Popcornflix Review 2023: Everything To Know About the Free Streaming Service

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With Popcornflix, the promise is that “no movie is more than two clicks away.”

For an on-demand streaming service that does not charge a subscription fee, that might be enough to get your attention in 2023.

But in a market that has giants like Amazon (Freevee), FOX (Tubi TV) and Paramount (Pluto TV) competing for market space, does the promise of free movies just a couple of clicks away do enough to attract users?

It certainly is worth finding out.


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Team Clark loves saving money, and free streaming services are a great way to get your entertainment fix on a budget. But not all free streaming services are created equal. In an effort to help you understand your options in the space, we are reviewing many of the popular options.

For the purposes of this review, I installed the Popcornflix on my Android phone, iOS tablet and Roku streaming player. I also consumed the content through my laptop’s web browser. I’ve tested out each of these means of using Popcornflix with the hope that my experience will help you decide if it’s worth a try for you.

This review is one of many we conducted as a part of our free streaming TV series. You can learn more about our strategies for getting free streaming TV below.


What Is Popcornflix?

Popcornflix is a free on-demand streaming service that offers movies and TV episodes without the hassle of a monthly subscription. In exchange for the free content, Popcornflix inserts advertisements into the viewing experience.

It’s a subsidiary of Screen Media Ventures, which calls itself one of the “largest independent distributors of motion pictures to the worldwide television market.”

Popcornflix menu 2022

How To Watch Popcornflix

Since there is no charge to watch the content on Popcornflix, the sign-up process is extremely simple. The service is also available on a wide variety of platforms, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a way to consume it.

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Signing Up Is Optional

You don’t have to sign up for an account with Popcornflix to enjoy the free content. That means there’s no need to share personal information like your home address or a credit card number.

However, Popcornflix does offer the ability to create a personalized account on its platform. On the phone app, you may be prompted to sign up for an account, but the option to skip the process is located in the top right corner of the screen.

Signing up for a free account requires providing an email address, but that’s pretty much it. You aren’t even prompted for your name. Signing up allows you to fine-tune your streaming experience, rate content and do some interactive things like creating GIFs based on what you’re viewing.

Popcornflix does not require signing up to use the streaming service.

Devices and Apps

You can watch films and TV shows directly from the Popcornflix website. There are also phone and tablet apps available in the Google Play Store (Android) and Apple App Store (iOS).

You can stream Popcornflix on the following devices:

  • Apple TV
  • Roku
  • Xbox
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android phones and tablets
  • iOS phones and tablets

Content Available To Stream on Popcornflix

If you’re looking for big-name new releases and original content that will be talked about over the water cooler at work, you’re likely to be disappointed by Popcornflix. It is not a realistic Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video or Disney+ alternative or replacement.

On the bright side, there is plenty of recognizable content that comes without a monthly bill.

Popular Movies

There are recognizable names attached to the content available on Popcornflix. From movies created by the likes of Martin Scorsese and Stephen King to films featuring Hollywood stars such as Matt Damon, Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, there is no shortage of A-list celebrities. However, the options are not necessarily the top performances from some of those stars, and the content is a bit dated. This is a common give-and-take in the free streaming market.

Here’s a look at some of the movies available for free through Popcornflix as of March 2023:

  • A Boy and His Dog
  • American Conjuring
  • Breakaway
  • Citizen Soldier
  • Demon Warriors
  • House Shark
  • Ice Age
  • Inferno
  • Nocturna
  • Paperback

Films such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Major League, The Bad News Bears and The Rainmaker previously were featured by the service.

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Popular TV Series

I found the selection of television series to be a little underwhelming. Some of the top titles available — such as Forensic Files and Bonanza — are also available on competing free streaming services. The catalog is dated and not very deep.

Here’s a sampling of the TV series available for streaming:

  • Archie Bunker’s Place
  • Detective McLean
  • Shameless
  • 21 Jump Street
  • Bonanza
  • Hunter
  • Forensic Files
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Wilfred
  • Ghosthunters

Shows such as Roseanne, Queer as Folk, Popeye and The Man Show previously were featured on the service.

Original Content

In the past, Popcornflix has featured a content section for “Popcornflix Originals”. That is no longer a featured section on the app, perhaps indicating that it is no longer an emphasis for the platform.

Still, some of the content featured in that section remains. This includes a list of movie titles that star some recognizable names, such as funnyman Keegan-Michael Key, Luke Wilson and Helen Hunt.

Here are some of the original titles:

  • The Origins of Alien
  • Wonders of the Sea
  • Adult Life Skills
  • The Void
  • Cold Blood
  • Ride
  • Teacher of the Year

User Experience With Popcornflix

Now that you have a better idea of the type of free content that is available on Popcornflix, I want to go over the user experience.

How Bad Are the Ads?

Since the platform is free, expect Popcornflix to make up for it with frequent commercial breaks to generate advertising revenue.

I watched Major League, which is just shy of two hours long, via the Popcornflix Roku app so that I could better understand the user experience with ads. I found it to be a mixed bag.

Major League is one of the popular movie options on Popcornflix.

After a single advertisement before the movie began, I was able to watch more than 20 minutes of the film without interruption. That was nice. However, as you can see from the screenshot above, I was then fed a steady diet of commercial breaks for the duration of the movie. All told, I sat through 10 ad breaks while watching the movie.

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On the Roku device, it took the app several seconds to load a commercial break. I counted roughly 15 seconds of delay in a few instances. While that may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, it is an added annoyance and time-waster during the mandatory commercial experience.

There were usually five ads per break, with total time away from the show ranging between two and three minutes.

I encountered some interactive ads along the way, including this one from Beats by Dre that included a photo of a Roku-specific remote with options to scroll to view different colors in the company’s headphones collection.

Popcornflix included interactive advertisements on the Roku app.

Overall, the advertisement process for Popcornflix felt a little more cumbersome than that of competitors like Tubi TV.

User Interface

Part of Popcornflix’s pitch is that you’re never more than two clicks away from content, and it delivers on that promise. The phone and streaming device apps offer a “straight to the content” approach upon loading the home screen.

The web browser version of Popcornflix is also straightforward.

At the top of the screen, you’re able to toggle between movies and TV shows. From there, content is broken down into categories like “New Arrivals,” “Most Popular,” “Action,” “Drama,” etc. Through it all, there is a search bar in the top right corner of the screen that will allow a quick check to see if your desired content is offered by the service.

Tips for Enjoying Popcornflix

Has some of the available content caught your attention? Here are some tips for enjoying it on Popcornflix:

  • Get your Indie on: Popcornflix makes a concerted effort to feature independent films, and that may be the best thing about it. You can take advantage of that and try something you’ve never seen (or heard of) before.
  • Download the app: While you’re able to watch content on your computer or TV with Popcornflix, I found that the watching experience on my phone app was clean, clear and efficient. It definitely can be an on-the-go option for travel entertainment.

Final Thoughts on Popcornflix

Still trying to decide whether or not you should add Popcornflix to your streaming portfolio? Here are some pros and cons to think over.

Popcornflix: Pros and Cons

ProsCons
FREE!Dated movies and TV catalog
Sign-up process is optionalSelection of TV series is weak
Healthy independent film categoryCommercial interruptions

Bottom Line

Though clearly an on-demand streaming service, Popcornflix is likely to remind you of a more traditional television viewing experience. With frequent commercials and somewhat dated content, it does not stand out against peers like Tubi TV or Vudu. That said, when the price is free and the catalog is extensive, there is really no downside to adding this product to the mix if your goal is to eliminate a cable or streaming bill altogether.

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Do you have experience watching the Popcornflix streaming service? We’d love to hear your thoughts in our Clark.com community!


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