Free Movie Apps to Stay Within Your Budget

Are you roaring to watch the latest blockbuster movie? Slide popcorn into the microwave, prop up your feet, and enjoy a film anytime, anywhere, thanks to free movie apps!

Viewers have multiple options for watching movies with technology making the home and mobile entertainment accessible and manageable. You don’t even have to use a computer or a laptop; you can access everything from your mobile device.

You can watch movies online through platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple TV, Disney+, etc. All these platforms are paid and licensed, meaning you’ll have to pay a subscription fee.

Free alternative platforms started popping up that allow you to watch free movies and TV, offering extensive libraries to check out.

People love free stuff. Who doesn’t like free perfume samples, toys, or watching TV for free? We’ll explore what apps you can use to watch free movies and also keep things legal.

We also mention something to be aware of if you seek out free movie apps that are not listed here in regards to piracy so be sure to read to the end.

Here are some of the best movie apps you can enjoy safely and for free.

The 5 Best Free Movie Apps

1. Crackle

Crackle is a free online movie streaming platform with a vast library of films well categorized depending on genre. The user interface is top-notch. On the downside, the service is region-locked and is currently only available in the United States and its territories.

You can search for a movie without any confusion because the user interface (UI) allows for a very straightforward process. Newly released titles appear on the home page, and you can hover over them to see their information.

Crackle has more than 1,000 movies and over 70 shows to choose from. Its native player has a max resolution of 1080p. Creating an account on Crackle will enable you to make a list of movies and shows that you can watch later.

Crackle Sign-Up Process

The signup process is relatively simple. First, you need to click the Register button, which will lead you to the signup page. Then, enter your information, create a password, and that’s it!

You also have the option to register with your Facebook account or other social accounts. Once registered, you can log in using the same email and password and start watching free movies online.

Crackle Pros and Cons

Since Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service, you will encounter pop-ups and ads while watching. This unwelcome intrusion can be bothersome as you don’t want to see an advertisement in the middle of the movie or while browsing for one. On the other hand, you do get to watch movies for free.

Pros:

• Excellent native player
• Captions available for every title
• Well developed UI
• Lots of movies and shows available
• You can watch movies without making an account

Cons:

• You will encounter a fair amount of ads and pop-ups
• Max resolution of 1080p

2. Tubi TV

Tubi TV has over 35,000 movies and shows to choose from. Its simple website layout makes it easy to use. Its mobile application is also very well designed, making it easy to choose what you want to watch.

The great thing about Tubi is that it is 100% legal. Tubi partners with MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, etc. All the available content is legal and free; the platform makes money through ads. It has a dedicated section for children, and you can program it to recommend movies and shows based on your liking.

Tubi Registration

The registration process is simple. You can register with your Google or Facebook account or through email.

Enter your information and click on Register to create your account. It’s not necessary to make an account but doing so will enable you to track your progress; for example, you can resume watching a movie from where you left.

Moreover, it has network channels available such as NBC, Fox News, etc., that you can watch. Unfortunately, it only has a maximum resolution of 720p.

Tubi Pros and Cons

Tubi TV is only available in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Pros:

• Network channels available
• Massive library of movies and shows
• Section for children
• Can keep track of the content you’re watching
• Good user interface

Cons:

• Resolution maxes out at 720p

3. Vudu

With all the big names jumping on the online streaming bandwagon, Walmart decided to do the same. So it launched Vudu as a video-on-demand service currently available in the US and Mexico.

Vudu has a catalog of over 10,000 free movies and TV episodes. You can watch these online with Vudu in 4K and 3D if you’re willing to put up with the ads.

Alternatively, Vudu has an online rental service called Fandango. You can rent new movies or wait for early movie release access. Moreover, you can also purchase films or series to watch. The service currently has over 200,000 movies and 800 TV shows, and more are added as the platform grows. This movie streaming site is straightforward to navigate.

Sign-Up Process for Vudu

Vudu’s signup process follows the same steps as other platforms. You can register with your social media account or with your email. Enter your information to create your account. An account isn’t required to watch movies for free, but it does enable you to rent and purchase them.

Vudu Pros and Cons

Pros:

• 3D and 4K resolution
• Easy to navigate app and website
• Early access to new releases
• Great options to filter from

Cons:

• Free movies and shows are limited

4. PopcornFlix

Let’s start with the best feature of PopcornFlix: It immediately offers you the option to select between movies and TV series. After that, you can browse for what you want to watch.

A massive amount of movies and shows are available through PopcornFlix. Moreover, some content is exclusive to this platform.

All of the content available comes with subtitles. In addition, it has a good filter that you can use to search for specific movies. The occasional ads and pop-ups from this free movie app usually aren’t long.

It has a growing library of international movies and is one of the best platforms to watch movies online. PopcornFlix has an edge over other free streaming services because of its availability in 60 countries outside the US.

You don’t need to make an account to watch free full movies on PopcornFlix, but if you do decide to create an account, the registration process is straightforward. Sign up with your email or other social accounts, and voila! That’s it.

PopcornFlix Pros and Cons

While all its features are excellent, one crucial thing is missing from PopcornFlix’s arsenal. You can’t change the quality of the movie you’re watching. It will automatically be set depending on your bandwidth.

Pros:

• Subtitles available
• Option to choose between movies and TV shows
• Has a good amount of famous movies available

Cons:

• No control over the resolution
• Lack of different genres

5. PlutoTV

PlutoTV has a comprehensive list of channels that stream movies online for free, with over 1,000 movies from different genres. You can access them from your browser or your mobile phone. There is abundant Spanish content on PlutoTV, ranging from all kinds of films to series.

Outside of the United States, Pluto TV and its apps are currently available in parts of the rest of the Americas (north and south) and parts of Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, and Spain).

PlutoTV Account

Making an account is not necessary, but in this case, if you make one, it’ll make navigating through the movies and channels much easier since it’ll give you the option to resume watching from where you left off, advanced search options, and option to favorite movies and channels.

Pros and Cons of PlutoTV

PlutoTV has 4K streaming which is a huge plus point. It also offers network channels such as CBS News, etc. The frequency of ads shown on PlutoTV can be on the high side.

Pros:

• Live streaming
• 4K resolution
• Sleek design

Cons:

• Content is not regularly updated, specifically TV shows

Tips for Watching Movies Using Free Apps

Watching movies using free apps is safe for the most part, but you can never be too sure. As such, you should be aware of a few safety precautions.

• First, use a VPN to hide your IP address and remove trackers looking to steal your data or behavioral pattern.
• Second, use an ad blocker to stop the pop-ups. These pop-ups can sometimes be a pain to close or automatically show ads. It’s better to stop them dead in their tracks.
• Third, keep your antivirus or windows defender up-to-date to protect your system as a whole, even if a file is automatically downloaded. It will scan it for known viruses and notify you if there’s something to be concerned about.

Free Movie Apps: The Piracy Question

While you can get paid to watch Netflix, many prefer free movie apps over paid services. However, popular free movie streaming apps are often not licensed or regulated. (These are apps that we have not mentioned in this post!) The content they upload is often illegally acquired from movie studios or production houses. Viewers who stream movies from those sites can get fined a minimum of $750.

Popular free movie apps with unlicensed content continue to shut down because of court rulings. But the sites manage to resurrect under different names and continue operations. It’s the same with free movie apps with region-restricted content. Tech-savvy users use VPNs to get around these restrictions.

For some people, free movie streaming sites are much-appreciated money-savers. However, the producers and studios that work hard on their projects are not fond of such sites putting their work out for free.

Piracy is like digital theft; no one wants their services or products stolen. While some platforms have pirated content, there are legitimate and safe movie apps that you can use without the risk of being penalized. Through these platforms, you can watch free online movies that are legal since they are in partnership with studios to whom they pay fees.

It’s like illegal side hustles; if you know better, you should do better.

More Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Free Movie Apps

How Can I Watch Full Movies for Free?

You can watch full movies on websites such as Crackle, Tubi TV, Vudu, PopcornFlix, and PlutoTV across different devices and platforms. While many sites are location-restricted, you can use VPNs to unlock a region.

What App Is Like Netflix but Free?

Applications like Crackle, Tubi TV, Vudu, PopcornFlix, and PlutoTV are excellent, free Netflix alternatives. They provide a huge catalog of licensed movies and TV shows for safe and legal viewing. Like Netflix, these apps feature original content, including film school originals and web series.

What Is the Safest App for Downloading Movies?

The free movie apps mentioned above provide the safety you need to download movies. Standard precautions apply, such as installing your gadget’s own antivirus and VPN, as well as web blockers for content filtering in the case of children viewers.

What Is the Best Free Movie App for Android Devices?

Some point to Vudu as the best free movie app for your Android device because of the clarity and sound quality of the streaming movies. Tubi TV is also notable for its video’s high definition quality. In terms of ease of use, Crackle is an app with easy navigating tools and user-friendly controls that allows you to stream movies without any complications.

Conclusion: Free Movie Apps

Gone are the days when watching movies at home entailed going to the corner video store and renting VHS tapes or DVDs.

Many competing platforms now enable video streaming so that you can watch movies for free anytime, anywhere. Explore each platform’s features to determine which works best for you and your devices.

Watching movies in these free apps is a unique way to watch your favorite series. You can even get paid while you’re watching your favorite series. You can make up to $200 daily with different apps and platforms, all while you’re kicking back and relaxing. Happy viewing!

This post originally appeared on Savoteur.

Originally posted 2022-09-20 00:15:39.