25 Movie download sites for free and legal streaming [2023 Guide]

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When it’s time to kick back and relax, nothing beats streaming your favourite TV shows and movies. And it’s a great way to save money on entertainment, too. But with all the options out there, which ones are the best?

Luckily for you, we did the work and noted the best ones, so you know exactly what you can expect from each service.

Here are our picks for the 25 best sites to stream movies:

List of free movie download websites – legal streaming

1. Top Documentary Films

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TopDocumentaryFilms is an online streaming site that provides documentaries on various topics. The documentaries are available in English, Spanish, and French. This site also has a search option where you can find specific documentaries that have been uploaded to the site. You can also watch these movies using their app on your smartphone or tablet device.


2. The Internet Archive

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The Internet Archive is a non-profit, public domain media library specializing in preserving films and videos. The site has a lot of public domain films and videos available to stream online. You can search the site by genre and year to find what you’re looking for. It also has an extensive collection of educational films and videos on topics such as history, science and technology, language learning, social sciences, and more.


3. Watch TCM

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TCM, or Turner Classic Movies, is a cable channel broadcasting since 1994. It’s one of the largest and most well-known movie channels, with a collection of more than 6,000 classic films.

You can watch TCM online via their website or app if you subscribe to your cable provider at home. If you’re not already an existing subscriber and would like to watch some of these incredible old movies online for free, consider signing up for a free trial!


4. YouTube

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YouTube is a free video platform, and with YouTube Premium, you also get access to ad-free videos and the ability to download videos for offline viewing.

  • Movies: Watch new releases and classic movies from the past 100 years. Netflix has better catalogs of older films, but YouTube’s selection includes more recent titles.
  • T.V. shows: Watch thousands of popular shows on your computer or mobile device, including Stranger Things and HBO’s Game of Thrones series.
  • Music: Stream popular music videos by artists like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and Drake—or create your own playlists!

YouTube Premium also gets you exclusive access to YouTube Kids content intended for kids under 13 years old—including age-appropriate gaming channels and educational content.


5. Hotstar

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Hotstar is an Indian video-on-demand service owned by Star India. It is India’s most popular streaming service, and it’s easy to see why: Hotstar has an extensive library of movies and T.V. shows, with everything from new releases to old favorites. You can access Hotstar on all your devices, including computers and mobile phones.

Hotstar also offers a premium subscription option that gives you access to additional content. This might be worth checking out if you’re an international traveler or just looking for something new to watch during your next Netflix binge session (we won’t judge)!


6. The Korean Film Archive

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The Korean Film Archive is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Korean film. It has a vast collection of Korean cinema, and the current collection has over 1,000 titles.

The Korean Film Archive provides education and public programs and historical research.


7. Le CiNéMa Club

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Le CiNéMa Club is a French movie streaming service with more than 6,000 titles for free. It also has its original content, including the popular series Le Bureau des légendes (The Legends’ Office). The company focuses primarily on creating content for mobile devices and tablets, which means its movies are available in H.D. quality at all times.

Le CiNéMa Club’s library consists of more than 6,000 titles ranging from action and drama to comedy and sci-fi—a significant selection that should satisfy most viewers’ tastes.


8. Crackle

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Crackle is an online streaming service that offers a large selection of movies, T.V. shows, and original content. It’s owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and was founded in 2007. Crackle has over 2,000 films available to stream online—and many more are added each month. While not every title you might want to watch will be available on Crackle (you can’t stream The Avengers on there or anything), it still has enough options to fill up your watch list for weeks at a time.


9. Pluto TV

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Pluto TV is a free, ad-supported service that features a wide range of content from news, sports, and entertainment to movies. Movie fans can find their favorite movies and T.V. shows on Pluto TV in H.D. quality. The platform also offers a large collection of international channels that broadcast content in different languages.

Pluto TV’s user interface is very easy to use and navigate through; you’ll be able to find what you want quickly with just a few clicks or swipes on your remote control (if you’re using an app). There’s no need for registration or login since it’s an ad-supported service; however, if you want to remove the ads, there are paid subscriptions available for Pluto TV depending on how many devices will be streaming at once (e.g., three devices would cost $4.99 per month).


10. A24 Movies on Kanopy

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If you’re a fan of independent films, A24 is the streaming service for you. A24 is a sister company of AMC Networks, which means that it’s not just another streaming service—it’s also a distributor for independent films around the world. The movies on Kanopy are all produced by BBC Worldwide or BBC Studios, so you can stream all of your favorite British TV shows, too!

Kanopy has over 30,000 titles in its catalog and continues to add more each day!


11. Open Culture

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Open Culture is a resource for learning, with an emphasis on the word “open.” Whether you’re looking for free movies or books to read or free lectures to stream, Open Culture has you covered.

The site’s collection of video content consists mostly of educational videos that were originally created as part of courses taught at institutions like Harvard University and MIT. There are also many classic films available there, but don’t expect any new releases here; this is more along the lines of old-school Hollywood than modern blockbusters. You can browse through categories such as art history; literature and poetry; musicology; philosophy; science fiction & fantasy; psychology & self-help; religion & spirituality; social sciences & politics; technology & engineering.


12. MoviesFoundOnline

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MoviesFoundOnline is not just a good place to find movies, it’s also a great place to find documentaries and T.V. shows. You’ll also find short films and animation here, as well as foreign and indie films.

Many of the titles on MoviesFoundOnline were created by independent filmmakers who want their work shown in front of an audience. You can watch these movies for free without paying for them first. However, suppose you do choose to pay for a movie or show on this site. In that case, you’ll receive frequent updates from the filmmakers about what they’ve created next and other perks such as special access to exclusive events related directly to your favorite creators’ upcoming projects!


13. NoBudge

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You’ll find a wide selection of movies, T.V. shows, and documentaries on NoBudge. For example, NoBudge has an impressive number of movies for you to watch for free. You can stream them in H.D. quality, and the streaming speed is really good. It uses adaptive bitrate technology that automatically adjusts quality based on your internet connection speed.

NoBudge also offers a paid premium membership with more than 30 new releases every month (including some high-quality blockbuster hits). The membership costs $5.99 per month or $54.99 per year, but we recommend getting it if you want access to all the latest movies as well as special discounts.


14. PopcornFlix

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PopcornFlix is a free streaming service with a huge collection of movies in its database. With an easy-to-use interface, you can quickly find your favorite movies and T.V. shows on the platform. It’s also available on most devices, including smartphones and tablets, so you can watch PopcornFlix anywhere.

The best thing that we liked about PopcornFlix is that it has a wide variety of genres: comedy, action/adventure, horror, and more! The search function is also quite good-if you know precisely what movie or T.V. show you’re looking for, then this site should be able to help out!


15. Hulu

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Hulu is a subscription service that lets you stream T.V. shows and movies on your computer, phone, tablet, or T.V. It costs $6.99/month if you’re willing to watch commercials, but for $12.99/month, you can get an ad-free experience with no commercials.

Hulu has a wide selection of movies and T.V. shows—much more than Netflix or Amazon Prime Video—and it’s updated regularly with new content, so visitors can always find something new to watch on their favorite streaming platform!


16. Vimeo

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Vimeo is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. Founded by Jake Lodwick and Zach Klein in November 2004, Vimeo began as a platform for sharing home videos but has since morphed into an online hub for independent films. You can also stream movies on Vimeo if you’re looking for something off the beaten path.


17. IMDb T.V.

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You can stream movies on most devices using IMDb T.V. It’s a free service that offers users the chance to watch trailers, search for a movie based on genre or director, and read an overview of any movie they’re interested in. You can also watch movies in H.D. if you have a subscription.

If you’re looking for more than just watching movies online, IMDb T.V. has plenty more features available as well. You can watch some titles with subtitles or closed captions. Suppose your favorite film is in another language or has been dubbed into English. In that case, this site will let you know which version is available in its database so that you can watch it in its original language with no need for translation!

You’ll also be able to find accessibility options when browsing through titles here: whether they contain sign language translations, audio descriptions, or both!


18. Yidio

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Yidio is a search engine for movies, T.V. shows, and streaming content. You can use it to find free movies online without downloading anything. If you want to watch free movies online, Yidio is the best option.

Yidio is a free service that does not require registration or any personal information at all. It doesn’t even require a credit card! And there’s no subscription fee—you just go right to their website and stream away!

You don’t need an app either; just go straight to their website and start searching for your favorite movie title or T.V. show.


18. Legal Torrent Sites

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Torrent sites are websites that distribute movies, T.V. shows, and other content. Content is encoded as torrents and distributed over the Internet with the help of peer-to-peer technology.

Many people use torrent sites to download content they don’t have access to otherwise; they’re mostly used as a way to watch free movies online and listen to free music online. This works because copyright holders don’t want their work shared freely on the Internet; they would rather you pay for it! So if you want something in particular—and if it’s not available on Netflix—you can find it on these websites by downloading files that were previously downloaded by someone else who had access through another source such as a DVD or VHS tape (or by watching live T.V.).


20. Yify Movies

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YifyMovies is a free movie streaming site and has a huge collection of movies. It also has a dedicated mobile app for users to watch all the latest movies, T.V. shows, and other great content on the go. The content is updated daily for the viewers to enjoy all their favorite movies anytime they want.


21. Ant Movies

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Ant Movies is a good site to stream movies online. Ant Movies has a good collection of movies, and it’s also a good site to download movies. You can find all types of popular film genres on this platform, including comedy and horror.

22. S.D. Movies Point

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SDMoviesPoint is a free movie streaming site that offers thousands of movies and T.V. shows to stream. It has a simple user interface that makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. The search feature is also quite good, so you can easily look up your favorite actor or genre.

The website is ad-supported and uses an embedded player rather than offering its own app, but this doesn’t detract from the experience at all because there isn’t much extra stuff getting in the way of watching your movie! SDMoviesPoint offers everything you need without being clunky or confusing- just launch it on your device and start watching!


23. Classic Cinema Online

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ClassicCinemaOnline is a streaming site that focuses on classic movies. It has a large library of movies from the 1930s to the 1950s, with most of them being free to watch. There’s also an option to sign up for a subscription (with a free trial period), which gives you access to even more content and bonus features like downloads and offline viewing.

The site has both paid and free content, with new titles added weekly. The search function lets you find movies by title or genre, so if you know what you want, it should be easy enough to find even without a subscription or paying anything extra.


24. Katmoviehd

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Katmoviehd is the best site to stream movies online. It has a large collection of movies, and it’s free. The site’s user interface is good, and there are no ads on the website or its mobile app. You can use Katmoviehd to watch any movie you want without having to pay for it, which makes it useful if you don’t have cable or other streaming services in your area.

The search function on this site is easy to use, and it allows users like yourself to find new movies they haven’t seen before by searching for keywords related directly to them (such as “action” or “romance”). This allows visitors who may not be familiar with certain genres to want something exciting enough for their tastes still—and Katmoviehd offers plenty!

25. Netflix

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Netflix is the number one streaming service in the world. The site has a huge library of both movies and T.V. shows, as well as documentaries and anime. Netflix has a wide range of movies, from horror to comedy to classic films.

Netflix also has an impressive selection of T.V. shows (including some great original series). You can find anything from ’90s sitcoms like Friends or Seinfeld to modern classics like Breaking Bad and House M.D., all available instantly on your computer or phone at any time of day or night—just one more reason why Netflix is the best choice for movie fans who don’t have time for cable T.V.!

Conclusion

We’ve done the legwork for you, and we hope this article has helped you find not just some great places to watch movies online, but also the best site for your own needs. You can kick back and enjoy yourself without worrying about the annoying ads or buffering pauses that plague many of the other sites out there—and if you bookmarked any of these sites, then we’ve made it even easier for you to find them quickly. Above all, we hope that our list helps inspire a love of watching movies online in your heart as much as it does in ours!

Free Movie Download: Our Recommendation

So now that you have the list of 25 best sites to download movies, you have your work cut out. However, if you as which is the best site amongst the mentioned sites, we would say that it depends upon the type of movies you want to watch. For classics, we recommend Watch TCM and Crackle, for Indie movies, you can check out Kanopy and Open Culture. Similarly, if you want to download the latest movies, we recommend Yify movies and Ant Movie.

Free Movie Download FAQs:

1. How to tell if a movie download website is legal?

You cannot perform a particular test to confirm that the site from which you’re downloading is providing legal movies. However, we’ve tested and ensured that all the sources in our list are 100% legal. Additionally, you can see if the free site is providing newly released movies and trying to earn money via tons of advertisements and VPN recommendations — these are some of the red flags for an illegal source.

2. Do I need a VPN for free movie download?

If you’re sure that you’re using a legal website to download movies, you don’t need a VPN or proxy to hide your online activity.

3. Is it legal to download movies/shows on Netflix?

If you have a paid Netflix subscription, you can go ahead and download content on your Android or iOS smartphone. For Windows, you need to download the official Netflix app. However, there’s no app available for watching/downloading Netflix on Mac.

4. Where can I download movies for free?

You can download free movies from several websites such as Pluto Tv, Crackle, Yify Movies, Open Culture, and more. For the complete list, refer to the article above.

We hope this article helped you discover 25 movie download sites you might not have known. Follow our lifestyle stories for more of such.

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