Stream movies and series for free, legally!

Now more than ever, getting stuck into a series or spending the evening with a brilliant movie is a necessary escape! Whether you’re unwinding from revision stress or bonding with those you live with in your student housing, we know the importance of screen culture.

That’s why a TV license, which is legally required to watch anything on BBC iPlayer or to watch live TV online, is included in your Almero Student accommodation fee. This means you can access live broadcasting from all UK channels with online services (ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 & BBC) as well as watch everything in the iPlayer & 4 on demand catalogues totally free.

Though you’ve probably heard of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney + and many others, they all come at a cost. For those not wanting to shell out for subscription streaming services, there are also some free and totally legal options out there. Check out our top 5 below and you’ll just need to decide what to watch, and who with!

Best for movies

Head to www.popcornflix.com for a wide selection of films, free and legally available. This streaming service is supported on Apply TV, Roku, Google Play, Xbox, Amazon and iOS devices. You don’t even need to register. Just find something to watch and hit play! It runs on advertising income, so expect some products to be plugged, but this means it’s an official business and can be enjoyed guilt free with no legal ramifications!

Box set buddy

With a combination of movies and series available, www.pluto.tv is a strong contender for your new favourite service. It also offers live viewing of multiple satellite channels, from with plenty of food, reality tv and documentary options. You can also watch live CNN and NBC news, and the on-demand service is huge and varied. Pluto TV is available through all web browsers, and on Apple TV, iPhones, Android TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, as well as Sony, Samsung and Vizio smart TVs. It’s free, requires no sign up, and totally on the right side of the law!

Classic collection

If you’re into older films (and books and games!) head to https://archive.org/details/feature_films which hosts a vast library of culture which is out of copyright. There are more than 6500 movies to watch for free, and they cover a huge variety of silent films and early cinema releases of all genres. As these are all in the public domain, you can even download as files to watch offline, whenever and wherever you choose. Perfect for outdoor projectors or long journeys home from uni.

Dive into documentaries

The ever-growing collection at https://topdocumentaryfilms.com will all teach you something. Divided into categories, each film listing features a long description and often user reviews. This one is well worth remembering for research! 

Try before you buy

Many of the popular paid subscriptions offer free trials. Make a date of your cancellation date, but these can be great for any university holidays spent in student accommodation when you’ve a pocket of time to binge a series or two!

Remember to read the small print of all free trials, and to check the security and legality of all streaming sites before use. Happy watching!