Free Movie Streaming Resources That You May Not Know About
- Britney O'Brien
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 12
If you're a frugal student looking to cut down on streaming costs, but you still want to enjoy good movies that are relevant to you, these free entertainment resources are for you! I love watching movies too, and I have used many, many different resources to access them. Today, I am sharing the free resources that I’ve used to watch movies and shows on a budget.
As a student, there are many resources available to you in the community that offer free streaming services. Some of these resources are free through your college or university, a library card, or just free in general (with ads). Here are a few of my favourites.
Movie Streaming with Kanopy
Kanopy has a wide selection of resources geared towards life-long learning, personal development, documentaries, indie films, and other culturally relevant content. With a large selection of Canadian titles, there are a lot of interesting finds on this site. Their streaming site also hosts Skillshare content, The Great Courses, Tribeca Films, Sundance film festival submissions, and other cinematic collections for study. While it contains a lot of educational content, it also has older cult classics available, like Labyrinth and the Dark Crystal.
This resource is most often associated with libraries, which is why it is no surprise that we currently have free access to it through Durham College’s A-Z Database in our library resources. If you are an interested viewer from outside the college, you should check with your local library (or school) to see if you also have free access to this resource.
You can access this streaming site here. However, if you are a Durham College or OTU student, you can also use the A-Z Database and type ”Kanopy” into the search field to access this resource.
Movie Streaming with Criterion On-Demand
Criterion On-Demand is another resource that is commonly associated with the library network, and it is largely used in post-secondary education circles. This site has content in both English and French. In contrast to Kanopy, this resource hosts a large number of recent titles that can be viewed for entertainment purposes. A quick scan of their catalogue will show you titles from Paramount, Warner Brothers, Miramax Films and many more. With a large selection of titles from various time periods, Criterion is a great resource. Some recent movies (and modern classics) include Dude Where’s My Car, A Minecraft Movie, Deadpool and IF.
As this is a post-secondary resource, it is likely that you will only have access to this site through your college or university, so be sure to check with yours to see if you have a school account!
Durham College and OTU students can access this resource through the A-Z Database by typing “Criterion” into the search field and clicking on the web link returned by your search. Once you have your password set up, you can reconnect here.
Movie Streaming with the National Film Board of Canada
On this streaming site, you will largely find Canadian content, with a strong focus on documentaries and animated stories. The NFB also focuses on educational content, featuring Indigenous stories and highlighting various social issues. Viewing footage from the NFB is free, and anyone can access their services via the app or on their website.
While Durham College and OTU have direct access through the A-Z Database and typing “National Film Board,” you can also create a free account if you prefer. Visit the website here.
Movie Streaming with Tubi TV
Tubi TV is another interesting free option that uses ads to keep its content free for viewers. With an international library, this site has many different options to choose from. It offers an assortment of genres and content from various time periods. You will also find a lot of British content, including classics like Mr. Bean and newer releases like Big Mood (featuring Nicola Coughlan from Bridgerton). As a general streaming platform, you don’t need to be a student to access content from this site.
You can watch content from Tubi online through their website, or on an app connected to your phone or TV. Visit this resource here.
Movie Streaming with Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a streaming site owned by Paramount that shares both Live TV and On-Demand content. You can watch movies and shows from their website or stream them to your phone or TV using an app. The website offers over 240 live channels and includes content from stations like Nickelodeon, MTV, All Women’s Sports Network and Haunt TV.
This site has a lot of older series and movies available to watch, including Star Trek, Indiana Jones and Monty Python. It also has newer content like Warm Bodies, Midsommar, and South Park. For those of you who were fans of shows like Jersey Shore, there is also now a Gen Z Canadian spin-off called Canada Shore, which recently began airing on January 22, 2026. The show is set in Kelowna, and features a new cast overseen by their new boss- Snooki.
While the service itself is free, there are short ads that will play while you watch movies and shows. You can check out this streaming site here.
I hope you find these resources helpful! Happy streaming.
Which of these streaming platforms do you most want to try?
0%Kanopy
0%Criterion On-Demand
0%National Film Board
0%Tubi TV
You can vote for more than one answer.
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