There are many online sites that promise free movies in high quality but offer nothing more than advertising and malware. For many years, 123Films has been a welcome exception, offering a growing collection of movies to visitors from around the world.
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Top 10 sites like 123Movies (2020)
But is 123Movies the best streaming site on the Internet? Wanting to answer this question, we personally tested many sites like 123Movies that are available as of December 2019 and we end up with this list of top 10 alternatives to 123Movies where you can watch movies and TV shows when 123Movies is down or not available.
Before we get to them, let’s first explore what 123Movies is and what makes it such a big and popular streaming site.
What is 123Movies?
First released around 2015, 123Movies had nearly 100 million active users during its heyday. Unfortunately for its owners and visitors, the site was closed by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in March 2018, which sent ripples to the entire broadcast community.
The original 123Movies domain name (123movies.to) no longer works, and the same for 123movies.is, which was a replacement domain name. Although the original site is no longer active, the spirit of 123Movies lives on through various cloning sites and mirrors (listed below).
The problem with 123Movies clones and mirrors is that their quality tends to be unpredictable, but it mostly gets lost. You will find very intrusive ads, links leading to malicious sites, movies that refuse to load, etc.
For this and other reasons, many former 123Movies users have moved to other sites, and we suggest that you at least explore the available 123Movies alternatives and decide if 123Movies is worth sticking with.
Is 123Movies legal and safe?
The legality of 123Movies, as well as sites like 123Movies, is governed by local laws, and each country is different in this regard. In some countries, transmission is completely legal and is not regulated in any way. However, there are also countries, such as the United States or Germany, where the transmission is not legal.
If you want to be 100% sure that you are not violating any law, be sure to consult a legal professional in your country or make an informed decision using the available resources.
Keep in mind that it is one thing to watch movies on 123Movies or similar sites in the comfort of your own home for your own personal entertainment, and it is a completely different thing to use a site like 123Movies for commercial purposes. The first can slap him on the wrist, but the second can send him to jail.
123Movies Mirrors
Here is a list of 123Movies mirrors. All of the mirrors listed below were accessible at the time of writing this article.
When possible, use a mirror that establishes an encrypted SSL connection so that your Internet service provider cannot monitor your activity.
The best alternatives to 123Movies
1. Putlocker
Putlocker is among the top alternatives to 123Movies, and the two sites share many similarities. For starters, both Putlocker and 123Movies can be recognized for their green and gray color scheme and minimalist design. More importantly, both sites don’t contain too many ads that could otherwise ruin the user experience. What they do contain are thousands of movies and TV shows, all of which are accessible at the click of a button and from anywhere in the world. We like that Putlocker places a very prominent search bar right in the center of the page, making it very easy to find interesting content to watch.
2. Vumoo
The Vumoo homepage may be very simple, but the unassuming front hides one of the largest movie collections on the Internet. Many people have already discovered this fantastic source of content, and traffic statistics suggest that most keep coming back for more. What many people like about Vumoo, in addition to its wide selection of movies and TV shows, is its reliability. When you click on a movie, you can be sure that it will start playing without long buffering and frequent interruptions. The site itself is extremely agile and loads fast even on mobile devices. Clearly, the people behind Vumoo know what they are doing.
3. GoStream
Tired of seeing distracting ads on streaming sites? If so, this 123Movies alternative is perfect for you. Believe it or not, but GoStream allows you to watch movies for free and without traditional ads. Yes, there are links that lead to sponsored sites, but they are very easy to avoid even without an ad unit. When it comes to content, GoStream has everything from Hollywood’s latest blockbusters to childhood classics, and all you need to do to find something interesting is browse the constantly updated selection of recently released movies or use the bar Search to find something specific.
4. Yesmovies
If you always say “Yes!” To a good movie, Yesmovies will feel like a new home. The site allows users to rate movies, and ratings are displayed directly on the home page, so you can see at a glance which movies are worth watching and which ones are probably a huge waste of time. Most of the content is available in HD, but you may stumble upon the occasional CAM release or SD quality. Virtually all of Yesmovies‘ content is available from multiple different sources, which is useful because the site doesn’t host anything on its own servers.
5. FMovies
Our list of the best 123Movies alternatives wouldn’t be complete without FMovies, one of the oldest and most respected streaming sites. Specializing in movies released since 2009, FMovies is a great place to find new releases in high quality. What we really like about FMovies is the fact that the site’s movie player can be controlled using keyboard shortcuts. For example, you can press space to pause your movie, enter or exit the full screen with the F key, or go back 60 seconds by pressing the J key to see an interesting scene again.
6. Solar films
If there was a prize for the slightest streaming site, we’re pretty sure SolarMovies would get it. In fact, SolarMovies feels like a premium site even though it doesn’t require even a simple registration. You can enter the name of the movie you want to watch, click its thumbnail and press play. Each page of the film contains a brief synopsis, IMDb rating, duration, and other information to help you decide if you have made the right choice. SolarMovies also suggests similar content based on what you’re currently viewing, making it almost too easy to end up binging for several hours.
7. GOmovies
GOmovies is one of the best online places to watch movies and TV shows without registering. The site has everything from action movies to horror movies, and registered members can request that content be added to the site. If you’ve always wanted to see the 100 most popular movies on IMDb, you’ll be happy to know that movies on GOmovies can be rated based on their IMDb rating. That way, you can start from the highest rated movie of all time and go all the way to the 100th highest rated movie. If movies are not your thing. You can do the same with TV shows.
8. Watch for free
WatchFree is not as popular as most of the other streaming sites featured in this article, but it’s still a fantastic 123Movies alternative. Why? Because the site works fast and features a wide selection of movies of all genres. Movies are sometimes available on WatchFree before they even appear on more popular sites, showing that their administrators are dedicated to improving the site. The only thing we don’t like about WatchFree are the annoying windows pop-ups, which are displayed when you click on a movie. Fortunately, there is nothing easier than installing a pop-up blocker.
9. Popcornflix
Popcornflix is all about video entertainment, be it movies, TV shows, or viral videos. Yes, viral videos. The site features content from FailArmy, The Pet Collective and People Are Awesome, giving you something fun to watch when you don’t even have time for a single episode of a TV show, let alone a full-length movie. Popcornflix updates its content every day and classifies everything by gender. Newcomers have their own category, so you can easily check what’s new and choose something interesting to see without having to visit IMDb first.
10) Primewire
Primewire is last on our list because the site could desperately use a redesign. Compared to many other streaming sites, it looks quite dated and unpolished. That being said, some users really like the fact that Primewire still uses its original design instead of changing it every few years. At the end of the day, content is what matters most, and Primewire doesn’t disappoint in this regard. The site even has select playlists that include everything from space movies to westerns to slavery movies and more. If you want, you can even create your own playlist and share it with your friends.
Enjoy 123Movies alternatives
Now that you are familiar with the available 123Movies alternatives, it’s time to relax and discover new movies and TV shows. Keep in mind that streaming sites come and go, so don’t feel compelled to stay true to one site. Instead, we recommend that you keep multiple streaming sites on your bookmarks and switch between them as needed.
