GoStream, now known as 123Movies, is a streaming content and video file aggregator application that links visitors to offsite file locations.
GoStream, like others we’ve reviewed in 2022, is a file-sharing site that doesn’t make file copies to share. Instead, it refers you to the file’s location, wherever that may be. You click on the title you want to stream, and you’re linked to the file’s location. In this way, the site isn’t making a copy of the media, so it isn’t technically breaking the law.
But does this expose you to any risk?
Well, it depends.
“Whether it’s wrong or not, in a moral sense, you can ask your friends or your minister. But whether it’s illegal from a copyright viewpoint, the best answer is, probably not on an individual viewer basis,” says Jim Gibson, law professor and founder of the Intellectual Property Institute.
This is because you are neither sharing copywritten content nor copying it.
Downloading copywritten content is illegal because you are making a copy; however, streaming media is not because a new copy is not created.
Of course, streaming could be considered copying, even if the copy is only temporarily located in RAM, but we digress. In short, it could be more straightforward.
As always, this article shouldn’t be used for legal advice. Let’s see how GoStream performs and the drawbacks of this website.
Content Library
GoStream has a massive movie collection. Viewers can enjoy these titles for free. Every month around 500 thousand people visit GoStream. For example, as of this writing (2022), the following titles were available on GoStream’s landing page:
- Don’t Worry Darling
- Black Adam
- Matriarch
- Raymond and Ray
- Safe House
This isn’t the type of site that you’ll catch every new theatrical release on, but they have an excellent selection of fresh content.
No new TV shows are available
Despite the extensive movie collection, GoStream doesn’t feature any new TV shows. This is a drawback for all those TB show fans. Many of the series on GoStream are long-running, like NCIS, The Simpsons, and The Walking Dead. It’s something, but you won’t find titles like House of the Dragon.
However, if you are an avid movie lover, then GoStream is a good option.
Quick load times
Often, free OTTs are laggy and slow. These unresponsive websites spoil our movie-watching experience. However, Go breaks the mold here. It is fast, robust, and very responsive (relatively speaking). Once you hit play the content starts. Pretty awesome.
720p content
GoStream has most of the content available in 720p HD quality. It isn’t 1080p; however, it is more than enough for something free.
One-click play
The movie streaming experience on GoStream is terrific. When you click on a link, the movie starts to play, and there are no ads or pop-ups. It is a hassle-free and smooth experience. When viewing television series through their video player, a neat little interface allows you to toggle between episodes. We toggled between episodes 1, 2, and 3 of NCIS: Los Angeles. No problems. Pretty impressive for a free OTT.
Ad annoyance
GoStream’s website has several ad pop-ups. However, these ads do not interrupt you while watching a movie.
VPN Compatibility
GoStream is fully compatible with VPN. Hence, you can enjoy free movies, and you do not have to compromise your digital privacy.
Layout and design
The layout and design of GoStream are a little conventional and might feel outdated. However, it gets the job done. It is minimal, clean, and less intrusive than other free OTTs. It loads quickly, and the movie posters only exhaust resources while loading. And not to beat a dead horse, but in our two site tests, we didn’t experience any interruption in the viewing experience from navigation to link activation. It was very refreshing (again, for a free OTT that may be questionable for folks in the US to use).
Summary
GoStream is a great free movie-watching website that lets you stream movies in 720p with less intrusive ads. However, GoStream doesn’t feature any new TV shows to speak of.
Pros
- Less intrusive ads
- Fast and responsive
- Free
Cons
- No new TV shows are available
Related: What Is 123MoviesGo And Is It Safe?