Free Movie Apps for Your Next Night In

Paid streaming services are usually the go-to place to binge critically acclaimed series, but as platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ are looking to increase profitability with rising monthly subscription prices, they’re not always the most budget-friendly option. 

Luckily, there are plenty of free movie apps where you can watch a good movie.

10 Apps to Watch Free Movies

Streaming has become so widespread that it is outperforming traditional cable TV, which is in decline year over year.

With advantages outweighing the drawbacks of streaming TV and its increase in popularity, it was only a matter of time before a long list of free streaming apps would become available to the public.

Here are our top 10 picks for free apps to watch movies– all of which are legal and ad-supported.

Tubi TV

image credit: tubitv.com

• App Store rating: 4.7
• Google Play Store rating: 4.8
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: The Act of Killing (2012), Midsomer Murders (1997-2022)

Tubi is a popular app to watch free movies on the web.

Launched in 2014, the platform is owned by Fox, which has managed to amass a large, rotating selection of movies and series from over 250 content providers, including Lionsgate, Paramount, and MGM.

Titles are being added and removed on a monthly basis, but the streamer estimates that there are around 40,000 titles available to stream Tubi movies for free at any time.

In addition to on-demand streaming, the platform offers live channels (Read more on streaming TV here) and you don’t have to make an account to watch them.

If you choose to do so, you can make one for free and get access to some extra features like a watchlist.

Pros

• Available on all devices
• Relatively short ads

Cons: 

• Highest resolution is 720p

Popcornflix

image credit: popcornflix.com

• App Store rating: 3.9
• Google Play Store rating: 3.3
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: Terrifier (2018), Peep Show (2003)

Popcornflix is a completely free video streaming site that offers TV content and around 2,000 movies in several categories – the most popular of which are action titles.

Many of the entries on the site fall into the category of guilty pleasures and knock-offs of mainstream properties like Almighty Thor and Atlantic Rim but there is something for everyone on the site.

Like other free movie streaming apps, Popcornflix is available on most devices, including Apple TV and Roku, and you can also watch in a web browser. This doesn’t require visitors to create an account to access the content available on the site and lets them search for content by type, title, and category.

Pros:

• Embedded subtitles
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Limited selection

Peacock

image credit: peacocktv.com

• App Store rating: 4.6
• Google Play Store rating: 3.6
• Concurrent streams: 3
• Top pick: Yellowstone, The Thing About Pam

If you're looking for new movies for free and exclusive content, Peacock might be the right choice.

The subscription service is owned and operated by NBCUniversal, which means it’s loaded with plenty of NBC content, including movies, original programming, and content from NBC-owned networks such as Syfy, Bravo, and E.

Unlike paid services like Hulu and Netflix, Peacock is one of the TV apps for movies that has a free tier with thousands of hours of films, news, TV shows, and original content – but you will need to create an account to watch.

With the free version come ads and you won’t get to watch every episode of the original series available, but you’ll still get access to about half of the full 80,000-hour library, which is decent for a free service.

Pros: 

• Extensive movie catalog
• Paid version costs only $4.99

Cons:

• Original episodes are behind a paywall

Crackle

image credit: crackle.com

• App Store rating: 3.3
• Google Play Store rating: 4
• Concurrent streams: 5
• Top pick: Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service that has been around since 2004.

The app is 100% free, offering all of its content at no cost, and doesn’t require users to set up an account, though doing so will allow you to save favorites, resume playback when switching between devices, and get recommendations, making it the best movie app choice for most people.

As one of the most popular apps to watch free movies, Crackle offers more than 300 different shows, including older releases such as The Partridge Family, Alf, and Sherlock. 

The app is also a good option for those who like to watch old movies online for free – there are movie selections dating back to the 1940s, including Sophie’s Choice and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Pros: 

• Parental controls
• Wide selection of older movies

Cons:

• Not every TV series is complete

Crunchyroll

image credit: crunchyroll.com

• App Store rating: 4.6
• Google Play Store rating: 4.5
• Concurrent streams: Depends on the plan 
• Top pick: Attack on Titan, One Punch Man

Anime fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to streaming sites with Crunchyroll's massive audience of over 120 million registered users.

The site boasts a massive library with more than 1,300 series and many simulcast shows. 

Shows on the site break down into anime and dramas, with top titles including Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and FLCL. 

Although it has a paid tier that will allow you to watch ad-free, all Cryncyroll fans offer exclusive access to VRV shows and Funimation and they all support 1080p streaming– which is more than what most streaming sites have to offer.

On top of that, you can watch Crunchyroll content on almost any device, including your PS console.

Pros:

• All tiers support HD streaming
• Censors spoilers in the comment section

Cons:

• Limited subtitle options

Pluto TV

image credit: pluto.tv

• App Store rating: 4.8
• Google Play Store rating: 4.3
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: The Hunt

What makes Pluto TV stand out from the abundance of free movies apps available online is that it offers both on-demand movie streaming and live channels.

On the site, you can find more than 250 live and linear channels, including Minecraft TV, BBC Food, Star Trek, and CBS News. Since Pluto TV is owned by Paramount, you can also watch episodes of Survivor and South Park. 

The live channels are sorted into different categories, including sports, comedy, reality, and movies, and if you’re not in the mood for programs in progress, you can easily switch to the on-demand tab and watch any of the thousand options, arranged in browsable categories.

Pros: 

• A wide selection of live channels
• Both live tv and on-demand content

Cons:

• No pause option for livestreams

Vudu

image credit: vudu.com

• App Store rating: 4.7
• Google Play Store rating: 4.6
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: Wind River (2017)

Vudu is the streaming video site that offers a selection of comprehensive mainstream entertainment, where you can watch HD movies for free, from popular blockbusters to a few anime titles.

The streaming service offers both a free library alongside paid rentals and purchases.

Although paying for titles on the site will give you access to the latest titles, the ad-supported library, which lets you stream new movies for free, is a compelling option, offering more than 10,000 movies. 

The library also changes from time to time as the site adds more content.

Vudu makes it easy to find the free content, with a Free link at the top of the page, and browse content by title, popularity, and genre.

Pros: 

• Useful search filters
• 4K and 3D selection of titles

Cons:

• No original content

Freevee

image credit: amazon.com/adlp/freevee-about

• App Store rating: 2.8
• Google Play Store rating: 4.1
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: Emma (2020)

Amazon's free streaming service, Freevee– formerly known as IMDb TV– boasts an extensive library of movies and TV shows from every genre.

In addition to letting users stream movies for free, the ad-supported streaming service also features a good selection of 24/7 live channels and Freevee Originals.

Although the service initially focused on movies, it now has TV shows too. Popular titles include Desperate Housewives, MacGyver, Judy Justice, as well as all eleven seasons of The X-Files.

The site is easy to navigate and you can search for content by title, genre, or cast member. 

Pros: 

• Award-winning movies
• No charges ever

Cons:

• Not many new releases

Plex

image credit: plex.tv

• App Store rating: 4
• Google Play Store rating: 4.4
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: The Imposter (2012)

Plex's free streaming service started with a modest selection of ad-supported content, most of which were movie titles.

The platform now offers thousands of TV shows and movies for free online from Crackle too, including Kitchen Nightmares, Heis, and Unsolved Mysteries, which movie fans can search by genre or title and find special collections. 

Plex also offers live TV channels like Hallmark and AMC and has niche streams for certain series like The Carol Burnett Show. The amount of TV that you can find on the platforms is limited, but it’s still better than most free apps.

The app doesn’t require setting up an account, but if you do, you can create playlists and resume from where you left off.

Pros:

• Expanding library of content
• Easy setup

Cons:

• Limited features

The Roku Channel

image credit: therokuchannel.roku.com

• App Store rating: 4.7
• Google Play Store rating: 4.7
• Concurrent streams: Unlimited
• Top pick: Top Gun Maverick

Roku Channel is a TV streaming service specifically designed for users of the company’s streaming device to watch any movie  for free.

The platform offers a channel guide that includes a selection of on-demand content, as well as access to more than 300 live channels.

The live TV is limited to lifestyle channels and live news, but the on-demand content library has a lot more to offer. The titles range from reality TV, like Hoarders, to Roku Originals, and popular series like Downton Abbey, House, and 2 Broke Girls.

You can even find anime and crime shows on the platform.

There’s also a solid array of classic movies, such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and a dedicated kids section. 

Pros:

• No signing up required
• Suggest movies you might like

Cons:

• Some series are incomplete

Why Can’t I Access Some Movie Services?

If you can’t access some of the free streaming services from our list, then they’re likely not available in your location. Platforms like Tubi TV, Peacock, and Popcornflix limit access to their site to US users only, due to licensing regulations.

This means that you may not be able to watch the free movies with ads that they offer from elsewhere.

Even though some of these sites have imposed geo-restrictions, there is a way to bypass them by using a VPN.

VPNs encrypt and route traffic through secure servers, which essentially gives users a different IP address that makes them appear as if they’re accessing the site from another location. 

Some of the best streaming VPN services for 2022 include Surfshark and Private Internet Access, with the latter boasting over 25,000 servers.

Bottom Line

With streaming rising in popularity, there’s a growing list of free alternatives to popular paid platforms, such as Netflix and Disney+.

Although sites like Flixtor are a viable option, if you’re looking for something that’s more reliable, streaming sites like Tubi TV, Popcornflix, and Freevee are the obvious choice.

These are ad-supported platforms that are legal and free, some of which offer live channels and original programming, in addition to on-demand content.