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The Best iPhone Apps to Stream Movies for Free – May 2017

The Best iPhone Apps to Stream Movies for Free - May 2017

Watching movies is a hobby and pastime of millions of different people from all over the world. While people used to go to theaters all the time or buy movies on DVD, a much more popular option nowadays is to stream them. Streaming gives you immediate access to a number of different films and is often more cost-effective than traditional methods of watching movies and TV.

However, more people than ever are watching movies and using their smartphones to consume media than ever before. While this is convenient, it does cause some issues as well. Many of the different movie and TV options are made for laptops or computers, which can cause formatting and other issues on mobile devices. Thankfully, there are a number of free apps out there that you can download to watch movies for free on the iPhone.

However, while some of them are good, others do more harm than good. With so many options out there saying there are the best, it can be hard to know which are actually good. Thankfully, that is where this article will come in handy for you. This article will go through many of the different free movie streaming apps for the iPhone and tell you which ones are quality, and which ones will be a waste of your time.

Winner - Tubi TV
Winner - Tubi TV

Compatible With

IOS

With everyone seemingly having a mobile phone, and a ton of people loving to watch movies and TV shows, it is no surprise that many different free streaming options have popped up in the App Store over the years. However, with so many choices, it is hard to select one that will be named the winner in this article. Some of the apps have different specialties and offer different options and titles. However, after a lot of consideration, we have decided that the best free movie streaming app for the iPhone is none other than Tubi TV.

Tubi TV is a free-to-download app that is all about letting you watch movies, TV shows and anime episodes directly on your iPhone. The app comes with a ton of different categories that you know and expect from streaming apps and services, but also some original ones. For example. Tubi TV comes complete with categories such as “Not on Netflix”, “Highly Rated on Rotten Tomatoes” and more. These categories can help you to discover new and unique films that you have never seen before and wouldn’t have ever discovered on your own. You never know, this app might even turn you onto a whole new genre of movies or TV that you never would have thought you would have liked until you watched it on Tubi TV.

While many apps will just have domestic films and TV shows on their platform or service, not Tubi TV. Tubi TV has programs and movies from all over the world included in their app, so that is great for people with varying tastes when it comes to their movies and TV. Also, there is new content added each and every week on Wednesday, so you will never run out of entertaining things to watch and try out.

IMG_6740

The app also allows for a bit of customization as well, which is always a welcomed feature in any app. This app allows you to create and manage your own video queue, so you always can select the order of different shows and movies that you want to watch. The app also lets you pick up right where you left off when watching shows, so it is a fairly intelligent app.

This app gives you the peace of mind that you don’t often get with those sketchy and illegal websites. Not only can they give your computer a nasty virus, the popups associated with those sites can be horrible. Tubi TV ensures that you not only get free content without super annoying pop-ups, but also that the content you are watching is completely legal. The way the app is legal is by showing ads to compensate their content partners, which lets the various different shows and movies be added to the app. While brand new shows and movies likely won’t release on here, that is to be expected due to the fact it is a free app. Still, there are a ton of great content for the tastes of everyone, no matter what kind of movies you like.

While this app is great on the iPhone, that is not the only place that you can watch content from this app. This app can sync your account between a variety of different devices including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon and more. You can also stream the content on the web by visiting their official website. This means no matter where you are and no matter what device you are using, you can watch Tubi TV.

IMG_6741

While the features and content of this app are great and worthy of the top spot in this battle of the best free movie apps, they are not the only good things about Tubi TV. The design and interface used in this app is incredible and is very easy to navigate. In an app like this, content is king. Thankfully, this app took that into consideration and made sure that the app looks simple and clean, while still being attractive and not boring. The interface and design of the app look very similar to Netflix, but with a different color scheme. Even some of the features are similar to Netflix. So if you currently use Netflix or ever have in the past, you can rest assured knowing that you will able to use and navigate the app with ease.

While most people will pay a lot of money for movies in a given year (whether it be a subscription service, buying DVDs or anything else), this app is available completely free. In fact, the team behind it has claimed they will never add a subscription fee and the app will be completely free forever. While the app does show some ads to keep the content free, that is a relatively small price to pay for a ton of movies and TV shows in various different niches and genres.

So if you take into account the features of the app, how it looks and navigates, as well as the price, this is a great option for your movie-watching needs on the iPhone. While your choice will depend on what types of movies and content you want to watch, this is a clear choice if you want the best of both worlds in terms of a variety of content and the apps ability to constantly be updated with new material. If you are in the market for a fully-featured free movie streaming app with a good mix of different content, Tubi TV is the app for you.

Winner - Tubi TV

Runner-up - SnagFilms
Runner-up - SnagFilms

Compatible With

IOS

Just like choosing the winner in this article, choosing the runner-up was not easy. This article is full of solid choices for free movie apps, but we had to choose a runner-up. After considering many different apps and their features and content, we have chosen a runner-up, and it is SnagFilms. SnagFilms is an app to watch free and full length films and TV shows right on your mobile device.

While the winner of this battle of the free movie streaming app has a wide range of different content and genres (including major Hollywood flicks), this app is a little bit different. SnagFilms focuses more on independent films, TV shows and documentaries. Overall, there is more than 5000 different titles on the app, meaning you will likely never run out of things to watch. The app features a number of different categories to explore and is a great app for everyone from comedy lovers, to those who love action and adventure flicks. Also, if you have film interests outside of what is popular, there is a good chance that you will find movies that satisfy your tastes on this app.

The films in this app also have a lot of variety in terms of when they were released and many of the films on the app are hard to find anywhere else. The app is also perfect for the entire family. There are movies in here for children, teens, adults, couples and everything in between. Also, if you speak multiple languages or just have a love for foreign films, this app is for you. It has content from different countries all over the world and with so many foreign titles, you will never run out. Don’t worry, they are all subtitled as well so even if you don’t speak the language, you can still enjoy these international masterpieces.

If you are a documentary lover, you will also love this app. It features full-length docs and has ones from many different genres. The app is also rich with biographies so you can learn more about your favorite stars, both past and present, including everyone from Steve Jobs to Tupac Shakur.

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The app also has a ton of other great features including watching on multiple screens, adding films that you want to watch later, in-app sharing, a great search function, syncing and more. The app has also been featured in many different publications and has gotten a lot of critical acclaim.

The design of the app is also very good looking and features a simple layout and interface. Navigating it is a cinch and you will easily be able to go from category to category and show to show. While the app works best on a wifi connection, there is a good chance it will also work on data (but will likely experience a bit of lag or so).

As you can tell by the title of this article itself, this is a completely free app and it’s not likely that it will ever become paid. The fact that you get thousands and thousands of different titles without paying a single dime is very impressive. All in all, this is one of the best options for a free movie app and will surely open your eyes to many different films and genres that you have likely never seen or heard of before. If you are looking to expand your movie watching horizons, this might just be the app for you.

Runner-up - SnagFilms

Crackle
Crackle

Compatible With

IOS

Crackle is your one-stop-shop to watch free TV, movies, originals, and more. Any device you want to watch on will be able to play your Crackle content. The app is full of a ton of different action films, comedies, and dramas, along with a number of other of the most popular genres on the planet.

The app is full of many different features to make movie watching even easier, including being able to create a list of things to watch (to never forget a title that you come across). Also, you are able to exit the app and it will remember where you left off in your film, which is very convenient.

While this app doesn’t have as many new or popular films as other apps or services on the market, that is because it is available to be used for free. No subscription is needed for this app at all and you can rest assured that you will never be charged a dime for watching the movies and other types of content on this app. All of this combined means Crackle is one of the best free movie apps out there, and much better than those sketchy and illegal websites out there.

Viewster
Viewster

Compatible With

IOS

Without even having to sign-up, this app helps you enjoy a ton of different movies and TV shows. Also, this app is a leader in Anime content and it is constantly being updated, so if you love anime, this is the app for you. However, even if you do not like anime, the other content on this app is enough to warrant a download. The content on the app is available completely free and is licensed, so it is totally licensed and legal. Some titles will not be available in all countries, however.

While the app might not have some of the biggest stars or movies on the planet, it is full of lots of hidden gems that you will not be likely to find elsewhere. Horrors, thrillers, documentaries and more are all readily available on the app. You can create watchlists on the app and it features many other different customization features too.

While the app is free, the development team behind it is still very interested in hearing your feedback about the app. So if you decide to download the app and love or hate it, be sure to give them some feedback! If anime is your thing, or you like seeing movies and shows that you likely cannot find elsewhere, give this app a download.

Viewster

YouTube
YouTube

Compatible With

IOS

YouTube is far and away the most known and popular app on this list. It is used by millions upon millions of people each day. While many think of it as simply a place to watch little videos and funny things, there are a ton of full-length TV shows and videos on the app. While they toe the legal line as many are not licensed to be on YouTube, that doesn’t stop a ton of people from uploading them.

While they can be tough to find, they are out there out. However, many videos that say they are a full-length movie or show, will often direct you to a sketchy site. Use your discretion here and never go to a site you don’t trust. Also, a ton of different shows and movies on this app will be uploaded in sections, not all together. Also, if you feel like spending a few dollars, you can purchase shows and movies off of the YouTube app as well. However, being that this is an article about free movie apps, we won’t talk too much about those.

As you know, using YouTube in its entirety is completely free and it would be hard to imagine them ever charging for people to view videos. While the movies and TV shows may not be as plentiful on YouTube as on other apps, you may be able to find newer and more high-profile flicks. Also, with the fact that many of you reading this will already have YouTube downloaded to your device, using this app to watch movies and TV shows will save you time from signing up or downloading a new account.

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Don’t see an App that should be here ?

Yidio
Yidio

Compatible With

IOS

This app is a little bit different from most on this list in one big way, you can’t actually watch any movies or TV shows on this app. Instead, this app acts as a universal search and discovery app. This means that if you search for a show or movie in this app, it will provide you with a number of different sources where you can find the show or movie you seek. This app scours dozens and dozens of different sources to find the movies you love.

This app searches through many free movie sources, but also some paid ones, so make sure you know about the source this app gives you before you go there and sign up for anything. In total, this app uses 70 different sources to help you find the shows you desire.

The app also has a great feature that can alert you when a show or movie you like is available to be seen somewhere. Simply tell the app what movies and TV shows you like, and it will send you a notification when and where you can watch them. While you can’t actually watch movies or shows on this app, it is still a great one to download and have. No matter where your favorite movies and shows can be seen, this app will be able to tell you about it. This app will stop those long and terrible searches for movies and can easily tell you where to find them.

Popcornflix
Popcornflix

Compatible With

IOS

While it may not be the most popular movie streaming service to end in “flix”, it is still a great option if you don’t want to pay a subscription fee. Popcornflix is all about watching free movies right from your mobile device. This app has hundreds and hundreds of different and full-length films to enjoy.

This app makes it incredibly easy to browse and search through movies from a variety of different genres. If you like the popular comedy films, dramas, and horror films, this app can help you out. But even if you are more into other types of film like independent, foreign or documentary, the app is full of that as well.

At least one movie is added to this free app each and every day, and the films can be watched on wifi or on 3G, whatever is easiest for you. You can easily browse movies by titles, genres, actor and more. While it isn’t going to wow you or anything, this is a solid app for watching free content. And with new movies being added every day, you can be sure that the content will never get boring.

Popcornflix

Flipps
Flipps

This app is all about consuming videos, movies, TV shows, and news, right on your device. Or, if you’d rather have a bigger screen, you can connect the app to a TV with ease. This app features over 100 different channels and has a ton of on-demand content. This app goes far beyond offering simply some free movies and includes sports, news, and much more.

There is no hardware or TV apps required for this app to work and it is incredibly simple to get a hang of. The app also learns what you like and it will give you personalized content based on the things that you like. The app itself also looks very good and is easy to navigate.

While the app is completely free to use, there are some options for in-app purchases. These are in the form of PPVs and other “tickets” to watch certain content. We won’t be covering any of the premium features as this is an article about free movie apps. All things considered, this app is one of the best options out there and have an impressive catalog of features and content to watch and enjoy.

Flipps

Viu
Viu

Compatible With

IOS

While many of the apps in this article focus on content from around the world, this one is a little bit different. If you are located in an Asian country or love watching Asian films and TV shows, this is definitely the app for you. This app is all about bringing the various different types of Asian entertainment to you no matter where you are.

This app features programs and movies that are fairly new and you have access to a ton of different content. The content may differ from country to country, however. You can even download videos to your device to watch them later, without the need for an internet connection. You can easily bookmark your favorite streaming shows and movies to make sure you can find them with ease later on.

While the app can be downloaded and used for free without paying a dime, it also comes with the option to upgrade to a premium service. Viu Premium offers you some advanced features and gets you certain shows and programs earlier than free members. While this won’t be an app that everyone likes, it is definitely one you will want to download if you are a big fan of Asian TV and movies.

BoxTV
BoxTV

Compatible With

IOS

BoxTV is without a doubt the owner of one of the best catalogs of content on this entire list. The app features big Hollywood flicks, Bollywood and other international movies, TV shows and more. In total, the app boasts more than 5000 hours of content, and it is available to download and use for free. Whatever type of thing you are interested in or feel like watching, you will be able to see it here.

The search function on the app also works quite well as you can search by genre, title, language and much more. You can also easily share, rate and discuss movies with the thousands and thousands of other users of the app.

The app is free, as we mentioned earlier, but there is also a monthly subscription plan you can pay for in order to unlock a number of different movies and TV shows.  This will cost you a few dollars a month, or you can opt to have it for a whole year and get a slight discount. Whether you decide to use the free version of the app or the premium version, it is definitely one of the best apps out there on the market today.

Hoopla Digital
Hoopla Digital

Compatible With

IOS

Hoopla is a very different app than many on this list, but is still a great option to download. Hoopla is a way to borrow free digital movies, e-books, music and more at any time of day. The only thing you need for the app to work is a library card. That’s right, the app is available to use without paying a single cent.

There are thousands and thousands of different pieces of content within the app and it is incredibly easy to use. Whatever type of content you want to consume, you can rest assured you will be able to find it in this app. It features new and popular releases, cult classics, hard-to-find hidden gems and much more.

This type of app is still quite new, but it incredibly useful and much easier than actually going to the library and taking out the item itself. Also, most library cards are free, so if you don’t have one, get one. And once you have one, go and get this great app.

Hoopla Digital

Kale Havervold

May 13, 2017

I have been a writer for a few years now and look to inform, educate and entertain with my writing.

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