PrimeWire offers access to thousands of movies and TV shows at no cost. While this may seem alluring, PrimeWire is illegal in most countries. Also, there are several mirrors and clones of PrimeWire today, many of which contain malware and pose a risk to your privacy.
Thankfully, you’ll find the same content PrimeWire offers on many other platforms. We’ve scoured the web to find the best PrimeWire alternatives. These are our top picks:
- Peacock TV: Affordable, on-demand content
- Crackle: Best free on-demand streaming platform
- Tubi: Best free streaming platform for movies
- MoviesJoy: Best PrimeWire alternative for movies
- Spacemov: Best free streaming site for new releases
- SolarMovie: Great filtering options
- Subsmovies: Subtitles in different languages
- YouTube: Best source of free licensed content
- AZMovies: Decent selection of movies
- Putlocker: Popular free streaming site
Like PrimeWire, some of these sites are unsafe. If you’d visit them, we recommend using a trusty VPN like NordVPN. We’ve tested dozens of VPNs, and NordVPN is our top pick. It allows you to browse anonymously and access geo-restricted content.
Continue reading for more information about PrimeWire alternatives and learn how to access PrimeWire safely.
PrimeWire is a popular free online streaming service with thousands of TV series and movies. When it was launched in 2014/2015, PrimeWire was known as LetMetWatchThis and later 1Channel.
Just like Putlocker, 123Movies, and Popcorn Time, PrimeWire provides access to content you’d usually have to pay to access. Over the years, PrimeWire has been hit with several copyright infringement lawsuits, forcing the site admins to change domains. As a result, there are several PrimeWire mirrors — some, like primewire.sx and primewire.ig, are now defunct.
There are also copycat PrimeWire sites that malicious actors use to spread malware. Clicking on the wrong link on these sites could compromise your safety. Also, most PrimeWire sites have popup ads, which can include porn.
We strongly recommend using a VPN when visiting PrimeWire or the PrimeWire alternatives we outline below.
Important Notice:
Like PrimeWire, some of the sites below are illegal in some countries, as they don’t have distribution rights for the content they offer. This list is for educational purposes only. We recommend you check your local laws before visiting these sites.
The 10 Best PrimeWire Alternatives
PrimeWire is not an optimal choice for streaming. It’s down from time to time, and domains are abruptly taken offline. Also, the ads on the site can infect your computer with malware. With that said, you’ll find a list of the best PrimeWire alternatives below.
1. Peacock TV: Affordable, on-demand content
Peacock TV, owned by NBC, is one of the best options for on-demand streaming on a tight budget. It offers popular titles like Downton Abbey, Bel Air, Real Housewives, and all nine seasons of The Office. Not to mention, it’s the go-to streaming platform for the WWE.
If you signed up to Peacock before January 30, 2023, you can hold on to your free account and watch movies online free. If you don’t have an account, however, the $4.99 Premium plan is quite affordable. The only downside is that you’ll have to deal with ads unless you opt for the $9.99 Premium Plus monthly subscription.
Keep in mind that Peacock TV is not available everywhere. You must be in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, or Italy to access the platform. If you’re not currently in any of these countries, you can use a VPN to change your IP address and stream content on Peacock TV.
NordVPN allowed us to bypass geo-restrictions and access Peacock TV from multiple locations across the world.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cheap on-demand content | You have to pay more for ad-free streaming |
| Decent library | Limited availability outside the US |
| The library could be expanded to warrant its price tag |
2. Crackle: Best free on-demand streaming platform
Crackle is a free on-demand streaming platform owned by Sony. It operates in the US and has a large library of movies and TV shows. Some popular titles are temporarily available on the platform. When we accessed Crackle, Midsomer Murders was available to watch for free — we didn’t even have to create an account to stream it.
Crackle has some downsides. Its ads can be annoying, and the quality of its video streams is subpar. Most of the shows we watched were only available in 720p resolution. Plus, Crackle is not available outside the US.
We tested multiple VPNs to find the best option for unblocking Crackle, and NordVPN emerged as our top choice. This VPN consistently unblocked Crackle, allowing us to stream without delays or buffering.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free streaming service | Lots of commercials |
| A large variety of movies and TV shows | Not available outside the US |
| Offers some exclusive content | Some shows and movies are only available on the platform temporarily |
3. Tubi: Best free streaming platform for movies
Like Crackle, Tubi is a free on-demand streaming platform that’s supported with ads. While Tubi’s library of TV shows is quite slim, it’s still one of the best PrimeWire alternatives, thanks to its large collection of movies.
You can watch popular movies on the platform, like The Twilight Saga, Ghost Rider, 2012, The Hunger Games, Desperado, The Amazing Spider-Man, Kill Bill, and more. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a lot of modern titles, and some of its content is capped at 720p.
Tubi is only available in a few countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. But, we could easily unblock content on Tubi with NordVPN. And we didn’t have to create an account to stream movies.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free streaming service | Limited library of TV serials |
| Large collection of movies | Resolution capped at 720p for some titles |
| Easy-to-use interface | Ad-supported platform |
4. MoviesJoy: Best Primewire alternative for movies
MoviesJoy is one of the most popular unofficial streaming sites that allows you to watch free movies online. It has a reasonably large library, and great content filters, so you can easily find any TV show or movie without endless scrolling.
Unlike PrimeWire, which is packed with popups and banner ads that interrupt your viewing experience, MoviesJoy doesn’t bombard you with ads, which is a big plus for an unofficial streaming site. Not to mention, you can enjoy many shows and movies in full HD quality — 1080p resolution.
MoviesJoy doesn’t have distribution rights for the content it offers. So, only visit this site if it’s legal in your country.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fairly large library of HD movies and TV shows | Unlicensed streaming site |
| Great content filters | |
| Small ad intrusion |
5. Spacemov: Best free streaming site for new releases
Spacemov may have the best interface of all PrimeWire alternatives on our list. It’s easy to navigate, the ads don’t get too irritating, and it’s easy to filter content. Spacemov stays on top of new releases, which makes it a great choice for movie buffs who want to watch the latest movies and shows.
While it’s not filled with pesky ads, Spacemov is unsafe, especially since it’s an unlicensed platform. We recommend using an antivirus, an adblocker, and a reliable VPN like NordVPN when visiting Spacemov.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers new releases | Unlicensed streaming platform |
| Low ad intrusion | Potentially unsafe |
| Great filtering options |
6. Solarmovie: Great filtering options
Solarmovie has a wide variety of movies and TV shows. You can browse its library by IMDb rating, genre, launch date, country, and more. Whether you’re looking for a specific title or you can’t decide what to watch online, Solarmovie is easy to navigate. This streaming provider is also one of the best LookMovie alternatives, which, as we know, is a website that was taken down last year.
Unfortunately, Solarmovie is an unlicensed streaming platform, so it may be illegal to access it from your country. Plus, the ads on the site can be irksome. It’s important to use a VPN when visiting this site.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great filtering options | Unlicensed streaming platform |
| Decent quality and library size | Intrusive ads |
7. Subsmovies: Offers subtitles in different languages
Subsmovies doesn’t have an impressive library or amazing video quality. Based on its interface alone, it’s probably one of the poorest PrimeWire alternatives. However, Subsmovies made our list for one reason — its accessibility.
Subsmovies offers subtitles in a lot of languages. If English is not your primary language, you can easily find subtitles for the content on Subsmovies. Just remember that Subsmovies doesn’t have a license to share the movies and TV series on its site, so only access it if it’s legal where you live. We recommend using a VPN when accessing Subsmovies.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers subtitles in different languages | Interface is lacking |
| Completely free | Small library of TV shows and movies |
| Unlicensed streaming platform |
8. YouTube: The best source of free licensed content
YouTube is arguably the largest video streaming site in the world. The amount of content on YouTube is more than what you’ll find anywhere else on the web. From Mr. Beast videos to full movies, documentaries, and a ton of series that are in the public domain, there’s a ton of free, licensed content on YouTube. However, it’s not the best platform for new releases.
Although YouTube is free, you can pay for YouTube Premium to get rid of ads. And if you’re in the US, you can even get a YouTube TV subscription, which lets you watch cable channels online. If you’re outside the US, you can still subscribe to YouTube TV by using a VPN to change your IP address. You can also use a VPN to get a discount on YouTube Premium.
Besides unblocking YouTube TV, you can also use a VPN to get a discount on YouTube Premium.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tons of free licensed content | Doesn’t have new releases |
| Great free and paid plans | YouTube TV is only available in the US |
9. AZMovies: Decent selection of movies
AZMovies isn’t too different from other PrimeWire alternatives. It has a massive library and a nice interface.
Unfortunately, it’s overrun with intrusive ads. While the number of ads on AZMovies has reduced in recent times, it can still be annoying. AZMovies is an unlicensed streaming platform, so you can only visit it if downloading copyrighted content is legal where you live. Like other unlicensed sites, it’s advisable to use a VPN when streaming on AZMovies.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lots of movies | Intrusive advertising |
| Nice interface | Unlicensed streaming platform |
10. Putlocker: Popular free streaming site
Putlocker has been around for years and is one of the most popular free streaming sites. Like PrimeWire, Putlocker often gets taken down. The original Putlocker was taken down back in 2016, which means that you can only access mirrors now.
The Putlocker site is minimalist, easy to navigate, and offers all the filtering options you need to easily find something great to watch. Putlocker also has a large library of movies and TV series. Unfortunately, it is an unlicensed streaming platform, and accessing it may be illegal.
Also, some Putlocker mirrors may contain malware. When attempting to download movies from this site, you could be downloading malware. We recommend using a VPN when accessing Putlocker.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| A minimalist interface that’s easy to navigate | Unlicensed streaming site |
| Lots of filtering options | Putlocker mirrors may be unsafe |
| Huge library of movies and TV shows |
How to Access PrimeWire Safely
In some countries, streaming on PrimeWire and other unlicensed platforms is allowed for personal use. This means that you probably won’t get fined.
But legal repercussions are not the only threat that PrimeWire poses. The site could infect your device with viruses and other malware. So even if PrimeWire is legal in your country, we recommend using an antivirus when visiting the site.
We’ve tested different antivirus software, and Norton 360 is arguably the best bet for comprehensive malware protection. It also has useful extra features like a password manager and dark web monitoring. You can learn more about his antivirus solution in our Norton 360 review.
In addition to an antivirus, we strongly advise using a VPN when visiting PrimeWire. A VPN changes your IP address, allowing you to access the site anonymously and avoid tracking. This is crucial to protect your identity and keep your data safe.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
You can take advantage of NordVPN’s 30-day trial to test the service free of charge. Check out our NordVPN review to discover why this VPN service is our top choice.
Is It Illegal to Watch Free Movies and TV Shows on PrimeWire?
Keep in Mind:
This article should not be taken as official legal advice, as we are not legal experts. We only share the information we researched and present it for educational purposes. You are responsible for everything you do online, and we advise you to act in line with your local laws.
PrimeWire works a little differently from other free streaming sites. It’s a hub for content streamed from various sources on the deep web. Regardless, none of those sources are legitimate.
Depending on where you live, you can face legal repercussions for watching PrimeWire movies and TV series. Streaming or downloading movies from unlicensed sites is a breach of copyright laws.
For more information about how countries fight illegal downloading, read our article on the rules and fines for downloading.
Legal consequences to streaming on PrimeWire
If you are caught downloading or streaming a copyrighted movie or TV series, you can receive a warning, a fine, or even be prosecuted. Fines for piracy in Germany can go as high as €1000 or more. In the US, you could get fined hundreds of thousands of dollars or even five years of jail.
In practice, extreme penalties like the latter rarely happen, but there’s always a possibility. That’s why we only recommend you watch content on PrimeWire from a country where it’s legal or allowed for personal use.
| Legal Stance | Countries |
|---|---|
| Pirating is illegal but rarely actively prosecuted | Poland, Spain, and Switzerland |
| Pirating is illegal, but rarely actively prosecuted | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Iran, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Uruguay |
| Pirating is illegal | Australia, China, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, and the United States |
Final Thoughts: PrimeWire Streaming and Alternatives
If PrimeWire is legal where you live, it can be a great source of free entertainment. Just don’t risk your personal data and safety while browsing the platform. Always use a VPN when visiting the site to keep your identity hidden. Based on our tests, NordVPN is the best choice for PrimeWire.
Check out the articles below for more alternatives to PrimeWire:
- The Best Free Movie Websites
- The Best Free Anime Streaming Services
- Streaming Shudder: Watch the Best Horror Content From Anywhere!
- How to Watch Netflix With a VPN
Check our FAQ section below for answers to common questions about PrimeWire, and alternative streaming platforms. If you don’t see an answer to the question on your mind, leave us a comment.
PrimeWire is illegal in most countries, but there are some exceptions. Like most unlicensed streaming platforms, PrimeWire doesn’t have the distribution rights for the content it offers. It’s an infringement of copyright laws to stream or download movies and TV shows from PrimeWire. Check out our article on the best PrimeWire alternatives for more information.
If caught downloading or streaming copyrighted content, you can be fined or even prosecuted in some countries. Most jurisdictions don’t take it that far, but some countries actively levy fines for piracy. Each country has different laws in this regard. Read our article on the fines for downloading to learn more.
Paid streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and HBO Now are the best PrimeWire alternatives to access online content legally. You can also enjoy movies and TV shows online by visiting free streaming sites like Peacock, Crackle, and Tubi.
Streaming content on free streaming services like PrimeWire comes with risks. Clicking on the wrong popup ad on PrimeWire can infect your device with viruses, adware, and other malicious software. We recommend using a solid antivirus and a VPN when you visit these sites.
Since PrimeWire is illegal in many countries, governments can force ISPs to block the website, preventing users from accessing them. This often leads to new mirrors, which might be more unsafe than the original website.
To install PrimeWire on Kodi, you’ll need to track down a PrimeWire app in the Kodi repository. When you find one, install it on your Kodi device, and you’re good to go! Unfortunately, we’ve had a hard time finding PrimeWire apps fit for Kodi, and we can’t recommend one.
