If you have ever visited 123movies to watch your favourite shows or series, you would know how cool it was in 2015. In fact, it was heaven for movie lovers as it had thousands of TV series and top shows you could watch without paying a cent. It had a whopping 98 million visitors per month. However, its pirated content and increasing popularity led to its demise, as it was taken down in 2018 after the intervention of global filmmaker companies like the Motion Pictures Association.
The service had its headquarters in Vietnam. The website has operated under multiple domain names, such as 123movies.to, 0123movies.net, and 123movies.la. In this article, we will discuss what has happened to 123movies, the best 123movies alternatives and a guide to TV shows and free movies.
What has happened to 123movies?
The long-term absence of the 123movies website has forced movie lovers to ask questions like, Has 123movies been shut down? 123movies waslabelled “the most visited illegal site in the world” by the Motion Picture Association’s executive vice president. Ithad an estimated monthly traffic of around 99 million users before it was forced to shut down in 2018.
Later, Hollywood industry executives started monitoring the website in 2016, along with other websites and services that encouraged the unauthorized release of films and television series. In a report sent to the Office of the U.S. Attorney that year, executives listed 123movies among the famous pirate sites. The American ambassador to Vietnam met with the country’s minister of information and communications in March 2017 to urge Vietnamese authorities to investigate and file charges against the site’s owners.
Does 123movies Still Work?
Several 123movies clone websites have been blocked in various countries. Fortunately, there are still many options available to you. If none of these websites are accessible from your current location, you will have no choice but to get a VPN. The list of working 123movies proxy websites is below so that you can enjoy free movies online. These websites are all up and running right now.
- 0123movie.net
- new-123movies.net
- new-123movies.live
- 0123movie.app
- 123movies.domains
Most 123movies mirrors and proxies occasionally disappear like flies, making them untrustworthy. It is better to go with the best 123movies alternatives in 2024. They are far morereliable than different clones and mirrors of 123movies.
Is 123movies Legit and Safe?
The 123movies mirror sites are cluttered with pop-ups, advertisem*nts, suspicious links, and possibly dangerous software. You should always be cautious while using clones since you never know who is behind them or what their intentions are. If you choose a safer 123movies alternative, you can avoid these risks.
Using 123movies to watch movies may or may not be legal, depending on where you live and how your country views copyright violations and piracy. Watching pirated content on internet streaming services is acceptable in different countries. However, it is illegal to download, stream, or distribute pirated content in most countries.
Safety Tips for Streaming 123movies Mirror Sites
Given the risks involved, protecting oneself when streaming on 123movies mirror sites is important. Here’s how to keep yourself safe when using 123movies or other similar websites for streaming:
- Set up reliable antivirus software: Make sure your device is running updated, reliable antivirus software. It helps identify and block malware that might infiltrate your device through bogus ads and links.
- Use aVPN: Your connection is encrypted when you use a VPN, which routes your traffic via a private server. Because of this, it is more difficult for outside parties to monitor your online activity or steal your data. Additionally, it stops criminals from spyingon you because of your streaming preferences.
- Verify the content you are downloading: Certain 123movies clones might provoke you to download software or media files. Since anything downloaded from these websites may contain malware, it is best to avoid them.
- Install an ad blocker: Malicious advertisem*nts are a major source of risk when using 123movies clone sites andstreaming services.Malicious adscan be fewer in number and less likely to appear when you use an ad blocker. SomeVPNs dohave ad blockers.
- Don’t share private information: Never enter financial or personal details on any 123movies mirror website. Some may try to provoke you with promises of exclusive offers or premium accounts, but this could be a trap to steal personal information.
- Install the latest software updates: Make sure that your computer’s OS, plugins, and browser are constantly updated. Cybercriminals often take advantage of loopholes in out-of-date software.
- Discover legal options: Use legitimate 123movies alternatives, if possible. Even while some may require a membership fee, they are safer and provide higher-quality content without the risks that come with 123movies clone websites.
8 Best 123movies Alternatives in 2024 (Free and Paid)
A free and authorized 123movies alternative is the best choice because there aren’t many reliable123movies mirrors. This way, you can watch free movies without worrying about viruses, hacking, or other legal implications from streaming unlicensed content. Here are the top 123moviesalternatives.
1. Popcornflix (Free)
Popcornflix is a popular streaming service that can be an alternative to 123movies. It is free and legal and offers movies and TV shows to watch on demand. Accessing the service does not require a subscription.
Since this website is free to use, it displays intrusive ads that may negatively impact the user experience. However, a reliable VPN can sort out this problem. A VPN’s built-in ad-blocker feature stops ads from flooding your screen.
2. Crackle (Free)
The list of free 123movies alternatives will be incomplete if we do not include Crackle. Crackle is a free and legal alternative for 123movies with a vast library of films and TV series. You can watch plenty of free content, including documentaries, TV series, shows, and fresh movies.
However, Crackle is only available in the U.S. To unblock it in your country, you can use a reliable VPN. For free legal movie streaming, all you have to do is establish a free account with a U.S. server. BANG!
3. YIFI (Free)
YIFY, or YTS, is a pirate movie site that offers the top new films, television series, songs, shows, and more. Although the service isn’t as functional as 123movies, movie lovers can download and enjoy movies for free.
The majority of the content on the website is pirated, which puts users at risk of fines in the U.S. and other countries. You can use VPNs to protect your privacy if you want to continue using the website.
4. Putlocker (Free)
Putlocker is yet another website with millions of users and massive daily traffic. Like 123movies, it offers consumers a fantastic content library and features.
Putlocker organizes movies and TV series by release date.The platform’s community constantly updates it, so you may find nearly any movie or TV show on it. However, the annoying ads might ruin your overall viewing experience.
5. FMovies (Free)
FMovies isone of the best123movies alternatives because it has no annoying ads that could interfere with your online experience. It’s reasonable to claim that FMovies’ layout resembles 123movies’ style.
The FMovieswebsite offers an extensive library of movies and shows. If you enjoyed 123movies, we suggest switching to FMovies since it flawlessly imitates 123movies. You can register to access exclusive content.
6. Netflix (Paid)
When it comes to paid 123movies alternatives, Netflix is the best in the business. Billions worldwide have subscribed to this service to access a wide range of content.
Here, you can enjoy movies, TV programs, shows, documentaries, stand-up comedy, and more. However, every library has geo-restrictions based on your country. Moreover, you can download and save your favourite movies and shows to watch them offline.
7. Amazon Prime (Paid)
Amazon Prime Video is a paidalternative to 123movies that viewers have preferred since it was blocked. Amazon is well-known for its several award-winning original films and television series, such as She Said, The Boys, and The Lost Flowers.
Amazon Prime Video offers original content in a wide range of categories. Before getting started, you must sign up for the service and pay for the subscription. You can then download content offline. Every episode is available in 4K, H.D., and UHD versions.
8. Hulu (Paid)
Hulu is anexcellent alternative for the 123movies. Hulu is among the biggest and oldest streaming services, much like Netflix. With over 40 million users in the United States, it provides a vast library of films, T.V. series, and Hulu Originals.
Hulu is only available in the United States, while Japan has access to a small collection. However, you can use a VPN to stream Hulu in your country. Hulu is ideal for people who want to watch original content and classic T.V. series.
Conclusion
The strong campaign of top filmmaker companies against the 123movies site marked its end in 2018. Since the actual 123movies site is no longer operational, most mirror sites have viruses, links, ads, and trackers that might risk your security. So, it is better to use 123movies alternatives, which are safe, free, and offer similar or even better contentwithout putting you at risk. Moreover, make sure your preferred streaming devices have antivirus software and an adblocker installed. Cheers!
