If you've got some time on your hands and need to keep yourself entertained, you might be considering signing up to a few premium streaming services. But did you know that it's also possible to watch free movies online in the UK, legally?
Let's take a look at the best free streaming services, which you can watch in mobile apps, on streaming sticks, or on your smart TV.
1. Film4
If you haven't used Channel 4's All 4 streaming app lately you might have missed the fact that they added Film4 to the mix last November. The ad-supported service has up to around 30 movies available at any time, and the selection is refreshed frequently. There's plenty of great stuff on there for all tastes, whether you like Brit comedies, Hollywood blockbusters, or indie flicks.
2. BBC iPlayer
Like All 4, iPlayer also has a small selection of movies that is easily overlooked. Go beyond the boxsets of Line of Duty and Last Tango in Halifax, and you'll find 20 or more films that have recently been broadcast on the Beeb, across all genres. Don't bookmark them to watch later, because some only stay up for a week or so. But do make sure to check back regularly to see what else has been added.
3. My5
A few months ago My5, the streaming app for Channel 5, added a bunch of extra channels from the American internet TV service Pluto TV. Among them is Pluto TV Movies, which has over 200 films for you to watch. Many of them, it has to be said, are of the straight-to-DVD variety. But if there was ever a time to indulge in the dubious pleasures of films like Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus it's surely now!
4. Rakuten TV
Rakuten TV is available through a large number of smart TVs from the likes of LG, Samsung and Sony, as well as on smartphones and tablets, consoles, or in your web browser. The main part of the service lets you rent new releases, or buy and keep your favourites, while there's also more than 100 free movies for you to enjoy, just with the odd ad break here and there. It's a reasonable selection: not up to Netflix standards, obviously, but most people should be able to find something to keep them amused (and there's some free TV stuff for kids as well).
5. YouTube
YouTube is a pretty good source for movie streaming. Some films are there legally, others aren't (and tend to be removed quite quickly). Either way, finding them is the hardest part. Using the search filters can help, although you still need to be prepared to work your way through plenty of spam and junk. Thankfully, there are a few channels that share fully licensed movies, including Artflix and Viewster, as well as some third party websites that collate them for you, including:
- MoviesFoundOnline.com: A selection of random movies on YouTube, sorted by genre
- TopDocumentaryFilms.com: Feature length documentaries on every subject
- ClassicCinemaOnline.com: Classic Hollywood films, mostly from the 40s and 50s
6. Free Trials of Premium Services
Finally, don't forget to make sure you've used up all the available free trials from the big premium streaming services. Netflix is the obvious place to start. You get a 30-day trial, and if you've used the service before you can sign up again as long as you've got a different email address and payment card.
Amazon Prime Video also gives you a 30-day trial, and has lots of add-on subscription channels that also throw in a week for free. A NOW TV Movie Pass, with over a thousand films from Sky Cinema, gives you seven days for free, as does the new Disney+, which is the place to go for Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel movies.
Or if your taste is a little less mainstream, check out BFI Player for a 14-day trial as well as the hand-curated service MUBI, which gives you three months of streaming for the almost-free price of £1.
Posted by Andy Betts on in Features