How To Watch Movies with Friends Online

If you and a person you know both love the same tv shows, it is possible to watch it together, apart. From the comfort of your home, there’s no need to tidy up or prepare snacks with websites and apps that allow you to sync your favorite shows with another fan. Each website and app offers something a little different to bring you together with a loved one.

If you can’t get together and have a Netflix binge, these apps offer a way to coordinate your viewing so you can watch the same thing at the same time. Whether you’re spending time with friends or keeping up an LDR, these apps could help.

Depending on the one you choose, you can coordinate your Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, or another streaming service so you can synchronize your movies and TV shows. Some will add a chat app so you can discuss things are they go. They are a neat way to remain friends over distance.

Kast

Kast, formerly known as Rabb.it is a well-reviewed app that lets you watch movies, TV shows, and even play games with friends. It also lets you share documents and other media too. The app helps you sync Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming services so you can all watch together, just from different places. You can also create groups for regular viewing and use the app to chat.

The app works well and has decent design and navigation. You can choose the $4.99/mo option for the premium version granting even more permissions and opportunities to virtually hand out with friends and family.

Syncplay

Syncplay is slightly different in that it helps sync your own media players so you can watch movies you own. It works with most PC operating systems but doesn’t have a mobile app. It can sync VLC and other media players so you can watch media on your desktop or laptop in sync with each other.

This is open-source and it’s free but has a very basic design. You all open the app, create a room, sync together, and everyone hits the ‘Ready To Watch’ option to begin viewing together. The movie plays and you can all enjoy it at the same time.

The server syncs everyone together so if a new participant joins, they will be brought up to the same place as everyone else. Meanwhile, if someone jumps ahead, they’ll be brought back to the same point as everyone else.

Each user will have to provide their own copy of media (which is fine if everyone has your login for a media platform), as this option does not provide any content. There also isn’t a voice chat feature within the website, although you can always use Discord in the background and create a server to match Syncplay.

Gaze

Gaze is another media syncing app but it only works with YouTube for streams. It also creates video conference calls between friends and lets you watch your own media in sync just like Syncplay does. It’s a polished app that works well but currently can only link two people rather than a group. This is more suitable for an LDR than keeping up with your buddies but works well enough.

The design is very straightforward and makes short work of setting up a stream and watching it. That’s why it appears in this list. Similar to Syncplay’s server design, both viewers are kept together by the apps’ ability to synchronize content. One person won’t be able to jump ahead while another won’t be able to fall behind.

Netflix Party

Netflix Party does exactly what its name implies. As long as everyone has a Netflix account and uses Chrome, this extension can create a synchronized viewing experience in your browser.

Install the extension and you will see a small NP icon appear in Chrome. Log into Netflix, set up a party, and share the party URL with your friends, select a TV show or movie to watch and the extension will sync it all up for you.

This extension will only work if you all have Netflix accounts and disable your ad blocker. I tested it extensively and it seems to work fine, even over longer viewing sessions.

Watch2Gether

Watch2Gether is another well-titled app that lets you watch movies with friends. It is limited to YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion and SoundCloud but works well enough. You can create a room, invite friends with a URL and watch or listen as you like. As an added bonus, you can shop together on Amazon too.

The design is basic but easy to navigate and it is simple to set up your room, invite friends and watch or listen to music. You will need to create an account to create a room but the app works well enough.

Once you and your friends have set up an account, getting everyone synchronized on the same show is simple. You create a room, send the link to your friends, and everyone watches the same content together.

MyCircleTV

MyCircleTV is very similar to Watch2Gether in that it is only compatible with YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and SoundCloud but it is a much more polished product. It also works with voice chat if you don’t mind friends talking over the show. You will need to register to create a room but once that is done you can share the room URL with anyone you like and watch or listen together.

The design is simple and you can even create public rooms for randoms to join if that’s your thing. It’s a shame this doesn’t work with Netflix or Hulu as it is a very slick app to use. Voice chat is either a good or bad thing depending on who you’re with but is a cool feature nonetheless.

TwoSeven

TwoSeven is another excellent site for watching movies together, all over the world. If you’re into supporting small-time developers, this is a great place to start! With automatic synchronization options and webcam feeds, it will be almost like you and your loved ones are in the same room.

Wondering what you can watch together? This comprehensive list consists of Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, or even personal videos from Google Drive (such as home movies). What’s even better? Everyone can share the same login for their favorite media source as long as the streams are available.

If you’re in different parts of the world, some content may not be available to everyone. The only known workaround for this is to use a VPN to get all users watching the same movie at the same time.

You do have a few payment options, but for what you’re getting it’s really not bad. Between $3 and $20 per month, patrons have a lot of options with this website.