15+ Best Streaming Services in 2020 - Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+ & More!
Last updated May 3, 2022
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When it comes to illegal movie-streaming websites, you can hardly know what you’ll get. Even if you manage to avoid annoying ads and malicious software being automatically downloaded, you can never know how long these websites are going to be online. This is precisely what happened to Flixtor, which used to be one of the most popular sites for streaming movies free-of-charge. Back in 2018, Flixtor went offline without an explanation, forcing many of its users to start searching for alternatives. However, talking about the best Flixtor alternatives (which you’ll find in this article) should be discussed only after understanding this website’s history. So, let’s get started, shall we?
We understand that many of you might be hesitant to pay for a movie-streaming website due to a number of reasons. Maybe you’re on a very tight budget, which doesn’t give plenty of room for premium-priced entertainment. Or perhaps you simply refuse to pay for movies and TV shows that can be found online, completely free-of-charge. No matter the reason, many of you turn to shady and often illegal websites. As you surely know, piracy is illegal in the USA and across the world. So, keep in mind that by exposing yourself to piracy, you are also exposing yourself to numerous grave consequences. So, before we show you our list of the best alternatives to Flixtor (or before you check its re-launched website), maybe it’s time to reconsider what kinds of websites you plan on visiting.
Below, you will find nothing but legal recommendations. And since we know that you want to keep your expenses as low as possible, we’ve made sure to recommend such options. More precisely, we will be going over a series of free-of-charge Flixtor alternatives, as well as premium-priced (but really affordable) options. As you’ll see, spending a few dollars per month on a legitimate online platform goes a long way, especially since this is how you can access the latest blockbusters and trending TV shows.
Finally, let’s take a look at our recommendations. These are the 10 best Flixtor alternatives in 2020. We’ll first go over free-of-charge options, and then we’ll expand on those with some premium recommendations as well.
When it comes to free-of-charge Flixtor alternatives, we’ve decided to give you six options. Some of these might require you to register for an account – but keep in mind that none of those will ask for your payment information.
Launched in 2007, Crackle has been one of the best free movie streaming websites for a while now. Now owned by Sony, Crackle no longer brings B-list movies only. This is where you’ll find a surprisingly nice range of freshly released titles, and also plenty of independent movies are hosted here. We’re talking about big-budget movies such as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Train to Busan, Quarantine, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and more. During the last year, Crackle has also started producing original content, so there’s always something new to watch.
We also need to note that Crackle isn’t only about movies, and it also has an extensive library of TV shows. You don’t even have to create an account to stream Crackle, as you only need to select a title, and it’ll start playing automatically. And also, Crackle can be used on any device via its website. Still, there are also highly polished applications for just about any platform out there (smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, set-top boxes, and plenty more).
Many of you will be surprised to see Vudu recommended in this article, especially in the segment where we talk about free alternatives to Flixtor. However, Vudu can also be used for free, as it offers more than 5,000 movies, and nearly 900 TV shows, completely free. To access these titles, you only need to register for an account, and that’s about it. You won’t be asked for your payment information, and there are no hidden costs or any gimmicks here. However, Vudu will indeed show occasional ads - which aren’t that annoying, to be completely honest.
We’re aware that free streaming websites usually come with a reputation for serving old movies. However, Vudu is here to prove you wrong. This platform’s library includes titles such as Knowing, Equilibrium, Patriots Day, The Prestige, Buried, All is Lost, Descend, and more. As you can see, we’re talking about a combination of numerous genres, as Vudu isn’t really one of those free platforms that specialize in a single type of content. Know that Vudu comes with a quite polished website, but you can use any of its applications as well.
Here we have one of the hidden gems of the Internet. Launched in 2019, IMDb TV started with a limited selection of titles. However, plenty has changed in the last couple of months. Being backed by Amazon and after signing agreements with several Hollywood studios, IMDb TV started to offer some pretty interesting titles. This is where you’ll find movies such as Eat Pray Love, Memento, Donnie Darko, Spotlight, Haywire, and Chappie. And when it comes to TV shows, you’ll find Lost, White Collar, Boston Legal, Desperate Housewives, Revenge, Lie to Me, and more. As you can see, we’re not talking about B-list titles here.
One of the best things about IMDb TV is that it’s located inside the IMDb app, which means that it’s available for a wide range of devices. To get started, you will need to create an account – which is a process that takes a minute of your time. Then, you’ll get to access all of its content available in HD resolutions. Overall, considering that it comes free of charge and offers titles that even Netflix doesn’t have, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best Flixtor alternatives.
We’re sure that many of you haven’t heard about Rakuten TV before. That’s because, despite being available for several years now, Rakuten TV has been taking a stealthy approach. This media streaming platform has been gradually reaching agreements with major content providers and Hollywood studios, and it’s been slowly expanding its presence as well. Today, Rakuten TV is available in 40+ countries, mainly throughout Europe (the platform originates from Japan, though). And now, it also offers a nice selection of free content that regularly rotates. In general, these aren’t the latest Hollywood blockbusters, but you’ll find plenty of high-rated movies and cult classics.
When it comes to Rakuten TV’s library, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. We recommend checking out The Crazies, The Captive, Cosmopolis, The Experiment, Skyline, Preservation, and Red Lights. Many of those are Hollywood blockbusters that have gone under the radar. And finally, to enjoy Rakuten TV, keep in mind that you need to create an account. However, no payment information is needed. Once you get your user credentials, you can access Rakuten TV’s website or download one of its numerous apps. This Flixtor alternative even has an app for smart TVs, which is something we don’t see often.
Here’s an interesting fact about Tubi TV. This free-of-charge platform was launched back in 2004, making it one of the pioneers of the streaming industry. Even though it’s been on the market for more than 15 years now, Tubi TV has managed to stick to its roots. This is still a completely free of charge media streaming platform, currently owned by Fox. Thanks to its parent company, Tubi TV has managed to reach agreements with plenty of content providers, making its library highly attractive.
When it comes to some of the most popular titles, you’ll find The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Middle Men, Housebound, Fist of Fury, Arctic Black, and more. Aside from some Hollywood blockbusters released in the past decade, Tubi TV also caters to fans of independent and B-list movies. However, instead of offering thousands of randomly selected titles, this platform is rigorous when it comes to its content. It means that even though plenty of older movies are hosted here, the majority of those are well worth your time. And on top of that, Tubi TV can be used without creating an account, which is always a nice thing to see.
Popcornflix is a long-standing movie-streaming website that promises that "no movie is more than two clicks away." This is certainly true because this website doesn’t require you to register to enjoy its content. Simply pick what you’d like to watch, and that’s about it. And speaking of what to watch, know that Popcornflix offers plenty. Even though it can’t truly replace premium-priced Flixtor alternatives (found below), you will still find plenty of exciting titles. Some of the most popular movies here are Major League, Primal Fear, Zodiac, Rules of Engagement, and Sweeney Todd. When it comes to TV series, we’re talking about titles such as Hell’s Kitchen, Queer as Folk, 21 Jump Street, and more.
During the last couple of years, Popcornflix has been investing in independent titles as well. Some of those are exclusive to this streaming platform, making it even more interesting. We’re talking about movies such as The Lifeguard (Kristen Bell) and Sherrybaby (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Aside from those, you’ll find indies such as Silver Bullets, Buffalo Girls, and Silver Tongue.
We’re sure that our free-of-charge Flixtor alternatives (found above) will meet the needs of many of you. However, keep in mind that enjoying a legal streaming platform doesn’t have to cost much. This is why we’ll continue talking about alternatives to Flixtor by including premium options as well.
Hulu is one of the rare media streaming services to offer as much flexibility as possible. You can get started for only $5.99/month, which (you’ll have to admit) is quite affordable. For this price, you get unlimited access to Hulu’s library of movies and TV shows – and it’s a big library, by the way. However, also keep in mind that this plan includes ads. To be honest, these are not that annoying, and the overall value of this subscription is tremendous. If you want to get rid of ads, this will cost you $11.99 per month in total.
When it comes to what you can watch on Hulu, well, you have plenty! This media streaming service is usually pretty quick to obtain the latest Hollywood blockbusters. There’s also an endless collection of TV shows, and this includes a sizeable library of Hulu originals. We’re talking about titles such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Veronica Mars, Castle Rock, Marvel’s Runaways, and more. What’s important to be mentioned here is that Hulu could help you meet all your entertainment needs at a low monthly cost.
When compared to other recommendations found in this article, Disney+ is the youngest media streaming service. However, this doesn’t make it any less interesting, especially because Disney Plus has something for each member of your family. No matter if you like the classic Disney movies, or if you’re into Star Wars, or perhaps you like documentaries produced by National Geographic, you’ll find all of that here. And on top of that, Disney Plus comes with an interesting lineup of future titles, poised to be released on a monthly basis. When it comes to freshly released titles, make sure to check out Dolphin Reef, Artemis Fowl, Prop Culture, Playdate with Destiny, Disney Insider, Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, and more.
Disney Plus is priced at $6.99 per month – and you get access to an extensive library supplied by brands such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. And also, this plan comes without ads. However, we also must mention that Disney Plus and Hulu (recommended above) come from the same company, so you get a combined subscription for only $12.99/month. This subscription also includes ESPN+, and present one of the most affordable ways to enter the world of streaming services.
You might be surprised to hear that Amazon Prime Video has an astoundingly big collection of movies and TV shows – close to 20,000 titles, to be more precise. Therefore, it’s clear that you’ll find both the latest Hollywood blockbusters and pretty old movies as well. And on top of that, Amazon has been investing heavily in producing its branded content. We’re talking about titles such as Late Night, Homecoming, Bosch, Honey Boy, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jack Ryan, and more.
Also, we’d like to resolve a common doubt about Prime Video. You’ve probably heard about Prime, which is Amazon’s subscription-based service priced at $12.99/month. It gets you into various types of digital services and exclusive benefits while shopping on Amazon. However, let’s not forget that we’re talking about the best Flixtor alternatives here. With this said, many of you will want to keep your budget under control. So, we recommend subscribing to Prime Video by choosing this digital service only (and nothing else), which will cost you $8.99 per month.
We’re going to finish listing our Flixtor alternatives by recommending Apple TV Plus. You might be surprised that we’re recommending this freshly released streaming platform, especially since it doesn’t really have plenty of content. Yes, it’s true: Apple TV+ doesn’t have third-party content, as everything you’ll find here is produced and distributed by Apple. However, each of these movies and TV shows is worth your time, as they’re true examples of today’s high-end video production. We’re talking about titles such as The Morning Show, The Banker, Visible (Out on Television), Home, Little America, and plenty more.
When you buy a new Apple device, you get one year of Apple TV Plus free of charge – but you need to redeem this offer within 90 days of activating your device. This service is priced at only $4.99 per month. And even better, Apple has prepared a special deal for students. For only $4.99/month, you can get Apple Music and Apple TV Plus combined!
So, those would be the best Flixtor alternatives you’ll find in 2020. If you have anything to add, feel free to post your comment below. And of course, enjoy streaming movies and TV shows!