7 Best Fmovies Alternatives

by
Frederik Lipfert
Dr. Frederik Lipfert Founder, vpncheck
Updated on 2 Mar 2022

Foreword: Fmovies

Fmovies is one of those free streaming sites that got taken down when it was at the peak of its powers. Now, there are some clone sites, but it can be hard to verify what sort of site you are actually connecting to, and whether the sites are safe and secure. 

Fortunately, there are a lot of alternatives to Fmovies, as we explore in this guide. Some are backed by big broadcasting companies, some have paid memberships, and some are totally free. In fact, every site on our list has a way to watch movies and television for free. What’s more, most of them are also available as Firestick apps. You can find something that suits your ideal streaming needs.

Stay Safe Using ExpressVPN

If you are streaming via Fmovies, or one of its many clones, and you want to make sure you stay safe, ExpressVPN is a fantastic option. With more than 3,000 high-speed streaming servers all over the world, you can connect anonymously and protect your identity, keeping your device and IP address safe.

A reliable VPN like ExpressVPN can also give you the option to access streaming services via another country. Even if it isn’t available in your country, you can jump on a stream via another network. This opens up US-based over-the-top streaming services even if you’re elsewhere in the world. 

ExpressVPN clearly lays out the ways in which it protects your data, explaining that they never store your outgoing IP address, connection timestamp, or session duration, and they don’t log your browsing history. If privacy is high on your list of priorities then ExpressVPN could be the ideal choice. Finally, peace of mind while you’re streaming your favorite movies!

Peacock TV

A screenshot of Peacock TV home screen showing Peacock availability

https://peacocktv.com

Peacock TV has grown at an incredible rate since it launched in 2020. The over-the-top streaming services is a part of NBCUniversal, and this means you can access a huge number of TV shows and movies that the company owns the rights to.

Peacock TV does have a paid platform, but if you don’t mind a few ads then you can enjoy loads of the NBCU shows without having to pay anything. The company is in the middle of launching reboots of shows, streaming exclusively on the platform, too. Among a huge list of Peacock Originals is a reboot of Saved By The Bell. That’s a blast from the past, right?

NBCU is a big player, so they have even been able to take some shows off of rival platforms. For example, Parks and Recreation is exclusive to Peacock in some parts of the world.

In under a year, the streaming service hit over 40 million users, it is also available in the UK with a slightly different lineup of shows, so a good VPN can let you choose which version of Peacock you want to watch.

The Peacock network also has pretty good coverage of some sporting events. In the complex world of sporting rights though, these are often restricted depending on location. Something else a VPN can help with.

Unlike some of the Fmovies alternatives that are packed with popup ads, and don’t come with native apps, you can easily install Peacock on a range of devices including PS5 and Xbox. Streams are reliable and always in HD. 

Having to watch ads before and during some shows is annoying, and you won’t get every single show you can imagine on Peacock. It boils down to which shows NBCU and Peacock have the rights to. You won’t find streams of every show like you could expect on Fmovies, but you should definitely add Peacock to your arsenal.

Pros:

  • Reliable streams in HD
  • Totally legitimate and legal free streaming
  • Some sports streaming
  • Easy apps to install on a variety of devices

Cons:

  • Ad supported unless you pay for premium
  • Not the biggest range of shows

Crackle

Crackle - Free, legitimate and with original content

https://crackle.com

Crackle was originally called Grouper, then Crackle, then Sony Crackle, then it reverted back to just Crackle. Confused yet?

All you need to know is that this is a free streaming service that is ad supported and has a huge selection of TV and movies, though it doesn’t have the most up-to-date selection.

If you’re happy to dive into the history of film and TV to find something to watch, Crackle is amazing. It has countless historic shows including Charlie’s Angels and a whole section devoted to “Movie Classics”. 

The streaming service does have some new shows and the owners, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment have commissioned more for 2024 and beyond. There’s an occasional big-name Hollywood release including Spider-Man films on the platform. The programming does change frequently. 

Crackle can easily be installed and accessed on Roku, Apple and Android TV, through Xbox and Playstation consoles and even directly on a Smart TV. There’s also an app for iOS devices.

Crackle only works in the US, so if you are based elsewhere and want to watch, you will need a VPN.

You don’t have to create an account, but Crackle will prompt you to regularly. If you don’t want to, ignore it and you’ll still be able to watch your favorite shows. The account feature just lets you save TV shows and playlists to watch later.

Crackle’s as are a little annoying. A 60-minute show has a TV-style ad setup, so you might have to sit through four ad breaks. Unlike TV they seem to happen at random times, too. Not ideal, but that’s the price for free content. The upside is that you’ll reliably get access to HD streams direct from the content creators.

Pros:

  • Always HD streams at high speeds
  • Loads ofc compatibility with devices including smart TV apps
  • A huge selection of older television shows and movies

Cons:

  • Not a huge selection of new TV shows and movies
  • Lots of ads to sit through when watching movies with no option to skip

Tubi

Tubi TV logo

https://tubitv.com

Tubi is another over-the-top streaming service based in the US, but it works in many locations all over the world including New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. If you’re in Europe, this is one of those times when you might have to be smart with a VPN.

It’s totally free to use and ad-supported like Crackle and Peacock. The site used to be independently run and operated, but they have been bought by Fox in recent years. This means loads of content licensed on the platform. In fact, over 20,000 shows and movies are on Tubi.

One of the most impressive aspects of Tubi is the compatibility. You can use this on so many different devices with no trouble at all, including Xbox, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Android…the list goes on! The native apps work smoothly and while you do have to put up with ads, it is a great way to get HD streams of some classic movies and TV shows. For those who love British TV, there is an impressive range from across the pond.

Tubi has a live television function where you can also watch a variety of different Fox channels as they are broadcast. If you’re outside of the US but still looking for a way to access those channels, use a VPN and you can quickly check in with what’s happening stateside.

The kids selection is also great, so if you’re looking for something to keep your little ones entertained for hours and hours, Tubi is free of any suspicious ads and packed with content for little people.

Pros:

  • Easy and reliable support for lots of devices
  • Good selection of classic and kids shows
  • Always HD streams

Cons:

  • Not the most modern selection of shows and movies
  • Some of the Tubi originals are low-budget and unimpressive

YesMovies

YesMovies Dashboard Genre options

https://yesmovies.mn/

YesMovies is one of those that seems to be a mirror of the original. It has certainly seen a few iterations on different domains, so make sure you protect yourself when entering this part of the internet, and remember that privacy is paramount.

The site is a free streaming platform which has an incredible amount of material, and unlike some of the other free sites, it actually doesn’t have too many spammy ads. Some sites give you endless popups, whereas YesMovies tends to just have a couple to click away from before enjoying your stream. 

Getting high definition and high-quality streams isn’t as reliable as it would be with some of the over-the-top streaming platforms, but there are mirrors of almost every video. Do a bit of digging and you’ll usually find what you need.

The site provides streams of hundreds of TV shows and movies, and has a search function as well as a pretty good categorization system for finding the show you want to watch. There are also functions to look for popular, trending streams and even head to the IMDB rankings to find the best of all time. The shows and series are neatly organized for you to pick up where you left off.

Pros:

  • Loads of mirrors so you can usually find a reliable HD stream
  • Great navigation, it is easy to sort through the categories

Cons:

  • Hard to verify the server identity and safety as the site seems to be cloned
  • No support for devices other than an Android app

SolarMovie

Movies option on SolarMovie

https://wwv.solarmovie.one/

SolarMovie is another huge free site where you can find all the latest releases. The selection is absolutely huge and the way the site is laid out also helps people to find the exact TV show or movie they want, or even find something brand new. 

This site has been around in some form or another since before 2016, and there have been quite a few domains and reuploads. It is not possible to say who the developers are and whether it’s a trusted source, so keep your identity protected where you can.

On top of that, the ads and popups are a bit spammy, and you don’t want to accidentally click something that takes you to a less trustworthy part of the web. VPNs are a must for this one, and you should be cautious about where you’re clicking.

The streams were a bit more hit and miss when we tested SolarMovie. There were streams of virtually everything you could desire, but they aren’t all in HD. Though there are some mirrors, we didn’t find it as easy to find reliable, fast streams in high definition, when compared to other sites.

The plus side of SolarMovie is the navigation. Find streams based on what has been most popular that day or what is ‘hot’ on the SolarMovie algorithm. You can also sort by release year, country, and use the simple search function if you know exactly what you want to feast your eyes on tonight!

The site integrates IMDB ratings, too, so if you want to see what others make of a film or TV show before you give it your valuable time, this is super simple.

Pros:

  • A huge selection of the latest film and TV
  • Easy to search, sort by category or find what’s popular
  • Smooth and simple navigation through the site

Cons:

  • Not as easy to find an HD stream as some competitors
  • Ads can get annoying, and there are some frustrating popups
  • No apps to access this on your devices

Pluto TV

Pluto Tv Logo

https://pluto.tv

Pluto TV is a different proposition when compared to anything else on this list. It is made with more of a ‘live television’ feel, so it feels like tuning into networks via cable or satellite. Pluto has a lot of live channels, including sports, documentaries, music, and entertainment, and there are even sections for things like Spanish language film and TV.

Pluto TV definitely gives the classic cable vibes, as there is a schedule and shows go out ‘as live’ but you can also get the best of both worlds as there is a really large selection of on demand programming, too. Virtually everything that appears on rotation on their channels seems to be available on remand, with the exception of sports and music shows.

Pluto started independently almost a decade ago but since 2019 they have been owned by ViacomCBS, and this has led to a huge increase in the availability of top shows. Viacom’s networks include Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, VH1, and Paramount Pictures, and a lot of the content owned under those branches is found on Pluto TV.

There are some complex licensing issues, as always seems to be the case, and Pluto operates in a number of different countries. There is a French version, for instance, with a different library of shows. So, if you use our trusty VPN friend again, you can access even more content.

Pluto TV’s compatibility is virtually faultless. As well as accessing via a browser, you can also watch on a number of apps including iOS and Android, and download Pluto directly to your Firestick or many Smart TVs. The company is also committed to accessibility, and closed captioning is available on their shows, which is something you won’t get with many free streaming sites.

The selection is decent, but you don’t get a lot of brand new shows, originals, or recent Hollywood movies, which is a downside. The sports selection makes up for this for some people, as it is a bonus to be able to watch live sporting events.

Pros:

  • Always reliable HD streams
  • Carries some sporting channels for free
  • Accessibility features including captioning
  • Brilliant compatibility with regularly-updated apps

Cons:

  • Not the best movie selection when it comes to recent big releases

Plex

Plex Homepage

https://www.plex.tv/

Plex has a really interesting background. It was originally started as a way to organize media and aggregate video from a variety of different sources. It was a hobby app made by Elan Feingold that continued to grow and grow. Up until 2019 Plex effectively just functioned as a media player and a way to organize video.

Today, it has a huge amount of ad-supported media from many different partners, including Warner Bros., Domestic Television Distribution, MGM, and Lionsgate. On demand, it offers over 50,000 shows and movies, so there is a lot of choices. It’s not a direct alternative to Fmovies as there aren’t as many recent hit releases and Hollywood films, but this is a way to keep yourself entertained with free streaming.

This is another platform with a lot of free channels streaming live, too. You can tune into channels from brands like AMC, and even sporting networks such as MMA TV. These features have only been introduced in recent years, and help to make Plex a more well-rounded overall package for streaming. Not all of these live channels are available in HD, which is a little disappointing, but the brand may eventually offer this.

If you’ve purchased media elsewhere, you can still use Plex for its original purpose and “organize, beautify, stream, and share your personal collection of movies, TV, music, and photos” by importing to your Plex account. You’ll need to sign up for this, whereas most of the functionality and streaming you can access without an email account.

Plex has impressive compatibility. As well as iOS and Android, you can install on games consoles (Xbox and PS) and Smart TVs. There’s even the option to use the Plex app on Lenovo Mirage Solo VR devices.

How to Install Plex on Firestick

Pros:

  • Exceptional compatibility and even a VR option
  • Integrates with your existing media library
  • Thousands of hours of free streaming content
  • Live channels including sports

Cons:

  • Not all live channels are available in HD
  • Not many of the latest hit shows and Hollywood movies

Summary

You certainly won’t be short of streaming options, even if you decide never to go to Fmovies again. There are over-the-top streaming services now with the support of some big companies, and there are still the options for free Fmovies-style streaming sites such as YesMovies if you want to protect yourself with a VPN and don’t care too much how the pictures were sourced.

FAQs

Is Fmovies currently working?

The original Fmovies seems to be long gone, which is why so many people are looking for alternatives. The site has been embroiled in some legal battles and had to pay compensation. It was identified as a Notorious Market by the U.S. government, around the same time as The Pirate Bay. There are some clone and mirror sites online which are working at the moment, but this can change with such a volatile website.

Is Fmovies legal to access?

Fmovies and similar streaming sites are not necessarily legal, it depends on where you are watching from, and the local laws. On top of that, it is impossible to verify the identity of Fmovies and where the site is operating, since the original was blocked and viewers are relying on clones and mirrors to access the contents.

It is possible that there will be corrupt or illegal files and ads on the site, and it is better to protect yourself wherever possible.

Do you need a VPN for Fmovies?

We strongly recommend a VPN for Fmovies, as it helps you to retain your anonymity, and protects your identity while you access the site. With a secure VPN like ExpressVPN, nobody will be able to trace your activities and tie you back to watching Fmovies. This is even more crucial since the original Fmovies went down and there are now many clones.

What happens if you get caught using Fmovies?

It depends where you are. In the US, the Copyright Act of 1976 has some gray areas (it isn’t really suitable for modern streaming and the world of the internet). In some countries, you can get in trouble for accessing illegal streams.

If you watch copyrighted material and it is unauthorized you’re not likely to get in trouble, but you could get warnings from your internet provider. Technically, it is more likely that the person making copyrighted material available is culpable and in violation of the law, but it is better to hide your identity if you are going to access unauthorized streams.