11 Essential Apps Every Movie Lover Should Have

The days of channel surfing and watching movies or shows on TV are seemingly long gone. Streaming services have made the most of rising internet speeds, letting users access a massive library of content that lets them watch anything they want without having to stick to a certain timeslot or deal with ads — well, for the most part. All they need to do is download a bunch of streaming apps on their phone, tablet, or smart TV to watch all the content they could possibly want, provided they have a valid subscription.

Of course, you don't have to stick to mainstream streaming services or look for other streaming apps you didn't know existed if you're a movie buff. Other apps let you check out massive online databases and figure out where exactly you can find a show or movie on a streaming platform if you're struggling to find it. Certain apps even have full-blown communities where you can interact with other cinephiles, letting you discuss your favorite parts of a movie that caught your attention or check out recommendations for other films that align with your tastes.

It would be impossible to talk about essential apps that movie lovers need without talking about Netflix, the juggernaut that enjoyed a massive first-mover advantage as it technically ushered in the era of streaming movies and TV. The company has come a long way from its early days as a simple movie rental service, kickstarting its attempts to become a streaming service all the way back in 2007. It wasn't until this effort started gaining steam that they decided to place a focus on original content, greenlighting original shows and movies from 2013 onwards to make their service even more captivating to the masses. In just a decade following the inception of this initiative, Netflix was populated with over 3,600 original titles. Some of the best films exclusive to this service include "The Irishman," "The Trial of the Chicago 7," "KPop Demon Hunters," and "Pinocchio."

With its massive library of content that includes both original movies — as mentioned before — and other IP that Netflix has acquired the exclusive streaming rights for, Netflix is a must-have for anyone who wants to watch a bunch of high-quality movies. Just keep in mind that this service is notably more expensive than its competitors, and the cheaper $8.99/month ad-based plan doesn't unlock the entire library. Paying $19.99 per month for the Standard plan or $26.99 for the premium variant — both of which charge extra for additional members — might be an investment, but a worthwhile one for cinephiles who want to cut no corners regarding high-quality movies that use the best-in-class image and audio formats to immerse viewers from the comfort of their living room.

One look at the sheer number of streaming services on the market will make it clear why problems like choice paralysis and high cumulative subscription fees have become so prevalent. However, these are nowhere near as frustrating as trying to individually search for a movie that has caught your eye across all the streaming apps you're subscribed to. It's a time-consuming process that may be mitigated by services like Google TV, which make a valiant effort to try and fish out the streaming application that houses the movie you're searching for. However, not everyone has access to a Google TV interface, and its search results aren't totally reliable.

A good way to overcome this problem is via JustWatch. It's one of the best free apps you might not have heard of, letting you search for the movie of choice and find a curated list of services where you can buy, rent, or stream the content in question... as long as you have a subscription. It's a simple but extremely helpful app that tracks the list of available content across pretty much every paid and free streaming service you can imagine, with only a few exceptions like YouTube TV. This is something most users can live with, and JustWatch is so useful that most people may be convinced to drop a $2.49 subscription fee to use more advanced features.

With a paid plan, you don't have to deal with any ads. The search results can also be tailored with additional filters, letting you see results based on their ratings or even their production companies. If there are movies you've already seen or have no interest in watching, you can hide them from search results to get curated, no-nonsense recommendations.

Disney is one of the biggest media companies in the modern era. The sheer amount of money this company boasts has helped it acquire some of the biggest studios and IPs on the market, including Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm. This, coupled with a massive swath of Disney content, makes it clear why Disney+ is one of the most useful streaming services on the market and a must-have for cinephiles. The diverse content is a huge reason why people love this service, letting them watch a bunch of legendary Star Wars epics, all of Pixar's nostalgia-inducing animated films, and every movie in the MCU.

The UI of this streaming service is easy to navigate, and most modern content comes in 4K, which makes it look even better on larger displays. To subscribe to this service, you must either pay $11.99 per month for an ad-supported plan, or $15.99 if you don't want to see any advertisements. People who want to enjoy savings in the long run can shell out $189.99 for an annual plan instead. The sheer volume of content on this service is why Disney+ doesn't feel the need to license and develop original movies of its own — the studios it owns do all the legwork for them in this department.

A social platform dedicated to movies, Letterboxd is perfect for people who want to enjoy a Goodreads-esque experience for cinephiles. The first thing that'll wow you is the gigantic repository of movies that can be found on Letterboxd. From the latest cinematic blockbusters to underground arthouse films that only a select few know, you can add a review for pretty much any movie that you've seen... provided you've signed up and made a profile. Films can also be added to your watchlist, letting you tick them off and give your opinions when you see them.

Letterboxd also has a = social feed you can fill with updates from your friends, notable critics, and other users whose interests align with yours. You can either operate as a lurker and check out any movie list recommendations that catch your eye, or interact with the community and post write-ups of your own. Letterboxd also ties up with JustWatch to let you see which streaming service you can use to watch a movie that you're interested in, which is pretty useful.

You may be interested in the $19 annual subscription that removes ads, adds more search filters, and lets you see details on other user profiles. There's a Patron Tier that's more expensive at $50 per year, and the benefits aren't anything to write home about. You'll access some beta features, gain the ability to edit movie posters, and receive a special mention from the creators of Letterboxd. Opt for this tier only if you love Letterboxd as a service and feel extra generous.

Plex used to be a media server before expanding its services to become a streaming app of sorts. Watching content hosted on this platform is easy and totally free, provided you're willing to deal with a few ads. However, Plex's true strength lies in its ability to let you turn your device into a self-hosting server. All you need to do is select a folder on your system via the Plex app that houses all the movies you want to see, and Plex can stream them on your TV or any other device that where you want to watch.

Keep in mind that the Plex Media Server is free if you're using it via your laptop or desktop, but you'll need to shell out money for a Plex Pass if you want to use the app and turn your phone into a server hub instead. You can pay $6.99 for a month, $69.99 for a year, $249.99 for five years, and a whopping $749.99 for a lifetime pass. If you have a ton of movies downloaded on your device and want to enjoy them on a home theater setup, then Plex is a great way to make your personal library streamable with ease!

Everyone is familiar with IMDb if they're even remotely interested in movies. This online database is massive and includes almost every movie. It boasts a dedicated user base that rates everything from blockbuster movies to individual episodes of TV shows, with their aggregate ranking being largely reliable and reflective of a piece of media's overall quality. While it lacks any social features — even fewer now with the much-maligned removal of the message board — people who want an app that serves solely as a movie database to let them figure out whether a film is worth watching or not will love what IMDb has to offer.

IMDb's ratings aren't totally sacrosanct — there are well-documented instances of fanbases review-bombing IPs in the hopes of making their golden goose look even more appealing. The fact that Amazon owns this platform also makes it hard to take the ratings of Prime Video movies or TV shows at face value. However, these are minor problems for what is otherwise one of the largest online databases on the market, not just for movies and TV shows, but also for short films, games, and podcasts!

With so many streaming services on the market that aim to capture a mainstream audience with eye-catching blockbusters and well-known classics, it's understandable if all these companies start blending together to form a mess of all the mainstream media you could possibly want. This is why Mubi stands out from the rest of the pack. Instead of catering to the masses, this streaming service houses indie films, international movies, and cult classics that arthouse film enthusiasts will love, making it an essential streaming app... but one most people haven't heard of.

The focus on community-building is also worth noting. The service includes a Feed where you can scroll through numerous social media posts and user reviews. Meanwhile, the Notebook section is perfect for users who want tailored recommendations and insightful commentary on certain indie gems. While the social features are free, you'll obviously have to pay a subscription fee — either $14.99 per month or an annual $119.88 payment — to access the wealth of movies it has to offer. If you pay slightly extra for a $19.99 Mubi Go subscription, you can get one movie ticket per week for certain handpicked films. Just make sure this is supported in your city before splurging on this service.

Yet another must-have streaming service that needs no introduction, Prime Video's wealth of original and licensed content makes it a no-brainer for anyone who wants access to a massive collection of great movies. Unlike the additional costs you have to pay for most other streaming services, Prime Video comes bundled with an Amazon Prime subscription — which costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year — making it very cost-effective if you're an e-commerce enthusiast and already use Amazon for all your online orders. The collection of original Prime content is genuinely impressive, boasting movies like "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," "The Big Sick," and "Saltburn."

If you're on the move, you can download movies offline to make your morning commute fly by, audio descriptions are perfect for those with low vision, and the underrated "X-Ray" feature is great for cinephiles who can't place a recognizable face to an actor's name. However, while the service supports 4K content, keep in mind that you'll need to shell out an additional $4.99 per month for the Prime Video Ultra plan to enjoy this high-quality content... and also remove any ads in the process. Finally, while Prime Video has most movies available via the subscription itself, there are others that you'll have to buy or rent regardless of whether you're using an active plan or not, which may not sit right with people who didn't expect to pay additional costs on top of their existing Prime subscription.

Aside from the puzzling decision to remove the popular "HBO" brand and rename the streaming service to just "Max" — something that the company backtracked on – there's not a lot that HBO Max has done wrong. The deep, rich pool of content it has is one of its biggest perks, letting you watch amazing movies like "The Long Walk," "Marty Supreme," and all the "John Wick" installments. The app itself is easy to navigate, with a clean UI and simple navigation. You can manage multiple accounts with it and set up parental controls, which is pretty convenient.

Keep in mind that HBO Max is one of the more expensive streaming services on the market. The monthly rates for the ad-inclusive plan are $10.99, while the Standard ad-free plan goes for $18.49, and the Premium version will set you back $22.99. All these have their annual variants if you want to save more in the long run, but it's still not the most financially feasible streaming service on this list. There are caveats to keep in mind as well — the ad-focused tier doesn't let you download anything for offline viewing, and the Standard plan is limited to two concurrent devices and 1080p quality. Cinephiles who love convenience and picture quality will have to opt for the expensive Premium tier, which bumps up the offline download limit from 30 to a cool hundred while letting you watch content in 4K.

Given how Rotten Tomatoes is one of the most trusted review aggregators for movies and TV shows, it's hard to believe that the company didn't launch an app until last year. Instead of taking an IMDb-esque approach and resorting to functioning as yet another online repository for your movies, Rotten Tomatoes went the extra mile with social features that let you share your favorite reviews, write some of your own, and follow users with shared interests. Basically, the Rotten Tomatoes app gives major Letterboxd vibes, but it's still too early to tell whether RT is doing a great job of it. However, if the "Tomojis" — emojis you can use on Rotten Tomatoes — are anything to go by, it's clear that this is a major focus for Rotten Tomatoes.

What can be proclaimed confidently is the inherent reliability of its Tomatometer — average critic scores — and Popcornmeter — audience ratings. Both these metrics provide a solid idea of whether a movie was a smash hit, resonated with critics more than audiences, or became a guilty pleasure for moviegoers. The app goes the extra mile with aRTi, an AI-powered Rotten Tomatoes search that's in beta and lets you search for movies, find curated recommendations, and compare RT scores with ease.

Most ardent book readers are familiar with Libby, a unique and free e-reader that lets you register multiple library cards to digitally borrow books and read them for the grand price of absolutely nothing. However, most public libraries also have a fair share of movies, and people would love a similar service that lets them watch movies in their public library. This is where Kanopy comes into the picture. As one might expect, both these apps are owned by the same library media company, Overdrive.

For a free app that lets you stream movies easily, Kanopy operates without any ads whatsoever. Its collection is genuinely impressive, with movies like "The Wicker Man," "Punch-Drunk Love," and "13 Going on 30." Even if you only have one library card for an account, Kanopy lets multiple devices use the same account to stream content with ease. Students who don't have a library card to access this service can use their university email ID to unlock Kanopy's content instead.

Kanopy used to employ a Play Credit system that gave you a limited number of credits — 10, to be exact — for accessing content. This has now been changed to a ticket system, with users getting 30 tickets and each movie being given a ticket value that is deducted from the monthly allotment. Thankfully, there's a decent amount of ticket-free media on this service, including all the content in Kanopy Kids.

Apps with ratings higher than 4 stars across both the Play Store and the App Store qualified for a mention here. If the user rating falls below this threshold on one store, then an app has still been listed here if they have a stellar rating of 4.5 or higher across one of these storefronts. Along with this, ratings that meet these requirements are considered only if thousands — if not millions — of users have reviewed the app in question.