As the pandemic progresses into its 3rd year, many of us face prospects of another extended lockdown this winter. With more free time on our hands, this is an excellent opportunity to update that movie list we’ve set aside for so long.
This article looks at free online resources that allow you to watch full feature films while remaining legal. These include ad-supported streaming services as well as archival and educational resources.
We are aware of the many “piracy” websites which allow you to stream full movies for free; however, these are illegal, and we would not recommend using them. They can put your information and device at risk. Instead, try to entertain yourself using one of the many websites available to watch movies for free.
Best Websites to Watch Movies Free
| Website name | Type of movies | |
|---|---|---|
| Crackle | Blockbusters, Indie | Visit website |
| Popcornflix | Blockbusters, Indie, Originals | Visit website |
| IMDb TV | Blockbusters, Indie, Originals | Visit website |
| Internet Archive | Public domain films | Visit website |
| Kanopy | Independent movies, Academic institution releases | Visit website |
1. Crackle
Website: https://www.crackle.com/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Available also as an app, Crackle has hundreds of premium, full feature movies in its database. These include Hollywood blockbusters such as The Wailing, The Whistleblower, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Their movies list is updated regularly, and you are sure to find something interesting as you browse through. When we first discovered Crackle, we could not believe that such a vast quantity of content was free.
We tested Crackle across multiple devices, including TVs, and the movies were high-quality on whichever screen we tried them on. If you wonder how Crackle makes money, this is because it is ad-supported, and viewers will have to sit through ads before and during movies (well, at least that’s no different from watching a movie on TV!)
Unfortunately, Crackle is not available worldwide, and you can only use this service in 21 countries at the time of writing.
2. Popcornflix
Website: https://popcornflix.com/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Popcornflix is an extensive database of full feature movies and TV shows available to stream online for free. They also upload films on their YouTube channel. You can also download the Popcornflix app on most devices, including Android, iOS, Amazon FireTV, and Roku. On Popcornflix, you will find movies of most genres, including Action, Comedy, Family, Horror, Drama, Thriller, Romance, Westerns, Sci-Fi, Docs.
We found many indie movies and films that are pretty popular with actors you will recognize. These include popular titles such as The Big Short and Train to Busan.
Most of the movies our team tested were HD (not 4k, though, just HD). However, unfortunately, there is no option to change the actual video quality on the video player. The video player also has the advantage of choosing subtitles and different audio languages for some movies.
Unfortunately, Popcornflix has ads before and during watching each movie. The number of ads you have to sit through depends on the movie’s length, and the ads are unskippable. Additionally, the Popcornflix website is geared towards USA audiences and might be blocked for you depending on the country you live in.
3. IMDb TV
Website: https://www.amazon.com/imdbtv
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie, Originals
IMDb’s movies database also has a streaming service that many people never heard of. This ad-supported streaming service has hundreds of movies and shows available for free. Unfortunately, the movies available to you depend on your region, with most free movies being available only in the United States. However, IMDb TV has many blockbuster films, including The Grinch, Venom, and Spider-Man. It also includes lesser-known Indie movies. IMDb TV has a smaller selection in terms of shows, although there are some very famous series you can watch, such as Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty. IMDb TV also has a small selection of original movies that you can’t watch anywhere else.
Be careful when selecting a movie, as many of them might appear free but have the “rent movie” tag where you have to spend a few dollars to start streaming the movie/show.
The video quality of movies on IMDb is all HD, and some are available in 4K.
4. Internet Archive
Website: https://archive.org/
Type of movies: Public domain films
The Internet Archive is a US-based database of old media, including software, videos, and ebooks. This includes a vast collection of old “classical” movies in the public domain. These include movies in all languages (not only English). You can find a complete collection of Internet Archive movies & films on this link: https://archive.org/details/moviesandfilms
You can also find categories of different movies on Archive.org, such as Feature Films, Short Movies, Silent Films, Comedy Films, and more.
Archive.org also allows you to easily download each movie available, making it convenient if you want to watch movies on the go.
5. Public Domain Movies
Website: https://publicdomainmovie.net/
Type of movies: Public domain films
Like Archive.org, Public Domain Movies is a database of older movies whose licenses have expired and are now in the public domain. You can navigate the website by choosing a category of film you want to watch. Genres include Comedy, Drama & Romance, Science Fiction & Horror, and Cartoons. Unfortunately, the website is missing a search feature which is crucial if you want to search for the title of a movie. Public Domain Movies features hundreds of films that you can watch for free. However, it should be noted that Public Domain Movies uses Archive.org as its primary video player, meaning you can download any movie you find on the website simply by right-clicking it.
6. Tubi
Website: https://tubitv.com/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Tubi is a movies and TV series database with over 20,000 on-demand videos that you can watch. This includes blockbuster movies and shows, such as Catch Me If You Can, Donnie Darko, and Memento. Popular series include Hell’s Kitchen, One-Punch Man, and Naruto. Unlike some other websites listed on this list, Tubi does not offer any originals.
To use Tubi, you must create an account on the website. Once logged in, you are met with a slick homepage where you can categorize movies according to the genre, including collections such as “popular” and “award winners”.
The movies present on Tubi are available in the same quality as their original release. However, to watch Tubi videos, you must watch ads before and during each film. Tubi is available on most platforms and devices, including Apple TV, Chromecast, Android, and iOS.
Unfortunately, Tubi is no longer available in Europe following the release of GDPR privacy laws. It might also not be available in other regions, depending on where you live.
7. YouTube
Website: https://www.youtube.com/
Type of movies: Indie, Classical, Hindi
While you may be surprised to find this video-sharing giant on this list, YouTube remains a valuable resource for watching movies online. Whether indie movies or older “classical” movies, YouTube has a massive database of full-length films you can watch. We also found hundreds of full version Hindi movies available.
This is an effective pre-filtered search for movies on YouTube to make your life easier: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=movie&sp=CAMSBBgCIAE%253D. This search will only filter movies that are over 20 minutes and HD.
If you are looking for classical movies, we recommend Cult Cinema Classics, which has around 1000 of the best classical movies available for free viewing.
8. Pluto TV
Website: https://pluto.tv
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Pluto TV offers users over 250 TV channels and over 5000 movies and TV shows for free. While the live channels include much newer content, the on-demand films and TV shows are generally older. Many of them are quite popular, though, and you will find movies you love, such as Django Unchained, The Silence of the Lambs, Saving Private Ryan, the James Bond series, and Star Trek. Most movies are available in HD, but 4K options are minimal.
While the content on Pluto TV is well-organized into categories, the streaming service is missing a “search” option, making it difficult if you want to look for a particular movie or TV show to watch. Additionally, content on Pluto TV is ad-supported, although we were pleasantly surprised that the ads were not heavy.
The video player in Pluto TV is quite advanced, giving users the option to add closed captions (which can be customized to your liking) and essential functions such as rewinding and pausing the video. However, notably, there is no rewind option available for live TV channels.
Pluto TV is currently available in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe; however, the content types differ between countries. However, you can always consider using a VPN to access Pluto TV content from different countries.
9. Kanopy
Website: https://www.kanopy.com/
Type of movies: Independent movies, Academic institution releases
Kanopy is a family-friendly streaming website that provides over 30,000 independent movies and documentaries for free for its users. As per their motto of delivering “Thoughtful Entertainment”, Kanopy is partnered with academic institutions and independent movie providers around the world to offer informative and educational content. You can also find other genres on the Kanopy platform, such as comedy, drama, and TV series. Kanopy also includes exclusive titles which can only be found on the platform. Kanopy partners include big names in the industry such as HBO, Paramount, and PBS.
Kanopy has no ads on its service; however, you have to use an academic email address or library card to create an account. Unfortunately, you cannot download Kanopy films if you’re using a mobile device, meaning you must remain connected to the internet.
Kanopy has a wide array of parental controls (a feature that is missing on many websites on this list), ensuring that they can only access content suitable to their age group. In addition, the video player has many useful toggles and features, such as the ability to turn on subtitles (or CC), a picture-in-picture mode, as well as a change playback speed option. There is also a “viewing history” option to continue watching a previous movie from where you left off.
10. The Roku Channel
Website: https://www.roku.com/whats-on/the-roku-channel
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie, Originals
Roku TV is a popular streaming device used by millions, especially in North America. The Roku Channel is a project by the same company that offers paid and free movies and TV shows for users online. Currently, there are over 80,000 movies/series available. The Roku Channel is compatible with multiple devices (not only Roku devices), and you can access it for free.
The Roku Channel has a lot of original content from famous actors and shows. These include a remake of “Punk’d” (the popular MTV show) and unique content created by Kevin Hart. Apart from originals, you will also find blockbusters on the platform, with notable titles such as The Wolf of Wall Street and The Dark Knight. Popular TV shows on The Roku Channel include The A-Team and Bewitched. You can also access many live television channels such as ABC News and MTV.
Unfortunately, free content on The Roku Channel is region-locked to the USA, Canada, and the UK. Additionally, users must watch ads while watching any content.
11. Peacock
Website: https://www.peacocktv.com/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie, Originals
Peacock is a Comcast streaming service that caters to users living in the USA, UK, and Ireland. It lists thousands of movies and TV shows, including originals that can only be found on the website. It has both a free service that offers most features you’ll need and a tiered payment plan that caters to specific users.
Content on Peacock includes everything you would watch on your standard TV, including movies, shows, and live channels such as live sports. In particular, live sports are pretty popular on the channel, with most football, hockey, and WWE channels being available. In addition, popular shows such as “The Office” and “Modern Family” are also available on the platform.
Unfortunately, content on Peacock is ad-supported, and users will have to sit through annoying ads while watching. Additionally, Peacock is not available in most countries.
12. Vudu
Website: https://www.vudu.com/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Vudu is an on-demand free streaming service owned by Fandango. The platform currently has over 10,000 free movies and episodes, all ad-supported. While the service does not offer users any subscription service, users can rent certain premium movies and TV shows. In addition, Vudu has flexible parental control for your user profile, making it a safe website for children’s entertainment.
Unfortunately, you will not find a lot of newer titles for free on the platform. Popular older shows available for free on the platform include Mr. Bean and 3rd Rock From the Sun. Popular movies include Pitch Perfect and The Dark Knight Rises. If you are looking for newer content, you will have to pay to rent certain movies/shows.
The quality of most content on Vudu is HD; however, 4K is only available for paid content that users have to rent.
13. Plex
Website: https://www.plex.tv/
Type of movies: Blockbusters, Indie
Plex is a platform that allows you to stream over 50,000 movies and TV shows, many of them for free. It also offers its users a server that will enable them to collect media, including movies, shows, music, and photos. This server includes media management software that is easy to set up and use. This Plex Media Server (PMS) is highly effective in organizing media, which you can import from other services such as iTunes.
Regarding the free on-demand movies and TV shows, which we’re interested in, you should know Plex has imported Crackle’s whole collection. You can search movies in “Most Popular” and “Top Movies” categories. There are also numerous Live TV channels available and a group of podcasts.
Plex is free for primary users, which gives you the most features you need, such as 4K streaming, media organization, and device compatibility. More advanced options include support for Live TV, automatic lyrics, and offline mobile syncing.
Thanks I was looking for a list like this