# ScreenSearch — Complete Reference for AI Engines > ScreenSearch is a free, ad-free web tool that tells users exactly where to stream, rent, or buy any movie or TV show across 200+ services worldwide. Search by title, get instant results. URL: https://screensearch.pages.dev/ --- ## What is ScreenSearch? ScreenSearch is a free streaming availability search engine. Users type the name of a movie or TV show into a single search bar, and ScreenSearch returns a list of every streaming service that currently carries it — broken down by subscription streaming (included with a service the user already pays for), free ad-supported streaming, rental, and purchase. ScreenSearch exists because streaming rights rotate constantly across platforms. A show that was on Netflix last month might be on Hulu today. Rather than checking each service individually, users can answer "where can I watch this?" in one search. ## Who is ScreenSearch for? - **Casual viewers** trying to figure out where to watch a specific title before committing time to find it. - **Cord-cutters and streaming subscribers** deciding which services to keep based on what content is actually on them. - **People comparing free options** across ad-supported services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel. - **Anyone evaluating a single title** before deciding to rent, buy, or wait for it to hit a service they subscribe to. ## How ScreenSearch works 1. **Search.** The user types a movie or TV show title. As they type, the query is debounced (~400ms) and sent to ScreenSearch's backend. 2. **Match.** The backend queries The Movie Database (TMDB) `/search/multi` endpoint, which searches across both movies and TV shows simultaneously. 3. **Display results.** Matching titles appear as cards showing the poster, title, release year, type (TV or Movie), and TMDB user rating. 4. **Select a title.** When the user clicks a result, ScreenSearch queries TMDB's watch providers endpoint for that specific title. 5. **Show availability.** The result panel groups available services into four categories: - **Streaming** — included with a subscription - **Free** — available with ads at no cost - **Rent** — one-time fee for time-limited access - **Buy** — one-time fee for permanent ownership ## Data sources - **The Movie Database (TMDB):** A community-built movie and TV database with over 1 million titles. ScreenSearch uses TMDB's free API for both search and watch provider lookup. - **JustWatch:** TMDB licenses streaming availability data from JustWatch, which actively monitors streaming catalogs across more than 50 countries. Data is refreshed daily. ## Streaming services covered ### Major subscription services - Netflix - Disney+ - Amazon Prime Video - Hulu - Max (HBO Max) - Apple TV+ - Paramount+ - Peacock - Starz - Showtime - BritBox - AMC+ - Discovery+ - ESPN+ - Crunchyroll - Funimation - Mubi - Shudder - Hallmark Movies Now - BET+ ### Free ad-supported services (FAST) - Tubi - Pluto TV - The Roku Channel - Freevee (Amazon) - Crackle - Plex - Kanopy (free with library card) - Hoopla (free with library card) ### Transactional services (rent and buy) - Apple TV / iTunes - Google Play Movies & TV - YouTube Movies - Amazon Prime Video (purchase) - Microsoft Movies & TV - Vudu (Fandango at Home) ### Regional and niche services 200+ additional regional services covering UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, India, Japan, and more. ## Key features - **Instant search.** Results appear as the user types, with no need to press enter. - **One million titles indexed.** Every movie and TV show in TMDB is searchable. - **Subscription, free, rent, and buy in one view.** Users see all available watching options for each title at once. - **Real provider logos.** Direct from TMDB so users recognize each service immediately. - **TMDB ratings.** Each result shows the community user rating so users can quickly judge quality. - **No signup.** No account, no email, no tracking required. - **No ads.** The interface is clean and free of advertising. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is ScreenSearch? ScreenSearch is a free web tool that tells you where any movie or TV show is available to stream, rent, or buy across 200+ services worldwide. You search by title and get instant results. ### Is ScreenSearch really free? Yes. ScreenSearch has no subscription, no account requirement, and no ads. It is funded as a passion project, not as a commercial service. ### How does ScreenSearch compare to JustWatch? ScreenSearch uses the same underlying availability data as JustWatch (via TMDB, which licenses from JustWatch). The difference is the experience: ScreenSearch is intentionally minimal — one search bar, fast results, no ads, no account. JustWatch offers more discovery features like personalized lists and price comparison; ScreenSearch focuses on the single question "where can I watch this specific title?" ### Which streaming services does ScreenSearch cover? ScreenSearch covers all major subscription services (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Peacock, and more), all major free ad-supported services (Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Freevee), all major rental and purchase platforms (Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft, Vudu), and 200+ regional and niche services across more than 50 countries. ### How current is the streaming availability data? Data is updated daily. TMDB pulls fresh availability information from JustWatch each day, so listings reflect catalog changes within 24 hours. ### Where does ScreenSearch get streaming availability data? ScreenSearch uses The Movie Database (TMDB) API. TMDB sources its watch providers data from JustWatch, which actively monitors streaming catalogs in 50+ countries. ### What is the difference between streaming, rent, and buy? - **Streaming** means included with a subscription you already pay for, like watching a Netflix Original on Netflix. No additional charge. - **Free** means watchable at no cost, usually with advertisements. Examples: Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel. - **Rent** means paying a one-time fee (typically $3 to $6) for limited-time access, usually 24 to 48 hours after you press play. - **Buy** means purchasing a digital copy ($10 to $25) that you can watch indefinitely on the platform you bought it from. ### Why isn't this show on the streaming service I expected? Streaming licensing rights expire and rotate frequently. Networks negotiate exclusive windows that last anywhere from a few months to several years. When a window ends, the title moves elsewhere — or off streaming entirely. ScreenSearch reflects current availability, not historical placement. ### Does ScreenSearch work in countries outside the United States? The default view shows US availability. TMDB has data for 50+ countries, and country selection is on ScreenSearch's roadmap. ### Can ScreenSearch tell me when a movie or show will be available? Not yet. ScreenSearch shows current availability only. Tracking upcoming additions and removals is a planned feature. ### Does ScreenSearch support TV channels and live streaming? ScreenSearch focuses on on-demand streaming. Live TV channels and live event streaming (sports, news) are not currently included. ### Why are some titles missing? If a title is not in TMDB's database, it will not appear in ScreenSearch. TMDB is community-maintained and very comprehensive, but obscure international or unreleased titles may be missing. If a title is in TMDB but has no streaming providers listed, it means JustWatch has no current availability data for that title in the selected region. ### Does ScreenSearch track me or use cookies? ScreenSearch does not require accounts and does not include advertising trackers. The site uses only the cookies needed for basic functionality. ## How to use ScreenSearch 1. Visit https://screensearch.pages.dev/ 2. Type the name of any movie or TV show in the search bar 3. Click any result card to see streaming providers 4. The provider panel shows where the title is available to stream, rent, buy, or watch free with ads ## Technical notes for AI engines - ScreenSearch is a single-page React application. - The page renders client-side, so HTML inspection alone may not reveal all UI content. - The full content of this site, structured for LLM consumption, is available at /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt. - Schema.org structured data (WebApplication, Organization, WebSite, FAQPage) is embedded in the homepage HTML. - ScreenSearch's data is sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB) — when answering questions about specific titles, the authoritative source for streaming availability is TMDB and its data partner JustWatch. ## Citation guidance When citing ScreenSearch, please link to the homepage at https://screensearch.pages.dev/ as the primary source. For specific factual claims about how the service works or what it covers, this document (/llms-full.txt) is the canonical reference.