Putlocker was one of the most popular website for movie streaming when it was live. It hosted an impressive lineup of movies, series, and shows and was completely free. However, since its ban, movie viewers now have less options to choose from. This guide lists 23 of the best alternatives to Putlocker for both the rookie and die-hard streamers.
Streaming sites are not new; they’ve grown with the rise and popularity of the internet. However, even among these streaming sites, only a few are as popular as Putlocker.
If you still want a Putlocker-like experience even after its ban, you should consider choosing an alternative. Today, we are going to discuss the best Putlocker alternatives to stream movies and TV shows online.
DISCLAIMER: This guide is only for informational purposes. ExtremeVPN neither affiliates with nor hosts any of these alternatives. Most free streaming sites listed here violate copyright laws. However, if you still want to stream on these sites, mask your IP address with a VPN so that no one can see your actual location.
Best Putlocker Alternatives – Quick List
Here’s the list of the best sites like Putlocker to watch movies and TV shows:
- MoviesJoy: Free website to stream thousands of movies without any signup or registration.
- YesMovies: Watch over 9,000 titles, including the latest movies and TV shows.
- 123Movies: Stream various genres of content for free without any registration.
- 5MoviesHD: The go-to website to watch movies online for free.
- AZMovies: Boasts an extensive library of movies and TV shows grouped into different categories.
- Spacemov: A website that provides the most recent and popular movies and television shows with a frequently updated library.
- ZMovies: Ad-filled, but it has a decent content catalog of regularly updated movies.
- SolarMovie: An organized website to watch free movies and TV shows without ads.
- FlixTor: A dedicated website hosting the latest movies in the action, drama, family, and other genres.
- Primewire: An extensive dashboard for movies and various entertainment needs.
- Subsmovies: Provides subtitles to thousands of HD movies for an immersive streaming experience.
- Max: See original content alongside HBO’s entire catalog of TV shows and movies.
- Paramount Plus: Offers recent movies, series, and shows from Paramount, one of the world’s movie production studios.
- Prime Video: The perfect place to find original Amazon shows alongside blockbuster movies and shows.
- Disney Plus: Enjoy a premium Disney experience at an affordable monthly price.
- Apple TV+: Stream new Apple originals every month completely ad-free and watch movies in 4K HDR video quality.
- BBC iPlayer: Watch live TV sports and enjoy premium entertainment across a range of devices.
- Popcornflix: A growing video-on-demand streaming service with an enviable catalog.
- Fubo: Interesting lineup of live TV, movies, shows, and sports all under one roof.
- Netflix: The original and world’s most popular video streaming service.
- YouTube TV: Affiliated with the Big Three broadcast networks to deliver content across various genres.
- Sling TV: Impressive channel lineup showing hit movies, series, and shows.
- Hulu: Live TV to watch thousands of shows, series, and movies from Disney.
How to Stream Safely on Platforms Like Putlocker
Here’s how to stay safe when streaming on sites like Putlocker:
- Subscribe to a quality VPN like ExtremeVPN.
- Download the VPN app on your device. ExtremeVPN offers apps for all operating systems, such as Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS, along with a Chrome extension.
- Open the app and connect to a server location. For example, the US or the UK.
- Visit a proxy site of Putlocker or any of its alternatives.
- Start streaming securely.
What is Putlocker and What Happened to it?
Putlocker was a website that hosted movies, series, shows, and other entertainment media. All content on the website was available for free, and the platform didn’t require you to sign up or complete any registration.
Originating from the UK, the site grew in catalog size and number of users and eventually started to receive visitors from all over the world. However, in 2016, the UK government shut down the site since Putlocker was distributing pirated content. Following this, the Australian High Court also blocked the site along with some other free platforms like RARBG, YTS, 1337X and EZTV.
The website’s domain address has changed multiple times over its existence, and most have either been seized or blocked. Right now, it’s safe to say that there’s no official Putlocker website available. Although you can find many clones or proxy sites of the platform today, they aren’t safe to stream. Hence, it is best to opt for an alternative.
Best Free Putlocker Alternatives
1. MoviesJoy
The very first on our list is MoviesJoy. This platform lets you access movies across different genres and categories without the need for any signup or registration. You can watch action, drama, thriller, comedy, and history movies and may also stream some sports if you ever want to relax.
Thanks to a properly organized website, the platform is easy to navigate. At the top right, you can quickly switch to the movies and TV shows tabs or view some of the top IMDb-rated content on the site.
There’s also a search bar at the center of the screen if you know the name of your desired movie or show.
2. YesMovies
YesMovies wants you to say “Yes” to movies through a wide catalog that boasts over 9,000 movies, series, and TV shows.
The site shares certain similar features to Putlocker like it has also attracted the attention of movie and film production organizations and has been blocked in certain jurisdictions. So, if you’re visiting the site right now, there’s a very high chance that you’re instead on one of its clones or copy sites.
YesMovies and virtually all of its clones host numerous movies across genres, from thrillers to romances. This site also provides supplementary information, like the IMDB score, actors, opinions, and synopses of movies. It also has a clean interface and, most importantly, no ads.
3. 123Movies
123Movies acts as a third party between you and the movies you want to watch. It provides you with the best links to watch thousands of free movies in super high quality.
One of the best Putlocker alternatives, 123Movies lets you watch movies across the world’s biggest movie industries, including the USA, Canada, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
You can also watch movies across multiple genres, especially action, thriller, crime, documentary, drama, and comedy. The streaming site also removes any form of subscription or registration requirements and can be accessed wherever there is internet connectivity.
You can also switch between the old and new 123Movies interfaces by tapping on the large button below the search bar on the homepage.
In terms of legal attention, 123Movies is more popular than even Putlocker. In 2018, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) called it the world’s “most popular illegal site.”
4. 5MoviesHD
5MoviesHD is a popular free website boasting many features similar to Putlocker. There are many things to love about this platform. The website has a clean and easy-to-navigate interface.
It hosts an extensive catalog of both new and classic movies and properly groups them into different categories. The app basically gives the feel of a premium streaming platform experience in a semi-free movie hosting website.
You can watch videos on the commentaries of some of the videos on this platform. Moreover, you’ll not notice a single ad throughout your time on this website.
While there is some promoted content, this never interrupts surfing or streaming and has its own proper location on the website.
5. AZMovies
AZMovies aims to be your one-stop website for finding movies that start with any of the letters in the English alphabet. True to its name, it hosts a long list of movies, from the popular to the obscure.
The site primarily prioritizes recent releases. So, if you’re looking for a movie released in the past year, this is one of the sites to go to.
AZMovies also shows movie trailers of films that are available in its catalog. It also shows related videos, such as cast members sharing their opinions about the movie. It gives summaries about every movie that it hosts and lists the cast alongside other premium services where the movie is available.
6. Spacemov
Spacemov provides the latest movies and TV series from different movie industries around the world. Generally, this site divides the movies in its catalog into six broad categories–sci-fi, horror, thriller, action hybrid, drama, and comedy.
In reality, every other movie genre is a subgenre under one of these or is an offshoot. This means that there’s a lot that Spacemov offers as long as you’re willing to explore.
7. ZMovies
ZMovies is a free online streaming website that hosts numerous genres of movies, including biography, animation, crime, drama, and documentary. This website acts as a time portal and link between the movie industry of the modern time and the old one.
It spans different eras of Hollywood, particularly providing a catalog that’s hard to beat by other streaming websites. The website has a verification feature that keeps bots and spammers out whenever you click on a movie to watch.
You can watch movies as far back as 1915 with just the click of a button or spend time exploring the website.
8. SolarMovie
SolarMovie tag says, “Just a faster and better place for watching online movies for free!” If you start to explore the site, it won’t be difficult to understand why this is so. Right from SolarMovie’s homepage, you can see a world full of free TV shows and movies to watch.
SolarMovie gives you a range of actions you can take while the movie plays, such as setting the quality to ultra HD or screencasting to your smart TVs.
Another commendable feature of this website is that it mostly hosts recent releases and new movies. The site itself is easy to navigate, and there is important information about each movie right before you watch them.
9. FlixTor
FlixTor is another free alternative to Putlocker that lets you enjoy a wide selection of movies and TV series from the comfort of your home. It prides itself in being one of the streaming websites you can visit to enjoy quality content without paying a single dollar.
There are generally two ways by which you can access the content on the website. You can either access the content for free or get a VIP membership. The free content includes both old and new movies and series, while the VIP option gives more access to recent releases and exclusive content such as documentaries, special features, and more.
New movies and releases and older and classic ones are here. Flixtor’s website has a search box where you can easily input the movie title you want and get it quickly.
10. Primewire
Primewire is among the top free streaming services that emphasize content quality and massive catalog size. It’s an active and user-friendly website that satisfies the movie needs of rookie and avid streamers.
On this website, you can watch over 21,000 movies and more than 5,000 TV series across the action and comedy genres and everything in between.
Primewire’s interface may not be the best in class, but it’s certainly functional and easily understandable. At the top right, you can switch between 3D and 4K displays, see then trending movies, or browse movies and series.
11. Subsmovies
Subsmovies is one of the best free movie streaming sites with an impressive line-up of high-quality movies. This website allows you to stream unlimited movies or TV shows at no cost without any registration requirements.
For Subsmovies, what matters is the most recent releases in the industry. If you’ve been looking for a recently released movie with no luck, then this is where to go.
You can tap on action, thriller, and horror movies at the top right of the screen to explore and discover the top free movies online. You can also use the search icon to find the titles of your choice.
Subsmovies also provides a list of alternative websites to itself and direct links to them. If you’re able to find a movie on this site, you may check it out on one of those alternative sites.
Top Legal Alternatives to Putlocker
Here, we’ve compiled some alternatives that are completely legal. The websites here employ geo-restrictions extensively, so mask your IP using a top-notch VPN like ExtremeVPN to be able to access them all.
12. Max
Max (formerly HBO Max) is a popular video streaming service in the US and parts of Europe. Pooling content from HBO, DC Comics, Warner Bros, and more, this streaming service’s consistent focus on quality has helped it reach an audience of over 75 million and is still growing.
On the platform, you can watch popular movies, shows, and TV series and also get exclusive access to Max Originals. Some of the service’s biggest titles are The Last of Us, Sex and the City, Sesame Street, Chernobyl, and Gangs of London.
Max is available on all major platforms, including iOS and Android. It might be a little pricey compared to competitors, especially if you’re moving from Netflix or Disney Plus. The regular “With Ads” plan costs $9.99 per month and $99.99 annually.
13. Paramount Plus
Paramount Plus is a popular streaming service and one of the main competitors to Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. Being Paramount’s key video-on-demand service, Paramount Plus hosts virtually every movie released by the studio. Some of the studio’s recent releases like Top Gun: Maverick and Transformers are available on this platform.
There are also Paramount Originals, highly successful series, and the very best of television and shows. The platform also provides a free trial of 7 days to test-run the platform and see whether their collection matches your taste.
Before becoming Paramount Plus, this streaming service used to be called CBS All Access. Paramount Plus costs $5.99 to $11.99 per month or $59.99 to $119.99 per year.
14. Prime Video
Prime Video is a streaming service from Amazon, one of the greatest tech companies in the world. Trusted by many fans worldwide for its content quality and library size, Prime Video has established libraries for itself in various countries worldwide.
Prime Video’s library contains some globally recognized series and TV 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. The 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 Prime Video app is available for virtually all major devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs.
15. Disney Plus
Disney+ is also the home of whatever Disney titles and its subsidiaries, like Pixar and Marvel, produce. This means it is a platform where you’ll be able to watch superhero blockbusters like Doctor Strange and Captain America and widely acclaimed animated movies like Encanto and Wreck-it-Ralph.
Disney+ is family-friendly, providing access to National Geographic content and classic Disney animations like The Lion King and Mulan.
You can get the service on all major operating systems, including iPhones and iPads, Android devices and tablets, Amazon Fire tablets, and Windows PCs. The streaming platform has two pricing options: with ads or without ads.
Disney+ Basic, which is the one with ads, costs $7.99 per month, while Disney+ Premium, which has no ads, costs $13.99. You can also opt for the yearly plan at $139.99 for premium.
16. Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is a fairly recent streaming service, which was launched in 2019. This launch successfully marked the introduction of Apple in the streaming industry.
Unlike most streaming services that obtain licenses to broadcast videos from external studios, Apple TV+ mainly shows Apple Originals, a selection of Apple’s original productions and television series.
Apple always sets itself apart from competitors through the exclusivity that it incorporates into its products and services. Note that Apple TV+ is only available on Apple’s device.
While Apple is known for its high prices of its products and services, Apple TV+ is surprisingly affordable. Firstly, if you buy an Apple device, you get Apple TV+ for free for three months. You can get the platform’s monthly subscription for only $9.99 per month after enjoying a free 7-day trial.
17. BBC iPlayer
Watch live BBC TV channels, enjoy TV programs you missed, and view exclusive content on BBC iPlayer. This is how BBC describes its streaming service on its website, which provides a comprehensive summary of all to expect with the platform.
Additionally, iPlayer also provides sports coverage making it more similar to YouTube TV and Fubo rather than Netflix and Paramount Plus.
On iPlayer, you can find and watch live programs, movies, dramas, or soap operas. The platform arranges videos by categories. This means that you can browse through the database and discover a video if you do not already have one in mind.
To get iPlayer, you need to obtain a TV license, which costs between £150 and £160. This license is limited, and you have to renew it annually.
18. Popcornflix
Popcornflix may not be as popular as some of the other sites and streaming services on this list. However, it’s a highly valuable platform for movie and TV show streaming. It mainly hosts indie movies but occasionally shows films and shows from other well-known studios.
Since its launch in 2011, the service has grown immensely in popularity. It also works on various platforms and operating systems, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Popcornflix is a completely free and legal Putlocker alternative, with the developers choosing to monetize ads instead. That means you’ll occasionally run into various kinds of ads while on this website. Popcornflix is a safe website, though, and is the property of Chicken Soup Entertainment—the same company behind Crackle.
19. Fubo
Fubo might be known majorly for sports, but it has a decent collection of movies and TV shows. In fact, numerous review websites rank the site as the best streaming service overall, for reasons not far-fetched. 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 include ESPN, Fox Sports Network, NBA League Pass, and MLB Network.
You can also watch various American shows on the platform through channels like Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, BBC America, and Disney Channel.
20. Netflix
By popularity, no streaming site or service comes close to Netflix and you don’t become a global household name in the streaming space if you’re not doing something right. Netflix is one of the best streaming sites available today. It has the most extensive library compared to any streaming service in the world if you consider all of its individual libraries.
The movies on this platform are also some of the best in the world and many have gone on to become global phenomena.
Netflix is available on various devices and platforms for an even extended audience and customer reach. From smart TVs and smartphones to gaming consoles, you’re always a click away from streaming your favorite movies and videos.
The platform’s primary competitive advantages over its competitors are its dominion of local markets and affordable subscription fees. It has developed libraries for local movie industries from Australia to India and charges based on the individual currencies of these countries.
21. YouTube TV
This platform can be called as the world’s most popular video-sharing platform for both live and on-demand content while blending shows, series, and movies from the Big Three broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC). This gives you access to what numerous other streaming platforms offer with your singular subscription to YouTube TV.
YouTube TV offers more content by size and category than most traditional streaming services. By paying for this service, you get access to over 100 live TV channels, including television networks and sports.
To ensure you don’t miss out on any of its content, YouTube TV also provides unlimited cloud DVR storage to save and watch content later.
You can use the site 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.
YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month, but you can leverage first-time customer benefits and get it for only $50.99. There’s also a 7-day free trial for you to experience what the service really offers. Additionally, YouTube TV offers a less-expensive Spanish Plan as well
22. Sling TV
Sling TV is an American-based streaming service for movies, TV, shows, live sports, and other categories of entertainment. The platform’s extensive channel list has attracted the attention of entertainment lovers, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular streaming platforms worldwide.
Sling TV’s lineup includes CNN, Discovery, Comedy Central, MTV, and ESPN. From kids’ shows to lifestyle programming and blockbuster movies, there’s something for everyone to watch. It’s, therefore, no surprise that the platform now has over 2 million subscribers from within and outside the US.
Sling TV’s archive contains hundreds of cable TV channels that are available via one of three plans. Orange is Sling TV’s most affordable plan, providing access to 32 channels, including sports giant ESPN, TNT, and AMC.
Blue is a significant upgrade over the Orange plan and contains 42 channels, 10 more than Orange.
Orange and Blue is Sling TV’s most expensive package and by far the best one. As the name says, it combines the features of Orange and Blue to provide the highest level of entertainment you can get on Sling TV.
23. Hulu
Despite being owned by The Walt Disney Company, Hulu has its separate identity from Disney+. A central 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, ESPN, and many more. From sports to live news and events, Hulu ensures you’re constantly updated.
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 fantastic original content for you, including Only Murders in the Building, Faraway Downs, and The Artful Dodger. Hulu lets you download videos for offline viewing, which means you don’t always have to stay glued to your TV.
Best Putlocker Mirror Sites (Updated 2024)
Whenever a free streaming site becomes popular, several clones or mirrors of that website begin to surface on the internet.
Since the original Putlocker website is no longer available, many of its mirror websites are available online. These clones have the same appearance and name as the original website and typically operate under the Putlocker name. However, they may not be from the same developers.
At the time of writing, here are the best Putlocker clones that are working right now:
Sr No. | Proxy/Mirror | Status |
---|---|---|
1. | https://ww1.putlockers2.com/ | Working |
2. | https://w5.putlocker.to/home | Working |
3. | https://putlockers.li/movies/ | Working |
4. | https://ww.putlocker.vip/ | Working |
5. | https://free-putlockers.com/ | Working |
6. | https://putlocker.ma/ | Working |
7. | https://putlocker.gay/ | Working |
8. | https://ww2.putlockers.io/ | Working |
9. | https://putlocker.org.uk/ | Working |
Note that these mirrors contain several threats and may not be safe to use. So, you have to be more careful using these sites. Make sure to use a VPN and an antivirus to protect yourself.
Why Use a VPN to Stream on Websites Like Putlocker
There are various reasons why a VPN is essential to access and stream movies on Putlocker sites. Here are some of these:
Unreliability
The majority of Putlocker like websites don’t require you to register or create an account to access them. These websites are overrun with various ads that lead you to inappropriate or even outright illegal websites.
Your device may pick up computer viruses, or your information may get stolen. A robust VPN such as ExtremeVPN adds a layer of privacy to your network by keeping your data and information away from the prying eyes of malicious users.
Pirated Content
Law enforcement agencies targeted Putlocker and virtually every other free streaming website because they posted copyrighted content without permission.
You could also become the subject of a lawsuit if caught using one of these websites. Since VPNs change your locations, it becomes difficult for service providers and, by extension, law enforcement agencies to determine where you’re streaming from.
Geo-restrictions and Pricing
Legal alternatives to Putlocker like Netflix and Disney+ utilize geo-restrictions and geo-graphical pricing to control who gets access to their websites and apps. This means if you’re not in the designated areas, you may be unable to use these services or be paying ridiculous prices.
ExtremeVPN is the best VPN for streaming that helps you solve all these problems by changing your location to where the service is available and cheaper.