The Best 10 Popcorn Time Alternatives: A Brief Guide 2024

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Popcorn Time was an extremely popular app that let users stream movies and TV series for free. However, the platform is no longer available officially, prompting users to look for alternatives to Popcorn Time.

Popcorn Time was once a popular app for streaming movies and TV shows. But if you’re wondering what happened to Popcorn Time, it was unfortunately shut down in 2022 (even though a version of it still exists on GitHub, many users have moved on because of the spreading of fake versions).

If you’re looking for a different streaming service similar to Popcorn Time, we’ve listed the 20 best Popcorn Time alternatives below for you to consider. We cover both paid and free alternatives to Popcorn Time in this article.

However, some alternative options listed above are only available in limited regions and countries. Using a VPN to access Popcorn Time alternatives will help you access geo-blocked content worldwide. NordVPN is our top-rated VPN and an excellent choice for streaming due to its fast speeds and unblocking capabilities.

1. Netflix: The best all-around Popcorn Time alternative

No surprises here, as Netflix is the most popular streaming service in the world. While testing the platform, we liked its neat interface and enjoyed browsing through its extensive library that expands weekly. The interface is actually quite similar to what Popcorn Time’s used to be.

The app is available on all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. This allows you to seamlessly carry your content across devices. We could download and save all the movies we wanted to watch on the go. There are also hundreds of Netflix secret codes to access obscure content.

Netflix offers different subscription tiers, with a basic plan starting at $6.99/month (with ads). This is slightly expensive, but you can save money on your Netflix subscription. If you use a VPN to direct your internet traffic through a server based in countries like Turkey, you can profit from the fact that Netflix subscriptions are cheaper there.

2. Disney+: Best alternative to Popcorn Time for families

Disney+ has taken the streaming world by storm. We loved its huge collection of classics from Pixar, Disney, and Marvel. It also boasts an extensive library of shows, which makes it a great Popcorn Time alternative. In countries like India, with the Disney+ Hotstar app, you can even watch sports, such as cricket, football, and badminton.

Like Netflix, we observed that Disney+ works on most platforms and streaming devices, including Roku. We were also happy to see that you can share your profile with friends and family and use the platform simultaneously on up to four devices.

While Disney+ is now available in most countries, the program and content availability may differ. Some people use Disney+ with a VPN to access a larger content library. NordVPN has an extensive server network, which makes several different content libraries available.

3. Hulu: Streaming service that supports a wide range of devices

Hulu is another leading premium streaming service that is a viable alternative to Popcorn Time. Its catalog contains TV shows, movies, Hulu Originals, and other premium content. Notably, we discovered that it also provides access to live TV and sports.

The service is supported on an extensive range of devices, including Apple TV, Fire Stick, and gaming consoles like the Xbox. The base package offered by Hulu, which contains ads, is priced at $7.99.

Unfortunately, Hulu is currently restricted to the US and Japan. You will need to use a VPN to watch Hulu from anywhere else in the world. We regularly use NordVPN to access Hulu. It has 1,970 US servers, ensuring you can always find a fast and uncrowded server.

4. FMovies: Alternative to Time with a vast American Movies

Fmovies is NBC Universal’s over-the-top (OTT) streaming service. Like Hulu, it has a great repository of American content, such as The Office, Modern Family, and Suits. The service showcases different podcasts, too, like the Rich Eisen Show, and is also great for watching movies.

The best bit about FMovies is that we could use it for free! However, opting for this option meant that we were subjected to ads. If you want to access live sports, like the Premier League and copyright, and the streaming content, you can purchase a FMovies Premium subscription for $5.99. A Premium Plus subscription, which costs $11.99, is completely ad-free and allows you to download movies and watch them offline.

Unfortunately, FMovies is only available in a handful of countries, like the UK and the US. However, you can access FMovies with a VPN, no matter your location.

5. Amazon Prime Video: A popular streaming platform with the latest blockbusters

Prime Video is probably the platform that can rival Netflix’s popularity and content library. It makes a great Popcorn Time alternative for people looking to catch up on their favorite movies.

A full Prime membership, which costs around $14.99 monthly, gave us access to movies, shows, and music. If you want to subscribe to just Prime Video, you can do that for $8.99/month. Like its other competitors, Prime runs on virtually every major operating system.

Amazon’s recent acquisition of MGM Studios means its library will be larger and contain some iconic movies, like the James Bond series. Did you know New Zealand has the largest Amazon Prime library, with nearly 20,000 titles? Access the expanded Prime New Zealand library with a NordVPN server.

6. HBO Max: Popcorn Time alternative for exclusive HBO content

HBO Max is Warner and AT&T’s new on-demand video streaming service. While testing the platform, it was great to see features of HBO classics, like The Sopranos and The Wire, and content from Warner, CNN, and Sony Pictures. HBO Max can be a good alternative for users who used to stream such shows on Popcorn Time.

Plans for HBO Max start at $9.99 for the version with ads. To go ad-free, users will need to shell out $14.99 per month. The ad-free subscription also allows you to stream Warner Bros. 2021 premieres the day they are shown in cinemas.

HBO Max is only available in the United States, Europe, and a few Latin American countries. However, you can use a VPN to stream HBO Max from other countries. We’d recommend NordVPN as it has really fast and reliable servers across North and Latin America.

7. Sony LIV: Best Popcorn Time alternative for Indian movies

This is a pick for our readers in India. Sony LIV features some of the most popular shows on Indian television, along with blockbuster Bollywood movies. The Popcorn Time app used to have a lot of traffic from India, and Sony LIV could be the perfect alternative for these users to stream movies and TV shows.

While we were not great fans of its interface, Sony LIV made up for it in the sheer number of options it provides. We were impressed by the fact that it features sports and games, in addition to available movies and shows. The app is available on iOS, Android, and Fire Stick and can be accessed through the browser on laptops and PCs.

8. Crunchyroll: One of the top anime streaming platforms

Crunchyroll is an American streaming company focusing on anime and manga movies and content. It has an interesting story since it started as a platform that provided illegal copyright-infringing content and now provides free legal anime content.

While on the platform, we were glad to see that the latest anime movies and TV shows were available to watch on the premium version of Crunchyroll a day or two after they aired in Japan. Sony Entertainment has recently acquired the platform and hopes to use its acquisition to offer an unparalleled anime and manga streaming experience.

The best thing about accessing Crunchyroll was that we could watch anime and manga for free! However, the free versions were usually in low resolution, with many ads, and uploaded a week after the initial telecast.

9. Plex: Popcorn Time alternative with a user-friendly interface

Plex is one of the more interesting alternatives to Popcorn Time. It’s a media organization and streaming tool that lets users create servers to share their favorite content, whether that’s movies, TV shows, or music. In that sense, it’s a great tool to share the content that you own legally with your friends and family. There’s also a ton of free and legal content that is generally available on Plex.

You can get a Plex Pass, which is a premium subscription, for $4.99 a month. With Plex Pass, you can record and save live TV broadcasts, in addition to premium music and sharing features.

The Best Free Popcorn Time Alternatives
These free alternatives to the Popcorn Time app are options for users living in countries with more lax copyright laws for free movie streaming websites. This is because, much like Popcorn Time, these alternatives also lead to pirated content, viewing which is illegal in countries with strict copyright enforcement.

There’s also the risk that some of these Popcorn Time alternatives host malware-containing media files that can infect your device. Hence, we strongly recommend a VPN with robust ad blocking features and malware prevention like NordVPN. The Threat Protection feature that NordVPN provides will safeguard you against cyber threats when accessing streaming sites.

While you can use the alternatives listed below to watch movies and TV shows for free, we recommend that you use one of the official options listed above to stream copyrighted content. This keeps you safe legally and rewards creators for their efforts in making the content for you.

10. Kodi: Open-source home theater software

One of the closest alternatives to Popcorn Time is Kodi. It’s a free software media system that can be used to stream videos. It comes in the form of a downloadable app and features a slick and easy-to-use design.

Kodi comes with add-ons, which can increase its functionality and stream movies and some of the best TV shows from Netflix, YouTube, and ESPN, among others. While testing the site, we observed several legal add-ons. However, those developed by third-party developers can lead you to pirated content. So, it’s always good to be careful when choosing your Kodi add-ons.

Kodi can also play music and display pictures, making it an all-around entertainment solution. It works on a range of devices, such as the Apple TV and even Raspberry Pi.

Why Use Popcorn Time Alternatives?

Popcorn Time is no longer officially available. Hence, it is a good idea to be familiar with either paid or free Popcorn Time alternatives if you want to watch content similar to the one offered by the platform in the past. Some of the reasons you might want to check out these paid and free streaming sites we have listed above include:

Many feature the latest movies and TV shows.

Most sites are easy to use, and app installations are typically pretty smooth too.
Strictly online streaming platforms don’t require you to download torrents. Instead, you can easily watch movies and shows directly online.
However, not all alternatives are equally good or safe. Some may contain countless ads that may carry malware or have clunky interfaces. That’s why it’s important to choose a good Popcorn Time alternative and use a way to protect your personal data. And this is where a VPN comes in.

Best VPN for Popcorn Alternatives: NordVPN

Even when accessing legitimate streaming sites, it is always a good idea to use a top VPN provider, as it will help you encrypt your personal data, hide it from prying eyes, and allow you to access services that may not be available where you live.

That is why you need a VPN service like NordVPN. This provider offers enhanced encryption and a Threat Protection feature to safeguard you against malware that may be lurking on a streaming site.