Streaming services used to be inexpensive and packed with high-quality content. Now, everything is a streaming service or app. Plus, these services are all so much more expensive than they used to be, and the content is subpar. If you’re signed up for all the major streamers, you’re probably paying the same or more than you did with cable, which is absolutely insane.
No longer, my friends! Here are the best free streaming services and apps you can look into if you want to ditch paid streaming. This is especially important right now, considering all the price hikes we’ve seen lately. All the top streamers have gotten more expensive over the past year, including Netflix, Hulu, and so many more. Plus, Netflix just raised prices yet again. Personally, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I canceled my Netflix account (sorry, mom, no more free ride!), and now I only use free streaming services.
Also, if you’re looking for iPhone-specific services, here’s a great guide on the best free apps for streaming movies on iPhone.
Our picks for the best free streaming apps
The only streaming services worth paying for
If you still want to check out some paid streaming options even after trying all of those great free streaming apps, these are the only ones worth considering:
I’ll discuss these services a bit more at the end of this article. Before we get to all that, let’s dive deeper into my favorite free streaming apps and services.
Tubi TV
If there’s one service among the free Netflix alternatives that could be a one-stop-shop for some people, it’s Tubi TV. In fact, there’s so much content to stream that you won’t believe you’re not paying for it. Well, you’ll believe it once the ads start playing, but you get what I’m saying.
Studios, including Paramount, Lionsgate, MGM, and Starz, provide content to Tubi TV, and new movies are added all the time. I just rewatched V For Vendetta last week, which is a longtime favorite, Ford v Ferrari is next on my list since I haven’t seen it yet. Maybe I’ll also rewatch Tenet and see if it makes sense after the third try.
Also, there are a bunch of Tubi Originals like The Downfall of Diddy, Snatched, What Happens in Miami, and plenty of others that people can’t stop talking about.
Prime Video (formerly Amazon Freevee)
Well… it finally happened. Just like many people were expecting, Amazon is shuttering Freevee. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the service’s most popular original content will still be free to stream on Prime Video, which is obviously Amazon’s main streaming service.
Amazon Freevee was a free streaming service that people had really been loving. It was formerly known as IMDb TV, and we told you all about it when it first launched. The service offered tons of free ad-supported movies and shows that were licensed from various studios. Plus, there was a bunch of great Freevee original content. Now, all of that is being pushed over to Prime Video, and Freevee will gradually disappear.
Prime Video is a paid service, of course, and you’ll still need to pay to watch most of the content that Amazon offers. But many Freevee shows like Judy Justice and the breakout hit Jury Duty are still free to stream with ads, just like they were before. All you need is the Prime Video app, which is available on every major streaming media platform, including Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, webOS, and more.
The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel doesn’t license any content directly, which is what all these other services do. Instead, it aggregates free streaming movies, shows, and even live TV channels from other services so you can find all that great content in one place.
Of note, Roku TV isn’t only available on Roku devices. You can watch it on just about any smart TV, streaming box, or mobile device. Roku is the most popular streaming device, so there is a good chance that many people reading this already have one.
The Roku Channel also now has originals and all kinds of movies on there.
Plex
A lot of people think of Plex as a media server that people use to watch movies and TV shows that they have downloaded illegally. While that’s certainly one way the platform is used, there’s plenty more than that to Plex.
Use it as a server to stream your own digital movies, TV shows, and music that you’ve downloaded — legally or otherwise. I have been using Plex since it launched in 2008, and that’s because I personally like to make legal backups of my media. What that means, is that when you buy physical media like a Blu-ray, you can copy that file to a digital version on your computer for personal usage. Plex is perfect for this.
Of course, on top of all that, Plex is also home to a fairly sizeable catalog of content that you can stream for free. Plus, there are tons of free FAST channels now with all sorts of different content. I watch T2 all the time on Plex to catch tennis matches for free.
Plex apps are available on everything from Fire TV Sticks and Roku Players to Apple TV, Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, and more. If it has a screen, you can probably use it to watch Plex.
Crackle
Crackle has been around for a long time, yet it’s still one of the best places to stream content for free. Used by over 40 million people monthly, the streaming service is available on smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and computers.
As is always the case with free streaming services, you’re not going to find any brand-new releases. But there are plenty of movies and TV shows to choose from. The selection includes many things you’ve never heard of, but you’ll also find popular favorites, like the BBC’s Sherlock. There are also Crackle originals like Snatch that are a must-watch. And holiday specials like Meeting Mr. Christmas will get you set for the season!
You can watch every single episode of Barney Miller for free! Also, you can watch movies like Hunt for the Wilderpeople or Bel Canto right now. How great is that?!
Kanopy
Kanopy is probably the greatest streaming service you’ve never used. And the best part is that you already have access to it without knowing it! If you have a library card or attend college, you probably have access to Kanopy’s huge library of thousands of streaming movies.
From recent movies like Eighth Grade to classics like Howard’s End, this has a ton of options to pick from. Enjoy powerful documentaries like I Am Not Your Negro, The Mask You Live In, Kedi, and Digital Disconnect. Take a quick reading break in the library with short films like Litterbugs and The Cat Came Back.
Kanopy even has a special Kanopy Kids collection for toddlers and children.
If you don’t have a library card, this is a terrific reason to get one (not to mention you can start reading more). You’ll be shocked at how impressive the streaming selection is, and there are Kanopy apps for every major platform, including iOS, Android, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and more.
You’ll be pleased to know that Kanopy is ad-free, unlike Netflix, since Netflix is planning to introduce ads. So, you get to watch great content for free without your entertainment being disrupted by intrusive ads.
Hoopla
Hoopla is just like Kanopy in that you can access it for free as long as you have a library card and your local public library participates. What’s crazy is that you might find even more popular movies and TV shows here than you did on Kanopy.
Hoopla is one of the great free streaming apps, and the app even allows downloads for offline viewing when you travel. Just remember, Kanopy and Hoopla work just like the library, so you only have a certain amount of time to stream content before you have to “return” it. You can watch your downloaded content on your laptop, computer, or phone. Check out the classic The Iron Lady free of charge.
Vudu
Vudu isn’t an entirely free service, but it makes the list because it has a rather large catalog of free content. In fact, you can stream more than 1,000 different movies for free.
All of Vudu’s free content is ad-supported, as are most of the other free streaming services included in this roundup, except the ones supported by public libraries.
Trust us, you’ll be shocked at how many awesome movies you can stream on Vudu without paying a single cent. You can check out Vudu’s full list of free movies right here. Remember to keep checking back because it changes all the time.
Plus, if you do want to splurge on a new release, you can buy new movie and TV series releases weekly.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a fantastic free Netflix alternative. It’s also a fantastic free pay-TV alternative because it combines both consumption models into a single service.
First, you’ll find a bunch of live TV channels. They stream free, including many movie channels like NBC News Now, CNN, CBS News, MTV channels, Fail Army, and more. There are hundreds of them.
Then, on top of that, you’ll also find on-demand movies and TV series.
Movies Anywhere
We added a bonus option in case you don’t want to give up your paid subscriptions. You can link them to find the best deals to watch movies you want with Movies Anywhere.
You can sign up for a free account and then link your streaming and cable accounts. Participating retailers are Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Xfinity, Google Play/YouTube, Microsoft Movies & TV, FandangoNOW, Verizon Fios TV, and DIRECTV. This will show you the lowest price for a specific movie as you search through the “Deals” page.
Bonus: Other streaming services to consider
Here is a rundown of the best paid streaming services you might want to try instead of, say, Netflix. Streamers like Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, Max, and others have really started to turn up the heat now that Netflix has raised its prices and started charging users to share their passwords.
There are also services like Sling TV that let you stream live television channels. That’s something Netflix will never be able to do.
