Best 123Movies Alternatives in 2025 — 100% Legal & Safe to Use

I understand why people are looking for good 123Movies alternatives. Using a site like 123Movies is no longer considered safe, both due to legal issues and the possibility of exposing yourself to malicious links and ads. 

Obviously, the answer isn’t using more free streaming sites like 123Movies. If you do, you’ll just end up facing the same legal and security issues I mentioned above. Plus, even if you don’t care about that, you’ll still eventually lose access to the site when it gets shut down (like the original 123Movies did). 

Luckily, there are some decent 123Movies alternatives on the web, many of which are actually free to use. True, a lot of them don’t have the same variety as 123Movies, and some of them are only available in certain countries. Still, most of those streaming sites are safe to use, and they also make it possible to legally watch free movies online.

9 Best Alternatives to 123Movies in 2025

I did my best to mostly include only free sites that stream movies and TV shows. All of the free movie streaming sites mentioned below mostly rely on ads to turn a profit. But a few of them also have paid plans. Also, I included one site that is 100% paid, mostly because it’s an extremely popular platform for watching movies and TV shows. 

1. YouTube

YouTube is the best 123Movies alternative in my opinion. In several countries, YouTube actually allows users to watch movies and TV shows for free, as long as they put up with ads. And there’s also an option to buy titles, which is available in most countries. 

Plus, you can also find YouTube channels that post movies and TV shows. And no, I’m not talking about shady channels that illegally broadcast copyrighted content in poor quality. I’m instead referring to channels that have the legal right to post movies and TV shows. This is usually the case with independent filmmakers and foreign titles, but there are also popular TV series and movie producers that make their shows available on YouTube.

And also, some channels can even provide a similar level of entertainment like movies and TV shows. Sure, it’s not the same as watching a movie or a TV series, but some channels focus on sketch comedy or long-form video content (documentaries, amateur movies, commentaries, etc.). 

2. Pluto TV

Pluto TV is 100% free to use, and it has tons of popular movies and TV shows. You can pick on-demand content from tons of genres, including Drama, True Crime, Classic TV, Game Shows, Reality, Lifestyle, Daytime TV, Kids, Anime, and more. Plus, I like how you also get access to live TV, and how Pluto TV displays an easy-to-follow TV schedule. 

But the site is ad-supported, so you will have to watch ads at the start of a video and during it. Also, the website is only available in the US. On the plus side, you don’t need to create an account to watch videos on Pluto TV. 

3. Crackle

Crackle is completely free too, and it provides access to tons of great on-demand movies and TV series. It broadcasts titles spanning 25+ genres, such as Documentary, Drama, Anime, Action, Comedy, Horror, Lifestyle, Western, War/Military, Stand-Up, Sports, Thriller, British, and more. 

The site is ad-supported, and most ads are around 30 seconds long. Also, like Pluto TV, Crackle is only available in the US too. But I still like how you can watch free movies and shows without needing to create an account, and how user-friendly the website design is. 

4. Tubi

Tubi is also 100% free to use, and it has 50,000+ titles, so it provides excellent variety. You can watch free movies and TV shows spanning dozens of genres, including Cult Classics, Martial Arts, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Black Cinema, Anime, Romantic Comedy, Action, British TV, and Romance. You also get access to live TV, free online movies and TV series in Spanish (in the US), and Tubi Kids (in the US and Canada), which lets your kids stream movies online for free. 

Tubi does have ad breaks, but this is to be expected of free movie sites. The ad breaks are between 1 and 2 minutes long, and they happen roughly every 15 minutes. Tubi is only available in the US, Canada, and Australia. Also, you don’t need an account to watch movies and TV shows on it.

5. BBC iPlayer

BBC iPlayer is free to use, and it’s great for streaming movies and TV shows from the UK. The platform allows you to watch 10+ live channels, and I like how it provides access to a TV guide for each channel. Plus, the site also broadcasts tons of popular movies and TV series spanning dozens of genres, including Drama, Cops on the Box, Documentaries, Entertainment, and Comedy. 

BBC iPlayer doesn’t feature any ads, though you will need an account and a TV license to watch free movies and TV shows on it. In addition, this streaming platform is only available in the UK. 

6. Rakuten TV

Rakuten TV is free to use, but it also lets you rent or buy titles. You can watch movies from dozens of genres (Drama, Thriller, Horror, Action, and more), and there’s also content that’s specifically tailored for kids or for a family movie night. Plus, you get access to original titles produced by Rakuten TV. 

The site is ad-supported, but at least you don’t need an account to watch free movies and TV shows on it. This platform is a good pick if you live in Europe, as it’s available in 40+ European countries. There’s also a Japanese version, but it’s significantly different from its European counterpart. 

7. SBS On Demand

SBS On Demand is free, and claims to offer 15,000+ hours of video content. It lets you watch TV shows from tons of genres, such as Drama, Documentary, Entertainment, Food, and Sport. Also, you can watch movies spanning genres such as Drama, Family, Crime & Mystery, Biopics, Classics, Action, Horror, Martial Arts, and more. And you also get access to live TV content from 5+ channels.

Since it’s free, SBS On Demand shows ads during videos. In addition, you’ll need an SBS account to watch movies and TV series on this platform. Another thing to add is that SBS On Demand is only available in Australia. 

8. CBC Gem

CBC Gem provides free access to tons of movies and TV shows. In addition to live TV content and kids’ movies and TV series, you can binge free movies from dozens of genres, such as Music, Sports, Drama, Mystery, and even Indigenous. As for the TV shows, you get access to genres like Arts, Lifestyle, Drama, Documentary, and Comedy. 

CBC Gem’s free version is ad-supported, but it’s possible to upgrade to a paid plan to remove all ads. Also, you will need an account to watch free movies and TV shows on this site. And, lastly, I want to note that CBC Gem is only available in Canada.

9. Netflix 

Netflix is among the best sites to watch movies and TV shows. The platform is available in pretty much all countries, and it provides access to a downright huge library of titles. And even though the movies and TV series you get access to vary from country to country, the site also has Netflix Originals, which are Netflix-produced shows and movies that are available across all libraries (as Netflix owns the copyright). 

The site isn’t free, but I’m still going to include it because it provides excellent value. Plus, I think it’s pretty affordable, and it’s great that the site only bills you month-to-month — it doesn’t pressure you into any long-term commitments. So if you decide it’s not right for you, or just want to take a break, you can easily pause your subscription. 

Is 123Movies Legal?

In most countries, no — that’s because 123Movies went against copyright laws by illegally broadcasting content it didn’t own the legal right to. The original 123Movies shut down in 2018, but there are still copies of the site live on the web. Those copies are also illegal, as they go against the same copyright laws as the original 123Movies did. 

Using a site like 123Movies could get you in legal trouble, but it really depends on the country you live in and its copyright laws. Some countries only punish the website owners, whereas other places might prosecure the website visitors too.

That’s why I strongly recommend not using sites like 123Movies. It’s better and much safer to use free legal alternatives, like the ones mentioned above. You might not get the same variety like you do on sites like 123Movies, but at least you won’t have to worry about facing any legal repercussions for just watching a movie or a TV show. 

Is 123Movies Safe to Use?

I don’t consider it safe — the original 123Movies has shut down in 2018, and all the other sites you’ll find under that name are just copies. While some might be safe, there’s still a risk that many of them might contain malicious links that redirect you to phishing sites. Interacting with such sites could compromise your personal data. What’s more, copies of 123Movies could also host malicious ads that infect your device with malware when you click on them. 

To be safe, just use legitimate free streaming sites, like the ones I covered above. In addition to being legal, they also run safe ads, and secure their platforms to protect all user data.

Should You Use a VPN When Accessing Alternatives to 123Movies?

You don’t necessarily need a VPN, but I usually recommend using one — here’s why: 

• VPNs protect your streaming traffic. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, making it completely unreadable. In addition, they also hide your IP address, preventing anyone from tracking your real location. This way, they prevent third parties from monitoring your streaming traffic, and they stop malicious actors from trying to compromise your connections to streaming sites.
• VPNs prevent bandwidth throttling. When you use a VPN, it makes your streaming traffic 100% unreadable. This means your internet service provider (ISP) won’t know that you’re watching videos on free movie sites. And without that information, your ISP won’t be able to selectively throttle your connections to free movie streaming sites.
• VPNs let you access streaming content abroad. Many 123Movies alternatives are only available in specific countries — if such a site works in your country, you might lose access to it when you travel abroad. But a VPN hides your real location, so it would allow you to watch free movies online on your favorite streaming sites when you’re on vacation.

My favorite VPN to use for streaming is ExpressVPN. It works with 100+ streaming sites, including all of the 123Movies alternatives I covered in this article. And it also provides the fastest streaming speeds on the market, has industry-leading security features, and comes with very intuitive apps for all platforms.