, Classics, Comedy, Drama, Thrillers, TV shows.
Best for unique movies you can’t find elsewhere.
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting).
Peacock PROs
- They stream unique films you can’t find elsewhere.
- It’s easy to see which content is free and which is not.
- Categorizes movies into fun sections.
- Movies include captions.
Peacock CONs
- Some titles aren’t free.
- Few traditional genres to choose from.
- You need to create an account to watch movies.
Peacock was created by NBCUniversal, an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned by Comcast. This service has thousands of hours of movies and TV shows, some originals you won’t find on any of these other sites. Films are from studios like Universal, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features.
If you want more features like access to additional titles and ad-free videos, you can get a premium membership.
Watch free movies at Peacock TV12. Hoopla
Major Genres: Children’s, Comedy, Documentary, Action & Adventure, Family, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thrillers
Best For: No advertisements, offline viewing
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Hoopla PROs
- It has over 15000 movie titles.
- Great device compatibility.
- No costs involved.
Hoopla CONs
- You can check out only five titles each month.
- You need a library card from one of those 1500 partnering libraries.
- It’s available only to the US and Canada.
Hoopla features free movies and TV shows online and through its mobile app. It also has tons of eBooks, comics, music, and audiobooks to become your one-stop-shop for entertainment.
Just keep in mind that Hoopla works like a standard library, so you will only be able to borrow a certain number of movies, TV shows, or books, and you have a set time to finish them before you check them out again.
Watch Movies at Hoopla13. Kanopy
Genres: Classic Cinema, Comedies, Drama, Documentaries, Independent Films, World Cinema
Best for: Documentaries and educational content
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
Kanopy PROs
- Includes thousands of free videos, especially documentaries
- They add new movies often
- No advertisements
Kanopy CONs
- Must have a supported library card to watch the free movies.
- It’s available only to the US and Canada.
- You are limited to five movies monthly.
Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video platform for public libraries and universities that offers films and documentaries.
Like Hoopla, all you need to get up and go with Kanopy is a library card. Use the Kanopy signup page to search for your library, whether it’s a public library or one attached to a school. Once approved, you can start watching their movies on their website.
We can’t guarantee every library supports it, but Kanopy is a treasure trove of free movies online if yours does.
You can access Kanopy online or through the service’s mobile app, and there are more movies than you could ever hope to watch.
Watch Movies on Kanopy14. IMDb Tv
Major Genres: Chills & Thrills, Action & Adventure, Comedies, Drama, Romance, Documentaries, Sci-Fi, Family
Best for Hit TV shows and top Hollywood hits
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website), TV (app/casting)
IMDb TV PROs
- Popular titles and hidden gems.
- No advertisements.
- Adjustable video quality (up to HD).
- See interesting facts throughout films with the “X-Ray” feature.
IMDb TV CONs
- You’ll need to create a free account to watch.
- It’s available only in the US.
- A limited selection of movies.
- Content is not downloadable.
Owned by Amazon, IMDb TV is another free, ad-supported streaming video resource. You can catch up on all sorts of movie and celebrity-related content using IMDB. It offers local movie showtimes and ticketing, trailers, movie critic and user reviews, personalized recommendations, and even a robust library of free movies online.
Watch Movies on IMDb TV15. Crunchyroll
Major Genres: Anime (action, adventure, comedy, drama, thriller, and more) and Drama (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more)
Best for: Anime
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website) and TV (TV app/casting)
Crunchyroll PROs
- You don’t have to create an account to watch movies.
- Infrequent, short advertisements throughout videos.
- Shows, manga, and games are available in addition to movies.
Crunchyroll CONs
- New releases are available only to premium members.
- You can’t download content unless you have a premium subscription.
Crunchyroll is a WarnerMedia company that streams anime in more than 200 countries and territories. If you’re a fan of anime, this is the free streaming resource for you. You’ll find both popular titles and Crunchyroll originals available for free.
Most of the content has Japanese voice acting with English subtitles, but a few shows are dubbed in English.
While you don’t need to create an account to stream content via Crunchyroll, you will see advertisements prompting you to pay for a premium membership.
Watch Movies on Crunchyroll16. VRV
Major Genres: Anime, Cartoons, Gaming, Tech
Best for: Anime
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website) and TV (TV app/casting)
VRV.co PROs
- Infrequent, short advertisements throughout videos.
- Wide variety of shows and movies to watch.
- Content spans different animation genres and channels.
VRV.co CONs
- Not all content is free.
- Channels can disappear without warning.
- You will need to create an account to watch.
If you like anime, besides Crunchyroll, we have another goodie for you: VRV. This service offers content selection but is also home to services like Crunchyroll, Hidive, and even NickSplat.
If you want access to the entire VRV library, you will need to fork out $9.99 a month, or you can purchase access to individual channels. The free version is excellent if you mainly want to watch anime from Crunchyroll while also trying out content on other channels occasionally.
Watch Anime on VRV.co17. Internet Archive
Major Genres: Old, Independent movies
Best for Old movies
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website) and TV (TV app/casting)
Internet Archive PROs
- Has a much wider variety of films than similar sites.
- There are many old movies you wouldn’t find elsewhere.
- Most videos can be downloaded, too.
- Movies can be sorted by views, title, date archived, and creator.
Internet Archive CONs
- Movies can be hard to find among this website’s other content.
- Films with nudity are not separated from the others.
- Doesn’t include modern blockbusters.
Internet Archive Movie Archive is another place you can find free movies online that fall under the public domain, so they are free to watch and download.
All Internet Archive content is uploaded by users or falls within the public domain. That means most feature films were made over 70 years ago, but if you are in the mood for a classic detective, sci-fi, horror, or even silent films, the Internet Archive has got you covered.
Watch Movies on Internet Archive18. Movies Found Online
Major Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi, Western, War
Best for Unique movies.
Platforms: Computer (website)
Movies Found Online doesn’t host its content; instead, the website embeds free movies and videos from other sites into one location. Nearly everything on this website is independently made, and the selection features movies, documentaries, and even short films. The website has a somewhat limited library compared to other sites on this list, but if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, you might find something on Movies Found Online.
Watch Movies on Movies Found Online19. Plex
Major Genres: Comedy, Action, Adventure, animation, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Horror, Musical, Romance, Sci-Fi, Western
Best for Old movies
Platforms: App (phone/tablet), Computer (website) and TV (TV app/casting)
Plex PROs
- Has a much wider variety of films.
- You don’t need an account to watch movies.
- Most videos can be downloaded, too.
Plex CONs
- There are more advertisements than on similar websites.
- There isn’t an extensive selection of well-known movie titles.
Plex is a global streaming service of free ad-supported video on demand, with TV shows and movies from distributors such as Crackle, Warner Bros., MGM, Endemol Shine Group, Lionsgate, and Legendary.
Recently, Plex released its online ad-support media library, so users can watch many free movies online without having their collections.
Watch Movies on PlexOther mentions: [20] WesternMania (for Western movies), [21] ClassicCinemaOnline.com (for classics), [22] Retrovision.tv
Watch Movies Online FAQs
Can I watch movies online for free?
Absolutely. We’ve shared the best 18+ websites where you can watch movies online for free. All these websites stream movies with a proper license. Most of these sites are owned by big media companies that make available movies they created or acquired.
Is there a risk of virus infection when streaming films online?
I would say as big media companies maintain these websites, but never say never. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so ensure your online security suite is on and updated.
How can I make the most of these websites?
As you can see from the reviews, several of these websites have larger movie offers for the US audience. If you’re not living in the States well, you can get a VPN software that will change your IP to match a US one to get more free content.
Watch Movies Online Free Takeaways
There you have it. We have gathered the names of the best free movie streaming websites.
21 websites where you can watch movies for free. Once again, all these are legit websites launched by companies with movie distribution rights. So you don’t have to worry about installing privacy software like VPNs, intrusive ads, or viruses that may mess with your computer or phone.
But it would be best to remember that all these websites for watching movies online are free. So you can’t expect the latest blockbusters. You can have those if you sign up for Amazon Prime, Netflix, or YouTube trials and cancel them before 1st payment.
However, these websites have many great movies, so you want to save money and enjoy watching great movies online.
