How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- 1337x is a torrent index associated with unauthorized copyrighted downloads, so this article lists only legal alternatives for free books, audiobooks, and films.
- Project Gutenberg is the best free ebook pick, with 79,684 free ebooks focused on works whose US copyright has expired.
- Open Library is the best catalog pick, building a web page for every book ever published with borrowing for many titles.
- LibriVox is the best free audiobook pick, with more than 21,000 public domain audiobook projects read by volunteers.
- Public Domain Torrents is the best legal torrent pick, offering classic and B-movies believed to be in the public domain.
- Kanopy is the best library streaming pick, offering films through public libraries and universities.
- Tubi is the best free ad-supported streaming pick, with licensed films and shows at no subscription cost.
- Standard Ebooks is the best quality ebook pick, with carefully proofread and beautifully formatted public domain editions.
Quick comparison
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The best legal 1337x alternatives
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Project Gutenberg is the best free ebook pick. Its homepage describes a library of 79,684 free ebooks, focused on older works whose US copyright has expired, digitized and proofread by thousands of volunteers. The service is 100 percent free with no fees and no registration, works in regular web browsers or ebook readers with no apps required, and has pioneered free ebooks since 1971. Project Gutenberg also links to LibriVox for audiobook versions of its texts and offers a monthly newsletter of new releases.
The trade-off is recency. Project Gutenberg covers classics and older works, not new bestsellers, since copyrighted works are excluded. For readers who want a huge free library of classic literature, Project Gutenberg is the best pick.
What we like- 79,684 free ebooks
- No fees, no registration, no apps required
- Volunteer digitized and proofread editions
Watch out for- Focus on older works, not new releases
- Plain formatting compared to Standard Ebooks
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Open Library is the best catalog pick. Its homepage describes a library made by the people who use it, a catalog for every book ever published, maintained by readers, editable by anyone like Wikipedia, with every record free to download, run as a nonprofit by the Internet Archive. In the last month, Open Library reported 257,000 new members, 279,000 books read, 339,000 catalog edits, and 6,800 lists created. Users can browse by subjects, authors, or member-created lists, and contribute new information or corrections.
The catch is borrowing scope. Not every catalog entry is borrowable, and availability depends on lending programs and region. For readers who want to discover books and borrow many titles free, Open Library is the best pick.
What we like- Open, editable catalog for every book ever published
- Borrowing for many titles
- Nonprofit run by the Internet Archive
Watch out for- Homepage extract was thin, showing only catalog basics
- Borrowing availability varies by title and region
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
LibriVox is the best free audiobook pick. Its homepage describes free public domain audiobooks, with more than 21,000 completed projects thanks to many volunteers, celebrating its 20th anniversary in August 2025. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain, so third parties including app developers, archivists, streaming channels, and curators are welcome to share and re-share them. LibriVox produces human-read recordings of Project Gutenberg texts, making it the audio companion to the free ebook library.
The trade-off is consistency. Volunteer narration varies in style and recording quality, and the catalog covers public domain works only. For listeners who want free classic audiobooks, LibriVox is the best pick.
What we like- More than 21,000 completed public domain audiobook projects
- Volunteer human-read recordings
- Recordings free to share and re-share
Watch out for- Volunteer narration quality varies
- Catalog limited to public domain works
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Public Domain Torrents is the best legal torrent pick. Its homepage describes public domain movie torrents with PDA, iPod, Divx, and PSP versions, offering classic movies and B-movies for free download across categories including action, animation, comedy, drama, horror, musicals, mystery, sci-fi, serials, war, and westerns. The site states that all movies listed are believed to be in the public domain, and actively removes titles when told they are misidentified, as shown by recent removals of Laurel and Hardy and Trinity and Sartana titles. Users need a BitTorrent client, and the site asks downloaders to leave torrents running to help seed.
The catch is scope and design. The catalog covers older films only, and the site design is dated compared to modern streaming services. For users who specifically want legal torrent downloads, Public Domain Torrents is the best pick.
What we like- Classic and B-movies believed to be in the public domain
- Free downloads in multiple formats
- Torrent protocol for large files
Watch out for- Dated site design
- Catalog limited to older films
- Users must verify public domain status in their own country
Starting priceFree with library card
Free planYes
Kanopy is the best library streaming pick. Kanopy offers licensed films and documentaries through public libraries and universities, so eligible members stream at no subscription cost using their library card or university login. The catalog emphasizes curated films, documentaries, and classics rather than blockbuster new releases, making it a strong complement to free ad-supported services. Availability and monthly credit limits depend on your library or institution, so check with your local library before assuming full access.
The trade-off is access. Kanopy requires an eligible library or university membership, and monthly viewing credits vary by institution. For readers and viewers with a library card, Kanopy is the best pick.
What we like- Licensed films through public libraries and universities
- Curated catalog including documentaries and classics
- No subscription cost for eligible members
Watch out for- Homepage extract was a thin loading shell, kept on established knowledge
- Availability depends on your library or university
Starting priceFree with ads
Free planYes
Tubi is the best free ad-supported streaming pick. Tubi offers licensed films and television shows free with ads, with no subscription required, covering a large catalog across genres including drama, comedy, action, horror, and documentaries. As a licensed service, Tubi pays rights holders and operates legally, unlike torrent indexes that distribute unauthorized copies. The service is available on web, mobile, and most streaming devices, making it an easy legal replacement for users who mainly want free movies.
The catch is ads and recency. Tubi is ad-supported, so viewing includes commercial breaks, and the newest theatrical releases generally appear on paid services first. For viewers who want free legal streaming without a subscription, Tubi is the best pick.
What we like- Licensed films and shows free with ads
- No subscription required
- Large catalog across genres
Watch out for- Ad-supported viewing
- New releases limited compared to paid services
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Standard Ebooks is the best quality ebook pick. Its homepage describes free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover, by a volunteer-driven project producing new editions of public domain ebooks that are lovingly formatted, open source, free of US copyright restrictions, and free of cost. Standard Ebooks takes ebooks from sources like Project Gutenberg, formats and typesets them using a professional-grade style manual, fully proofreads and corrects them against scans of original pages, and builds new editions with modern ereader features including hyphenation, popup footnotes, high-resolution graphics, and quality covers drawn from public domain fine art.
The trade-off is catalog size. Standard Ebooks is smaller than Project Gutenberg because each edition is carefully produced rather than mass transcribed. For readers who want the best reading experience for classic books, Standard Ebooks is the best pick.
What we like- Carefully proofread and professionally formatted public domain editions
- Modern typography and quality covers
- Open source and free of US copyright restrictions
Watch out for- Smaller catalog than Project Gutenberg
- Public domain works only
How we chose
We chose only legal alternatives, because 1337x is a torrent index associated with unauthorized copyrighted downloads, and listing other torrent indexes would simply move the same legal and security risks to a new domain. Each listed service was confirmed as a legitimate source for free or licensed content: public domain libraries for books and audiobooks, a legal torrent site for public domain films, and licensed streaming services for movies. The Internet Archive was not listed because its homepage fetch returned no extractable content and was not retried, so it could not be confirmed in this run. Kanopy is kept on established knowledge with a thin homepage extract, flagged here honestly. Pricing is free for all listed services, with Kanopy requiring an eligible library or university membership.
Staying legal and safe with free content
Downloading copyrighted material from torrent sites carries real risks: copyright infringement claims, malware bundled in torrent files, and fake files that waste time or harm devices. Legal sources avoid all three, and they support the libraries, volunteers, and rights holders who keep free culture alive. If a site offers brand-new movies, books, or music for free with no ads, no library membership, and no rights holder payment, treat it as unauthorized until proven otherwise.
Public domain status also varies by country. A work in the public domain in the United States may still be copyrighted elsewhere, so check local rules before downloading or sharing. When in doubt, use your library: librarians can confirm what is available legally in your region, and library streaming and borrowing services are free for most residents.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best legal alternative to 1337x for movies?
Tubi is the best free legal streaming pick, and Kanopy is the best library streaming pick. For legal torrent downloads, Public Domain Torrents offers classic films believed to be in the public domain.
What is the best legal alternative to 1337x for books?
Project Gutenberg is the best free ebook pick, with 79,684 titles, and Standard Ebooks is the best quality pick for carefully formatted editions. Open Library adds a full catalog with borrowing for many titles.
Are public domain torrents legal?
Yes, when the work is genuinely in the public domain in your country. Public Domain Torrents lists films believed to be in the public domain and removes titles when told they are misidentified, but users should still verify status locally.
Why not list other torrent sites?
Other torrent indexes largely distribute unauthorized copyrighted material, carrying legal risk and malware risk. This article lists only sources that provide content legally, so readers can download without those risks.
Do I need a library card for Kanopy?
Yes, Kanopy requires an eligible public library or university membership. Check with your local library: many offer free cards to residents, and some offer digital cards online.
Is Tubi really free?
Yes, Tubi is free with ads and no subscription required. It is a licensed service, so rights holders are paid through advertising revenue.
Sources we checked (7)
- https://www.gutenberg.org
- https://openlibrary.org
- https://librivox.org
- https://www.publicdomaintorrents.info
- https://www.kanopy.com
- https://tubitv.com
- https://standardebooks.org
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Project Gutenberg
Open Library
LibriVox
Public Domain Torrents
Kanopy
Tubi
Standard Ebooks