By Cole Hediger
Watching films is one of the best ways to learn and hone the art of storytelling. Films can showcase dynamic directing, display appealing visual art, and at the end of the day, be a truly enjoyable way to pass the time. But when it comes to picking the best place to stream these films affordably, it can get a little tricky.
With a new streaming service popping up seemingly every couple of months or so, and theatrical windows getting shorter, it can get difficult to juggle all the subscriptions and renting that comes with trying to watch a film. So if you’re looking for a way to stream films for free, look no further.
We’ve got you covered with the top five best sites to stream movies on for free!
YouTube
YouTube is known as its own hub of great creative work. With filmmakers and creatives alike using the space to publish independently made content – like shorts – it's no surprise that this platform has an incredible collection of films.
YouTube offers a variety of feature-length films for free watching with ads. They showcase titles in every genre, able to be streamed on any device for free! The great part about YouTube’s collection: you don’t even need an account! Simply, access the collection through YouTube’s tabs and start streaming.
Kanopy
For students (or avid library enjoyers), Kanopy is a perfect pick! The platform is free to access through your local local library or, if you’re a college student, through your university.
Not every title is free, but the platform does allow you to enjoy a variety of movies free of ads and interruptions. The collection is provided by the library or university that you are associated with, meaning that the films available to stream are selected by the institutions.
However, this also means that titles may change as new titles are made available. If you’re accessing the site through your library and a film you want isn’t available, you can simply put in a request for the feature through your library just like you would a book!
Fawesome.tv
Fawesome.tv has an intense collection of feature films within its arsenal. Broken into comprehensive genres, the collection is packed with smash hits, cult classics, and indie productions – a huge benefit of using this site.
Fawesome.tv has an impressive group of indie productions that are hard or impossible to find on other streaming sites, especially for free.
However, like YouTube, Fawesome.tv does have ads. The ad count is considered high in comparison to other streaming sites that provide the same service. However, these ads allow for Fawesome.tv to platform a large collection of feature films that are otherwise unavailable to stream on similar services.
Tubi
Tubi is accessible on your TV just as easily as it's accessed through its online site. The platform allows for the free streaming of thousands of films with ads. The site clearly and creatively organizes its huge collection into more than just genres, which allows users to explore their more niche film interests.
With categories like “Bollywood Dreams”, “Based on a Book”, and even “Denzel-verse”, Tubi brings streaming movies to a whole new level. In addition to their already comprehensive collection, Tubi even boasts some of its original content.
Plex
Plex is accessible through most devices – TVs, desktops, and gaming consoles! Plex offers free streaming of a range of films with ads. The site holds over 500,000 films fit for streaming, right at your fingertips! When used in combination with the subscriptions you already pay for, Plex can even showcase the titles made available to you through your other services, making it easier to view all titles in one place.
Plex flexes more unique features like live channels and a ‘friending’ option. Using one of Plex’s many live channels, you can stream free movies that are showing live on the site. You can even connect with your friends to track what they are watching and hop on their stream to enjoy the film together.
Whether it's for fun or to study great storytelling, these sites make enjoying films so much easier. And so much more affordable! If you’ve got a long list of titles you need to catch up on, do not hesitate to stream – for free – with any of these sites.
Feel like your script is ready to be brought to life on the big screen? Consider submitting to the Shore Scripts Feature Contest for the chance to meet with production companies or secure a paid option! Check out the details here - early deadline is June 26th!
