With popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, etc. continuing to raise subscription prices, movie fans have begun to seek cost-free alternatives. One excellent source is YouTube, which hosts several legal channels that allow film fanatics to watch movies of all types without spending an arm and leg. Although some of the channels come with commercial advertisements, others offer uncut versions of movies without interruption.
The internet can be hit-or-miss when it comes to finding free movies legally, which is why we've pulled together a list. From beloved Hollywood classics to popular Bollywood titles, horror movies, and Sci-Fi outings — here are the 10 best YouTube channels to watch free movies legally.
10 Movie Central
The most popular free movie channel
With over 4.5 million subscribers to date, Movie Central is a great place to watch all sorts of free movies without breaking the law. Unlike certain channels that specialize in one specific genre or studio, Movie Central boasts a wide swath of classic Monster Movies, rom-coms, horror movies, Sci-Fi movies, war films, Westerns, and full-length comedies. The channel also hosts full movies produced by such popular production companies as The Asylum and Hallmark.
Movie Central has written contracts to prove that all of the content hosted on its channel is under legal license, according to its YouTube description. Although many fans may be unfamiliar with the obscure B-movies hosted on the channel, they also upload lengthy clips from popular Hollywood blockbusters. The channel also hosts several TV miniseries for those looking for longer-form narratives.
9 Horror Central
A one-stop destination for horror fans
Essentially the dedicated horror wing of Movie Central, Horror Central is a separate site worth subscribing to for hardcore genre fans. The free movie site boasts a solid mix of well-known genre titles and obscure indies alike. Feature-length horror films and thrillers are divided into various subcategories, including slasher, apocalypse horror, psychological horror, rxorcism movies, monster movies, and more.
Recent uploads to the channel include Burial Ground Massacre, Lurking in the Woods, Zombie Farm, and The Amityville Murders. In between the new full-length movie uploads, the site also hosts clips from classic horror films and cool compilation videos. It's also worth noting that the YouTube channel is affiliated with Retro Central and Sci-Fi Central, two additional YouTube sites that host cost-free classics and Sci-Fi flicks.
8 Watch Movies Now!
A great place for genre enthusiasts
With 1.25 million subscribers, Watch Movies Now! is another ideal destination for horror and Sci-Fi movie fanatics. With weekly uploads to keep viewers busy, the channel specializes in hosting legally sanctioned content that includes everything from found-footage and acclaimed horror anthologies to remastered classics and world premieres. Watch Movies Now! has also produced two original horror movies, The Chosen and Red Letters.
Although there is a "Members Only" option that grants access to exclusive content, the free feature-length films are vast and diverse. The deep blend of paranormal, dark and twisted, suspense and thriller, and recently released movies is bound to keep casual and avid horror movie fans returning for more of the macabre. For instance, the channel recently uploaded Hotel Hell, an exclusive premiere that fans won't find anywhere else.
7 Movie Express
The #1 destination for free Bollywood films
Movie Express is an ideal place to watch popular Indian and Bollywood movies for free on the internet. According to the channel's description, Movie Express specializes in hosting the latest full-length movies and blockbuster hits in genres that range from "Telugu Movies, Full HD Movies, Tollywood Full Length Movies," to "Telugu Super Hit Movies, Comedy Movies, Action Movies, and Hit Movies."
With new content uploaded monthly, Movie Express recently added such Bollywood features as Jana Gana Mana, Doctor Bhavani, CoCo Kokila, and Cauliflower, to name a few. Although it may not host mainstream Hollywood movies, the channel is sure to provide value for Bollywood fans looking to expand their cinematic horizons, discover new filmmakers from around the world, and steep themselves in a rich tradition of Indian customs and cultures.
6 Standart Documentaries
A new documentary channel
Those looking for free documentaries to watch on YouTube ought to visit Standart. The channel used to be the home of Barbarella X: Science Fiction Movies but has since overhauled its content roster to give viewers educational nonfiction films. Recent uploads include such fascinating docs as How to Make a Book, Touch the Sound, Banksy and the Rise of Outlaw Art, and more.
Given its recent relaunch, Standart is just getting started and has limited content at this time. However, with over 200,000 subscribers added in the past three months, it's clear the channel has become a destination for documentary enthusiasts to gather and watch new and old movies free of cost. Like the other YouTube channels, Standart has contracts with the legal rights holders of each film, ensuring that viewers will not get into trouble if they watch the movies it hosts.
5 FilmRise Movies
A wide selection of mainstream and obscure titles
With nearly 400 movies to sift through, FilmRise Movies is arguably the best free movie channel on YouTube. The channel is operated by FilmRise, "an industry-leading film and television studio, and the largest independently owned AVOD streaming network." While primarily steeped in action movies, the star-studded titles and mainstream movie stars will have fans coming back for more.
For example, FilmRise Movies features such acclaimed movies as The Iceman, The Illusionist, The Proposition, and Rampart, high-quality films that are usually reserved for subscription streaming services. The channel also has several Jean-Claude Van Damme films, Steven Seagal, and Nicolas Cage B-Movies, and action-thrillers, giving fans a wide variety of movies to indulge in free of cost. If that wasn't enticing enough, the litany of UFO/Alien movies and Westerns are bound to do the trick.
4 Free Movies
Legally sanctioned by Screen Media
Operated by Chicken Soup for the Soul, the parent company to Redblox, Crackle, and Screen Media, Free Movies is exactly what it sounds like. The YouTube channel offers hundreds of free movies to watch without legal hassle, enabling cinephiles to indulge in everything from independent movies and documentaries to popular romantic comedies and hard-hitting dramas.
With 1.3 million subscribers thus far, Free Movies offers a high-quality filmography for every type of movie watcher to enjoy. Whether hosting the disturbing indie arthouse horror movie Lamb or the underrated comedy Digging for Fire, the options are vast. Fans can watch an entire series of Princess Diana movies, enjoy several acclaimed LGBTQ+ rom-coms, revisit new and classic Christmas movies, and check out a giant collection of thought-provoking documentaries.
3 PopcornFlix
A movie and TV lover's dream
Boasting over 3 million subs and counting, PopcornFlix is one of the most popular free movie channels on YouTube. The site uploads new feature-length movies every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, offering movies in genres that include action, comedy, family, horror, drama, thriller, romance, Westerns, Sci Fi, docs, and more. The channel also provides several old and new free TV shows.
With playlists divided into Fan Favorites, Recent Uploads, Action Movies, Female-Led Dramas, Starring Women in Drama, and more, PopcornFlix has plenty of content to keep viewers engaged. Recent Uploads include everything from Stone of Destiny, Haphazard, and Skateboard or Die to Spiral, Sacred Cargo, and American Animals. With such TV shows as Crossbow and Going From Broke as well, PopcornFlix is hard to beat.
2 PizzaFlix
The best destination for classic film fans
Classic movie lovers ought to bookmark PizzaFlix instantly. Created by two film industry veterans with over 50 years of experience, PizzaFlix "controls one of the largest, privately-held broadcast-quality film & TV libraries of its kind." Apart from its extensive library, the channel digitally remasters classic Hollywood movies to ensure the most immersive film-watching experience.
Whether looking to indulge in classic B-movies and cliffhanger serials or golden-era Westerns and classic film noir, PizzaFlix has curated a superb collection of titles. Every Monday, a new classic mainstream movie is uploaded to the channel. And every Friday, obscure B-movies are added, making for a balanced mixture of high-art and low-brow movies sure to appeal to every movie lover. Beyond providing free entertainment, the channel is dedicated to teaching viewers about the history of Hollywood.
1 Timeless Classic Movies
Another great option for golden-age cinema
As its name suggests (perhaps reminiscent of Turner Classic Movies), Timeless Classic Movies is a free YouTube channel to watch classic Hollywood titles. Although it's been a while since its last upload, bona fide genre classics like Detour, Nosferatu, Night of the Living Dead, and more can be found for no financial charge. As such, old-school movie enthusiasts would be wise to visit the channel and pour through its backlog of classic uploads.
Between classic film noir titles like The Hitch-Hiker and D.O.A. and throwback silent films like The Phantom of the Opera and Frankenstein, there's no shortage of excellent movies to choose from and watch completely free of charge. Fans can watch classic horror movies like The Bat and mysteries like The Black Raven, as well as age-old comedies such as The Front Page and action movies like Tarzan and the Green Goddess. The diversity and quality of the movies featured make the free YouTube channel one of the best of its kind.
For more information on free YouTube movies, check out this video on the best free horror films on YouTube: