If you’re a fan of free media-streaming services, you’ve probably heard about ShowBox. It’s one of the best alternatives to subscription-based apps like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, providing you with an easy and smooth user interface to browse its massive library of TV series and movies. Aside from that, ShowBox partners with several torrent sites and clients to stream content for viewers. However, ShowBox eventually stopped working in 2018, preventing users from accessing its library of content. In this article, we find out what happened to ShowBox and suggest a list of the best ShowBox alternatives you can download.
Also Read: Free Movie Apps You Should Try Out
What is ShowBox?
ShowBox is a free movie app and has a wide variety of movies and tv shows in its library. Aside from mainstream movies and TV shows, you can also stream various genres of movies and the latest TV shows. Moreover, ShowBox allows patrons to stream channels at the highest resolution possible.
The ShowBox app was supported by casting apps like Chromecast and AirPlay. You can also stream ShowBox using different screens. Despite the issues surrounding the app in terms of intellectual property, this third-party app was 100% safe to use.
Why Is ShowBox Not Working?
If you do not know it yet, ShowBox has already been banned in many countries, following pressures from movie studios with claims of intellectual rights breaches. This has left many users reeling and while ShowBox tried to relaunch itself under a different name, access has not been easy to come by. While other ShowBox alternatives have popped out, they are also plagued with issues like malware and viruses.
Similarly in 2018, many people have reported that ShowBox has stopped working, but that was because of software issues. With few updates, it was later able to come back, alive and kicking. This time though, ShowBox is coming up against more serious litigation — no less than copyright suits. This is the main reason why it stopped working on global servers.
Other people say that ShowBox didn’t really shut down but moved to a new app and website. We won’t confirm this either as many third-party apps are claiming to be ShowBox, asking fees for access to their contents that are not even close to the original ShowBox. If you find a ShowBox APK, download at your own risk, and be wary of malware that comes along when you install apps from unknown sources.
11 Best ShowBox Alternatives
If you’re one of those hopeful individuals who’ve encountered the “ShowBox not working” error and prefer to employ a similar service, there are many alternatives that you can explore. Although these alternatives don’t completely replicate ShowBox’s service, you can still enjoy free streaming services using these alternatives.
Check out the list of best apps like ShowBox we’ve compiled below.
DisclaimerThis information shall not be interpreted as an endorsement of any mobile apps or any specific provider, service, or offer unless it’s stated. The content in this article is provided as a convenience for our users only. CellularNews does not condone piracy.
1. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is our top pick for the best Showbox alternative for two reasons — it is free and it is legal. Owned by ViacomCBS, this movie app is the go-to place for movie junkies looking to binge-watch, cost-free. For its on-demand service, Pluto TV has classic masterpieces like the James Bond movies, Mean Girls, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Ghosts. It also has some of the most followed TV series in history like Hell’s Kitchen, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and The Addams Family.
Besides movie streaming, Pluto TV also offers a live TV service. With over 200 channels, you cannot run out of shows to watch whether you are looking for news, sports, kid shows, or classic TV.
Since Pluto TV is completely free, it plays ads for 20-30 seconds in between movies and shows to earn revenue and keep the service alive. That said, Pluto TV’s commercial breaks are still shorter than your usual cable TV.
Download Pluto TV on Google Play Store
Download Pluto TV on App Store
Read on our Pluto TV guide to know how to fully enjoy this service.
2. Peacock TV
PeacockTV is NBCUniversal’s Pluto TV equivalent. The app also offers free movie streaming, making it a great alternative to Showbox. Under its hood are some of the most loved comfort movies across generations, like the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, One True Thing, and 50 First Dates. It also has more exciting and edgier film franchises like John Wick, American Pie, and Fifty Shades. In terms of TV, the app has all of NBC’s original shows like The Office, Will & Grace, and This Is Us. Of course, its various news programs are also present, including Today and Nightly News.
The only letdown of PeacockTV is that not all its content is available for free. Some movies and shows need premium access which starts at $4.99 per month. PeacockTV also gets rid of ad interruptions.
Download Peacock TV on Google Play Store
Download Peacock TV on Google Play Store
3. Tubi TV
Tubi TV offers 100% free viewing of movies and TV series in full HD. It has an impressive content catalog with new releases available on its platform every week. Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks is that the service is only available in the US. But if you are a tech geek, though you do not really have to be one, you would know that getting the best VPN for Android and iOS would help you bypass the geo-block in place and access the service right away by connecting to servers in the US.
This app has also been made a legit pick after FOX acquired Tubi for $440 million, which effectively increased its active users by approximately 25 million.
4. Stremio
Stremio is one of the best ShowBox alternatives that allow you to stream content legally. You read that right! This has been made possible when Stremio branched out to popular streaming services like Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Videos, and others to gather data from their library and have them all streamed without a legal hitch. This is also quite convenient for those with already paid subscriptions but having a hard time looking for their favorite TV shows or movies. Also, the app is free to download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You’ll definitely have fun with this app. After all, this app supports subtitles and Chromecast.
5. Crackle
With over 20 million users, Crackle is one of the most popular ShowBox alternatives that features a massive catalog of TV shows and movies for streaming. Although it’s a web-based service, Crackle offers a similar experience to traditional ShowBox alternative apps. Developed by Sony, Crackle provides you with the opportunity to stream TV shows and movies for free in HD. Aside from that, the website lets you watch unedited and uncut TV shows and exclusive Hollywood movies.
With Crackle, you can add specific movies or TV shows in a playlist for quick and convenient access. Crackle is also integrated with a variety of languages, making it easy to access subtitles in your preferred language.
6. Kodi
With Kodi, you can access a diverse range of live TV, TV shows, movies, songs, photos, and even gaming content. The app also lets you customize your themes, offering a more personalized approach.
The only downside of Kodi is its steep learning curve. For non-techies and beginners, Kodi can be challenging to set up on your device. As a multiplatform service, Kodi’s streaming service is compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows computers and mobile devices.
7. Vudu
Vudu, Walmart’s digital video store, now also offers a cost-free movie and TV streaming service to US households. It gives users access to more than 10,000 ad-supported titles that can be watched on HD using any online-connected device. Some of the most-watched movies on the platform are One Army, Apocalypto, Empire State, and MILF. There are also over 300 TV shows present on the platform including The Girls Next Door, Dance Academy, Transformers Prime, and Archangel.
You can log in on Vudu using your FandangoNow or Walmart account. If you have neither of those, you can also create an account using a standard email.
Download Vudu on Google Play Store
Also read: What is Vudu and How To Use It on Mobile
8. Hulu
Hulu is a streaming service that has a partnership with Disney+. That means subscribers can get both Disney+ and Hulu as part of a bundle plan. Furthermore, Hulu makes it one of the best ShowBox alternatives as it exhibits the same features, but what sets it apart from ShowBix is the availability of titles that are otherwise not available on other platforms. Such is the case for Hulu original mini, limited series, and documentaries. Hulu does produce great content like the documentary Naughty Books and the adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale.
The only drawback, which isn’t a drawback 100%, is that Hulu only has an app for iOS devices but is also accessible online. This means Android device users can still access Hulu via their mobile browsers. This makes the streaming service accessible anytime, anywhere.
Related: 5 Ways to Get a Free Hulu Account Right Now
9. Plex
Plex is a media server by nature that allows you to access your media collection from different devices in a single place. However, the app is also a good streaming alternative because of its movie and TV show collections.
There are a lot of unpopular and classic films that comprise the majority of Plex’s library. Moreover, its collection grew in recent years, thanks to its partnership with entertainment companies like Warner Bros., Lionsgate, and Crackle. Nowadays, you can find on the platform some hits like Train to Busan, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Labor Day. Of course, some of the classics remain on the app such as Sherlock Jr., Walking Tall, and Cat Ballou.
Download Plex on Google Play Store
Read on our guide to know more about Plex.
10. Hoopla Digital
Hoopla Digital is a unique Showbox alternative simply because it allows content access. Firstly, it’s a full-blown online library that lets you borrow different types of digital content such as audiobooks, ebooks, music, and of course, videos. Under the video category, Hoopla Digital has a bunch of movies and TV shows, as well as some kids’ TV.
You can download the content that you borrow for offline viewing for free, which you are given up to 72 hours to watch. However, the greatest deal-breaker Hoopla Digital is that you need a public library membership to stream your favorite shows. Without it, using the app would be impossible.
Download Hoopla Digital on Google Play Store
Download Hoopla Digital on App Store
11. Thought Maybe
Thought Maybe is the best of two worlds for people who like to get entertained and learn at the same time. This Showbox alternative is composed mainly of documentary films revolving around topics that shape and challenge the world such as dominant culture, history, government, and science and technology.
The online library has collections from both established and independent documentary makers. It supports the Creative Commons ideas, which means everyone can share and obtain content on the platform guilt-free. It also doesn’t run advertising and is completely non-profit. Thought Maybe, however, doesn’t have a mobile app, but you can access it on any mobile browser.
One Last Thought on ShowBox Alternatives
With ShowBox’s nature, you may wonder if the above alternatives are legal to download and use. Since the concept of ShowBox is providing free streaming services to its users, it becomes an easy target for violating intellectual property rights and anti-piracy laws in many countries.
Accessing, copying, and distributing content without the proper license is considered unlawful. Both private and government sectors can’t thoroughly oversee all torrenting activities; hence, some countries are proactive in suspending torrenting services.
ShowBox’s popularity of service has made the company an obvious target for governments, film/TV producers, and movie studios. Due to the stringent restrictions of such services, you should consider using a reliable VPN to hide your online identity and protect your activities. With a VPN service, your actual location is hidden every time you access a free streaming platform or torrenting service.
Aside from masking your current location, VPNs keep your sensitive information protected while accessing torrent files and the internet. ExpressVPN is one such VPN service you can consider to protect your privacy while streaming content through the web. With that said, pick out one of our ShowBox alternatives and get right back to streaming your favorite TV shows and movies today!
