One of the great pleasures of surfing the web is finding sites where you can stream TV shows and movies for FREE . There is a plethora of materials available, from old films and modern hits to TV classics and recent episodes of today’s most famous shows.
Not everything you can access for free on the web is legal or secure , however. Unauthorized video streams and torrents include a number of dangers, such as malware and legal consequences for copyright infringement.
However, we have great news! You can access excellent free streams of movies and TV shows safely and legally through a virtual private network (VPN). We have found the best streaming sites and we will teach you how to use a VPN to make perfect transmissions without worries or hassles.
Why you need a VPN to stream movies and TV episodes – and how to choose the best option
Many of the best streaming sites available contain geographic restrictions , meaning if you are not located in the region where the content is intended, you will not be able to watch it. There are many reasons why content has geographic blocks, but it is usually about broadcasting rights.
A VPN hides your real location and allows you to connect to servers on the other side of the world . By changing your apparent location, you will be able to access a wider range of services and content. For example, to access video sites based in the USA, you must connect to a North American server.
However, this is not even the most important reason to use a VPN when accessing streaming sites. Although all 10 sites we find offer content that can be legally transmitted, this does not make the sites safe to use without a VPN .
The sites continue to contain advertisements and other pop-ups, which can be used as vehicles for viruses and other types of malware.
Even more importantly, these sites are very likely to track your activities, including your chosen videos, and share data with third parties. If you don’t use a VPN, all of your viewing activities can be directly associated with your IP address .
The use of a VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your location, making it virtually impossible for anyone to check what you are accessing online or what you are doing there. Equally important, VPN prevents anyone from accessing your connection and installing harmful software on your device.
This protection not only protects your device, it also ensures that you are protected from hackers and surveillance . Your ISP will not be able to collect your data and sell it to the highest bidder – nor use targeted ads to pressure you to spend your hard-earned money.
However, all of this is only possible with a high-quality VPN that includes at least the following features:
- Robust encryption to protect your connection and online activities
- A strict no-logs policy to ensure that your data is not provided or sold to third parties
- Servers in the countries you want to access. Servers in the U.S. and the UK are essential to most streaming services
- Fast and stable connections , which are essential to reduce the risk of lag and improve your viewing experience
- Good support service, in case you experience any problems
- A free trial and / or money-back guarantee , so you can try the VPN and make sure it is right for your profile (or just use it temporarily to run marathons!)
Best free streaming sites for movies and TV shows
We scoured the internet for free and legal streaming sites for movies and TV shows. Check out the top 10 options we found – they all work perfectly with one of our recommended VPNs.
1. Crackle
The Crackle is owned by Sony, which means you get access to the Sony catalog in its entirety . Hundreds of titles are available, including classics and original programs in all genres. The site updates its offered content – so there is always something new to watch.
The site is well organized, which makes it easy to find interesting programs and films, both popular and unknown. You can search by title, actor or genre .
It is not necessary to register with the service to access the videos – however, the registration allows you to create lists of content to watch.
Crackle is only available in the USA, so a VPN with North American servers is essential to access it from anywhere. The only downside of the website is that it displays ads.
2. Popcorn Flix
The Popcorn Flix offers movies and TV shows from various genres. While it is not possible to find any releases among their titles, the catalog includes classic films, great old TV hits and some of the best favorite cult films.
The site is organized by genre, with individual sections for films and TV shows. There is a basic search feature to find specific programs or movies.
There is no need to register . However, like most sites on this list, you will need to watch the weird ads. Some of the built- in ads are quite suspicious – so be sure to use a VPN with malware protection and keep your antivirus running.
We connect through servers in the USA and are able to access all the titles we tried. The reproduction was excellent at all times.
3. Vudu Movies on Us
The Vudu Movies on Us offers a wide range of movies and TV shows free and paid . It has hundreds of titles to choose from in its free catalog, which cover every genre imaginable. Videos can be streamed up to 1080p – so quality is not an issue.
The site is well organized – it is immediately clear which titles are free and which should be rented. There is a basic search option, in case you are looking for something specific.
You need to register for the service , but the process takes less than a minute and only requires you to provide your name, email address and a password.
Ads are displayed before each title, which allows the site to make so much content available for free. We had to connect to a VPN server in the USA to access our chosen titles.
4. Tubi TV
The TV Tubi is available only in the United States, which will not be a problem if you use a VPN with servers in the US . It offers a wide variety of content, including titles released just two years ago .
You must register to use the service; you will be asked to provide your name, date of birth and email address . Note that the email address must be one that you can access, as you will need to verify it during the registration process.
The website is easy to navigate, but obviously, each title is preceded by an ad. However, the playback of our selected videos was good at all times.
Access Tubi TV .
5. Pluto TV
The Pluto TV offers movies, sports broadcasts, children’s programs and live TV . The main reason it is so low on our list is that it is much more difficult to navigate than the streaming sites above.
After understanding navigation to the point of locating your desired program or movie, however, the reproduction is excellent .
It is possible to connect to Pluto TV from outside the USA – however, your location will determine the difficulty in using the site. For example, in the UK, you will need to connect via a ROKU device or via Now TV.
For ease of use, we recommend that you connect via a VPN server in the USA , so that the service works directly on most devices.
Access Pluto TV .
6. CONtv
If you are a fan of horror, science fiction or cult films, this is the perfect streaming service! The CONtv is available only in the US, so you need to connect to a VPN server in the United States to access it. It was created by Cinedigm and Wizard World to provide content to the Comic-Con community.
Although science fiction is the main genre of this service, there are many others available that are worth exploring, including fantasy, games, superheroes and martial arts. You can even watch Comic-Con events.
The website is easy to navigate and includes a search function. You will need to register to make your transmissions, but there is no need to enter payment details. Ads are displayed before each video (the normal price to pay for a free service), but the videos play well.
Access CONtv .
7. SnagFilms
The SnagFilms offers more than 2,000 titles, including cult classic and independent films . Its catalog covers most genres and also includes a good variety of TV shows and series.
You need to register to use the service – however, like the other streaming sites that we include here, registration is simple and straightforward .
The ads are short and discreet, and the content is well organized and easy to navigate.
The only problem we found on this site is that some of our chosen titles were not reproduced during our tests . We tried to connect to VPN servers in different countries, but found that it didn’t make much difference.
Despite this, with so many titles available, this limitation is only really a problem if there is a specific program or movie you want to watch. The reproduction quality was excellent in the titles that actually worked.
Access SnagFilms .
8. Classic Cinema Online
The Classic Cinema Online is a dream come true for old movie fans. If you like silent films or missed Charlie Chaplin films , you definitely need to check out this site.
You do not need to register to use the service , and we are able to access broadcasts through servers in the UK and the USA . However, instead of actually hosting the films, the website provides links to the places where they can be found.
This means that some of the content is accessible via torrents, while another part requires the activation of Flash. In turn, this means that you will access unknown external sites – therefore, using a VPN is absolutely essential.
It takes some patience to use this site, but the hidden and forgotten pearls that are included in the catalog are worth the effort.
Access Classic Cinema Online .
9. Veoh
The Veoh offers access to over 7,000 movies and several TV shows and other content.
So, here’s the obvious question: why is this site so low on our list?
The answer is that Veoh includes user-submitted content , so you need to take extra care when using the site. Making use of your VPN and a robust antivirus will keep you protected. We were able to access the content from a number of different servers.
The content is well organized, and the search option allows you to search according to several different criteria . Account creation is optional for streaming videos – but required if you want to upload content.
The reproduction of the videos we tested was excellent, and we discovered some great classic films and most famous hits .
Access Veoh .
10. YouTube (USA)
No list of free streaming sites is complete without YouTube . However, it appears at the bottom of our list because it is the most difficult to navigate . The platform is also full of user-submitted content – so, as with Veoh, you should be careful when transmitting .
Again, use a VPN to stay protected and connect to servers in the U.S. to access a wider range of content . YouTube obviously offers a number of free videos, but the most popular movies and TV episodes are only available if you pay to watch them.
There is no need to create an account to access YouTube, but it does allow you to create playlists, upload videos and receive notifications when your favorite channels make available new content.
Go to YouTube .
11. Panda Streaming
Our final inclusion, Panda Streaming allows you to broadcast TV shows and movies without the need to register an account . There are many advantages to using Panda Streaming, but there are also some risks to be aware of.
Movie libraries and TV shows are updated regularly, and streams are clearly marked as HD, CAM, etc., so you know what quality to expect before watching. Movies also receive ratings from other users, which will help you decide what to watch. Overall, we found that the quality of non-CAM content is high , with high streaming speeds and free from buffering issues.
Panda Streaming does not host the files locally, but does stream them from external websites and torrents. A VPN will protect you against any dangers when using Panda Streaming, so you can enjoy your TV shows and movies with peace of mind.
Access Panda Streaming .
