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Mar 7, 2023 · Here are our eleven best free TV and free movie apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Watch Free Movies & TV Shows on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV & Mac. Most of the free movie apps or free live TV apps allow you to enjoy free movie streaming on your Apple TV, and some have free movie apps on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac as well.
- Jim Karpen
- Contributor
- Pluto TV. Pluto TV is essentially a free but more limited version of traditional TV. Similar to other live TV services like Sling TV, FuboTV, and YouTube TV, you can watch live TV, movies, specials, and more.
- Newsy. Need to stay on top of the latest news? Check out Newsy. This channel serves up video segments of current news items and specific stories across politics, entertainment, technology, and more.
- TED. TED delivers thousands of talks, lessons, demos, and presentations from expert speakers on a range of topics. You can start with recent videos and editor picks, or check out such topics as Personal Growth, Business, Science, Psychology, Technology, Education, Health, and Politics.
- Popcornflix. Want to catch a memorable movie or TV show? Grab some popcorn and tune into Popcornflix. Here you'll find classic and not-so-classic films from the recent and distant past, like Terms of Endearment, Sophie's Choice, On Golden Pond, Patriot Games, The Untouchables, 48 Hours, and Star Trek: Insurrection.
- YouTube. YouTube is already everybody's go-to site for a variety of things, whether that's learning how to make the French dish ratatouille, watching Olivia Rodrigo's latest music video, or keeping up with the most popular content creators.
- Plex. A highly-rated, multi-platform program that you can get on your phone, computer, smart TV, and streaming device, Plex is one of the best free streaming apps for your Apple TV, and it's easy to see why.
- Tubi. If you're looking for a free alternative to Netflix with almost the same interface, consider checking out Tubi. This streaming app is home to a massive collection of no less than 200,000 free but ad-supported TV episodes and movies, some of which are produced by big studios like Warner Bros., Lionsgate, and Paramount.
- Crackle. Another Netflix-like app that you can download and use on your Apple TV completely for free is Crackle. The app offers an interface resembling Netflix, with the movie/show thumbnails categorized under various themes, such as documentary, thriller, and reality show.
- Overview
- YouTube
- Tubi
- Prime Video (Freevee)
- Pluto TV
- Filmzie
- Vudu
- Redbox
- Crackle
- Filmrise
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This list of movie apps will put thousands of free streaming movies at your fingertips. I've used all these apps myself, but there are a few I prefer over the rest (keep reading to see why). You'll be able to watch comedies, family films, action movies, documentaries, and tons of others. There really is something for everyone!
YouTube has an awesome collection of totally free movies. The company actually puts together their own list, so you don't have to go searching through random people's profiles to find full-length films that are legal to watch.
It's super easy to find the better free movies on YouTube by simply opening the Movies & TV page. All the regular genres are included, so you can browse films marked as action, horror, science fiction, drama, comedy, etc. There's also an Independent section.
If you're struggling to find something through YouTube's list, check out our roundup of the best free movies on YouTube. There are also some channels dedicated to free movies, like Maverick Movies and Timeless Classic Movies.
As you'd expect, lots of devices and apps can stream YouTube movies, such as iOS and Android mobile devices, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku.
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Android
This app looks almost identical to Tubi's website, but it's optimized so well for mobile that it's super easy to use. All the same genres and the search tool are available through the app, and every movie cover is large enough to see without having to tap on them. There are tens of thousands of movies and shows to pick from here.
Choosing a movie will take you to its description page where it shows the release date, duration, genre, and similar titles you might like. "Like" or "dislike" a movie to teach the app what it should recommend to you in the future.
One reason I've ranked Tubi as one of the best apps for free movies is because of its awesome curated collections, such as Cult Classics, Only Free on Tubi, and Highly Rated on Rotten Tomatoes. An added bonus is that you can start watching immediately without needing a user account.
Tubi works from not only phones and tablets, but also streaming devices and smart TVs.
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Android
It might not seem like Amazon Prime Video belongs in this list, but there's actually an entire section of the app that lists only the movies and shows Amazon lets you watch absolutely free. This service is called Freevee.
Something I especially like is how these films are organized. There are the typical categories for helping you find popular and recently added movies, plus genre-specific lists for comedies, dramas, etc. But within each list, you can further refine the results by subtitle language and genre.
On the free page are unique collections like Movies of the month and Freevee Originals.
Like most movie apps, Freevee is also available in a web browser and as a TV app.
The links below are for the Prime Video app, but there's also a dedicated Freevee app. I prefer Prime Video because it has better sorting options, but the Freevee app is good if you don't want to see rent/buy options.
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I like to open Pluto TV for free movies when I don't know what to watch. Because it works like cable TV, with a guide and something always playing live, it relieves some of the decision anxiety that comes with these other apps.
There are two ways to watch stuff here. The cable TV-like service plays something all day long. There are even specific movie channels that just cycle through films 24/7.
For an idea of the kind of movies you can find here, some titles I've seen come across my guide include Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Little Monsters, Orange County, Equilibrium, 12 Angry Men, and Labor Day.
The other method is as an on-demand movie streaming service. The app makes a clear distinction, so it's easy to switch between the two. This is where you want to be if you want more freedom when choosing your next film. It's easy to see popular, trending, and newly added movies, plus films listed in particular genres.
There are several ways to stream Pluto TV. The mobile app runs on Android and iOS, and while this is how I stream from here sometimes, I much prefer the TV app because it fits a larger screen better.
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Filmzie is built for independent filmmakers and small studios. It's my go-to when I'm looking for something totally unique.
Your typical genre categories are available, like most apps, but I love the unique ways Filmzie organizes its films. Some examples include Directed by Women, Top Rated on IMDb, Cuddle-Up Comedies, and Undiscovered Gems.
The app is simple to use, it has a really smooth interface, and you don't even need to make a user account to start streaming. It runs on Android and iOS.
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Android
iOS
This one is well known for movies you can buy, but if you're fine with the occasional ad, you can stream thousands of free movies at Vudu, too, including their trailers.
Viewing only the free options is easy; just open the Free page from the menu or browse for films that have the FREE WITH ADS label. From there, you can look through all the films by the ones that are new this week, are the most popular or are in specific genres.
Something else you can do is see all of Vudu's free movies on their website and then search for a specific film on the app to watch it from your mobile device.
Other helpful ways I like to find something to stream is through curated lists like Top 200, Hidden Gems, All-Time Movie Favorites, Captivating Dramas, LOL Comedies, Blast From the Past, Disaster Strikes, and Aliens and Outer Space.
I've watched Vudu films through the Android, iPhone, and iPad app, as well as through Roku and Chromecast. It also runs on Apple TV.
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You can watch free on-demand movies available from Redbox through their mobile app. Just pick WATCH FREE from the menu to find all the ad-supported movies you can stream online.
One way I think this is one of the better free movie apps is how the titles are organized. It's easy to see which ones are leaving the free section soon, which movies just recently got added to the collection, and the popular free movies. They're also organized by genre.
The app runs on Android, iPhone, and iPad. You can also stream these free movies on your Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.
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Android
iOS
Crackle supports just about every device imaginable, including all popular mobile devices, most smart TVs, streaming players, and gaming consoles, in addition to a regular web browser.
The interface is easy to work with, and the videos stream smoothly. You don't have to log in to watch movies and TV shows, but the option is there if you need it.
One thing you won't find in lots of movie apps is the option to sort and filter the results. Although I think there could be more done here to make it even better, it's nice that Crackle lets you filter by genre and sort by title and the date that the movies were added to the app.
This app works with several devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Android.
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Android
More free movies and shows can be streamed from the Filmrise app. They add new content every day in genres like horror, crime, action, drama, and documentaries. Some other categories include Animals, Biopics, Coming of Age, Animated Films, Cops & Robbers, and Action Comedies.
You don't need a user account to stream movies from this app, nor do you need to sign up to create your own watchlist to keep track of what you want to stream later. You'll see related videos on each movie page to help you find something else you might like.
Filmrise movies can be streamed from most devices, like Android and iOS, as well as Xbox and Roku.
Download For:
Android
iOS
- Pluto TV. Pluto TV gives you over 100 channels of live TV for free. With over 1000 movies and TV episodes, you’ll always have something new to watch. The channel lineup includes major channels like NBC and CBS, along with exclusive channels like Anime All Day and Food TV.
- Popcornflix. Popcornflix is 100% free streaming app with no subscription required. After downloading to your Apple TV, you can use the app to stream full-length movies and TV shows.
- Sony Crackle. Crackle has a good variety of TV shows, and an even better lineup of movies, all available for free. You’ll find new releases, classic movies, and binge-worthy originals from Crackle.
- Tubi TV. Tubi TV is another streaming service with a library of both TV episodes and movies with no credit card and no subscription required. While Tubi TV is ad supported, the streaming service says you’ll see less ads than you would with cable TV.
Aug 13, 2024 · Enjoy free content by either testing out Apple TV+ with a 7-day free trial or downloading free apps on your Apple TV. Apple TV offers access to a wide array of free entertainment options, including popular apps such as YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV.
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3 days ago · If that’s the case, you may want to use Pluto TV, Sling Free, Xumo, Peacock or the Roku Channel. If you only care about finding movies and TV shows on-demand, then try Freevee, Peacock, Crackle ...
