The Best Place to Watch Movies: 123movies
If you use the internet regularly (who doesn’t),you must have noticed many websites that stream latest movies, television shows, and your favorite entertainment content. You don’t have to visit the movies to watch the latest release. It is just a click away on your computer or mobile device. You may recall a Television show you missed, and you can visit these streaming websites and watch it in the comfort of your home.
The choices on offer and the sheer volume of content these websites offer are mind-boggling. I have quite often used such websites to watch some television shows I had missed earlier.
If you have searched for options for free movie streaming online, chances are you have found Go123 movies high on your search result, along with GoMovies and Fmovies.
What is 123movies?
123movies is a website that offers free movies and TV streaming. 123movies is one of the largest sites offering a huge collection of movies for free streaming and download. Most reviews of 123movies show good ratings from users. They have updated content featuring on their website and give you access to the latest movie releases. It is a big convenience to have when you decide at the spur of the moment to catch a movie. You don’t have to be worried about high ticket prices, booking the right seats or having to negotiate weekend traffic on your way to the theatre.
All you need is your computer with a web browser or a mobile device, a good internet connection, a bowl of Popcorn, and you are all set for a night at the movies.
You can choose to access the website through your Smart TV and get a good movie experience.
The Full History of 123movies Streaming Service
123movies has been around in one form or the other for a long time. They host out of Vietnam to take advantage of the relaxed interpretation and implementation of copyright laws. It was estimated that they had more than 98 million visitors every month on their website accessing the latest movies. This traffic was noticed by the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA). MPAA quickly branded them as a notorious site guilty of content piracy. The folks at 123movies keep working around this problem and 123movies continues to stream the latest movies and content.
How Much Does It Cost to Stream on 123movies?
123movies is a free streaming website. All the content available on 123movies is free. There is no subscription fee or any other hidden cost. This can make you a little suspicious of their credentials, but the free streaming of entertainment content is available on many websites.
Is 123movies Legal?
It depends on which country you are accessing it from. The copyright laws of that country apply to you. So it would be perfectly legal to watch a movie on 123movies in China but illegal if you are in the USA. MPAA has been trying to shut down Go 123 and its clone websites for a while now. However, 123movies host their websites and servers in countries that do not have a copyright or anti-piracy law and the website is perfectly legal in those countries. If their website gets shut down, another one or a clone website takes over to deliver the entertainment streaming.
It is good to know what is the status of the site in your geography before you choose to access the movies available on 123movies.
How to Use 123movies
You have to log in to their website, browse through the catalog for available movies, click on your choice and enjoy the movie. You don’t have to register on their website. You don’t have to provide credit card details for any kind of verification.
123movies do not host content. What this means is that they scrape the internet for popular movies and videos and embed them. They do not have any pirated material hosted on their website. This does not grant them immunity to copyright laws in the west but is a loophole they can workaround.
123movies Movies & Series Library
They have a good collection of movies and television shows. You can search for online movies using advanced filters. All the top-rated movies are listed in their Top IMDb sections. Some of the television shows you can access are Game of Thrones, Chernobyl, When They See Us, The Umbrella Academy, Euphoria, Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, The Boys, and many more.
123movies UI
123movies has a good interface for the user. It makes browsing for movies or television shows very convenient. The filter allows you to search for movies based on the Genre and you can also sort the movies alphabetically in that particular genre. You can also access movies by the year of release. This is a good option to have. Suppose you are in the mood for a Western of the 50s, put this into the filter and it will show you a list of movies sorted alphabetically.
Other 123movies Features
123movies gives you the option to download as many movies or television shows as you want. 123movies is compatible with all major operating systems and browsers. It works equally well on your laptop, desktop, Tablet, and smartphone. You can watch the movies in high definition mode giving you a good viewer experience. The streaming speed of the site is decent and you don’t necessarily need a superfast internet connection. There is a minimum buffering if your internet speed is decent. If you search for any content, you find many choices for the same content as they have multiple servers.
Should you use a VPN with 123movies?
Free sites such as 123movies feature many online promotions and pop-ups which are their main source of revenue. Such a model carries a security risk. If you click on an advertisement, you may be redirected to another website which may not be secure. You could be at risk of being infected by malicious malware, spyware or a virus. While browsing a free site, you could have pop-ups asking for credit card information and there is a danger of identity theft.
It is a good idea to use a reliable VPN. It creates a secure tunnel and helps protect you from malicious content on free websites. You can watch your favorite movies and shows in a fully protected environment. A VPN will also allow you access to 123movies if you are in restricted geography. VPNs also avoid ISP throttling and allow you to stream at high speed and high definition streaming quality.
123movies App
123movies app does not feature on Google Play store. The download link is available on many websites that look dubious. I would suggest using the website as the best option.
Alternatives to 123movies
If you do not have access to 123movies in your geography, there are many alternative websites for free streaming of movies.
- Popcornflix: This is a completely free website and has a good selection of movies and television shows. The streaming speed is a little slow
- Yidio: Another good alternative to 123movies. It features movies, television shows, series, etc.
- Snagfilms: This free site has a large collection of movies. But it has many advertisements and pop-ups.
- GoMovies: This was the name of 123movies after it's original takedown. It's still usable and easy to find when searching GoMovies.
- Fmovies: Probably the biggest competitor for 123movies over the years has been Fmovies, and it's still thriving today. You'll find Fmovies to be very similar to 123movies in both its library and UI.
Conclusion for 123movies-free.co
123movies was a name that became synonymous with free online streaming for millions of users around the world. At its peak, it operated as a vast and easily accessible digital library, offering an enormous collection of movies and television shows without requiring a subscription fee. The website's appeal was rooted in its simplicity and comprehensiveness. Users could visit the site and find a remarkably up-to-date catalog featuring the latest Hollywood blockbusters, independent films, classic cinema, and complete seasons of popular TV series, often shortly after their official release.
The interface was designed for straightforward navigation, allowing visitors to browse by genre, year, country, or IMDb rating. A powerful search bar made finding specific titles effortless. Each film or show had its own page with a brief synopsis, a trailer, and user reviews, creating a basic but functional community aspect. The primary draw, however, was the seamless streaming experience. With just a couple of clicks, content would begin playing directly in the web browser, eliminating the need for lengthy downloads or complex software installation.
Despite its widespread popularity, it is crucial to understand that 123movies operated in a significant legal gray area. The platform did not host the content on its own servers but instead aggregated links to videos hosted elsewhere, many of which were unauthorized copies infringing on copyright. This led to intense scrutiny from international law enforcement and coalitions representing the film and television industry. The original 123movies website was eventually shut down following legal pressure, but its closure created a vacuum filled by countless clone and mirror sites that continue to use its famous branding.
The legacy of 123movies is twofold. On one hand, it highlighted a massive consumer demand for convenient, on-demand streaming, a demand that legitimate services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ have worked to fulfill with affordable and legal options. On the other hand, it serves as a persistent reminder of the challenges of digital piracy. While the promise of free content is tempting, using such unofficial sites often comes with risks, including exposure to malicious advertisements, phishing scams, and malware that can compromise users' personal information and devices.