The Prestige Guide: 10 Best Movie Apps For Android

You’ve been working hard all day and for some of us, the best way to unwind is to sit down and watch a movie on the best movie apps for Android!

Whether you want to watch the latest film releases or go back to the comfort of an old classic, there are loads of different streaming services available.

There are so many different movie streaming apps that it can be difficult to know where to start, or what streaming app works best with your Android phone!

Some are free, some are paid, others are pretty awful.

If you want to find out the best movie apps for Android or the best streaming services to watch from your comfortable bedroom or to share your screen with your flatmates, you are in the right place.

1. Netflix

Bagging the number one spot for best movie apps for Android is Netflix. We all know about Netflix by now!

It’s the biggest streaming service on the planet, with great controls no matter whether you’re watching on a smart TV, a laptop, tablet or your mobile phone.

It looks great, it has a wide and varied selection of movies and TV series, it is fast, and you can also download content to watch offline.

What is there not to like about Netflix as an Android-streaming option for a student?

The Pros Of Netflix

• Once you’ve signed up to Netflix, there are no ads getting in the way of you and your cherished content
• Alongside a large collection of movies and TV-shows, Netflix also has a huge stable of original programming and film productions, so you are never likely to be bored or run out of things to watch
• Streaming is very fast and generally buffer-free, as long as you have a stable Internet connection
• On the mobile app, you can download content to watch when you are offline. Perfect for those about to travel long distances
• You can share profiles with others to keep your content separate (and whisper it, reduce the cost between you)

The Cons Of Netflix

• Netflix is no longer as cheap as it once was, with a standard monthly price of £9.99 and premium package price of £13.99 per month
• There is no longer a 30-day free trial
• Content changes on a monthly basis, with little warning of some movies and series being replaced!

2. Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video was only first introduced as an extra feature for Prime members as recently as 2014.

Although it took a while to find its feet in the busy streaming marketplace, it has become a popular service for users around the world.

With an ever-growing list of Amazon Original TV programmes and movies, there is a lot of choice and a decent monthly price for subscribers.

For many people, it may have once been a question of ‘are you Netflix or Amazon?’ but now there are loads of people who have access to both streaming platforms.

The Pros Of Amazon Prime Video

• It is cheaper than its paid-for streaming rivals (Amazon Prime customers pay £7.99 per month (halve this for the student price) and have access to the streaming service, whilst you can pay £5.99 a month for just the video service)
• There is a 30-day free trial available
• No matter your package you have the same fast, streaming quality, and number of devices
• You can choose to download content to be viewed offline at any time
• Amazon has an amazing catalogue of films and TV-series to choose from
• Some live sports are also available, including Premier League football and US Open tennis

The Cons Of Amazon Prime Video

• The interface isn’t as easy to use as Netflix and can be a bit difficult to find what you are looking for
• The menu includes loads and loads of titles that are not part of your package and that you have to pay extra for to rent or buy, which can be a little misleading and confusing
• Sometimes, going back into Amazon Prime Video you’ll notice that it isn’t as straightforward as it should be to ‘continue next episode’, taking a bit longer to go into specific titles and finding where you were last watching

3. Disney+

Disney + is the latest of the big players on the streaming platform market, one of the most popular and best movie apps for Android!

It started strongly in the UK in 2020 and has big plans for the next few years.

On Disney + you’ll rediscover all the classic Disney and Pixar films from when you were a kid, as well as all the Star Wars films, every single episode of The Simpsons, and a big chunk of the Marvel Universe too!

The Pros Of Disney+

• You can have four streams going at the same time (up to 7 different profiles and 10 devices overall), meaning if you share Disney + with other people you don’t have to worry about being on at different times
• Five main channels (Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel National Geographic) with linked content intuitive and simple to use) and others to come this year, including Star
• Every single title can be downloaded to watch offline at another time
• As our Android phones develop and come with better screens, Disney + offers 4K streams
• The only place to see Star Wars films and TV-series
• Relatively cheap cost of just £5.99 a month, although expect this price to increase in 2021

The Cons Of Disney+

• Disney + no longer comes with a 7-day free trial
• At the moment there is little original content but there are big plans for future content in the coming years
• No British content at this time
• The search functionality could be better
• Some instances of content not playing due to decreased bandwidth during UK lockdown

4. BBC iPlayer

The jewel in the crown of UK broadcasting for so long, the BBC was one of the first to offer a streaming service and over the years the BBC iPlayer has got better and better.

Primarily used as a catch-up service, the iPlayer is now used by many to stream live TV on their Android device, to watch classic movies and documentaries, binge on the best TV boxsets and it is one of the best streaming apps around.

The Pros Of BBC iPlayer

• Interface is simple to use and works intuitively, providing additional related content at a glance
• Interface is glossy and looks great
• There is extensive platform support for the iPlayer
• The content is wide and varied, including many BBC original dramas and movies, current affairs and documentaries, sport, music, arts & culture, and many more content sectors
• Some amazing boxsets and classic films on offer
• Download content for offline viewing (up to 30-days)

The  Cons Of BBC iPlayer

• A BBC ID account is a requirement before you can stream BBC content
• You do need a TV license at a cost of £157.50 a year (although you can apply for a partial refund as a student if you are moving home for the summer)
• It can be frustrating that some current programming is only available for 30-days

5. All4

All 4 is the On-Demand and catch-up service from Channel 4.

Providing a chance to catch up on shows from one of the six TV-channels.

The interface might come across as a little clunky and difficult to find what you like at times, and the ads are a little bit annoying, but there is so much great content on there to make up for that.

You’ll discover many classic British comedies and TV shows, such as Peep Show or Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares.

In the last few years, the incredible Film4 has also been added to the streaming service, making it easier than ever before to watch some of the finest British films of the last three decades and other classic movies.

The Pros Of All4

• A whole host of content from six TV-channels (Channel 4, More 4, E4, Film 4, 4 Seven, 4 Music)
• Live TV streaming
• Boxsets and classic TV and films
• Android has the capability for some content to be downloaded for offline us

The Cons Of All4

• Interface a little clunky and difficult to use at times
• High number of adverts make it feel like watching live TV
• Streaming can sometimes struggle in quality and speed, expect some buffering

6. Pluto TV

Pluto TV is one of the newer streaming services and is a great option for free movies and free TV, one of the best movie apps for Android.

It has hundreds of live TV channels, movies, and TV shows for you to stream on-demand.

The downside is that it is full of adverts, but the upside is, it is completely free!

Pluto TV is a rare mix of late-night television and YouTube; you never quite know what you’re going to find when you are flicking through the TV guide or searching for free movies.

The Pros Of Pluto TV

• Multiple movie stations for the film buff, including romance, comedy, horror etc.
• Hundreds of channels to browse
• Works on multiple devices
• No sign-up requirement before you can stream movies
• All free movies offer subtitles

The Cons Of Pluto TV

• You don’t get access to your local TV channels
• You have to contend with adverts
• Performance issues on a semi-regular basis
• No great search functionality
• Much of the content is niche or B-movie in status

7. Popcornflix

A free movie app for Android with over 1,000 titles currently and more being added every day, Popcornflix is a great option if you are looking for good quality movie streams without the cost. It is also home to a good mix of TV shows and fun, viral videos.

The Pros Of Popcornflix

• Over a thousand titles to choose from
• Alongside movies, you can also choose to watch a range of viral videos and TV shows

The Cons Of Popcornflix

• Plenty of ads to keep the content free
• Average to poor streaming quality with some buffering issues
• Poor interface

8. The Internet Archive

This is an absolute treasure trove that we are so happy to have found, it’s one of the best movie apps for Android going!

A large, free, digital library, The Internet Archive is home to an astonishingly large collection of culture.

You’ll find digital versions of books, games, old websites, and most crucially for this article, movies.

They are all movies that are in the Public Domain and so available to stream for free.

This does mean that most are really old, but an old film is more likely to be a classic of the genre, right?

The Pros Of Internet Archive

• Over 6,500 movies available for free
• Full-length feature films, short films, and documentaries available
• Great categorisation for simple use, including genres like horror, sci-fi, film noir, and comedy
• Number of curated collections included
• Users can download files for offline use

The Cons Of Internet Archive

• Niche and very old films available only, due to being in the Public Domain
• Do not expect to find any new releases like on any other streaming service

9. Plex

This one definitely makes our best movie apps for Android list!

Plex began life as a media streamer where you could upload, organise and watch your own media.

Due to its success, it has since launched the free Plex on-demand movie and TV platform and a Live TV section.

The Pros Of Plex

• Varied list of free movies and TV shows to choose from
• App is easy to use and runs smoothly with great interface
• Great place to find interesting films and sub-genres of movie
• Live TV section also includes movie channels

The Cons Of Plex

• UK content does not include many well-known movies
• Contains a lot of adverts
• Search functionality could be better

10. IMDB

Now, this isn’t a movie streaming app or website, but it is definitely one of our most-used apps.

For those in the know, IMDb is used pretty much every single day, to find out who that background actor is and what mid-00s British cop drama you’ve seen them in before!

Work out what other films this great director has done, look at trailers of upcoming films, view aggregated review scores before making a decision on a movie, or just scroll through the trivia attached to the film you’re currently watching.

The IMDb app for Android is free to use and is an insane database full of every actor, writer, director, cinematographer, musician, sound department, and lighting guys that have ever graced the planet.

Whatever you want to find out about a movie, IMDb has the answers at your fingertips.