Is AZMovies safe and legal in 2022? What are the alternatives available?

AZMovies is an online motion picture streaming website featuring an extensive catalog. Almost every movie is there for you to see. This is a website built with true movie fans in mind. It boasts more than 70 genres, from Action, Horror, War-based, to anything you’ve ever heard about or imagined.

One of the best things about AZMovies is that it’s alive! The updates keep coming daily, so new releases are available all the time. Also, if the site’s curators are missing something, you can file a request yourself, so the movie you had in mind becomes available online.

AZMovies (commonly thought to mean A to Z movies) is a website for serious cinema enthusiasts who do not care to miss even a single title. The site grants its users full access to its massive A to Z list of movies that no fan can possibly ignore.

In this article, we’ll tell you all you need to know about AZMovies. Is it legal? How can you use it safely? Are there any legal alternatives to this website? Keep reading; we will provide you with answers to those questions and many more!

AZMovies: A general panorama

Video streaming is all the rage these days. This segment of digital activities was already increasing rapidly before 2020. But then the Covid-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, created an unprecedented demand for home entertainment, and every video streaming platform on the Internet exploded. Some more than others, depending on what they offer to the public — and AZMovies offers basically everything.

AZMovies’ claim to fame is two-pronged: the title catalog it offers is massive, and it’s 100% free of charge. So the website has gathered a large user base of movie enthusiasts who like that they can find every movie they ever wanted to see in a single place without paying any fees.

All these free benefits, of course, can make people a bit suspicious and raise some questions about the site. Is the site legal? Is it safe to watch the site’s content? If it’s not that safe to use it, is there any way to minimize the risks? Are there any alternatives that can offer a similar experience without the risks or in a fully legal way?

The answers to those questions will vary with your location, for the most part — although one solution will be universal: use a VPN to watch this site, NordVPN, preferentially. But we get ahead of ourselves — more on that later, though.

Let’s tackle each issue individually.

Is it legal to use AZMovies?

The answer depends on the jurisdiction you inhabit. We’ve seen no proof that AZMovies has paid for the worldwide distribution rights of any content it offers on its website. Hence, it follows that all of the site’s content is pirated by any meaningful definition of the word. But that in itself doesn’t make it illegal.

You see, piracy isn’t illegal in every country. And even in many countries where it’s outlawed, it’s not actively prosecuted by the government. 

Consider the countries of the world by their stance on piracy. There are three possibilities:

• Piracy is legal or allowed as long as it’s limited to personal use, and you do not profit from distributing copyrighted material.
• Piracy is illegal, and it’s actively prosecuted and punished whenever the government catches the offenders red-handed.
• Piracy is illegal, but individuals rarely run into legal problems because of this type of activity because the government has much more urgent issues requiring its attention and resources.

It would behoove you to know what is your government’s stance on piracy, of course, but we can give you some orientation. Switzerland, Spain, and Poland have the most advanced legislation regarding copyright. Therefore, you can enjoy the use of any copyrighted material, even without paying for it, as long as you keep it strictly for your personal use and do not attempt to monetize it.

Then there are the countries that proscribe the use or possession of any copyrighted material that you haven’t paid for, and that will punish you actively as soon as they have the chance. The United States and China are the most well-known jurisdictions in this group, but they’re far from alone. South Africa, Russia, Portugal, Latvia, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Finland, and Australia are also on this list.

Naturally, you don’t want to get caught breaking the copyright laws in any of these countries because you will have to face a punishment that can go from a fine to time in jail, depending on the country in question. But is it very likely for you to get caught? As a general rule, no, but you shouldn’t take any unnecessary risks. Caution will go a long way, and there are good ways for you to enjoy any website you want without risking your rights or freedom.

The third group of countries includes those that pay homage to the principle of copyright and intellectual property but do little or nothing to enforce it. This list comprises Uruguay, Slovenia, Slovakia, Singapore, Romania, Philippines, Netherlands, Mexico, Iran, Israel, India, Greece, Egypt, Denmark, Czech Republic, Colombia, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil.

The previous paragraphs should give you a good idea about where you stand on the issue of AZMovies’ legality according to your country. As you can see from the three lists, using this website is illegal in most countries. But that doesn’t mean it can get you in trouble unless you live in one of the jurisdictions that have adopted the more rigid stances against piracy.

Before we move forward, let’s tackle an issue in any users’ minds: is downloading a movie the same as streaming it in terms of legality and copyright? Some think that since when you’re streaming a movie, you don’t end up owning a file that includes the content, streaming can’t possibly be such a big deal as holding an illegal copy of a movie. This is just silly. Streaming a movie is downloading it!

It’s a different type of download in which you’re not creating a local file to store the film. Instead, the download feeds the cache in your browser or media player, and it’s happening in real-time. But it’s still a download, and if you think that getting subtle about owning the file is going to get you out of legal trouble if you get caught, then you’re in for a surprise.

Don’t try to fool yourself. Streaming copyrighted material is no different than downloading in any meaningful sense, even if you don’t end up with a copy for later use. If you want a more graphic example, it’s like when you are streaming a movie, you’re downloading a torrent. You choose the torrent, add it to your cue, finish it, watch it, and then delete it as soon as you’re done with it. Streaming a movie is the exact same process, except you’re previewing your downloading torrent in real-time.

What are the legal consequences of streaming movies from AZmovies?

The legal consequences of streaming the content on AZMovies differ from country to country because the stance on copyright laws varies too. Let’s take Germany as an example. If the authorities find you downloading copyrighted content, you’ll get a serious fine. However, you could get away with a warning in many other countries.

Granted, it’s much harder to prosecute streamers because the streaming process leaves almost no evidence behind once it’s concluded. But an IP address can be tracked easily, so it’s still a risky proposition.

However, not many governments make much of an effort to find and prosecute Internet users watching illegal movie streams. For the most part, when a government actively fights this issue, it will go against the source (AZMovies, in this case) rather than against the individual users. However, some countries sometimes crackdown on copyright infringement, which can be very aggressive. A fine could reach you in the mail, and it could be a severe financial setback.

We understand why users like free movie websites. We like movies too! However, some risks are just not worth it. And as far as we are concerned, there is nothing more important than keeping ourselves safe when we’re online. Does that mean you must give up your AZMovies entertainment? No, it instead means that you have to learn to be careful.

Can I enjoy AZMovies more safely?

Let’s be clear about one thing: if AZMovies is illegal in your country and using it means that you are running a considerable and unnecessary risk to your freedom or finances, you must rest assured that we do not condone the use of the website in your country. However, there are plenty of countries where streaming films from AZMovies carries no risk or criminal implications. So if you are in one of those jurisdictions, there’s no reason for you to deny yourself the pleasure of unlimited free movie content.

And in those countries where using AZMovies is allowed, you should still strive to have a safer experience. It would be best to consider protecting yourself from third-party observers that could be tracking your activities, viruses, malware, malicious websites, and other digital risks that you could be facing as an AZMovies user.

You need to implement two security measures immediately if you haven’t done it already. First, you need to have excellent and reliable antivirus software installed on the device you use to browse around AZMovies. Second, you must get an account with a top-notch VPN service.

The best VPN for video streaming is NordVPN. It’s potent, versatile, safe, and cost-effective. A VPN like NordVPN encrypts all of your incoming and outgoing traffic. Everything you do goes through a server in the VPN network. This has two effects. First, any external observer won’t know what you’re doing. They will just be able to tell that you’re connected to a single server on the Internet all the time. But because of the encryption, they will have no idea about what you’re doing at all, let alone streaming movies.

If you adopt the antivirus/VPN combo (and, before you ask, yes, you will need to pay for both things; otherwise, they will give you a service worthy of what it’s costing), then you will be as well protected as possible from malware and external spies of all types.

The VPN will make you anonymous. It will hide your video streaming activities from everybody (even the AZMovies website itself, as it will think you’re hailing from an IP address other than yours). So this neat little tool could enable you to stream your AZMoves safely even in the most authoritarian anti-piracy countries. You could never get caught as long as you stay within the VPN’s secure tunnel. However, our advice would remain for you to find out your jurisdiction’s stance on copyright and act accordingly. Ask a lawyer if you must, but do not take safety risks.

How dangerous is it to watch movies from AZMovies?

If you’ve read this far, you must already have an idea if you’re allowed to use AZMovies where you live. We have not discussed security risks in detail, except that we’ve mentioned fines.

So, how safe is AZMovies? Assessing the safety of a website like this isn’t very easy. The answer hangs from factors that are not evident from the outside and remain controlled by who hosts the website.

A website’s owner can use its web pages to distribute malicious software. Ads are a persistent means of delivery for malware. That same owner can configure the website to track your data and your activities within site.

It can even use its web pages to read the content from cookies that other websites have left in your browser. No, we’re not saying that we know AZMovies to engage in any of those fishy practices. Instead, we’re saying that you shouldn’t assume that any website is safe to use just because you like the content it offers. In any case, even if AZMovies was unsafe in each of the ways we mentioned, if your antivirus is online and you are connected through your VPN, you will remain safe anyway.

Beware of mirrors

When a website reaches the status of AZMovies, mirrors keep popping up around the web. It’s unavoidable. A mirror is an almost exact copy of the original site with the same capabilities. Every mirror attempts to look as authentic as the original site. But they’re not. They’re hosted by somebody else, and the mirror’s owner can use them to spread malware, inject viruses through ads, and do any of the nasty things we have already mentioned.

Our advice is for you to avoid using mirrors completely. If you have to use them, make sure you have an antivirus and a VPN active on your device.

Can a VPN really keep me safe on AZMovies?

So by now, you have seen how the movies you can stream from AZMovies can be free of charge but not of hazards. So one has to wonder if watching this content on this website is even worth it? The answer is yes. You have nothing to worry about if you ensure the necessary security measures to protect your devices and local networks from any external threats. And the best security measure you can implement is using a good VPN.

The encryption in top VPNs today is AES 256-bit. This is not only the commercial, industrial standard. It’s also the military standard worldwide and the intelligence agencies’ encryption. It’s that good. And you can have it! Having your traffic encrypted with AES means that any third party attempting to intercept your traffic will see nothing but a stream of seemingly random white noise. It’s the ultimate disguise.

And some VPNs are better than others for specific tasks. NordVPN, for example, has a very advanced security mechanism that blocks advertising and pop-ups so that you can watch your AZMovies uninterrupted. That is convenient. But more importantly, those measures will keep you safe when you come across a website that uses the AZMovies brand to spread malware and other malicious software.

And now let’s talk about kill switches. They are a security feature you will find in only the best VPNs. The kill switch is a little program that monitors your device’s connection to the VPN server. If it detects a problem in the connection, it will cut your device off from the Internet. The idea is to ensure that all the traffic going out of your device is within the encryption tunnel at all times and that your IP address doesn’t leak into the outside world. Having a kill switch active will also help ensure your security as you use AZMovies for your entertainment purposes.

VPNs came into existence to provide increased security, privacy, and anonymity to their users. And that remains the primary use case for VPN networks. But they are helpful in other ways too. For example, you can use a VPN to access content that is otherwise geo-blocked by the host server. This will give you unlimited content on many leading video streaming platforms regardless of where you live.

The best VPNs for AZMovies in 2022

We’ve insisted on a VPN as the primary tool that will keep you safe as an AZMovies user. However, you need to know that not every VPN will do the trick. VPNs are not the same, and there is a broad spectrum of services available out there, so it’s essential to choose one that will help you.

First of all, you need to stay away from free VPNs at all costs — no pun intended. Free VPNs are low on the resources you’ll need for video streaming, and they pose privacy risks that you don’t need, especially in the case of AZMovies.

But, among those good VPNs, some are tailored to emphasize security over speeds. Those won’t do either. Ideally, the type of VPN you will need will guarantee your privacy and security at the same high level as the best in the business. But it would be best if you also had your chosen VPN to give you the high transfer speeds necessary to support HD video streams since you are looking for a tool to enjoy the AZMovies website and its mirrors safely.

And how can you choose the suitable options in a market that’s already fraught with competing providers? You don’t have to. We’ve done the work for you. This is the part where we tell you all about the best three VPNs to use in tandem with AZMovies.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN offers some of the VPN-verse’s most advanced and effective security features. As a result, it’s one of the safest (if not the safest) VPNs in the industry. In addition, it includes a kill switch, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, DDoS protection, ad-blocker, and many more desirable features.

A unique feature in NordVPN is CyberSec, which blocks every server known to host malware and gets rid of all the advertising. This improves your streaming by increasing speeds and convenience and making it safer.

NordVPN keeps no logs on user activity. This is an essential feature in any VPN because it’s the only thing on which you can count as a privacy protection policy. And you can be sure about this because the NordVPN network is made of RAM-based servers only.

It means that all the information they have is volatile and disappears every time they reboot — which happens about once a week. So NordVPN designed its network so that it couldn’t collect user data even if it wanted.

The network spans more than 60 countries, and it includes more than 5,200 servers. There is the option to run your traffic through two layers of encryption, and it works with every video streaming platform we’ve tested (including NetFlix, Disney Plus, and many others). In addition, it supports P2P, and it has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try NordVPN for 30 days without risking any money.

If you want an excellent VPN service that will secure your AZMovies experience in the best possible way, NordVPN is the way to go.

2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a top-notch VPN that gives you one of the best services available for a meager price. That’s why it’s managed to acquire a colossal reputation despite being one of the most recent VPNs in the industry.

It has a long list of beneficial security features developed in-house and exclusive to this provider. Those features include Camouflage Mode, Whitelister, and CleanWeb. CleanWeb is the most relevant feature regarding AZMovies because it blocks ads and malware on every website you browse. In addition, this provider allows for any number of devices to connect to the network, and a kill switch always protects every single one.

This vendor also sticks to a strict zero-logs policy. And the software Surfshark provides for mobile and desktop devices is among the most user-friendly you can find in the VPN world.

Last but not least, Surfshark is so cheap that it can fit practically any budget without sacrificing any speeds, security, quality, or even extra features as the kill switch.

3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the most respected names in VPN-land. The service has been around for a long time, always offering excellent service. It’s one of the best VPNs for video streaming. It’s one of the few VPNs that can unblock almost every premium video streaming platform out there, so AZMovies poses no challenge for it. The connections are the fastest in the market, and the server network is extensive.

ExpressVPN’s network comprises RAM-only servers (like NordVPN’s), keeps no logs, and has many excellent security features.

The one downside to ExpressVPN is that it is one of the most expensive VPNs. But you can use its 30-day money-back guarantee before you decide if the fee they will charge you every month is worth it.

Accessing AZMovies safely

As we’ve explained, AZMovies is not a legal website in every country in the world. And even if you hail from one of those countries where you could not face any legal problems because of this website, some risks remain present, so you still need to be cautious. And how do you do that? Just use the following steps:

1. Choose a premium VPN service. NordVPN will be the best option for this task. Also, make sure that your antivirus is up and running.
2. Launch the VPN software available for your device.
3. Use your credentials to log into the VPN network. Choose a server. Since geo-blocks are not an issue with AZMovies, you can just pick one that is physically close to you to enjoy better speeds.
4. Head over to the AZMovies website in your browser.
5. Enjoy your movies!

Legal alternatives to AZMovies

Websites that are free and legal simultaneously are not the rule on the Internet. In fact, they’re exceedingly rare. So if you want to enhance your entertainment with copyrighted material, the shortest path is to join a video streaming platform where you would need to pay for a subscription. It’s also the safest way, for the most part. In addition, the fees you pay for these types of websites are very low when you consider the amount of content they have available.

This section will show you some legal AZMovies alternatives so you can still watch many movies online with increased peace of mind.

1. Netflix

Everybody knows Netflix. It’s turned into the world’s premier video streamer, and it hosts an extensive catalog of shows and movies. However, the catalog varies with your country of origin. This is not a problem if you have a VPN account. Logging into Netflix from a server in the US will grant you all the content that US-based Netflix users can enjoy.

2. Amazon Prime Video

It’s a similar platform to Netflix, but the catalog is much smaller — and it’s also cheaper. That being said, it features some exclusive content that is enough for many users to prefer this option over the rest.

Also read: How to change the country to watch Amazon Prime Video US anywhere.

3. Disney Plus

This platform needs no introduction when it comes to entertainment. Disney Plus is a video streaming platform concentrated on Disney content, and if you’re a fan, this will be the thing for you. Among the most popular shows at Disney Plus right now is the Star Wars spin-off “The Mandalorian.”

4. HBO Max

This is a platform that also focuses on distributing the content from a specific network (HBO, obviously). However, it includes some additional material too, and the catalog is expanding steadily.

Catalog size is not HBO Max’s primary advantage. But it offers exclusively many highly successful TV shows that many users will be happy to see like “Band of Brothers,” “Rome,” “The Sopranos,” and “Game of Thrones.”

5. Hulu

Hulu sells itself as an excellent platform to watch live sports. And it is! It’s cheaper than Netflix, but the movie catalog is also smaller. Hulu is not online everywhere globally, so you could use a VPN to see it, depending on your location.

6. YouTubeTV

YouTubeTV is a different concept than the rest. It sells you a subscription that gets you to access the content of 70 TV networks (Fox, ESPN, ABC, CBS, among them).

Before you go ahead and choose any of the alternatives, you need to be aware that some of them are not available in every country. The US and the UK are the main markets for all the platforms, and some focus entirely on them. However, your VPN service will grant you access to all their content if you just pick a server from the network-based in a country where the catalog is available.

Final thoughts

AZMovies is not a legal website for you to use, depending on where you are. But regardless of your location, it remains an unsafe site to visit for reasons that have nothing to do with legality. And mirror AZMovies websites are even more dangerous.

Video streaming websites like AZMovies are very convenient because they have a massive amount of media on offer for free. But they are illegal in most of the world because they are not paying any licenses to distribute all that copyrighted material. So that makes them dangerous in a legal sense in some countries. But even in the rest of the world, where you won’t become a criminal for streaming the movies from these websites, they remain dangerous to use for various reasons that can go from malware to data collection on the server-side.

You need to be aware that AZMovies poses a risk for you. But it’s even more important to learn that you can still use a website like this one with a minimal amount of risk (wherever you are in the world) if you are careful enough to have a good antivirus suite and a VPN working on the devices you use to watch AZMovies.

Our advice is always to prioritize security. If you want to have zero probability of ever being caught using pirated material, you can ensure that by using zero pirated material. Then, join Netflix or another subscription-based website in which you can still get a lot of great content for a reasonable monthly fee. That is the safest choice; that’s how you can be sure you’re not running even the most negligible risk to your finances, your freedom, or your reputation.

And even on a website like Netflix, a VPN will still be a handy tool. The most extensive catalog Netflix can offer is for US-based users unless you want to watch Harry Potter movies (they are not available on the US version of Netflix). They get a lot of shows and movies that you can’t get from the same platform anywhere else in the world. So, if you’re not in the US, connecting through a US-based server in your VPN will unleash all that content for you to enjoy.

So whatever else you want to do, get a VPN. It will enhance your digital life experience in ways you won’t believe until you see them! But above everything else, stay safe!

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