Top Websites to Stream Movies Online for Free

Streaming is definitely the way to go when consuming media. It is light on resources, requires only a few megabits of bandwidth and allows you to access anything at any time. Illegal streams are plentiful but legal ones are harder to come by. I am up to the challenge though and have searched the internet looking for the top websites to stream movies online for free. Legally.

There are compromises with remaining legal. Unless you pay for a premium service such as Netflix or Hulu, access to newer movies or blockbusters is very limited. However, they come with none of the legal implications torrents or illegal streams do, so they are well worth considering.

Here are what I think are some of the best, legal websites to stream movies online for free.

YouTube

YouTube is the logical first stop in our tour of websites to stream movies online for free. Not only does the video giant offer to rent you movies to watch online, it also offers some for free. There are independents as well as more recognizable names on offer. Just search movies on the site and see what comes up.

Classic Cinema Online

Classic Cinema Online is another self-explanatory website to stream movies online for free. This time it’s the oldies. There are some real classics on here like Pygmalion, Flight to Mars and even a stoner movie I had never heard of called Reefer Madness made in 1936! Presumably all these movies are out of copyright but that doesn’t make them any less entertaining. If you’re a fan of classic cinema, this is one for you.

Vimeo

Vimeo is a social network for video and a repository of all kinds of content. Staff Picks are usually pretty good and you can stream directly from a browser. You can also use the Vimeo app if you prefer. You won’t find Hollywood box office hits here but you will find many independent movies and some pretty good TV series too.

Popcornflix

Popcornflix is owned by Screen Media Ventures which has licenses for over 1,500 movies. They are streamed for free through the website. I must admit that many of the movies I had never heard of but there are some, like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Midnight Swim that I had. If you’re looking for something outside the mainstream, this could be a good bet.

TopDocumentaryFilms

As the name suggests, TopDocumentaryFilms is a streaming site specifically for factual content. You can stream them directly although it seems the content is hosted on YouTube. What this site does do is offer an organized way to navigate, browse and search factual movies and shows. I have watched a few on here and some are better than others but they are free and legal.

Viewster

Viewster is a smart looking website that offers free streaming of movies and TV shows. Again, many of them are independents or fan-made but there are a few there that I had heard of. There is a strong showing from animation and anime, so if you’re a fan of those genres, this is definitely a site worth checking out.

Crackle

Crackle is a website that offers free streaming of movies and TV shows owned by Sony. Personally, I don’t get on with this site as it uses Flash but your mileage may vary. As it is owned by Sony, the quality of the content hosted is pretty good. There are some big movies, b-movies and movies you will never have heard of. You do have to sign up but once you do, the content is free.

SnagFilms

SnagFilms sounds like a dubious niche genre but is actually a pretty good source of free streaming content. It says it has over 10,000 movies online that includes independents, documentaries, classics and a range of other content. There are some big names, some National Geographic, lots of historical content and some comedy and celebrity stuff too. There is a lot of variety that’s for sure.

Big Five Glories

Big Five Glories is another website for lovers of classics. This site specializes in black and white movies from the 1920s to the 1950s. The name is a nod to the big five movie studios of the time, 20th Century Fox, RKO Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. There is a wide range of content here from the golden age of Hollywood.

MovieZoot

MovieZoot is where I go to get my Kung Fu fix. As well as martial arts movies, there are the usual genres such as romance, war, horror, action and more. The range is pretty good with some big names featuring. Many of the movies are from the 60s and 70s but there are occasionally a few contemporary ones on the site. Well worth a look in my opinion.