Alternatives · Streaming

Free apps and websites like Netflix that are legal in India

Netflix has no free plan in India; its cheapest option is Mobile at ₹149 a month. If you want something to watch without paying, there are legal, ad-supported apps and websites that carry full films and series, and they are a far safer bet than piracy sites. The biggest is Amazon MX Player, which is free with ads. Prasar Bharati’s WAVES app streams Doordarshan’s archive and live channels, studios put full films on YouTube, and JioHotstar lets non-subscribers watch a limited selection. Below is what each offers, how the cheapest paid apps compare with Netflix, and how to pay less for Netflix itself if nothing else will do.

Netflix from: ₹149/month
JioHotstar from: ₹79/month
Amazon MX Player: Free with ads

Join a group and split the cost Get the app

Netflix plans on Subspace right now

Live Netflix listings on Subspace
Plan	Price	Members	Per member
Standard Plan	₹499	2	₹250
Premium Plan	₹649	4	₹163

Source: Subspace marketplace (updates hourly)

Premium Plan: what each person pays per month

Per-member share = plan price ÷ group size, as listed on Subspace.

Premium Plan: what each person pays per month
Paying alone	₹649
Shared by 4	₹163

Join an existing group or start your own on the Netflix groups page.

Free streaming apps and websites that are legal

Amazon MX Player. Amazon’s free, ad-supported service, formed when Amazon combined MX Player with miniTV. It has Indian web series, films and dubbed international shows, and works through its own app, the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video and Fire TV. The closest free equivalent to Netflix for series.
WAVES (Prasar Bharati). The public broadcaster’s streaming app, launched in late 2024, with live TV channels and Doordarshan’s archive of classic shows. Most of it is free; a small section is paid.
YouTube. Film studios and music labels upload full-length Indian films to their official channels, free with ads. YouTube also rents and sells newer films.
JioHotstar free tier. Non-subscribers can watch a limited selection with ads. Most series, films and full live sports need a paid plan.

All of these also work in a web browser, so they double as free websites like Netflix. For a longer list, see free OTT apps in India.

How they compare with Netflix

Free apps trade money for ads and a smaller, older library. If you want new releases, the cheapest paid plans in India now cost a fraction of Netflix.

Free and low-cost alternatives to Netflix in India
App	Cheapest way in	Ads	Good for
Amazon MX Player	Free	Yes	Indian web series, dubbed international shows
WAVES	Free, small paid section	Yes	Doordarshan classics, live TV channels
YouTube	Free; rentals cost extra	Yes	Older Indian films on studio channels
JioHotstar	Limited free tier; Mobile ₹79/month	Yes on Mobile and Super	Live sports, Indian and Hollywood series
SonyLIV	Mobile Only ₹699/year	On sports and some shows	Sports, Sony and SAB shows, originals
Amazon Prime Lite	₹799/year	Yes	Recent Indian films, plus Amazon delivery
Netflix	Mobile ₹149/month	No	International originals, binge series

Source: Amazon MX Player (Amazon, 2026); JioStar press release (Jan 2026); SonyLIV Helpdesk; amazon.in/amazonprime; Netflix Help Center · as of 2026-10-12

Cheapest paid apps, per month

Yearly plans bring the monthly cost of several apps well below Netflix Mobile. JioHotstar Mobile on a yearly plan works out to under a third of Netflix Mobile per month, which is why many people keep one cheap app and pick up Netflix only for big releases.

Lowest monthly cost of paid streaming apps

Yearly plans divided by 12. Mobile plans work on one phone at a time. Official prices as of 12 Oct 2026.

Lowest monthly cost of paid streaming apps
JioHotstar Mobile (yearly)	₹42
SonyLIV Mobile Only (yearly)	₹58
Prime Lite (yearly)	₹67
JioHotstar Mobile (monthly)	₹79
Netflix Mobile	₹149
Netflix Basic	₹199

Why to skip piracy sites

Sites that stream new Netflix shows for free are illegal, and India toughened penalties for film piracy in the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023. They also earn money from aggressive pop-ups and fake download buttons, which are a common route for malware and phishing pages that ask for your phone number or card details. The legal free apps above carry ads too, but they don’t try to install anything on your phone.

Paying less for Netflix itself

If the shows you want are only on Netflix, there are three honest ways to pay less:

Pick the smallest plan you need. Mobile (₹149) for one phone, Basic (₹199) for one TV in HD.
Subscribe for a month, then pause. Netflix bills monthly with no lock-in, so you can binge a season and cancel.
Share within your household. Netflix allows one household per account, so a Standard or Premium plan split among flatmates or family costs each person far less. Subspace’s Netflix groups help you split the payment.

Read is Netflix free in India for offers bundled with mobile and broadband plans, or compare Amazon Prime vs Netflix.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best free apps like Netflix?

Amazon MX Player is the closest free equivalent, with Indian web series, films and dubbed shows supported by ads. WAVES (Prasar Bharati), YouTube studio channels and JioHotstar’s limited free tier are other legal options.

Are there free websites like Netflix that are legal?

Yes. Amazon MX Player, WAVES, YouTube and JioHotstar all work in a browser. Sites that stream new Netflix or theatrical releases for free are piracy sites; they are illegal and often push malware.

Is JioHotstar free?

Partly. Non-subscribers can watch a limited selection with ads. Most content and full live sports need a plan, starting at ₹79/month for Mobile.

Is Amazon MX Player really free?

Yes. Amazon describes it as a free, ad-supported streaming service. You can watch without a subscription in its own app, the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video or on Fire TV.

Is Netflix free in India?

No. Netflix has no free or ad-supported plan in India. The cheapest plan is Mobile at ₹149/month. Some telecom and broadband plans bundle Netflix, which is the only legitimate way to get it without paying Netflix directly.

Which paid app is cheapest compared with Netflix?

JioHotstar Mobile at ₹499/year, the lowest monthly cost of any paid app here. SonyLIV Mobile Only (₹699/year) and Prime Lite (₹799/year) are close behind.

Ready? Join a group and split the cost

Legal free apps and websites like Netflix in India: Amazon MX Player, WAVES, YouTube and JioHotstar’s free tier, plus paid plans from ₹79/month.