The Best Free Movies You Can Stream Legally in the US

By Ash, Founder, Where Can I Stream It? · Updated · 6 min read

Free streaming has quietly become very good. Alongside the low-budget filler, ad-supported services and public library apps carry hundreds of genuinely acclaimed films, including Oscar winners and modern classics, with no subscription at all.

Everything in this guide is legal and drawn live from our availability data. The lists only include films that are free in the US right now, through services that need nothing more than a free account or a library card.

How much is actually free?

Of the 5,179 popular movies rated 7/10 or higher by users in our data, 2,139 (41%) can be streamed free in the US right now.

That is a meaningful share of the films worth watching, and it changes constantly as titles rotate on and off free services. Check back, or search for any film to see whether it is free right now.

Popular, well-reviewed movies that are free right now

Free to stream in the US

Sorted by popularity. Open a film to see which free service carries it; some need a library card.

  1. The Legend of the Black Charro (2018) · rated 8.4/10 by users
  2. Coraline (2009) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  3. Oppenheimer (2023) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  4. Fight Club (1999) · rated 8.4/10 by users
  5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) · rated 7.4/10 by users
  6. Titanic (1997) · rated 7.9/10 by users
  7. Corpse Bride (2005) · rated 7.6/10 by users
  8. Pulp Fiction (1994) · rated 8.5/10 by users
  9. Parasite (2019) · rated 8.5/10 by users
  10. Training Day (2001) · rated 7.5/10 by users
  11. The Imitation Game (2014) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  12. Forrest Gump (1994) · rated 8.5/10 by users
  13. Gladiator (2000) · rated 8.2/10 by users
  14. The Crow (1994) · rated 7.5/10 by users
  15. North by Northwest (1959) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  16. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) · rated 7.0/10 by users
  17. The Notebook (2004) · rated 7.9/10 by users
  18. The Hunger Games (2012) · rated 7.2/10 by users
  19. Léon: The Professional (1994) · rated 8.3/10 by users
  20. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) · rated 8.2/10 by users
  21. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  22. 12 Angry Men (1957) · rated 8.6/10 by users
  23. Halloween (1978) · rated 7.6/10 by users
  24. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) · rated 7.6/10 by users
  25. The Truman Show (1998) · rated 8.2/10 by users

Free TV shows worth starting

  1. Doctor Who (2005) · rated 7.6/10 by users
  2. The 100 (2014) · rated 7.9/10 by users
  3. Columbo (1971) · rated 8.1/10 by users
  4. Pokémon (1997) · rated 8.0/10 by users
  5. Broadchurch (2013) · rated 7.9/10 by users
  6. Monk (2002) · rated 7.9/10 by users
  7. Reacher (2022) · rated 8.1/10 by users
  8. Sherlock (2010) · rated 8.5/10 by users
  9. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) · rated 7.6/10 by users
  10. Midsomer Murders (1997) · rated 7.5/10 by users

Which free services have the best films?

Popular movies and shows free on each service in the US. Live counts of popular titles from our latest data update.
ServicePopular titles available (US)Rated 7/10+ by usersShare well reviewed
Tubi63,7541,1802%
Hoopla (library card)29,7348233%
Plex29,4726822%
The Roku Channel26,4137813%
Kanopy (library card)17,3051,0196%
Prime Video (free with ads)16,0943832%
Pluto TV10,6603043%
YouTube (free with ads)10,6557057%

Tubi has the largest free catalog in our data, but size is not everything. Look at the share of well-reviewed titles: Kanopy, a library app, comes close to Tubi’s count of well-reviewed films from a far smaller catalog.

Two more things stood out at our last review. YouTube’s free-with-ads film section had the highest share of well-reviewed titles of any free service, although few people think to look there. And for television, The Roku Channel and Tubi were well ahead of the rest, while Kanopy and YouTube offered almost no free series.

The free services, one by one

  • [Tubi](/streaming/tubi) has the biggest catalog by far and needs no account. Most of it is obscure, so use search or the curated collections instead of scrolling. It is the best single app for cult, horror and older studio films.
  • Pluto TV is built like cable: hundreds of live channels that play around the clock, plus an on-demand section. It suits people who want something on without choosing.
  • The Roku Channel works on Roku devices, on the web and in apps for other platforms. It was the strongest free service for TV series at our last review.
  • Plex offers a large free film library alongside its media server software. You do not need a server to use it.
  • YouTube has a "free with ads" section among its movies. These are full, licensed films, separate from the uploads on the rest of the site.
  • Prime Video (free with ads) carries titles anyone with a free Amazon account can watch, without a Prime membership. They sit beside paid titles, so look for the "free with ads" label.
  • Kanopy and Hoopla are the library apps covered in the next section. They are the only services here with no ads.

The catalogs overlap a great deal, because distributors license the same films to several free services at once. You do not need every app. Tubi plus one library app covers most of what is free.

The free streaming most people forget: your library card

Kanopy and Hoopla are free streaming apps offered through public libraries. Sign in with your library card and you can stream films with no ads at all. At our last review, Kanopy carried more well-reviewed popular films than almost any ad-supported service, including arthouse favorites, documentaries and classics from boutique distributors.

  • Check whether your library participates. Not every library offers both apps. Your library’s website will say.
  • Expect a monthly limit. Most libraries give you a set number of plays or credits each month.
  • No ads. Unlike most free services, library apps do not show ad breaks.
  • Join more than one library if you can. Some states and counties let residents hold cards at several library systems, and each card comes with its own monthly allowance.

The two apps are different in character. Kanopy is almost entirely films, with a strong selection of independent, international and documentary titles. Hoopla is broader and also lends TV series, music, audiobooks and comics on the same card.

How to check whether a specific film is free

  1. Search for the film on [our site](/). The title page lists every way to watch it in your country, with free options labelled.
  2. Look for a library option. If Kanopy or Hoopla is listed and you have a library card, that is the ad-free route.
  3. If it is not free today, look at where it is included. A film that is included with a subscription you already have costs you nothing extra.
  4. Check again next month. Films move onto free services on a rolling basis, often some months after they leave a subscription service.

New releases are the exception. A film usually reaches free services years after its cinema release, after its rental, purchase and subscription windows have passed. If a site offers a film that is still in cinemas for free, it is not a licensed service.

What to expect from ad-supported services

  • Ad breaks. Expect a few minutes of ads per hour, similar to broadcast TV.
  • Rotating catalogs. Free titles come and go faster than on subscription services. If you see something you want to watch, watch it soon.
  • Picture quality. Most free services stream in HD rather than 4K, and some older films are only available in standard definition.
  • A free account helps. Most services work without signing in, but an account lets you resume where you left off.

Watching free services on your TV

All of these services have apps for smart TVs and streaming devices. Roku devices are a particularly good fit because The Roku Channel’s free films and live channels are built into the interface. Compare devices in our streaming device guide, or browse everything currently free in our free streaming section.

Best for free streaming

Roku Ultra

The Roku Channel’s free library and live channels are built into Roku’s home screen, and every major free service, including Tubi, Pluto TV and Kanopy, has a Roku app. The Ultra adds built-in Ethernet and a rechargeable voice remote.

What we like

  • Free content built into the interface
  • Simple, neutral home screen
  • Built-in Ethernet

Drawbacks

  • Costs more than stick-style devices

Best for: Households that watch a lot of free, ad-supported content.

View Roku Ultra on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I watch movies for free legally?
Ad-supported services such as Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Plex are free and legal, and public library apps such as Kanopy and Hoopla are free with a library card. Search for any film on our site to see whether it is free in your country.
Do I need a library card for Kanopy and Hoopla?
Yes. Both apps are free through participating public libraries. Sign in with your library card; most libraries set a monthly limit on how many titles you can watch.
Is Tubi really free?
Yes. Tubi is a licensed, ad-supported service. It is paid for by advertising, so there is no subscription and you do not need to create an account or enter payment details.
Which free streaming service has the best movies?
In our data, Tubi and the library app Kanopy have carried the most well-reviewed movies free in the US, and Kanopy has no ads. The live table in this guide shows the current figures for each service.
Can I watch new releases for free legally?
Rarely. Films normally reach free, ad-supported services years after release. Library apps sometimes get recent independent films sooner.
Why does a free movie disappear?
Free services license films for limited periods, often shorter than subscription services. When a license ends, the film moves on, sometimes to another free service.

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