Last month, Bob and I canceled four streaming services we weren't watching. Bob wrote all about it. But that left me with a question on Saturday night: "Now what are we going to watch?"
My friend Barb had the answer. "Cindy, I haven't paid for a movie in two years." She showed me three free apps on her TV and one on her library card. Free westerns for Bob. Free British mysteries for me. And a brand-new documentary about national parks, free through the library, with no commercials at all.
So we tried it. We haven't run out of good movies yet. Here's how to watch free movies the legal, safe way, without accidentally signing up for something you'll pay for later.
Where can I watch free movies legally?
In plain words, there are two kinds of free, legal streaming. The first kind is free with commercials: Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel. You watch a few ad breaks, like regular TV, and you don't need a credit card. The second kind is free with your library card: Kanopy and Hoopla. These usually have no commercials at all, as long as your library takes part.
How do I find free movies on my TV?
If you have a smart TV, a Roku, a Fire TV Stick, or an Apple TV, open your TV's app store and search for Tubi, Pluto TV, or The Roku Channel. You can also watch on a phone, tablet, or computer at tubitv.com or pluto.tv. Pluto TV even has live channels that feel just like flipping through cable, including channels that play one classic show all day.
One thing to watch for: some free services also sell paid add-ons. The Roku Channel's official overview separates its free programming from premium subscriptions. So if a screen asks you to start a trial or enter a card number, stop. You've wandered out of the free section.
How do I watch movies free with my library card?
In plain words, three steps. First, ask your library whether it offers Kanopy or Hoopla. Second, download the official app and find your library in the list. Third, sign in with your library card number and PIN, and check how many films you can watch each month, since libraries set their own limits. Kanopy's setup page walks through the sign-in, and some libraries use their own sign-in page.
If your library doesn't show up, call them before assuming your card isn't working. Many librarians will happily help you set it up on a tablet first, which is easier than learning a new TV menu.
How do I avoid fake free movie sites?
Stick to official apps from your TV's app store, the App Store, or Google Play. Any website promising free new movies that are still in theaters is almost always illegal, and many are loaded with pop-ups, fake "virus" warnings, and scams. If a site asks you to download a special player or enter your card "just to verify your age," close it.
And if a pop-up says your device is infected and gives you a number to call, don't call. Our guide on fake renewal and refund scams explains that trick.
What we're watching now
Saturday movie night is back at our house, and it's free. Bob has worked his way through a whole collection of westerns on Tubi. I've watched every episode of a British village mystery on Pluto TV. And through our library's Kanopy, we watched that national parks documentary, commercial-free, with the captions on, of course. Here's how to turn captions on, and here's how Bob canceled the services we weren't watching.
Take good care of yourself, and take even better care of each other.
What's the best free movie you've found? Tell me in the comments so we can add it to our Saturday list.
