Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (2024)

It’s easy to stream your savings away on subscriptions to Netflix, Max, Peacock, Prime Video, and other paid streaming platforms, but if you’re on a budget, you can save your dollars and sign up for accounts on free streaming services.

Services like Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Amazon Freevee require nothing more than your email address to get started, and Kanopy only asks for your local library card info. Once you're in, these platforms allow you to watch anything in their content library on demand and completely free of charge—though you should be prepared to sit through a few ads on all of the services except Kanopy.

To save you some time and trouble, we have hand-picked the best movies from each platform. Everything in this list is available on the first of the month unless otherwise noted.

The Best Free Streaming Services

Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (1)

Kanopy Review

4.5

Outstanding

  • $0.00 at KanopySee It

Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (2)

Tubi Review

4.0

Excellent

  • $0.00 at TubiSee It

Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (3)

The Roku Channel Review

3.5

Good

  • $0.00 at RokuSee It
  • $0.00 at IMDB.comSee It

Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (5)

Pluto TV Review

3.0

Average

  • $0.00 at Pluto TVSee It

Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (6)

Crackle Review

3.0

Average

  • Watch Crackle Programming on Philo at PhiloSee It

Hamlet (Kanopy)

This Hamlet retelling stars Ethan Hawke and instead of making him the prince of Denmark, he’s a filmmaker in New York burdened by running the production company Denmark Corp. after the death of his father.

Michelle Yeoh has returned to prominence since her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, but the first time she stunned the wider world with her martial arts skills and acting ability was in this film.

Amelie (Freevee)

If you can’t spend springtime in Paris, you can do the next best thing and watch Amelie. Amelie dedicates her life to the happiness of others, while she ignores her own. It’s been 20 years since its original release, which has prompted the director Jean-Pierre Jeunet to reflect on it in interviews.

The Lake House (Roku)

This remake of a South Korean film has more than a touch of magical realism about it. Sandra Bullock rents a lake house in 2006 where she strikes up a correspondence via its mailbox with Keanu Reeves who is living in 2004.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Tubi)

The wallflower in question gets a new perspective on life when he makes two friends who help him move past trauma. The movie was written and directed by the author of the book it’s based on, Stephen Chbosky.

School of Rock (Pluto TV)

Jack Black would probably make an excellent teacher in real life if he was called on to be one unexpectedly, as he is in School of Rock. Here he goes from bar band guitarist to prep school music teacher.

The Donut King (Kanopy)

As the donut king of California, Cambodian immigrant Ted Ngoy who owned a chain of donut shops was an American success story until he discovered gambling. This documentary uses a mix of live footage and animation to tell his story and to help him change its ending.

Recommended by Our Editors

The Best Free Video Streaming Services for 2024

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The Terminator (Pluto TV)

Skynet is not as unbelievable now as it was in 1984 when this movie was released, giving us unforgettable catchphrases and the acting of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Earth Girls Are Easy (Kanopy)

Three aliens covered in primary-color fuzz find dating success in 1980s Los Angeles after shedding their skin.

John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, and John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (Tubi)

John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, and John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum are all available to stream on Tubi. John Wick: Chapter 4 is not on there but with the money you save by streaming for free, you can rent it on Prime Video.

Rush Hour (Roku)

This is where Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker began their action-comedy pairing, as a Hong Kong inspector and an LAPD detective who have to find a Chinese diplomat’s kidnapped daughter.

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About Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme.

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Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream for Free (2024)

FAQs

What can you stream for free? ›

The best free streaming services right now
  • Freevee. The best free streaming service overall. ...
  • Roku Channel. The best free streaming service originals. ...
  • Pluto TV. The best free streaming service for live channels. ...
  • Tubi. The best free streaming service for discovery. ...
  • Plex. ...
  • Crackle. ...
  • Sling Freestream. ...
  • Vudu.
Aug 1, 2024

What's great to stream right now? ›

From laughing to crying and laughing again, this Pixar film is already a classic in our book.
  • Watch 'Inside Out 2'
  • Watch 'Twisters'
  • Watch 'Ghostlight'
  • Watch 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'
  • Watch 'Hit Man'
  • Watch now.
  • Watch 'Fly Me to the Moon'
  • Watch 'Thelma'
4 days ago

What streaming service has the most free content? ›

Tubi, owned by Fox, provides a substantial library of movies and TV shows from diverse genres at no cost. With over 74 million monthly users as of early 2024, Tubi stands out in the FAST sector for its extensive programming range.

Is there a streaming service that has everything? ›

If the quantity of films and television shows is your goal, Amazon's streaming service, Prime Video, boasts "a vast library of content," according to CableTV.com. And Disney+ may just be the best streaming service for families, given its mountain of kid and family-friendly content.

What is the best free TV option? ›

Google TV—available on Chromecast or Android devices or TVs that use the Google TV smart system—offers more than 800 free channels, from new providers such as Tubi, Plex, and Haystack News. They join an existing lineup of free, ad-supported channels from Pluto TV, plus Google's own free built-in channels.

What is everyone watching right now? ›

  • Cobra Kai. Watch now: Netflix. 1.048B. Minutes.
  • House of the Dragon. Watch now: Max. 1.039B. Minutes.
  • Family Guy. Watch now: Hulu. 1.032B. Minutes.
  • Grey's Anatomy. Watch now: Hulu I Netflix. 923M. Minutes.

What is the number one streaming? ›

Netflix continues to reign supreme in the world of streaming services, maintaining its position as the platform with the most subscribers. As of December 31, 2023, the service boasted an impressive 260.28 million subscribers globally.

What's good streaming this weekend? ›

Netflix
  • New Arrival. 'Incoming' Watch.
  • New Arrival. 'Adam Sandler: Love You' Watch.
  • New Arrival. 'Terminator: Zero' Watch.
  • New Arrival. 'Kaos' Watch.
  • 'That '90s Show' Watch.
  • 'The Union' Watch.
  • 'Emily in Paris' Watch.
  • 'Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie' Watch.

Where can I watch TV shows for free online? ›

  • TubiTV. TubiTV is a free, ad-supported service that offers a hassle-free way to stream popular TV shows, including AMC's The Walking Dead and HBO's Game of Thrones, among many others. ...
  • Popcornflix. ...
  • Yesmovies.to. ...
  • Crackle. ...
  • ShareTV. ...
  • CONtv. ...
  • Vudu. ...
  • Yidio.
Apr 4, 2024

What website is legal to watch movies for free? ›

Internet Archive: The best free movie website to watch classics. Afdah: Large collection of high-definition movies with few ads. Pluto TV: The best option to watch movies and shows from the Viacom network. Yify TV: Your best bet to find obscure movie titles.

What is the best streaming service to get all channels? ›

Hulu + Live TV earns our highest recommendation since it boasts 95+ channels and includes on-demand access to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. But if you're on a budget, an entry-level service like Philo could be all you need. It's missing local channels and sports networks, but it's only $25 a month.

What is the new free streaming service? ›

Tubi will compete with platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ and feature more than 20,000 films and TV episodes.

What is the best app to watch movies and series for free? ›

Tubi. Tubi is one of the most popular free streaming apps, offering a vast library of movies and TV shows supported by ads. It's available on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.

Is there free live TV streaming? ›

Sling Freestream is free live and on-demand TV. Seriously. There's over 500 free live channels and more than 40,000 on-demand shows and movies.

Is Peacock TV free? ›

Peacock TV offers three packages. The free ad-supported plan is an attractive offer for consumers who want to cut down on costs. The platform also offers two subscription packages. The premium ad-supported plan is $4.99 a month and offers an even larger range of content.

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