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10 of the Best Streaming Apps

Free Streaming Apps for Movies and Television

There's no denying that streaming apps have changed how we consume media. We no longer have to wait for our favorite shows to come on TV — we can just fire up our app of choice and watch whatever we want, whenever we want. And best of all, many of these streaming apps are free!

Although there are multiple options, we have compiled the list of the top 10 free streaming apps here:

1. Amazon Freevee

Launched in 2019, Freevee is Amazon's free streaming app that offers great content. You'll find past hits like Lost and Desperate Housewives and original series like Bosch: Legacy and Leverage: Redemption.

Freevee offers recent releases, including Deadpool, Emma and Spy, and Amazon Prime members can access Freevee's extensive content library at no additional cost.

Pros

  • Great movie collection
  • Original shows
  • Easy accessibility

Cons

  • Clunky interface

2. YouTube

Don’t be surprised to see YouTube among the free movie streaming apps because it offers numerous movies and TV shows to watch.

You can enjoy over 4,000 Heartland, Masterchef, Andromeda and Hell’s Kitchen episodes on Youtube. Several films are also available, such as Gone in 60 Seconds, Home Alone, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls and others.

Pros

  • Free with no registration
  • Easy accessibility

Cons

  • Limited content

3. Peacock

NBC's Peacock TV offers over 13,000 hours worth of content for free. You'll find live channels and classics like Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, The Office, Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock and many others. This streaming platform may offer the first few episodes of their original TV shows for free, but then you need to upgrade and pay a fee of $4.99.

Pros

  • Famous classic shows
  • Original shows
  • Easy accessibility
  • User-friendly interface

Cons

  • Registration needed
  • Upgrade to premium for original content

4. Tubi

Tubi is more like Netflix’s free version. It has a library of more than 20,000 shows, including movies and TV. It might not have the newer, high-profile titles that a subscription platform boasts, but they still manage to amass an impressive library as one of the best free movie streaming apps.

It has partnered with 250 providers, like Paramount. Although registration is unnecessary, it will give you access to parental controls, history, and queueing if you choose to.

Pros

  • Excellent movie collection
  • No necessary registration
  • Parental control (if you register)
  • Easy access
  • Snappy apps

Cons

  • Less recent content
  • Overlapping content

5. Crackle

Crackle became the pioneer of free streaming sites while Netflix was still mailing DVDs in 2004. What sets it apart from the other free streaming apps is that it is packed with original content starring Martin Freeman, Rupert Grint and Bryan Cranston. No registration is required, though you can enjoy additional features by having an account.

Pros

  • Classic TV
  • No registration
  • Easily available
  • Availability of UK TV shows

Cons

  • A lot of content people are unaware of

6. Roku Channel

After incorporating all the originals from Quibi, The Roku Channel has surged in ranking among the best free streaming apps. That includes a few excellent television programs, such as FreeRayshawn and Reno911. They also produced a Christmas special series called Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.

Pros

  • Shows first episodes of TV shows
  • No registration
  • Easily available (not only on Roku)

Cons

  • No classic old content

7. Kanopy

Regarding free streaming sites with suitable content for kids and adults alike, Kanopy is the number one choice. All you need is a library card or a current university email address. There are unlimited on-demand movies and TV shows from its collaborators, including HBO Documentary Films, A24, Paramount, PBS, Bleecker Street and Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Pros

  • Ads-free
  • Unlimited access to kid’s content
  • Can create and share playlists
  • Simultaneous streaming from a single account

Cons

  • No offline downloading on mobiles
  • Limit of 10 Play Credit titles a month

8. Vudu

You can buy hot-selling recent content through this Walmart-owned platform, which also offers free streaming. You can register with your Walmart account to access 10,000+ TV shows and movies. Vudu’s movie collection is better than regular TV, such as Troy, The Prestige and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Pros

  • Clearly marked free content to filtering
  • Some excellent movie options
  • Offers classic sitcoms

Cons

  • Most of the free content is not family-friendly
  • Repetitive ads

9. Pluto TV

When you want to watch TV online, there’s no better option than Pluto TV, with its wide variety of channels and excellent selection of on-demand content. You can watch TV Land Drama, BET Her, Jersey Shore on MTV and I Love Reality on VH1 as it borrows from other Viacom assets.

They also provide other well-known platforms, such as CNN and Fox Sports, although they only broadcast edited highlights.

Pros

  • Channels devoted to popular content
  • Easy accessibility
  • Fewer ads than on cable TV
  • Easy interface

Cons

  • Mostly retro content

10. Sling Channel

One of the top free streaming apps available is Sling, which costs $30 per month for more than 50 channels. The price may be confusing, but they do have a free section with live and on-demand entertainment options, including Hell’s Kitchen, Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, Crocodile, Howl and others.

Pros

  • Good TV shows
  • Easy accessibility to Sling members

Cons

  • No exciting movie options
  • Similar content like other platforms

Paid Options

There are many other streaming services available, but they aren't all free. Depending on what you want to watch, you may need to sign up for a paid streaming subscription.

Showtime

Showtime is a paid streaming service available to users in the United States. However, a free trial is available if you're a new member and want to test it out before registering for a full subscription. It's owned by Paramount, and users are able to watch a variety of TV shows, movies, comedy specials, sporting events and documentaries.

Popular options include Yellowjackets, Your Honor, Dexter: New Blood, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Marcel the Shell With Shoes OnThe Holiday and Stand.

A Showtime subscription costs $10.99 per month after your free trial ends.