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Free OTT apps in India that are legal, and what each one lets you watch

Free, legal streaming in India is real, but it works differently from paid OTT. Free apps and sections run on ads and lean on older films, TV episodes and live channels; new theatrical releases almost always sit behind a plan. Prasar Bharati's WAVES app is free outright. Prime Video absorbed MX Player in 2026 and now has a free, ad-supported section. SonyLIV and ZEE5 make some TV episodes and titles free with ads, aha has a free section, and film studios post full movies on their official YouTube channels. For paid apps, the nearest thing to a free subscription is a telecom bundle. This guide lists what each free option really offers, and when a cheap paid plan is the better deal.

Fully free app: WAVES
Free sections in: Prime Video, SonyLIV, ZEE5, aha
Cheapest paid plan: ₹79/mo

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Legal free OTT options and what’s free on each

Every option below is legal and ad-supported. What you get free varies a lot:

Free OTT apps and free sections in India
App	What’s free	The catch
WAVES (Prasar Bharati)	Films, shows and about 140 live TV channels; 24,000+ titles	Some premium content may be paid
Prime Video free section	Older films and shows with ads, formerly MX Player	New releases and Originals need Prime
SonyLIV	Episodes of Sony TV shows with ads, 24 hours after they air	Films, originals and sport need a plan
ZEE5	Titles in its free, ad-supported hub and festival promotions	Most films and originals need a pack
aha	A free section of Telugu and Tamil titles	New releases need a plan
YouTube	Full films on studios’ and labels’ official channels	Mostly older catalogue, with ads

Source: Daily Pioneer (WAVES, Jun 2026); Variety India (MX Player into Prime Video, May 2026); SonyLIV Help; ZEE5 blog; aha.video · as of 2026-10-12

WAVES, the free app from Prasar Bharati

WAVES is the public broadcaster's OTT app and the only major one that is free to use without a plan. It passed one crore users in June 2026 and carries more than 24,000 titles plus around 140 live channels, including Doordarshan. Expect classic Doordarshan serials, regional films, news and live TV rather than the latest blockbusters. Some premium content may cost extra, but the bulk of the app is free.

Pirated “free OTT” apps are not free

Apps and websites that stream new releases or paid originals for free are pirated. They are not on the Play Store or App Store for a reason: they are illegal, and they make money through intrusive ads, data harvesting and malware bundled into the download. Telegram channels sharing movie files work the same way. If an app promises every Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar title for nothing, it is pirated, and the cost turns up later as a compromised phone or account.

Free subscriptions that come with your recharge

Searching for a "free subscription" usually means a paid app you don't pay for directly. Telecom bundles are the legal way. Examples listed on 12 October 2026:

JioHotstar Mobile comes with most unlimited Jio prepaid plans from ₹319.
Netflix comes with Jio's ₹1,299 (Mobile) and ₹1,799 (Basic) prepaid plans, and Vi's ₹1,198 and ₹1,599 plans (Basic).
Prime Lite comes with Vi's ₹696 and ₹996 prepaid plans and Jio AirFiber plans from ₹599.
Apple Music for six months comes with selected Airtel prepaid plans such as ₹349 and ₹449, once per number.
Google AI Pro for 18 months is offered on Jio unlimited 5G plans from ₹349.

Bundles change often, so confirm the benefit in your operator's app before recharging. See Jio recharge plans and Airtel recharge plans.

When paying beats free

Free options cost nothing but come with ads, older catalogues and no new releases. The cheapest paid plans close most of that gap for very little: JioHotstar Mobile works out to about ₹42 a month on its annual plan, and ZEE5's single-language pack to about ₹50. If you want a TV and fewer ads, a shared plan is the next step. Browse open groups on Subspace to split a JioHotstar, Netflix or YouTube Premium plan and pay only your share. For service-by-service tips, see is Netflix free in India.

Monthly cost: free options vs the cheapest paid plans

Official prices checked 12 Oct 2026 (Netflix ₹149/month; Prime Lite ₹799/year; SonyLIV Mobile Only ₹699/year; ZEE5 language pack ₹599/year; JioHotstar Mobile ₹499/year). Annual prices divided by 12.

Monthly cost: free options vs the cheapest paid plans
Netflix Mobile	₹149
Prime Lite (annual)	₹67
SonyLIV Mobile Only (annual)	₹58
ZEE5 language pack (annual)	₹50
JioHotstar Mobile (annual)	₹42
WAVES / free sections	₹0

Frequently asked questions

Which OTT apps are free in India?

WAVES from Prasar Bharati is free. Prime Video, SonyLIV, ZEE5 and aha have free, ad-supported sections, and many studios post full films on their official YouTube channels.

Is WAVES OTT free?

Yes. WAVES is Prasar Bharati’s free OTT app, with more than 24,000 titles and around 140 live channels. Some premium content may be paid.

Is MX Player still free?

Amazon folded MX Player into Prime Video in 2026. Its free, ad-supported films and shows now sit in a free section of the Prime Video app.

Can I watch new movies free on OTT legally?

Rarely. New releases sit behind paid plans. The legal shortcut is a telecom bundle that includes the app, such as a Jio prepaid plan with JioHotstar Mobile.

How do I get a free OTT subscription?

Through a recharge that bundles one. On 12 October 2026, most Jio unlimited prepaid plans from ₹319 included JioHotstar Mobile, and some Jio and Vi plans included Netflix or Prime Lite.

Are free movie apps outside the Play Store safe?

No. Apps that stream paid content for free are pirated and commonly carry malware and data-harvesting ads. Stick to the official apps listed on this page.

Ready? Browse shared subscriptions

The legal free OTT apps in India: WAVES, Prime Video’s free section, SonyLIV, ZEE5, aha and official YouTube channels. What is free on each, and the catches.