Streaming your favorite TV series for free sounds fun. But what if the site you’re using shuts down and you hear that it’s no longer working? Like YesMovies, most free sites usually distribute copyrighted content, which is why many authorities and agencies keep tracking them.
Such websites can land you in legal hot water as they don’t have the required licenses or permissions to host their content. If you get caught streaming here, you could be in serious trouble. Hence, you might need an alternative option. In this article, we’ve curated a list of the 5 best alternatives to YesMovies to watch movies and shows legally from anywhere.
The Best YesMovies Alternatives: Quick List
Running out of time? Here’s a quick overview of the 5 best sites like YesMovies:
- Pluto TV: A legal and free alternative to YesMovies with over 250 channels to enjoy unlimited entertainment.
- Tubi: A great platform that offers original content legally at no cost.
- Amazon Freevee: A legal Amazon service that offers a wide variety of content.
- YouTube: The best legitimate video streaming website for watching free movies and TV shows.
- Rakuten TV: The perfect place to stream HD movies legally for free in Europe.
The 5 Best Sites Like YesMovies: Detailed List
1. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is the best place to watch movies and TV shows without worrying about piracy. The platform is legal and free. It offers both on-demand and live TV shows in the US, with 250+ live channels covering news, entertainment, sports, and kids’ programming.
Its interface is similar to traditional cable TV, making it easy to navigate and switch between channels. Like YesMovies, Pluto TV has ads popping up every 10 to 15 minutes during movies. The ads aren’t just limited to movies and shows; Live TV channels also include commercial breaks during programming pauses. The commercials can get so repetitive that they can disrupt your viewing experience.
However, if you don’t mind a few ads or breaks to stream movies legally, you can access Pluto TV on your smartphone, tablet, or smart TV. It’s also accessible through streaming devices like Roku and Fire TV and on web browsers for Windows and Mac operating systems.
What else? You don’t necessarily need to sign up for an account to watch on Pluto TV, but signing up will let you enjoy features like saving channels and continuing watching where you left off. Know that Pluto TV has geo-restrictions, and you can’t access it from anywhere — you need a VPN to change your location.
2. Tubi
Tubi allows you to watch your favorite shows for free. It’s the best option for users who live in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia, as it only works there. The platform is legal, so you won’t face copyright issues. Tubi’s library is impressive — here, you can find classics like “Jurassic Park” and the latest episodes of “Hell’s Kitchen.”
There’s also a section dedicated to Kids, known as Tubi Kids. This features content suitable for families, for instance, the “Tom and Jerry” series. Apart from this, Spanish users can explore the “Español” tab, offering amazing collection of content. We like that the website organizes everything into categories, including “Movies,” “TV Shows,” “Live TV,” etc.
As you might expect from a free service, Tubi contains its fair share of ads. But the silver lining is that the ads aren’t too intrusive and are usually short. They usually pop up a few times when you start a show. Tubi also offers a screencasting feature. This can allow you to stream from your phone or computer to your TV using Chromecast or AirPlay.
The site collects some data, like your IP address. They might share it with third parties or business partners, so we always recommend using a quality VPN, like ExtremeVPN. It will bypass geo-blocks as well as hide your IP address. This ensures that no one can track your activities or steal your data.
3. Amazon Freevee
Free
Free and legal streaming service
Expect to see some long, annoying ads
Amazon Freevee is another free and legal platform. It’s unique than others — here, you can find exclusive shows that you may not find anywhere else. For example, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Troppo,” and “Fairfax.”
But there’s a catch. Amazon Freevee is only available in selected countries (US, UK, Austria, and Germany). So you must have a VPN to access it from outside these regions.
Amazon Freevee runs ads. Though they play when you click on a movie and during breaks. While reviewing the website, we noticed that some of these ads can be pretty long, sometimes lasting up to 30 seconds. If you want to enjoy uninterrupted streaming, you should install an ad blocker on your device.
On the bright side, Amazon Freevee’s X-Ray tool is an exciting feature. It gives you behind-the-scenes information about each show’s cast and music tracks. You can stream Freevee on any Amazon device, smart TV, smartphone, gaming console, or other media device. If you have a Comcast Xfinity device, Fire tablet, or Fire TV, the app is most likely pre-installed already.
Unlike most popular free streaming sites out there, Freevee is legitimate. It requires signing in with an Amazon account. The platform uses your data and viewing habits to personalize your ads and recommend content you’ll enjoy.
4. YouTube
YouTube is a top video streaming platform for many valid reasons. It is legal, free to use, and available worldwide. It has channels for various movie genres like comedy, romance, action, drama, horror, and docs. You can also access YouTube movies in the US, a section dedicated to Hollywood and blockbuster films. However, you should know that it’s not free.
The platform shows some ads based on your activity. They help recommend other videos. If you dislike any service tracking activity, you can turn off personalized ads in your settings. It will give you a more general experience.
Pro tip:
Here’s how to quickly turn off personalized ads on Google:
- Go to Google Ad Settings: Visit (adssettings.google.com).
- Sign In: If you’re not already, log in with your Google account.
- Turn off Ad Personalization:
– You’ll see a toggle switch with the “Personalised ads” label.
– Switch the toggle Off to turn off personalized ads. - Confirm: A pop-up may appear asking for confirmation. Confirm the action.
YouTube’s device compatibility is top-notch. It lets you stream your shows on any device. This includes smart TVs, gaming consoles, smartphones, and tablets. That’s not all. It even syncs your progress across devices. This is handy for watching longer shows.
Another plus for YouTube is that you don’t need an account to watch videos. So you don’t have to disclose your personal info. If you create one, you can create playlists and buy or rent movies on YouTube Movies.
5. Rakuten TV
Free
Offers free movies in up to 4K HD resolution
Geo-restricted to some countries in Europe
If you’re in Europe and want to watch movies online free, Rakuten TV could work best for you. It’s a legitimate platform and has many movies across genres. Whether you’re into thriller, horror, or romantic movies, you’ll surely find something to watch on this site. Plus, it even offers original content and live TV, so you won’t get bored with its massive library of offerings.
It has a Store Section where you can buy or rent movies. We also liked that there aren’t many ads on the site. All movies on Rakuten TV are high-definition quality, with some titles up to 4K HDR. With few ads, great sound, and picture quality, it is one of the best free alternatives to YesMovies.
Since registering is optional, you don’t have to share personal info on the platform. Visit the site and start watching your beloved shows. However, if you sign up, Rakuten TV can offer movie recommendations based on other shows you watch on the platform.
Is YesMovies Legal?
The simple answer is no. YesMovies is not legal because it hosts copyrighted content without getting permission from the rights holders. Due to this, the site often faces legal action and has been taken down several times. You can suffer copyright infringement consequences if you continue to use YesMovies or any of its mirror sites.
Different countries have varying laws on copyright violations. For instance, in some places like Switzerland, Poland, and Spain, watching pirated movies for personal use might not lead to serious legal trouble. However, piracy laws are more strictly enforced in countries like South Korea, Germany, China, the US, and the UK.
It’s always safer to stick to legal streaming platforms to avoid potential risks and support the original content creators. Also, using a top-notch VPN to change your IP address can be a great way to protect yourself on free sites.
How to Find the Best Streaming Sites Like YesMovies
There are certain qualities you should be looking for on a streaming site. These include:
- Legality: First, ensure the site operates legally to avoid legal troubles. Focus on only choosing platforms that partner with content creators or comply with copyright laws.
- Ad annoyance: You’ll hardly find any free streaming service with an ad-free experience, but consider the number of ads on the platform. Sites with fewer, non-intrusive ads will offer a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
- Stream quality: Ensure the site supports high-definition streaming to enjoy optimum sound and picture quality while watching your shows.
- Content library: Assess the freshness and variety of the available content. You want to choose a platform that offers a broad range of genres and has a nice selection of up-to-date releases.
- Ratings and reviews: This might seem unimportant, but check other users’ reviews and ratings for the service. Go for the sites with more positive feedback and high ratings, as those are signs of high quality and reliability.
Why It’s Best to Avoid Free Streaming Options Like YesMovies
While streaming on free platforms like YesMovies might be tempting since you get free, instant access to movies and TV shows, there are many valid reasons to stay out of them:
- Privacy concerns: Many of these sites lack proper privacy policies. If you’re not careful, they can collect your data and sell it to third parties without your consent, or other hackers lurking around might steal it directly.
- Stream quality: The videos on the stream links often have terrible video quality. Sometimes, even the audio might be out of sync.
- Service reliability: It’s no surprise that services like YesMovies often shut down or move to a different domain after experiencing technical issues. Sudden downtimes can also lead to a frustrating and unreliable viewing experience.
- Security issues: These platforms are notorious for security vulnerabilities because they often host harmful ads that can expose you to phishing attacks or even accidentally download malware on your device. This puts your personal information and device at significant risk.
- Legal and ethical considerations: Free websites infringe on copyright by distributing content without relevant rights. When you use these services, you’re indirectly supporting illegal media distribution, which undermines the creative industries and harms content creators.
- No support for the original creators: By streaming from these unofficial platforms, you bypass the legitimate channels that financially support the content creators. This means you’re reducing the funds they should gain to produce new and better content, ultimately hurting the entire entertainment industry. Opting for legal alternatives ensures a safer experience and supports the creators behind the content you love.
Should I Use a VPN for Platforms Like YesMovies?
Yes, you should. Using a VPN, especially with free movie streaming sites, offers several benefits, and we’ll spill the tea. First, it hides your actual IP address and assigns you a new one from any location you choose. This means you can access most websites no matter where you are and kiss geo-restrictions goodbye, but that’s not even the best part.
While connected to a VPN, you’re also safer from potential hackers or anyone else trying to intercept your connection while streaming. It’s your best shot at keeping your browsing and streaming activities private and anonymous. A quality VPN like ExtremeVPN encrypts your internet traffic and safeguards you from malware and viruses often lurking around on these streaming sites.
Many of the free streaming sites are illegal and unsafe. So, we do not recommend using them. Their illegality also means regional authorities or ISPs often block them. But there’s always a workaround if you insist on using free streaming platforms. A VPN is the best option for that.
With ExtremeVPN’s trustworthy service, you can address all these issues simultaneously. With over 6,500 servers in 78 countries, our vast network beats geo-restrictions. Also, no one can check your activities or steal your data. ExtremeVPN has a strict no-logs policy and uses AES 256-bit encryption.
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