Looking for movies, TV shows, or games, but don’t want to pay a dime? Here’s a guide on how you can find such treasures quickly, safely, and most importantly, FOR FREE!
Step 1: Protection
Adblocker
Alright sailor, before you begin plundering you still need to defend your booty! Many “supplier” websites are covered in suspicious advertisements trying to infect you with malware. The best way to remove ninety-nine percent of these is to use an adblocker.
Personally, I use uBlock Origin due to its extensive ad blacklist, but there are many others like Adblock Plus or AdGuard.
VPN
Most of the time, the adblocker will be enough but if you feel like you need to protect your IP address you can also use a VPN. However, this will sometimes slow down the download speeds depending on your setup and which server you are downloading from. I suggest using OpenVPN with a free server from VPN Gate.
Common Sense
Finally, the last thing you need to stay safe is some common sense. If you expect a file that’s a few hundred megabytes or a few gigabytes but get one that’s much smaller then it’s most likely a virus. Some file hosting sites do a sketchy practice where you need to click the download button multiple times before getting the real file (ex. MegaUP). If your source has multiple mirrors, look for one that doesn’t try to serve you malware before the actual data.
Step 2: Sources
Now that your as* is covered, it’s time to set sail! If you’re going to plunder frequently it’s a good idea to build up a list of trustworthy distributors. There are multiple ways to find sites with the goods you desire, each with its benefits and risks.
Community Lists
A good place to start is a precompiled list of sites that others have found. I recommend the megathread on r/Piracy. It has links for nearly everything you would want and it’s subject to rigorous tests and checks. There is also a list of unsafe sites that you should take a look at.
Torrent Search Engines
Another good place to find “goods” is on a torrent search engine. There are quite a few of these and my favorite is 1337x.to. If you’re going to use 1337x though, be careful not to accidentally go on the fake clone 1377x.to. The downside to torrenting is that it requires seeders to do the file hosting, and unpopular torrents sometimes don’t have any or have very few. This makes download speeds slow or the files impossible to get, so don’t get your hopes up.
Google Searches
This is not recommended! Only do this if you are extremely desperate and out of options. Add keywords like “free”, “full”, or “download” to remove most paid results, and be sure to check the unsafe list before proceeding. You are sailing in uncharted waters so exercise caution wherever possible!
Step 3: Downloading
If you’re using a streaming site, then this step does not apply to you. Once you’ve found a source, it's time to get the files you want. If you are doing a direct download through your browser, it’s a good idea to use a download manager like FDM. These try to create multiple connections to the server to maximize download speeds.
FDM also supports torrenting but you can also use a dedicated app like qBittorrent for that. Dedicated software can speed up torrenting but don’t expect anything. Especially if the torrent has few seeders.
Step 4: Running
No not running from the police. This is how you should run any movies, music, or software you obtain. For any type of media file, use VLC media player to play it. VLC supports most video and audio codecs and can automagically distinguish between each one, letting it play anything you want it to.
As for software most of them will come as executables or installer packages. When first running anything, always exercise caution. If something doesn’t look right, close it immediately and check for anything suspicious on your computer. However, do note that some harmless programs will be flagged as dangerous by your antivirus. This is especially common with Steam games as the method used to “circumvent” Steam DRM is what gets flagged. If you are unsure, check the site’s reviews on Reddit or the megathread and if it looks ok then try it.
Set Sail!
That’s about all you’ll need to obtain the stuff you’re looking for. It will get easier the more you plunder but until then be careful of everything you click. Now set sail and find your treasure!
