The free streaming app with 30,000 movies and NO ads – all you need is a library card
PRICE hike after price hike has left many wondering where on earth they can get good television without spending a small fortune on streaming.
It may be time to dip your toes into new flowing waters – and Kanopy may be the place to start.
Dubbed a “miracle” streaming service, Kanopy is a little-known app that offers over 30,000 movies and shows for free – and doesn’t push any ads on you.
It specializes in indie cinema and foreign films, offering critically acclaimed titles such as Donnie Darko and Parasite.
The streaming app also offers children’s shows and read-along storybooks for bedtime routines.
All you need is a library card to use it for free.
Costs $0, no ads AND profitable streaming?! Has new AND old movies?! A miracle!
X user, @Reel_Insight
Alternatively, you can also register for free if you are a student or professor at a college or university.
To offer so much for free, Kanopy partners with public libraries and universities to bring viewers ad-free content that can be viewed on TV, on a smartphone or on a laptop.
“Kanopy does not charge fees because the public library or university covers all associated costs, allowing you to watch for free without ads,” the company wrote.
The app is available on Apple TVs, Roku, Chromcast, AndroidTV, Amazon Fire and Samsung televisions.
However, there is a limit to the amount of content you can watch on Kanopy.
Each viewer receives a fixed number of Play Credits each month that can be spent on viewing content, although this number may increase if you are a member of multiple libraries.
Viewers will then have approximately 48 to 72 hours to watch content before the Play credit expires.
It’s important to note that there are a number of credit-free movies you can watch, and the Kanopy Kids section is free and unlimited to watch.
“I’ll sing Kanopy’s praises until I’m blue in the face,” say one viewer on X (formerly Twitter).
“Costs $0, no ads AND profitable streaming?! Has new AND old movies?! A miracle!”
Another tweeted: “Kanopy is great! And free! So many movies and documents to choose from!!”
How to watch Kanopy
Here are three ways you can access Kanopy:
To see if your library has made Kanopy available, enter the name of your local public library here.
As for colleges and universities, to see if yours has access to Kanopy, all you have to do is search here.
If your library isn’t listed, Kanopy offers a “Can’t find your library” form you can fill out to request that your library make the streaming service available.
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