17 Top Free Online Movie Streaming Sites of 2023

A dozen online movie streaming sites give you an incomparable watching experience. These video-on-demand services include Netflix, Disney, HBO, etc. But here is the catch; they aren’t free.

You have to pay a monthly subscription fee to watch content. And you cannot watch all the content, primarily if some are zoned. But there’s a way out for all movie enthusiasts, including you!

You can watch free movies online with a similar experience. These great youtube alternatives let you stream HD quality content without going deeper into your pocket. Wondering which these sites are?

Top Free Movie Streaming Sites To Watch Online

1. Movies Joy
2. 123Movies
3. MovieStars
4. Fmovies
5. Yesmovies
6. WatchSeries
7. Yify TV
8. StreamM4u
9. SolarMovie
10. AZMovies
11. GoStream
12. Spacemov
13. Yes Movies 123
14. 123Chill
15. StreamLord
16. YoMovies
17. PrimeWire

I sampled 51+ free streaming sites to come up with this list. I scrapped most sites because they had too many popup ads, while others were unsafe.

Streaming is a booming industry, especially with the rise of twitch, according to streaming statistics. Thousands of youngsters are now making money live streaming on the platform, and so can you!

But before you even think about live streaming, you need a good upload speed. Be on the safe side and avoid any possible future hitches. Also, check my guide on how much bandwidth you need for streaming.

Top Free Movie Streaming Sites To Watch Online

These top 17 free movie streaming sites will offer you an unleveled experience. They are the most popular, but that doesn’t mean they legally show the content.

1. Movies Joy

Best For Thriller Movies

Movie Content: Action, comedy, history, thriller, sport, etc.

VPN Required: No

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

MoviesJoy is an online streaming site that provides you with movies and TV shows. The platform offers and updates content daily to ensure that visitors stay entertained. The platform allows you to stream and download content to your local device.

Ads Annoyance: 4/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 8/10

Pros

• It’s mobile-friendly for streaming on the go.
• The platform supports Chromecast.
• The platform has a minimalistic design.
• No sign-up or credit card information is needed.
• The platform offers HD-quality videos.

Cons

• MoviesJoy has a few ads and popups.

2. 123Movies

Best For Trending Movies

Movie Content: movies, series

VPN Required: Yes (Preferred)

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

123Movies streaming platform features free TV shows and movies for your daily entertainment needs. The platform is simple to use, and you can enjoy quick loading with a good internet connection.

Ads Annoyance: 3/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 6/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• It’s compatible with mobile devices and Chromecast.
• Easy to use minimalistic design.
• Quick to load, continuous streaming.
• A vast content library to watch.
• No need to create or register an account.
• Engaging customer service.

Cons

• There are a few ads pop up

3. MovieStars

Best For Recent TV Shows

Movie Content: Action, Animation, crime, drama, documentaries, horror, sci-fi, romance, biography, thriller, etc.

VPN Required: No

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: N/A

MovieStars is a free movie website that competes with other high-end premium movies and TV show platforms. Watching movies online is easy as soon as they’re available on the site. MovieStars constantly indexes video hosts for new streams.

Ads Annoyance: 7/10

Security: 7/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• Offers both streaming and downloading options.
• Its movie library is rich with some recent releases.
• The platform offers an excellent sorting menu.

Cons

• It has a lot of redirecting ads.
• You have to register to stream in HD and without ads.

4. Fmovies

Best For Recent Movie Releases

Movie Content: Action, animation, crime, history, kung fu, romance, TV shows, war, Sci-Fi, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: N/A

FMovies is a streaming website where you can access movies for free without signing up. The website offers some of the latest movies and TV shows releases. With a stable internet connection, you can stream these high-quality movies effortlessly.

Ads Annoyance: 4/10

Security: 7/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 8/10

Pros

• The platform has a rich library of content.
• Features most recent movie releases.
• It has a minimalist design that’s easy to use.
• It’s easy to sort out content by genre or country.
• It has ratings on all movies.

Cons

• The site has annoying ads.
• You have to sign up to comment or rate a movie.

5. Yesmovies

Best For Action and Comedy Movies

Movie Content: thriller, musical, drama, mythological, romance, sports, horror, family, crime, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

Yesmovies is a streaming site that helps you access world-class HD quality films and television series. Whether you’re looking for Chinese or Japanese movies, you’re more likely to find that movie here than anywhere else.

Ads Annoyance: 6/10

Security: 7/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• The popup ad pops only once.
• The platform has a vast database.
• There are over 25 classifications of genres.
• It’s easy to find movies using the filtering options.

Cons

• You must have a VPN to watch some movies.

6. WatchSeries

Best For Series and Reality TV Shows

Movie Content: action, adventure, animation, biography, comedy, crime, documentaries, drama, horror, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

WatchSeries is a movie streaming site that harnesses various content on the web to a controlled platform. The movies and series on the platform are of incomparable quality, and with a high streaming speed, you can enjoy the movies from your browser.

Ads Annoyance: 7/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• The platform is compatible with all devices.
• There’s a constant update of movies and series.
• It’s easy to sort out content using categories and filters.
• Most movies and series are in HD quality.
• You can preview using the trailer.

Cons

• There are redirecting popups ads.

7. Yify TV

Best For Drama, Thriller, and Comedy Movies

Movie Content: reality TV, sci-fi, talk shows, thrillers, romance, mystery, horror, war, sport, fantasy, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

Most movie enthusiasts have found home streaming from Yify TV. The website offers free movie and TV show streaming. You can also get torrents to download movies to your local device for free.

Ads Annoyance: 2/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 5/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• The platforms offer previews through trailers.
• The Ads are less annoying.
• Most movies are in HD Quality.
• It has regular movie updates.

Cons

• You have to sign up to rate a movie.

8. StreamM4u

Best For Animated Movies.

Movie Content: Action, Animation, Crime, Comedy, Horror, drama, thriller, romance, sci-fi, etc.

VPN Required: No

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

If you’ve been looking for a perfect site to stream movies and TV shows from, StreamM4u should be your destination. The platform organizes the film into various categories and genres, making it easy to spot what you love.

Ads Annoyance: 2/10

Security: 9/10

Movie Updates: 6/10

Video Quality: 9/10

Pros

• Great categorizing of content for easy access.
• There are no popup ads apart from redirects.
• The platform has constant daily movie updates.
• It offers up to 780p.

Cons

• There are annoying ads that redirect you.
• There are some low-quality movies on the platform.

9. SolarMovie

Best For Sci-Fi and Horror Movies

Movie Content: comedy, adventure, comedy, action, thriller, war, tv series, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

From the minimalist design to the high-quality movies available, I can undoubtedly recommend SolarMovie as one of the best free streaming sites. The platform’s user interface makes it easy to figure out the genres you want effortlessly.

Ads Annoyance: 7/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 5/10

Pros

• The platform has minimal ads.
• It has a minimalist user interface design.
• It has a dozen search filters, making it easy to find movies.
• Most movies are in HD Quality.
• The website offers a trailer for all movies.

Cons

• You still have to battle a few pop-up ads.

10. AZMovies

Best For Streaming Organized Content

Movie Content: Action, adventure, comedy, family, horror, animation, history, crime, thriller, mystery, war, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: N/A

AZMovies is one of the best and most extended movie streaming platforms. The platform lives true to its slogan of helping you stream your favorite movies for free and from anywhere. What’s better, they offer content of high quality.

Ads Annoyance: 6/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• Vast streaming content.
• Well-organized content by features, genre, and year.
• Constantly updated content.
• Compatible with VPN and mobile devices.

Cons

• Highly annoying ad redirects and popups.

11. GoStream

Best For Horror Movies

Movie Content: action, animation, comedy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, drama, horror, war, mystery, etc.

VPN Required: Yes (recommended)

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

GoStream is a top free streaming site with a lot of content at 720p. The content ranges from drama, comedy, thriller, action, adventure, etc. The platform offers a trailer to preview the movies and keep you in the loop before streaming.

Ads Annoyance: 6/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 5/10

Pros

• It has a rich movie library.
• The platform offers only HD-quality movies.
• Ads are less intrusive compared to competitors.

Cons

• Go stream has no TV series or reality shows.

12. Spacemov

Best For Drama Movies

Movie Content: Action, adventure, biography, crime, drama. Mystery, reality, sci-fi, documentaries, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: Yes (not limited)

Spacemov is a free and premium movie streaming site that offers movies of high 1080p quality. Additionally, if you’re not sure about which movie, in particular, you want to watch, the platform features trailers. It also shows how many views a special video has had on the platform.

Ads Annoyance: 2/10

Security: 8/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• It offers high-quality content
• You can preview movies using the trailers
• It has well-sorted movie and series categories.
• The platform is user-friendly and responsive on mobile devices.

Cons

• The ads are intrusive and limit control.
• Some categories don’t have a lot of movies.

13. Yes Movies 123

Best For Personalized Movie Streams

Movie Content: Movies, Series, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: N/A

Have you been searching for a particular movie and haven’t found it yet? You’ll most likely find it on YesMovies 123. It is a free movie streaming site that offers a seamless interface for newbie users.

Ads Annoyance: 5/10

Security: 7/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• Very easy-to-use interface.
• Constant updates with the new movie and show releases.
• Great alphabetical sorting.
• It offers high-quality videos

Cons

• Annoying redirecting ads and popups

14. 123Chill

Best For Country-Based Content and Movies.

Movie Content: Drama, fantasy, romance, adventure, documentary, stand-up, sports, war, thriller, crime, action, etc.

VPN Required: Yes (Recommended)

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: Yes

Free Trial: N/A

The 123Chill is one of the best platforms to stream movies for free. You’ll love this platform mainly because it organizes content based on viewership, favorites, and top ratings. You’d probably love to stream what other movie enthusiasts are interested in.

Ads Annoyance: 8/10

Security: 5/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• A rich movie library.
• Easy-to-use interface and filter options.
• Personalized suggestions and movie recommendations.
• It offers a trailer to preview the movie.
• Gives ratings for each movie.

Cons

• You have sign-up to leave a review.
• The numerous ads redirects and popups are annoying

15. StreamLord

Best For Action Movies

Movie Content: movies and TV series

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

StreamLord is one of the best online streaming platforms where you can access movies and TV Shows. The platform allows you to register optionally, although you can still stream movies without signing in.

Ads Annoyance: 4/10

Security: 6/10

Movie Updates: 8/10

Video Quality: 7/10

Pros

• The platform has very high-quality content.
• You can upload subtitles for future views.
• The platform supports content downloading.
• It offers an ad-free experience.

Cons

• You may need to check the legality of the platform in your country.

16. YoMovies

Best For Bollywood Movies

Movie Content: action, biography, drama, family, romance, horror, crime, mystery, etc.

VPN Required: Yes

Sign-up Required: No

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

YoMovies isn’t just any other movie streaming site. The platform offers a different taste of movies you’d probably not expect from most streaming sites. It offers movies from Hollywood, TV shows, Bollywood, and Kollywood.

All the website’s content is free to stream and download without registering on the platform. Additionally, most videos are up to 720p or, in some cases, 1080p HD. What else would you ask for on your weekend?

Ads Annoyance: 8/10

Security: 5/10

Movie Updates: 6/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• It has a vast library of diverse movies.
• The platform features many recent releases.
• It’s easy to sort through the movies

Cons

• There are a lot of redirect ads.
• Most movies are in Hindi, making it difficult for non-Indians.

17. PrimeWire

Best For Thrillers and Action Movies.

Movie Content: action, adventure, crime, fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, mystery, reality, etc.

VPN Required: No

Sign-up Required: Yes

Ad-Blocker Required: No

Free Trial: N/A

PrimeWire is a reliable free movie streaming website where millions of enthusiasts stream and download HD content. The site has a vast library of content ranging from comedy, drama, romance, etc.

The platform has been operating for five years and counting, adding more to its shield of reliability. You can stream the content in HD and stay safe from ads trickery into downloading viruses and malware.

Ads Annoyance: 7/10

Security: 6/10

Movie Updates: 7/10

Video Quality: 6/10

Pros

• The platform offers free HD-quality streaming.
• You don’t have to register or create an account to access the content.
• It has a vast category of filtering options.
• It offers a trailer for all movies and series.
• The platform is minimalistic and user-friendly.

Cons

• There are several ads on the platform.

What Are Free Online Movie Streaming Sites

A free online movie streaming site is a database where enthusiasts can watch movies and TV shows for free. The platforms have existed as long as the movie and TV show industry.

These free streaming websites are comparable to online libraries for movies, just like Netflix. However, you watch movies without paying for a subscription. The existence of these websites isn’t illegal but watching copyrighted content for free on these platforms is unlawful.

So how do we avoid being on the wrong side of the government’s long arm? By using a VPN. But how?

How to Use a VPN to Stream Movies & TV Shows Safely Online

You must use a VPN to stream free movies and TV shows online without legal hassles. But what is a VPN, how do you use it, and what are its benefits?

What Is a VPN

A VPN is a virtual private network, an encrypted network connection that masks your devices when using public networks.

The VPN hides your online identity and encrypts your internet traffic. But I might have sparked even more questions like, how does it work? I’ll keep it simple; a VPN hides your IP address.

They hide it by redirecting your data through a remote server. That keeps of third parties who could be tracking you. In the end, it protects your data and hides your identity.

I recommend that you use a VPN when streaming content online. But how? Before I show you how to use a VPN, let me explain what you can enjoy.

Benefits of Using a VPN On Free Streaming Websites

It offers you Secure Encryption. The VPN shields your online activities and keeps them hidden even in public networks. That means no one will see you streaming the movie for free.

Covers your online tracks. The VPN servers are in a different location, which hides your location. That way, you can hide your online activities from any third party. Anyone who tries to find your location will trace you to, for example, the United Kingdom, while your actual location is Chicago, United States.

Access to restricted content. Most streaming websites hide content to IP addresses in certain locations. That means that only people from certain regions can view it. With a VPN, you can stream any movie from regionally limited websites.

With the benefits well outlined, let’s check out the “how” question.

How to Use a VPN to Watch Free Movies

Before I guide you through, you need to have subscribed to a VPN provider. There are many VPN services to choose from, including Express VPN and NordVPN.Choose a service provider who fits your budget, and once done, dive into the first step.

Be on Your Streaming site. Go to the homepage of your favorite streaming website. Some websites may need you to sign in, while others will just show you a window explaining that you can’t access the website at your current location.

Launch your VPN, choose your server, and connect. Log in to your VPN and launch it. The service provider will provide several server locations. Select a location that suits you or your streaming site’s directive.

Open the streaming site in your browser and refresh. You will now be streaming movies or accessing TV shows seamlessly.

But what if it doesn’t work? Always try out changing the server locations. But if it goes out of hand, contact your VPN’s customer support for help.

What Are the Risks of Using Free Movie Streaming Sites?

Even though these streaming websites promise free streaming, these are dangerous grounds. You need to be careful when clicking on bait ads. These ads redirect you to malicious platforms that put you at risk.

Here are the most common risk scenarios:

Data Security. You might have realized that some free movie streaming websites require that you sign up to stream. Once you sign up, they offer minimal protection of your data, and some even sell it.

Downloading Torrent. Some streaming websites let you download torrents to your local device. Possession of this copyrighted material is illegal and could land you in trouble. What’s worse, the torrents are super easy to track.

Virus and malware infections. Free online streaming websites are full of ads, some of which redirect you to download unknown files from unsecure websites. These files are malicious software that could be spyware, ransomware, etc.

FAQs – How to Stream Movies Online

What Are the Best Free Movie Streaming Sites?

MoviesJoy is the best platform to watch free movies seamlessly. The platform has minimal popup and redirection ads than most sites featured on the above list. Additionally, it has about six servers to stream from if one fails as you watch movies online.

MoviesJoy movies are also in HD quality, and there’s a trailer to preview all films. It’s also easy to sort out using the filters depending on the genre you want. What else could any movie enthusiast ask for?

How to Watch Epix TV Outside the US in 2023

You can watch Epix TV outside the US by subscribing and using a reliable VPN service provider. Then, log in to watch your favorite show or movies, as I guided you previously.

My Take on Movie Streaming Sites

Finding reliable and safe sites can be tiring whether you’re a movie enthusiast or just streaming once in a blue moon. Most sites trick you into entering your credit card information or signing up, then selling your personal information to third parties.

However, I have tested the free online movie streaming sites listed above, and all turned out to be nothing but the best. Here is a quick recap list of the best Free Movie sites

1. Movies Joy – Best For Thriller Movies
2. 123Movies – Best For Trending Movies
3. MovieStars – Best For Recent TV Shows
4. Fmovies – Best For Recent Movie Releases
5. Yesmovies – Best For Action and Comedy Movies
6. WatchSeries – Best For Series and Reality TV Shows
7. Yify TV – Best For Drama, Thriller, and Comedy Movies
8. StreamM4u– Best For Animated Movies.
9. SolarMovie – Best For Sci-Fi and Horror Movies
10. AZMovies – Best For Streaming Organized Content
11. GoStream –Best For Horror Movies
12. Spacemov – Best For Drama Movies
13. Yes Movies 123 – Best For Personalized Movie Streams
14. 123Chill – Best For Country-Based Content and Movies.
15. StreamLord – Best For Action Movies
16. YoMovies – Best For Bollywood Movies
17. PrimeWire – Best For Thrillers and Action Movies.

But you might wonder, “how much bandwidth do I need to stream effortlessly?” Well, I have prepared a guide on how much bandwidth you need for streaming. You’ll love it!