If you have (yet another) snow day on the books and looking for a little entertainment besides shoveling, I’ve compiled a list of sites and sources to watch movies online for free.
1. YouTube: YouTube has a good number of full movies available online for free. A lot of the movies are older or are Hallmark type movies, but there are a lot of good options for a snowy day. A lot of the free movies available for streaming on Netflix are actually also available on YouTube as well, it’s just not as nicely organized.
2. Amazon Prime: If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can stream movies online for free. The selection and quality is a little better than YouTube in my opinion, but some of the better movies you do have to pay for. However, Amazon now gives you a choice to waive your 2-day shipping for a free $1 movie credit. This is a great option if you are not in a rush for your package and the $1 credits can add up quickly depending on how much you shop. You typically have a few months before your Amazon video credits expires. (You can also sign up for a free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime but you may find it more worth your while during the holidays for free 2-day shipping).
3. Hoopla: If you have a Boston Library Card (or another local library card), you can stream movies right from your laptop with Hoopla for free from the library. You can also borrow movies in person from your local library (or college library) for free, but with Hoopla you don’t have to leave your house.
4. Through your Cable Provider: If you pay for cable, you can watch a lot of movies through your TV or laptop for free. Simply sign in to your account online to stream movies online. Also, you can head to directly to a network to browse movie offerings. For example, last week ABC Family had Pitch Perfect available to stream online for free, you just needed to sign into your cable provider. However, some networks for certain movies don’t require authorization.
5. Redbox: Okay, so you do need to trek out into the snow for this one, but you may have a Redbox on your commute home at a T station or something which makes Redbox an easy option. Even better, here are a few codes to use to receive free Redbox rentals through 2/16/15:
- NDNQM3QK
- 5DKH9WZQ
- 29T7MWGX
- VXHTNG54
- 92494TK3
Keep in mind with Redbox, you can use a different credit card with the same promo code to get even more free movies.
6. Netflix or Hulu trial: Netflix and Hulu both offer TV and movie streaming online with a subscription fee; however, if you sign up for a trial you can receive free streaming. However, just remember to cancel your membership if you don’t want to pay for the service and just want a week or a month of free streaming.
Also, if you have a friend or a family member that you really trust that has a service, you may want to share or exchange services. For example, if you have an Amazon Prime membership and a friend has Cable, you could share passwords, but make sure it is someone you really trust and the password isn’t tied to all your accounts.
Your turn… how do you watch movies online for free and legally? Did I miss any of your favorite sites?
*This post does contain an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure policy here.
