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Find movies and TV shows online with WhereToWatch

The MPAA has launched a helpful site that shows you where you can legally stream, rent, purchase and otherwise watch what it is you want.

Matt Elliott Senior Editor
Matt Elliott is a senior editor at CNET with a focus on laptops and streaming services. Matt has more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing laptops. He has worked for CNET in New York and San Francisco and now lives in New Hampshire. When he's not writing about laptops, Matt likes to play and watch sports. He loves to play tennis and hates the number of streaming services he has to subscribe to in order to watch the various sports he wants to watch.
Expertise Laptops, desktops, all-in-one PCs, streaming devices, streaming platforms
Matt Elliott
2 min read

wheretowatch.jpg
Matt Elliott/CNET

To guide you to a legal viewing of a movie or TV show, the Motion Picture Association of America has come out with WhereToWatch, a website that shows you which services you can use to stream, rent, or purchase a movie or TV show. And for movies currently in theaters, it provides showtimes nearby.

WhereToWatch is similar to Can I Stream.it? that I covered last year with a few important distinctions. Can I Stream.it? has apps for iOS and Android, whereas WhereToWatch is only a website, but one that works as well on your phone as your laptop. WhereToWatch is also ad-free while you will run into the occasional ad on the other site.

The entertainment focus is also a bit different between the two services. WhereToWatch provides showtimes in your area for movies currently in theaters, a functionality that Can I Stream.it? lacks. For its part, however, Can I Stream.it? lets you know if a TV show is available on cable TV for Xfinity subscribers, which is something WhereToWatch does not do.

Between these two free services, however, you should be able to find out if an entertainment vehicle -- from a movie currently in theaters to an old TV show -- is available for your enjoyment.

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Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

WhereToWatch is labeled as beta, so it's not unreasonable to expect to encounter a few kinks in addition to the arrival of new features as we move forward. At present, WhereToWatch serves only the US and searches the following services: Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Flixster, Paramount Movies, Bravo Now, CNBC Full Episodes, E! Now, Esquire TV Now, Oxygen Now, Sprout Now, Syfy Now, ABC, ABC Family, Disney Movies Anywhere, Vudu, Xbox Video, Sundance Now, SnagFilms, Fandor, Wolfe on Demand, Target Ticket, Movies On Demand, Reelhouse, and IndieFlix.

Via Lifehacker.