The Best Legal Streaming Services in 2025

Gone are the days of cable TV when people used to spent hours in front of their TVs just to watch their favorite shows and movies. The emergence of on-demand video streaming has made it easy for viewers to jump on whatever content they want to watch whenever they are online. However, with hundreds of options, deciding which to go for can sometimes be a hassle.

Worry less, though. You’ve just landed on the most comprehensive piece on the topic. In this article, you’ll learn about the 13 best streaming services available today, understand what is going well for them, and review other alternatives for maximum flexibility.

The 13 Best Streaming Platforms (Legal) – A Quick List

Are you short on time? Here’s a quick list of our 13 platforms to stream movies and TV shows legally:

Streaming Sites and Their Types Explained

A streaming site is usually of two types: one that’s paid and the one that’s free. Paid platforms have a recognized organization or multiple companies backing them, and most cost certain fees. You can think of that fee as a service charge.

By paying, you enter into an agreement with the company until your payment expires. During that period, the platform must provide entertainment content on its platform, like blockbuster movies, shows, and even foreign content like anime. When you have an issue, a customer support agent should be available to assist you.

Paid sites generally have the legal right to provide whatever content you watch or download on their platform. They pay the movie or show owners a portion of the fees they charge their users. This means that using streaming services has no legal consequences whatsoever.

Contrary to premium services, a free site allows you to download or watch movies without paying anything. Most of these websites have no known owners and distribute content illegally.

As you would expect, numerous regions and governments have blocked many free platforms due to their illegal nature. These websites have also responded by creating mirror links that, while still containing the same content as the original website, have very different URLs. Plus, there’s no such thing as customer service.

The 13 Best Legal Platforms – Detailed List

1. Netflix

The king of the streaming world for a reason.

Even if you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Netflix. You have either “Netflix and chilled” alone, with your friends, or you have a friend who has. The platform’s humble beginning as a movie rental service doesn’t prepare one for its eventual status and position as the world’s largest streaming service.

What makes Netflix so popular is the sheer number of content in its catalog. Due to having libraries in virtually all the countries it exists in, there’s no definite number for the size of its catalog.

Some of Netflix’s most popular titles include The Umbrella Academy, Bojack Horseman, Life on Our Planet, and Jumanji. From hit series to cartoons and documentaries, it carefully curates its titles to serve a large audience base.

You can download the app on your mobile devices, whether iOS or Android, to stream movies on the go. On your PC, you can access Netflix via a VPN and experience all the platform offers. To cater to its growing customer base, the service is available on smart TVs, digital media players, and gaming consoles like Xboxes and PlayStations.

How much does it cost?

Netflix’s fees are also very affordable, and you can even get it cheaper by using a VPN and switching to one of the countries with the cheapest subscriptions. Countries like Pakistan, Egypt, and India have very cheap plans for almost the same value quality as UK, USA, and Canada customers. Until early 2022, the company also allowed password sharing, allowing numerous people without accounts to enjoy entertainment.

There are generally three packages you can subscribe to on Netflix, depending on the quality of entertainment you wish to get. They are Standard with ads, Standard, and Premium. Standard with ads costs only $7.99 per month and enables access to entire library in HD. As the name suggests, you’ll come across ads between movies and shows. Additionally, you can download any content to your device to watch later with this plan.

The Standard plan ups the ante, providing access to Netflix’s entire content library without ads. You can also watch movies in full HD and download them to two devices with one account. This plan costs $17.99 per month. Finally, you can subscribe to the premium plan for $24.99 monthly. This plan enables you to stream simultaneously on up to four devices and download to watch later on about six devices. You can stream your content in ultra HD and get premium sound quality with spatial audio.

2. Amazon Prime Video

A strong contender for the king of the streaming crown.

Prime Video is a service offered by Amazon, one of the largest technology companies in the world. Trusted by many fans worldwide for its content quality and library size, the site has established libraries for itself in various countries worldwide.

Prime Video’s library contains globally recognized series and shows like The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. The company also continues to add new titles so that there’s always something to watch.

The Prime Video app is available for all major devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. This app lets you download movies on up to three devices simultaneously with the same account.

Doesn’t matter your location; you’re always one click away from streaming your favorite movies. The service app is available for all major devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. The app lets you download movies on up to three devices simultaneously with the same account.

How much does it cost?

One of Prime Video’s greatest competitive advantages over Netflix is the free trial that it provides. Before paying for the app, you can use it for seven days to see if its catalog contains your desired movies or if its service quality is to your taste. You can cancel this free trial whenever you decide.

If you upgrade your plan from the free trial to a premium account, you can go the Amazon Prime or the Prime Video route. Prime Video via an Amazon Prime subscription costs $14.99 per month or $139.00 per year. This allows you to stream on three devices in ultra HD and 4K quality. A standard Prime Video subscription only costs $8.99 monthly and provides the same features as the Amazon Prime membership.

3. Disney+

The home of Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney movies.

Star Wars is so popular in the USA that it has become an American tradition. In a survey, about 80% of 1,186 respondents in the country said they’d seen at least one of its movies. In 2012, Disney acquired the rights to the film and has used it to lure people to its streaming space, Disney+.

Disney+ is also the home of whatever Disney and its subsidiaries, like Pixar and Marvel, produce. This means the site is where you can watch superhero blockbusters like Doctor Strange and Captain America and widely acclaimed animated movies like Encanto and Wreck-it-Ralph. This family-friendly platform provides access to National Geographic content and classic Disney animations like The Lion King and Mulan.

Disney+ is available for download on all major operating systems, including iPhones and iPads, Android devices and tablets, Amazon Fire tablets, and Windows PCs.

How much does it cost?

The site has two pricing options: with ads or without ads. Disney+ Basic, which has ads, costs $9.99 per month, while Disney+ Premium, which has no ads, costs $15.99. You can also opt for the yearly plan at $159.99 for premium.

Beyond the removal of ads that you get with Premium, you can also download unlimited content from the platform. This isn’t available for Disney+ Basic subscribers. Both Basic and Premium subscribers get up to 4K playback with HDR and Dolby Vision support on select titles, can stream on up to 4 separate devices simultaneously, and can add up to seven profiles.

4. Hulu

A wonderful blend of on-demand and live TV.

Despite being owned by The Walt Disney Company, Hulu has its separate identity from Disney+. A core area in which the service excels is how successfully it blends live and on-demand TV. You can watch over 90 channels, including ABC, Animal Planet, Adult Swim, Fox, and ESPN. Hulu ensures you’re always updated, from sports to live news and events.

Entertainment lovers can also discover some interesting movies and shows on Hulu, like Family Guy, Avengers Endgame, Star Wars The Mandalorian, and DIsney’s Cruella. The platform also has original content, including Only Murders in the Building, Faraway Downs, and The Artful Dodger. It is available to watch at home and on the go. You can download the app for Android and iOS devices or stream it on your laptop via the website.

How much does it cost?

Unlike other services on this list, Hulu only works in the US. Over there, it has two plans: “Hulu with Ads” and “Hulu without Ads.” The Hulu with Ads plan only costs $9.99 monthly and grants you access to Hulu’s entire content library and channel list. You can also have up to 6 user profiles and watch two different devices with the same account. However, you can’t download shows to watch later.

Hulu without Ads costs $18.99/month and provides all the benefits of the Hulu with Ads plan with the additional benefits of downloading to watch later and having an ad-free streaming experience. Being a Disney service, there are special packages of Hulu that you can subscribe to with other Disney services. You can subscribe to the Hulu + Live TV package to watch Hulu, Disney, and ESPN+ at $82.99 per month.

5. Peacock TV

Affordable site with an impressive catalog of movies and TV shows.

Peacock TV is a site focusing on content quality and affordable fees. Already a favorite in most American households, the platform offers over 50 channels for streaming, including NBC and all its affiliate channels. Some of NBC’s greatest hits are Friends and Seinfeld, due to being NBC’s original content.

The Office, which was on Netflix, is now exclusive to Peacock. Other popular shows in Peacock’s catalog include The Continental from the World of John Wick, Saturday Night Live, Superstore, and This Is Us. You can download the app on iOS and Android devices, Roku TV, Fire TV, and Android TV. The service also exists on gaming consoles, Chromecast, Xfinity, and Flex devices.

How much does it cost?

Like other services, Peacock also makes ads the defining difference between its two packages. However, rather than just calling them “With ads” and “Without ads,” the company decided to be creative, opting for Premium and Premium Plus.

Premium costs $7.99 monthly for unrestricted access to over 50 channels, new and popular older shows from NBC, films, and original content. The company also provides an annual plan for $79.99, providing the opportunity to save $16.

Premium unlocks Peacock completely, but the presence of ads can sometimes make streaming frustrating. For this reason, Peacock also has an ad-free package, costing $13.99 per month. This package is $139.99 annually, allowing subscribers to save as much as $28. It gives you access to all the benefits of Premium, and you can download content to your device for offline viewing.

6. Max

The streaming site that prioritizes quality over quantity.

Max (formerly HBO Max) is a popular website for streaming movies in the US and Europe. Offering content from HBO, DC Comics, Warner Bros, and more, its consistent focus on quality has helped it reach an audience of over 75 million and is still growing.

You can watch popular movies, shows, and TV series and also get exclusive access to Max Originals. Some of the big service’s biggest titles are The Last of Us, Sex and the City, Sesame Street, Chernobyl, and Gangs of London. It also has highly-rated movies like Parasite, Dune, and other popularly discussed older classics. You’ll most likely find a show to your viewing pleasure by exploring the platform.

HBO has also made its service available on all major platforms to keep the competition tight and reach a large audience. You can download the app on your iOS and Android smartphones to keep up with your favorite content and shows. Want more? Download the app on gaming consoles, smart TVs, and various streaming devices.

How much does it cost?

While its catalog is moderately sized and lets you steam quality content, HBO Max is a little pricey compared to competitors. The regular “With Ads” plan costs $9.99 monthly and $99.99 annually. If you prefer your streaming not to be interrupted by ads, you can go for the “Without ads” plan at $16.99 per month and $169.99 per year.

Regardless of whether you choose the base plan or the Without ads plan, you get unlimited access to every movie, series, and show on Max. Both also allow you to stream in HD and on two devices simultaneously. Beyond the absence of ads, the number of offline downloads is another reason that makes the second plan worthwhile. Buying the without-ads plan grants you 30 downloads for offline viewing.

7. YouTube TV

YouTube means business with its content-filled entertainment platform.

YouTube’s entry into the streaming industry is quite different and unique. The world’s most popular video-sharing platform offers live and on-demand content while blending shows, series, and movies from the Big Three broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC). This means you’ll get what most other channels offer from YouTube TV alone.

A strong contender for 2025’s best streaming site title, YouTube TV offers more content by size and category than most traditional services. By paying for this service, you can access over 100 live TV channels, including television networks and sports. To supplement this massive library size, YouTube TV also provides unlimited cloud DVR storage to save and watch content later.

You can use YouTube TV across numerous devices, making streaming seamless whether at home or on the go. Supported devices include gaming consoles, most smart TVs, streaming devices, smartphones, and PCs.

How much does it cost?

When a site offers diverse and quality content like YouTube TV, you can expect its subscription to be mildly expensive. Normally, YouTube TV costs $82.99 per month, but you can leverage first-time customer benefits and get it for only $59.99. There’s also a 7-day free trial for you to experience what the service offers.

In addition to the Base Plan, YouTube TV offers the less-expensive Spanish Plan. This plan provides the same features as the Base Plan, including unlimited Cloud DVR storage space, special key features, six household accounts, and three streams. However, while the Base Plan lets you watch 100 live channels, the best this plan does is provide access to 30 Spanish channels.

8. Crunchyroll

The best platform for streaming anime.

Crunchyroll is an anime-focused site from the US. The United States has a very large anime fan base, coming in second only to Japan, the original home of anime. What makes Crunchyroll the number one anime destination is its massive catalog size. By scrolling through its library, you’ll think the company has a deal with every anime studio in Japan. You can spend hours binge-watching shows from classics to modern titles without running out of content.

Dragon Ball, One Piece, Bleach, Naruto, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, and One Punch Man are only some of the big names in Crunchyroll’s database. There are also moderately popular titles like Mob Psycho and Mr. Osomatsu. For some fans, what drives them to Crunchyroll is that it can broadcast anime very quickly. You can find most titles an hour after they’ve aired in Japan.

Crunchyroll works on devices such as iOS and Android, gaming consoles, and media players. However, the availability of the platform on some devices depends on territory.

How much does it cost?

There are three different packages you can subscribe to on Crunchyroll: Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan. Fan costs $7.99 monthly, contains ads, and only lets you stream on one device at a time. Mega Fan costs $11.99 monthly and lets you stream simultaneously without ads and on up to four devices. UIltimate Fan costs $15.99, removes ads, and lets you stream on six separate devices simultaneously.

Subscribing to any of these plans also lets you watch shows in 1080p for crystal-clear streaming. One interesting about Crunchyroll is that it also offers a free account with ads. This significantly limits your access to Crunchyroll’s content library, but you can still watch certain animes you’ll struggle to find on most streaming sites. Additionally, the company offers a 14-day free trial for a full experience to help you decide whether you want the service or not.

9. Tubi

A massive content library at no cost.

Tubi contains over 50,000 movies, shows, and series for over 74 million monthly active users. For a completely free streaming platform, it is giving the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video a run for their money.

Some of the more popular titles in its library are Everybody Hates Chris, Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Although Tubi generates most of its revenues from ads, we were quite surprised how minimally the service shows you ads. On average, you see about three ads for every hour of content you watch, which is manageable by all standards.

How much does it cost?

You already know the answer if you’ve followed the conversation up to this point. Tubi is a completely free-to-use streaming service without monthly or annual subscription fees. Just create an account and stream your favorite movies and shows without any restrictions.

10. Fubo TV

Netflix, but for live sports.

When you need to watch sports content, Fubo should instantly come to mind. Many review websites think that aside from being the best sports platform, Fubo is the best streaming service overall. It’s extensive channels offering of about 50 sports channels enables you to catch up on any sporting events live. If, for any reason, you’re unable to watch live, you can record for later using the cloud DVR storage that the platform provides.

Fubo’s area of strength might be sports, but you’d be wrong to think that’s the only content it offers. Fubo provides over 200 channels for kids’ shows, entertainment and lifestyle content, movies, and shows. You can watch just about anything on this versatile streaming channel. Some of the best channels on Fubo are ESPN, Fox Sports Network, NBA League Pass, and MLB Network.

Boasting channels like Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, BBC America, and Disney Channel, you can also watch various American shows on this platform. Some popular ones include Family Guy, Saturday Night Live, This Is Us, and The Simpsons. Fubo is available on multiple platforms, including game consoles, browsers, iOS and Android devices, and multimedia streaming devices.

How much does it cost?

You can subscribe to four different Fubo plans: Latino, Pro, and Elite. Except for Latino, each grants you access to at least 150 channels. Fubo’s Latino plan costs $9.99 per month and unlocks Spanish-language TV. It provides 250 hours of cloud DVR storage space, and you can stream on two separate screens with a single account at the same time.

Pro and Elite cost $64.99 and $74.99 monthly, respectively. By buying Pro, you can watch Fubo on up to 10 screens on your home network and three additional devices outside. You also get 1,000 hours of DVR space to record important shows and watch them later. Above Pro, you have Elite for the truly elite sports and entertainment lovers. It offers everything in Pro, but now, you can stream in 4K for an immersive experience. You also receive a News Plus subscription and additional channels.

11. Kanopy

The best platform for educational and family content.

Kanopy is a truly unique streaming service, which may explain why you’ve probably not heard of it. It partners with public libraries and universities to deliver thoughtful, brain-stimulating entertainment. That means you’ll come across numerous documentaries, educational videos, foreign films, classic cinema, family-friendly, and independent films on this platform.

Accessing Kanopy requires either your university email or library card. This is possible because the service has partnered with various public libraries and universities around the world. If your library or university is one of the supported ones, you’ll get access to shows like Mr. Hublot, Captain Fantastic, and Moonlight on Kanopy. In all, this platform offers thousands of titles for streaming, and all are available on demand.

How much does it cost?

If you can access Kanopy through your university or with your public library card, then you don’t need to worry about any subscription fees. Kanopy is completely free because those partner universities and libraries have covered all associated costs, enabling you to stream content without ads.

12. Plex

The best service for personal media server setups.

Plex is a platform capable of a surprising number of things. You can use it as a traditional media service and binge-watch content from various production houses like Warner Bros, MGM, Lionsgate, and many more. Providing over 600 channels in total, Plex can help you unlock your inner couch potato for quality and enjoyable streaming time.

Plex’s software is also perfect for you to set up your collection of movies, shows, music, and even pictures. The software integrates perfectly with virtually all platforms, enabling you to keep a single, unified list of every TV show or movie that you hear about. It doesn’t end there. Plex also helps you add theater releases to your list, so you don’t have to hop about various sites and services to add movies to your wishlist.

How much does it cost?

Plex operates on a model called ad-supported video on demand (AVOD). This means you can create a free account and access content in return for occasional ads that the company shares. While it’s not entirely necessary to create an account, creating an account comes with various benefits. This includes access to your universal Watchlist, customizing the services that appear in your search results, and picking up where you left off on any device.

Plex does have a paid plan, though, called the Plex Pass, that costs $6.99 per month, $69.99 per year, and $249.99 for a lifetime subscription. The standard free account already offers screen casting to other devices, support for various media formats, and 4K streaming. You retain all these with Plex Pass.

Additionally, Plex Pass subscribers get Premium Photos and Music options, including auto-tagging and automatic lyrics, support for Live TV via an antenna and tuner, and offline mobile syncing. Plex Pass also features multi-user support, a Timeline organizational view, and early access to new Plex features.

13. Kweli

Trusted site for streaming black content from anywhere in the world.

There’s only one thing that Kweli brings to the table: black excellence. This platform primarily focuses on content from black creators in and outside of Africa. Whether it’s a classical or modern movie, if it has a black producer, chances are you will find it on Kweli.

There are numerous content categories to stream here, including indie films, web series, animation, wellness, audio stories, and business. In all, this platform boasts over 700 titles from the African diaspora, and you can stream on the web or one of the platform’s mobile apps.

How much does it cost?

By now, you should have discovered a pattern amongst these streaming platforms regarding their subscription plans. They offer a plan with ads on the one hand and a plan without ads on the other. It is exactly this same trend that Kweli decides to follow.

You can subscribe to KweliKIDS for ad-supported streaming at just $1.99 per month. This plan focuses on kids, providing access to over 100 children’s movies and shows. Aside from access to member-only programs and events, there’s not much going on with this plan. If you don’t want that plan, other available plans are monthly with ads for $2.99, monthly without ads for $5.99, and annual with ads for $49.99.

Each of these plans lets you access Kweli’s entire content library, which is over 700 channels, alongside other perks like brand discounts and Kweli merch.

Problems with Free Streaming Sites

Usually, before you register with or pay for any service, you’ll first argue with yourself about why you should choose them when free options are available. Not only you don’t have to pay anything on them, but they also typically don’t have geo-restrictions.

However, these benefits are simply blessings in disguise, and you should avoid free streaming platforms as much as possible. Firstly, the owners of these sites typically never come out to claim them. This makes them huge security risks because nothing guarantees they don’t belong to hackers or cybercriminals looking for ways to infiltrate your device. You may pick up a virus from the numerous ads you’ll typically find on these sites.

Plus, most of them are illegal since they compile content from different sources and distribute it without permission. That means despite lacking geo-restrictions, there’s still a high chance that you won’t be able to access a streaming site from where you are.

From this, we can bring out another point. When a government blocks something, doing it can have legal consequences. If you’re accessing streaming sites in a location where they’re banned, and law enforcement agencies catch you, you can become the subject of litigation. The fine for this can range from a few dollars to spending time in jail.

So, the next time you visit a free site, you should know one simple fact. Whatever you save in terms of money, you’ll pay with your online security, privacy, and anonymity.

Use a VPN to Protect Yourself on Any Website

Ideally, you should avoid free sites as much as possible. Due to their free nature, though, hundreds and thousands of people will prefer to go to them rather than using paid services. In this situation, being someone who values privacy, you start thinking of how to protect yourself.

Tips like using antivirus software and not submitting personal information to the site are highly recommended and helpful. Above all, ensure you always use a premium, high-quality VPN like ExtremeVPN. It values your privacy over everything and ensures you stream whatever you want from anywhere worldwide.

VPNs help you get the best of legal services, like streaming platforms, if you’ve subscribed to any. On illegal services like streaming sites, VPNs help keep your privacy and security intact, ensuring nothing ever compromises them.

Other Streaming Options Available

In our list, we’ve covered the 13 best streaming services that your money can currently get you, but know that our list isn’t exhaustive. Any thriving market always has fierce competition, and the streaming industry isn’t any different.

Some high-quality sites not covered in our list that you can also subscribe to include Paramount+, Apple TV+, Sling TV, and BBC iPlayer.

Sling TV is renowned for its budget-friendliness without any compromise on content quality. When you weigh it against other top streaming platforms, you’ll see that you’ll save close to $23 on monthly subscriptions.

When you subscribe to Paramount+, you’ll be localizing all of CBS’s content and Paramount’s movies and shows. Overall, you can access original movies and series, live sports streaming and coverage, and news and current affairs. Despite its massive library size, this platform is very affordable, with the lowest plan costing a mere $7.99 per month.

Buying Guide: Which Streaming Services Should You Pay for?

Before you give any site your money, there are some important criteria you must first look out for. Firstly, you have to consider the catalog size. This is so important that we have dedicated an entire section to it in this article. Next, you consider the quality of the content, how affordable the service is, and, finally, the features.

There isn’t a particular order for ranking these factors. Beyond having a massive library size, which everyone intuitively searches for, you can rank the other three based on needs and personal preference. Choosing a site with high-quality content means that you always have something to look forward to. The feeling you get from watching trending and highly-rated shows or movies is different from what you get when you watch one with a lower production value.

Cost is one of the ultimate determiner of the services people eventually use. While some platforms charge fees that match the type of programming and content that they offer, some are just overpriced. Research thoroughly to ensure that you get value for your money. Also, rather than pay for one overpriced site, why not pay for two and significantly expand your options?

Services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are so affordable that the cost of subscribing to both is still cheaper than what some paid services charge per month. It’s also helpful to consider what the site can do feature-wise. For example, one of the standard features of modern-day websites is that they can record shows and movies to watch later. If your chosen options can’t do that, then you may need to reconsider.

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