There's nothing worse than having to constantly buy individual movies and TV shows on YouTube or Amazon, it's costly and an inconvenient way to consume your favourite screen content.
The alternative is paying top dollar for some premium streaming service which offers a wide range of film and TV but at a big cost to your monthly bills. So, is there a way you can browse a range of small screen and big screen content for free? Well, keep reading to find out...
So, assuming you've ruled out paying a substantial amount for the best streaming services and you don't want to spend your free time browsing streaming deals and offers, you can start checking out the free movie and TV streaming services.
If you're a self described independent film fan, you're in luck! A vast amount of these free movie and TV streaming services exclusively include older, classic and indie content which streaming giants such as Netflix and even cinemas don't typically show. Put simply: you have free access to content outside of mainstream rotation.
We've put together this handy guide to unlock decades-old classics or something you may have never heard of before which you can do safe in the knowledge your hard earned money is staying in your bank. There's no catch - no subscription fees, no licence fees and no hidden costs - all you need to pay for is whatever screen you'll use, your internet plan and the range of snacks you indulge in while watching your content of choice.
It's worth noting we haven't included UK broadcaster sites - which all technically require a licence fee to watch legally and aren't technically free - and have included strictly legal sites. You 'pay your way' by watching ads before and during the video, as these are 'FAST' or 'Free Ad-Supported Television' plans. We're also focusing exclusively on movies, TV and documentaries so no reference to TikTok, YouTube or Instagram. With this in mind, here's our selection for free fun...
Best free streaming services
1. Freevee
Countries: US & UK | Content: some live channels and many movies and box sets| Best for: binge-able TV and originals
Prime Video's free sibling is Freevee, formerly IMDb TV, is the best free streaming service right now — its library is so large that you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's not actually free! Here at What to Watch we love the platform for its movies since there are barely any ads interrupting the story (compared to some rivals).
Freevee has loads of movies, including older classics, modern dramas and loads of gory horror and sci-fi. It's also great for factual entertainment and documentaries.
However, Freevee's strongest suit is in its TV, as it's chock-full of box sets for some of the biggest and most beloved TV shows of all time. The exact library depends on your region but expect binge-worthy comedies, nail-biting dramas and plenty of reality TV.
Unlike many alternatives on this list, Freevee also puts out original content, thanks to its Amazon money. The new Neighbours reboot, Bosch: Legacy, Jury Duty and Judy Justice are some noteworthy picks to catch.
2. Tubi
- Countries: US & UK | Content: live & on-demand movies and TV shows| Best for: horror movies
Tubi is the biggest free streaming service in the US, and it's slowly starting to launch in other countries too, with a UK launch in mid-2024 bringing the streamer to new audiences.
We love Tubi because it's a great place to find modern movies to watch, with the streamer beloved particularly by horror fans for its huge selection (which includes a huge number of original movies).
This isn't just a streaming service for movies though, with a decent selection of TV series available. There are lots of documentaries offered too, with many true crime, celebrity and investigative pieces.
3. Pluto TV
- Countries: US & UK | Content: live & on-demand movies, TV shows and reality | Best for: recent and classic TV
Pluto TV, owned by Paramount, is a fantastic free streaming service with a large library and many live TV channels.
That's because, unlike many of the entries lower on this list, its library includes a huge number of modern TV shows and movies, so you can use it to stream videos made since the turn of the century. There are older movies and shows too of course.
Pluto has plenty of live TV channels across a wide variety of genres and also many dedicated to airing specific shows, with non-stop episodes of Judge Judy, various CSI versions, Unsolved Mysteries, Baywatch, Mission Impossible Justified and more.
There's no denying that Pluto is better for TV than for movies, as while there are a few movies on the platform, there are better options in this regard.
4. Plex
- Countries: US & UK | Content: live & on-demand movies and TV shows, plus streaming service directory| Best for: movies
If movies are your thing, Plex is a fantastic streamer to check out — as long as you make sure to familiarize yourself with how it works.
You see, Plex is both a library and a directory. If you search for a movie in its library, you'll be able to find it, and if it's not on Plex, the service will let you know how you can watch it. This is useful, but it's easy to mistakenly think something's on Plex when it isn't.
One you've found your way to the free movies & TV part of the website, you'll likely be pleasantly surprised by the number of videos on the site, particularly movies. Plex has lots of options including modern and mid-00s hits, but lots of older classics too, from directors like Sergio Leone, Akira Kurosawa, John Carpenter Oliver Stone and Darren Aronofsky.
There are a fair few TV shows, though not quite as many as on other services, and Plex is definitely better for movies. You can also find some live TV channels, mainly ones dedicated to specific shows like 21 Jump Street, Mythbusters, Deal or No Deal or The Ed Sullivan Show.
5. The Roku Channel
- Countries: US & UK | Content: movies, TV shows & originals | Best for: original programming
The Roku Channel is a bit different from the other free streaming services on this list, in a way that might call the 'free' part into question a little bit.
That's the fact that you need to own a Roku-enabled streaming device or TV in order to watch The Roku Channel, and not every TV will work with it (in the UK, Sky Q and Now TV also offer it). But if you do have access to TRC, it's one of the best free streaming services out there.
The Roku Channel has a big list of movies, TV shows and documentaries, including older ones and more modern additions. But the real draw is the Roku Originals, which include musical biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Die Hart 2 and Toast of Tinseltown. Roku is quickly gaining a name for itself with its originals, that can only be watched on The Roku Channel.
6. Classix
- Countries: US & UK | Content: classic movies | Best for: classic movies
Classix does what it says on the tin: it's for classics.
In the Classix library you'll find plenty of classic movies, and we're talking about 'classics' from yesteryear, so expect plenty of black-and-white and much older pictures. It's great for people looking to catch up on their movie history.
There are a few stipulations though. Firstly, Classix isn't available on most devices, as it's only on Apple TV, iPhones or iPads, severely reducing the number of people who can access it.
Secondly, while Classix is completely free, there is a paid tier. This costs $7.99 or equivalent, and it's a one-off payment instead of a subscription. After this you get access to a much wider library of movies, and also some TV shows and live TV channels. Plus, you have to pay if you want to download to watch on the go.
So Classix isn't for everyone, hence its placement this low on our list, but if you tick all the boxes then Classix could be great.
7. Rakuten TV
- Countries: UK | Content: loads of movies, as well as live TV and some TV shows | Best for: recent movies
Rakuten TV is one of the various entertainment offerings from Japanese tech giant Rakuten, and it's a decent alternative to Tubi in the UK.
The streaming service has plenty of movies, with lots of period, war and action films that you can watch for free, including a surprising number of Sly Stallone ones. It also offers select TV box sets, with a good few reality ones in particular.
There are a few live TV channels on Rakuten, mainly themed ones like 'Movies', 'Mystery TV' or 'Tennis Channel'. That's not as many as some of the rival services, but nothing to turn your nose up at.
You can actually use Rakuten TV to rent or buy movies as well, including ones straight out of the cinema, but if you make sure to find the 'Free' category you'll find a huge number of blockbuster movies that don't cost anything.
Alternative free streaming services
We've listed some of the biggest and best free streaming services above, but there are a few other honorable mentions that we should make. Here are some others you might want to check out if the above aren't right for you, or if you have a particular interest:
- Crunchyroll: a dedicated home for countless hours of anime, Crunchyroll is beloved by fans of this animation genre. Its free selection is a little limited though.
- YouTube: in the US, YouTube Movies & TV is an official account that lets you watch movies. Most are paid but there are a select few ad-supported ones that you can hunt around for.
- Runtime TV: Another free ad-supported service, Runtime is full of what we'll affectionally dub 'b-movies'. Expect lots of low-budget horror, action and comedy from around the world, with few big titles but potential undiscovered gems.
- Crackle: This long-standing streamer has a changeable but reliable selection of movies and TV shows, as well as a few exclusives.
- Popcornflix: This pick has a few big movies on it and lots of smaller ones too, so it's a fine back-up plan if you can't find something to watch.
- 9Now: A massive Aussie broadcaster which has plenty of new shows and movies, but if you're not a resident you'll need to use a VPN to stream.
- TVNZ+: As above but for New Zealand, with plenty of shows you'll need to pay to watch elsewhere. Again, you'll need to use a VPN to stream.
