14 Best Websites to Watch Free Movies Online

Online movie streaming is quite a popular service nowadays, but most of the well-known providers such as Netflix require you to purchase a subscription. On the other hand, many websites claim to stream movies free of charge but these are usually illegal and unsafe.

In this article, we will discuss 14 legal and safe websites on which you can watch a wide range of movies and TV shows online and completely free.

1. Crackle: Best Overall

With a decent collection of movies including blockbusters from prominent studios such as Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures, Crackle is our top suggestion for watching movies online for free. On top of that, the website’s library gets updated and refreshed every month.

In terms of streaming quality, Crackle is unrivaled. You can choose a title from Crackle’s library of more than 1000 movies and enjoy it in 1080p Full HD.

Crackle’s only downsides are ads and geo-restriction. In every break, you might get up to 6 consecutive ads, but that’s how the website ensures quality service for free. Also, Crackle is only available in the US, so you’ll need a VPN if you are from another country.

Upsides:

• Extensive collection
• 1080p quality
• Monthly catalog update
• No account required

Drawbacks:

• US IP required
• Up to six mid-roll ads in every break

2. Tubi: Best in Terms of Content Diversity

Tubi’s library packs thousands of movies and TV shows in a variety of categories and genres. The website also features two exclusive sections: one just for children and the other containing movies that are free to watch only on Tubi. No registration is required to use Tubi.

Although some of the titles available on Tubi have to be rented, most are free to watch and all content is streamed in HD. Tubi’s downside, however, is that it doesn’t put movies and TV shows in different categories.

Upsides:

• Both classic and modern movies
• No account required
• Convenient UI

Drawbacks:

• Full catalog only available in the US
• Maximum quality is 720p

3. Pluto TV: Best for Watching Live TV Programs

In addition to being able to choose from a vast library of free movies, Pluto TV features a live TV service as well, broadcasting movies, TV shows, and other types of programs such as sports as soon as they become available.

The greatest downside for Pluto TV, however, is its 480p quality cap. It is also available only in the US, so use a VPN if you are from another country.

Upsides:

• Extensive library
• No accounts required
• Streams live TV

Drawbacks:

• Quality cap of 480p
• Only available in the US

4. Vudu: Best in Terms of Library Size

Vudu offers the viewers the largest collection of movies by Warner Bros and NBCUniversal; a library of over 11000 free thriller, action, horror, and comedy films.

The largest free movie catalog, however, does not come without drawbacks. Vudu does not stream in Full HD and is not available out of the US. Also, you have to create a Vudu account to have access to the website’s library.

Upsides:

• Largest movie library
• Good genre coverage
• Supports subtitles

Drawbacks:

• Streaming quality of 720p
• VPN required for regions other than the US
• Account required

5. Popcornflix: Best for Watching Popcorn Movies

Grab your popcorn and enjoy a variety of kung-fu, western, horror, and disaster movies all streamed in Full HD 1080p on Popcornflix. The website features a convenient UI and doesn’t require you to create an account.

This platform is available only in Canada and the US, and access from other regions requires a VPN.

Upsides:

• Full HD streaming
• Sign up not required

Drawbacks:

• Available only in Canada and the US

6. Freevee: Best for Watching Popular Movies

Freevee is part of Amazon Prime Video streaming a variety of popular titles in 1080p. It also offers some of Amazon’s original content for free. Freevee is praised for its convenient UI (it features got the same interface as Prime Video) and its decent video player.

However, it is only available in the US, UK, and Germany, and requires an Amazon account.

Upsides:

• 1080p streaming quality
• Offers original content
• Convenient UI

Drawbacks:

• US, UK, or Germany IP required
• Amazon account required

7. Channel4: Best Library Turnover Policy

Channel4 is a professional British broadcaster streaming a selection of 80 free-to-watch films at any given time. The website’s catalog is not limited to 80 titles though, since it gets refreshed frequently and regularly, offering new selections each time.

Channel4 features a good streaming quality cap of Full HD 1080p and is only available in the UK, so you can access it via a VPN.

Upsides:

• Convenient UI
• Offers 80 high-quality movies in each turnover
• Frequent catalog turnover

Drawbacks:

• Only available in the UK
• Requires UK postal code
• Requires registration

8. Filmzie: Best for Watching Independent Movies

If you are an advocate of independent cinema, Filmzie is your hub. In addition to movies from prominent studios and popular TV shows, you can find and enjoy the work of lesser-known filmmakers on Filmzie. The website also features exclusive collections and categories such as IMDb top-rated and titles from Asian cinema.

Upsides:

• Full HD quality

Drawbacks:

• Limited collection
• Contains both free and paid movies
• Requires US IP

9. SBS On Demand: Best Curation Policy

SBS On Demand is part of the premium Australian broadcaster, SBS, and offers collections of top-quality and globally-acclaimed titles. These collections are refreshed frequently but always include top-notch choices from both classic and modern cinema.

SBS On Demand’s streaming quality cap is 720p and it is only available in Australia. You also need an SBS account to access it.

Upsides:

• Top-quality titles
• Decent UI
• Frequent catalog turnover

Drawbacks:

• Streaming quality cap of 720p
• SDS account needed
• Available only in Australia

10. Plex: Best All-In-One Package

Featuring a grand library of over 20,000 titles, Plex offers a wide range of online free content in the form of Movies, TV Shows, podcasts, and Live TV. In addition to its own exclusive categories such as Crime Times, Plex allows you to search for titles by actors or channels.

Most of the movies on Plex have subtitles and you don’t have to create an account to access the website’s library.

Upsides:

• Supports subtitles
• No account needed
• Convenient search tools

Drawbacks:

• Limited genre coverage
• Doesn’t separate TV shows from movies

11. Kanopy: Best for Students

Kanopy streams movies and documentaries in Full HD 1080p completely ad-free and without any geo-restrictions, but requires a library card or a student email since it is designed for students.

This platform requires you to create an account and the content it offers varies depending on your institution. It also features an app.

Upsides:

• No ads
• Available everywhere
• No account needed
• Offers documentaries
• 1080p streaming quality

Drawbacks:

• Limited catalog
• Requires library card or student email

12. Crunchyroll: Best for Anime Lovers

Good news for all the anime geeks out there; at Crunchyroll, you’ll get to choose from one of the most inclusive anime libraries and watch top-quality content in 1080p for free. Crunchyroll’s library differs from region to region, but the US, UK, and Canada feature the best libraries. The website’s only downside is its large number of ads.

Upsides:

• Full HD quality
• Expansive regional availability
• Inclusive library for anime

Drawbacks:

• Covers anime only
• Excessive ads

13. YouTube: Best for Viewer Ratings

YouTube is a delight when it comes to watching online videos in a variety of contexts and movies are not an exemption either. It features a Movies and TV section in which you get to choose from a variety of titles.

The good thing is, every content on YouTube is rated by viewers so you can get a glimpse of what to expect from a movie based on the user reviews. On the other hand, a great downside is that many YouTube movies are not available in high quality.

Upsides:

• Shows real viewer feedback
• Supports subtitles

Drawbacks:

• Low video quality
• Removes content without prior notice

14. Yidio: Best Searching Tool

Yidio is a good last resort; if you haven’t been able to find your desired movie on any of the websites mentioned above, this platform can help you search the web and find out where you can watch it for free.

You can choose from a variety of filters to customize your search; from genre and release date to IMDb rating. Unfortunately, though, it is not free of bugs. Sometimes Yidio might show you the wrong posters for a movie or wrongly label a title as free. Also, search results are usually DVD quality.

Upsides:

• Great search tool
• Various filtering options

Drawbacks:

• Doesn’t stream content itself
• DVD quality
• Minor bugs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is It Safe to Watch Movies Online for Free?

It depends on the website you choose to visit. Illegal streaming websites are usually not safe and by visiting them, you’ll be prone to hacks and malware. However, legal websites owned by legitimate companies are safe to visit. All the websites we discussed in the article are legitimate and malware-free.

2. Can I Download Movies to Watch Offline?

Yes, you can. There are several legal websites and apps allowing you to download movies for free and watch them offline, but their collection is usually limited and they won’t offer new movies. These include but are not limited to PublicDomainMovies.net, The Public Domain Review, Internet Archive, and some titles on Amazon Prime Video and Vudu.

3. Can I Watch Newly Released Movies Online?

Newly released movies are a bit tricky to come by for free. However, Tubi, Crackle, Vudu, and Popcornflix offer a more up-to-date catalog among the free movie streaming websites. This being said, the best way to watch newly released movies online is via purchasing subscriptions for prominent streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, AppleTV, and more.