The best free TV and movie streaming services 2024

You might want to think twice before you rent that next movie. There’s a good chance it’s available for free (and legally). There’s been plenty of attention paid lately to the surplus of streaming services available in the U.S. and the subscription fatigue they engender.

But just as subscriptions to streaming services have exploded in recent years, so has the availability of free ones. Put simply, if you’re willing to put up with around five minutes of commercials per hour, there is an endless supply of quality movies and shows you can stream for free. We’ve reviewed some of the best free streaming services below.

Best overall: Tubi

Great for: Comedy, action, anime, horror, family
Not so great for: New releases

With more than 40K titles in its library, Tubi has the largest selection of movies and TV shows of any free streaming service by a mile. Granted, a lot of that is filler, but Tubi still has plenty to offer. 

If Hoopla and Kanopy are like your college library’s DVD collection, Tubi is more like your local Blockbuster. It’s full of blissfully entertaining fare, from classic 80s films like St. Elmo’s Fire to horror films like Stephen King’s IT.

Tubi also has a great collection of popular TV shows, including series like Scandal and Top Gear.

Recommended movies: The Usual Suspects, American Psycho, The Terminator
Recommended TV shows: Cowboy Bebop, The Beatles Anthology, Mr. Bean

Available on: Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, Samsung, Sony, PlayStation

Kanopy: Best movie selection

Great for: Oscar nominees, foreign and indie films, documentaries, educational courses
Not so great for: Comedy and action

You’ll need a participating library card to access Kanopy. If you have access, you should use it. Kanopy has one of the best collections of movies of any streaming service — free or paid. By our metrics, the only service that’s stronger is Netflix. 

While Hoopla’s popular movies are mostly on the older side, Kanopy has an outstanding selection of new releases. You can catch more serious Oscar fare like Lady Bird and Moonlight as well as recent horror classics like Hereditary, The Witch and Under the Skin. 

In keeping with its library affiliation, Kanopy is also a terrific resource for educational content.  It has hundreds of courses in topics like hair and beauty, food technology and teacher education development. Whether you’re looking to be entertained or taught, Kanopy has something for everyone. 

Recommended movies: Lady Bird, Moonlight, First Reformed

Available on: Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, Roku

Best for live channels: Pluto TV

Great for: Live TV channels
Not so great for: Action and comedy movies

Unlike most of the services on this list, Pluto TV is primarily a service for live TV channels rather than on-demand movies and shows. If you don’t have cable but still want the feel of channel-surfing, it’s a surprisingly decent substitute. You’ll get more than 250 channels with Pluto, ranging from news and sports to classics and drama.

While Pluto is best known for its live TV component, it also has a decent on-demand selection. We were pleasantly surprised to find a number of movies we hadn’t seen on any other free streaming services. 

Recommended movies: Forrest Gump, Gladiator, The Truman Show

Available on: Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox

Best for Roku users: Roku Channel

Great for: 90s movies, horror, thrillers
Not so great for: Dramas, family movies

The Roku Channel is meant as a perk for users of the Roku streaming device, but you can also use it on a web browser. While it’s not as good as some of the other services on this list, there’s still some gold to be mined. It’s especially strong when it comes to 90s movies, with a host of classic thriller and action movies. You can also find a number of old Hollywood gems on the Roku Channel, from Westerns like For a Few Dollars More to the Marilyn Monroe musical Some Like It Hot. 

Recommended movies: Paths of Glory, The Great Escape, Raging Bull
Recommended TV shows: Death Note, Shameless, Schitt’s Creek

Available on: Roku devices, web browsers

Best for families: Fandango at Home (Vudu)

Great for: Family movies, 90s comedies, horror, action
Not so great for: New releases, TV shows and classics

Vudu is primarily known as a rental service, but it also has nearly 9K movies you can stream for free. To be sure, those numbers are inflated by a lot of B-movie filler. You’ll see plenty of stars you recognize in movies you don’t (James Franco in Shadows & Lies, anyone?). But do a little digging, and you’ll find a number of movies worth watching, especially if you’re looking for something the whole family can watch.  

Recommended movies: The Karate Kid, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Conversation

Available on: Chromecast, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung smart TVs, Xbox

Best for hidden gems: Crackle

Great for: Action, 50s classics, Stephen King movies, horror franchises
Not so great for: New releases, critically-acclaimed films

One of the originals, Crackle has been in the free streaming game since the early 2000s. Despite that longevity, it hasn’t been a great option for a while. You probably won’t recognize most of the movies on Crackle these days, but it is surprisingly deep in some niche categories. You can also catch Forensic Files and some classics in its TV library.

Recommended movies: Stuck in Love, Sophie’s Choice, Godzilla

Available on: Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, PlayStation 4, Roku, Samsung smart TVs, Xbox One

Limited selection: YouTube

Great for: Celebrity documentaries, family movies, kung fu movies
Not so great for: Everything else

Most people know YouTube as a place to rent movies or watch pirated versions of them, but it also has a limited free streaming catalog available. It’s the weakest selection of any free streaming service we saw, but you could find a few classics hiding in YouTube’s catalog.

Recommended movies: Saint Ralph, Autumn in New York

Available on: Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, PlayStation, Roku, Xbox

Looking for more streaming options beyond free streaming? Keep up with our TV and internet experts on Facebook, Twitter or right here on our Resource Center.