These are the best, completely legal ways to download free movies
Streaming is great, but sometimes you just want to watch that movie on a camping trip somewhere or on a plane when the internet is a lot slower than at home. The solution is to download the movie to your device so you can watch it later (aka “stream it locally”), when the internet isn’t so great.
It’s easy to find “free movies” to download, but anything you find will be largely illegal. Luckily, there are plenty of completely legal free movie download sources out there. Some of them offer movies in the public domain, but most are actually not very well known, free features of streaming plans that you may already be subscribing to!
We scoured the internet and found all the best free movie download sources, filtered through them to remove any shady ones (you’re welcome, trust us), and wrote about them below. enjoy!
As you know, streaming is usually a better way to get free movies as there are a lot more free and legal movie streaming options available than movie download sites or services. See streaming advice at the bottom of this page for more.
PublicDomainMovies.net
- Several genres to choose from.
- Downloading is straightforward.
- Most can be streamed as well.
- Only older movies.
- No search or sort options.
Among the hundreds of free movie download websites available on the internet, public domain movies are a must-visit for you so that there is no question about their legality. PublicDomainMovies.net is a great source for these types of movies.
When a film is public domain, it means that the copyright is no longer held by a single person—the public owns the film. In other words, you can watch and download movies as many times as you want completely legally.
There are a handful of genres at the top of the site to help you find drama, horror, comedy, and more among the many hundreds of movies offered here. Each movie page shows the film’s cover image, release date, synopsis and cast members.
You can stream these movies directly from the website if you want to preview what you’re getting, but the download button will take you to the final download page, where you can save it to your device to watch later.
The Public Domain Review
- Useful filtering options.
- Includes a search utility.
- Solely older films.
- Fewer than 200 movies.
Same public domain review as above site. Most of the movies here are from the same source as the previous site’s collection but we have added it here because of the best filtering options you have.
The link below takes you specifically to the Movies section, but once you’re there, you can filter by century, genre, theme, and type. For example, you might be looking for films from the 20th century, or only short or silent films, or films that fall within a fashion, ghost, or natural world theme.
To download these movies for free, scroll to the bottom of the movie’s description page and look for a link in the Downloads or Sources area.
Download Movies From an Existing Subscription
- Movies are high quality.
- Includes new and well-known titles.
- Downloads can be saved directly to your mobile device.
- It’s free only as part of your paid subscription.
- Downloads can’t be copied elsewhere or shared with others.
If you’ve already paid for a movie streaming subscription, you may also be able to download movies from those services for offline viewing later. This, quite possibly, is your best option for downloading free movies that you really want to watch.
That said, streaming services don’t give you a video file to save wherever you want. You can download movies only in their approved app, which helps you control further copying or burning to discs.
Netflix
Netflix is one example of a subscription service that lets you save its movies and TV shows. You can download Netflix movies to any mobile device or computer through the official app. Use the down arrow shown next to any download-supported video.
subscribe to netflix
amazon prime video
Amazon Prime Video customers can also download Prime movies and shows. Look for the Download button on the same screen where you can stream the video.
Subscribe to Amazon Prime Video
Vudu’s
It is possible to download Vudu Movies through the official mobile app. Just like with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, this is only possible if you have already purchased the video.
go to vudu
YouTube premium
To download a movie through YouTube Premium for offline viewing, go to the Videos page in the app and select the Download button for your options.
Subscribe to YouTube Premium
Disney+
Disney+ is another way to save movies you’re paying for through a subscription. Use the mobile app to download Disney+ movies, and then access your offline videos from the Downloads tab.
Subscribe to Disney+
Google Play
Movies purchased through Movies & TV on Google Play can be downloaded through the Your Stuff tab of the Google TV app. You can also use the Download button below the video on YouTube.
go to google play
Hulu
Hulu also supports offline viewing. Next to the movie you want to save, use the Download button. This only works for Hulu (No Ads) Subscribers.
Subscribe to Hulu
HBO max
If you have HBO Max, use the down arrow on the movie page to download the movie.
Subscribe to HBO Max
vimeo
Vimeo lets you download your Vimeo purchases on demand via the Download button below the title of the video. The mobile app can also be used for offline viewing.
subscribe to vimeo
Consider Streaming Movies
If you don’t have to, don’t limit yourself to downloading when streaming is an option. If you would consider watching movies on free movie websites instead of downloading movies, you will find many more movie options. You might not have the movies, but you can often watch them in high-quality, and stream them directly from websites, usually as often as you want.
If you want to watch movies for free on a mobile device, you might also want to try a free movie watching app.
If you’re into old-fashioned disc rental, you can often take advantage of free Redbox rental codes to keep entertainment on the cheap.