Today’s televisions have the same advantages as computers or mobile phones. Mainly two: they can connect to the Internet and you can install apps on them. This makes your television much more than just a device for broadcasting TV channels. It also gives you access to a virtually endless catalogue of films and series online for free. So, in addition to the content you watch live, you can watch series, films, documentaries or cartoons for free. Whenever you want.
This is incredible for those of us who grew up with a limited number of TV channels. Back then, if you wanted to watch something, your only option was to record it on video or rent it from a video store. But today, you are in control of your television. In every sense. By connecting your television to the Internet and accessing certain websites, which also have official apps, you will have dozens of series and films at your fingertips. Free and in your language.
So if you’re tired of advertising on free-to-air DTT channels or looking for an alternative to paid streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ or Max, we offer a selection of sites and apps for watching films and series online for free. You may not find a specific title or the latest cinema release. But you will be able to enjoy a varied selection of films and series from all eras.
RTVE Play, the most universal option for watching films and series for free
Let’s start with RTVE Play, the streaming platform of RTVE, Spain’s public radio and television broadcaster. It is available in a web version for browsers and with apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Android TV. Registration is required, but it is free. And, of course, it is legal.
What will you find on RTVE Play? In addition to allowing you to watch Spanish public TV channels and radio stations, it offers content at the viewer’s discretion. On the one hand, it has a huge catalogue of series and films, both its own and from third parties. Some titles are broadcast on TV and others are exclusive to the Internet. And for the nostalgic, the RTVE archive offers series and films from yesteryear. As well as programmes and documentaries. So you can remember content from before you had grey hair.
Spanish private television also has its own sites and apps with content. Basically, Mitele from Mediaset and Atresplayer from Atresmedia. But, unlike RTVE Play, most of the content is paid. Many regional broadcasters also have their own catalogue of films and series. The most comprehensive are 3Cat (Catalonia) and EiTB (Basque Country). The rest of the regional platforms tend to focus mainly on their own programmes.
eFilm
Another good source for watching films and series online for free is eFilm. It is essentially the digital equivalent of borrowing films from your local library. Although it does not have a catalogue of big titles, it does offer independent films and classics. And the occasional surprise, if you search carefully. To access this catalogue, which is free and legal, you need to be a member of a library in your city or town. You can access eFilm via the web or with its apps for iOS and Android. So you can use it on your computer, tablet, phone, and Android TVs.
I said that the eFilm catalogue isn’t perfect, but it does offer a variety of Spanish, European and other international titles thanks to Spanish production companies and distributors such as SelectaVisión, acontra+ and Vértice, among others. So if you’re looking for a specific title, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for something that will surprise you, such as directors, actors or stories you don’t know, you’ll love eFilm.
Runtime
Another interesting platform where you can find thousands of films from different genres, eras and countries is Runtime. On the one hand, it offers several themed channels that broadcast films 24 hours a day on different topics and genres. Some of its channels are available on other streaming platforms. And, on the other hand, it has a catalogue of titles to watch whenever you want. It is free and you can access its content from the website and from its apps for iPhone, Android, iPad, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV and televisions.
As with the two previous options for watching films and series online for free, you may not find the latest release from your favourite director or artist, but if you like cinema, you will find films for all tastes. What’s more, you may discover films starring your favourite actors and actresses before they became famous. Or you may discover new directors and genre films you never imagined you would find.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is the most popular FAST platform. FAST stands for Free Ad-Supported TV, meaning free TV with advertising. Behind this streaming platform is Paramount, one of the most important film and TV companies. It owns well-known brands such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. This means, it has a varied catalogue of TV programmes, films and series.
Like Runtime, Pluto TV offers linear channels on different topics. It also offers on-demand content so you can watch films and series online for free. All you need to do is register for free. You can use it from your browser or from its apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV. In other words, you can watch its content on any connected device.
Other interesting FAST platforms are Samsung TV Plus and Xiaomi TV Plus. However, the former is exclusive to Samsung phones and televisions, so you can’t watch its content on other devices. The advantage is that it has the most varied catalogue of TV channels and on-demand content. Xiaomi TV Plus, on the other hand, can be installed on other devices, but its catalogue is more limited.
Rakuten TV, the well-known platform for watching films and series for free
This selection concludes with websites and apps for watching films and series online for free with what was once an online video store and is now a hybrid between a video store and a FAST platform. In other words, on the one hand, you can buy or rent recent films. And, on the other, you can watch themed TV channels online for free and access a catalogue of films and series.
In its catalogue, you will find genre content and other somewhat older content, like the previous platforms, but there is a wide variety for all tastes. Or to put it another way, if you don’t know what to watch, it will help you discover films and series that you didn’t see at the time. Or to reminisce about content that you enjoyed years ago and have fond memories.
