How to Stream Free Movies With Kanopy Using Your Library Card

Streaming services keep raising their prices, and keeping up with multiple subscriptions adds up fast. Kanopy is one of the best-kept secrets in free entertainment: it's a streaming service completely free for anyone with a public library card, and it shows no ads during movies or documentaries.

Kanopy is funded by public libraries, which pay a small fee each time a patron watches a title. In return, their cardholders get access to a curated library of films — independent movies, foreign films, classic Hollywood cinema, award-winning documentaries, and educational content. The selection leans more toward thoughtful, acclaimed films rather than blockbusters, which makes it a great complement to services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

To use Kanopy, all you need is a library card from a participating library. Most public libraries in the United States participate — over 4,000 library systems are part of the Kanopy network. If your library doesn't participate yet, you can often request that they join through your library's website or by speaking with a librarian.

Each library sets a limit on how many films you can watch per month — typically around eight to ten "plays." Watching a short film uses one play; a full-length documentary or movie also uses one play. The counter resets each month, giving you a fresh allowance every month.

Kanopy also includes a separate section called "Kanopy Kids" with hundreds of children's films and educational series that do not count against your monthly play limit. Families with children get even more value from the service.

You can watch Kanopy in a web browser on any computer, through the Kanopy app on iPhone or Android, on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Chromecast. One account works across all your devices.