Have you ever wondered if it were possible for you to watch movies and TV shows without having to pay for Netflix or any other kind of streaming service? We have, and now we've found a way to do it too. Just sit tight and keep on reading, we'll show you some great apps for watching movies and shows for free on your phone.
A note on Popcorn Time
You may have heard of Popcorn Time, a Netflix-like app with an even bigger selection of more current movies and TV show, but sadly we cannot sanction the use of this app. Popcorn Time is illegal folks: try out some of the other options below instead.
U.S.
Hulu
It was only in recent months that Hulu brought its streaming service to Android, which lets users watch premium TV shows and movies on their smartphones or tablets without paying a subscription fee. Hulu comes packed with current and classic TV shows, Hulu originals, movies and plenty of Kids shows, making it a perfect family tablet companion. Of course, if you want full access to the Hulu library you will need to pay a 7.99 USD monthly fee, but there are plenty of gems to find in the free version too!
Canada / U.S.
Crackle
Crackle is a hugely popular free app available in the US and Canada which is updated monthly with new TV shows and movies. Created by Grouper but later bought by Sony, the app features ads which run at regular intervals throughout the content, but as a compromise you get an excellent selection of media and an app which functions far better than some of the other TV service ports on the list. Watch Seinfeld or Talladega Nights again, for sure.
UK
iPlayer
This catch up service has been going strong for a number of years now and the slick Android app is a great way to watch TV series and movies. It doesn’t have a whole list of archived TV shows and series to sift through, but the catch up service has recently been extended to 30 days, meaning you have a month to catch up on almost anything recently played on any BBC channel. With some excellent programs like Sherlock and Call the Midwife, iPlayer is one of the best free TV services currently available on Android.
ITV Player
The ITV Player app suffered a woefully bad introduction to the Play Store with it being essentially broken on many devices. It’s been turning a bit of a corner with recent updates, but it still has a long way to go. The ITV Player app let’s you stream ITV channels live to your device, as well as catch up on any shows you may have missed from the past week.
4oD
Another app which has struggled with its launch is 4oD. While supplying a fantastic back catalogue of TV shows, and being a firm favorite among many Windows/Mac/console owners, the smartphone experience has been somewhat lacking. Hopefully this will only get better with future updates, as the amount and quality of full series they offer for free is fantastic. All you Peep Show fans owe it to yourself to install it.
Demand 5
Don’t forget that Channel Five’s premier catch-up service Demand 5 is also now available on Android. The updates aren’t as regular as we would like, but nonetheless Demand 5 offers a wide selection of Channel 5 shows and archived programmes to re-watch on your Android smartphone or tablet. The programming quality is arguably lower than the standard offered by Channel 4 and the BBC, although it provides a viable free alternative.
Worldwide
SPB TV
The Android SPB TV app is not necessarily region specific, offering content from around the world via a selection of weird and wonderful stations. It’s not the kind of app you will use to watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster, and you won’t find NBC or Showtime on there, but if you want to take a chance on a wild card then this is it. Be warned, however, a few of the stations definitely appear to be of a more adult nature.
LiveNow!TV
LiveNow!TV offers a broad range of channels from around the world to stream live, as well as a variety of classic/B movies. The movies available are mostly a mix of bizarre horror and Kung Fu movies; LiveNow!TV is a free service supported by ads and of course it doesn't have the same clout as something like Netflix or even Hulu. However, the streaming of live TV worked surprisingly well, and I don't exactly understand how something like this is available when the likes of Popcorn Time and Show Box are banned. Still, for now, it's a great option for streaming a number of well-known channels.
Those are just a few suggestions for finding TV shows and movies on your smartphone. Do you know any others?
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