Is ‘Friends’ on Netflix, Prime, HBO, Disney Plus, or Hulu? Where to Watch Friends Online?
‘Friends‘ is a captivating American television series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. This hilarious tv show premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994, and concluded on May 6, 2004, after airing 236 episodes through 10 seasons.
Viewers received this show so well that it became a 90’s hit series and, at one time, the second most-viewed show on Netflix! So it is not a surprise that people still want to watch the show, but where can you watch Friends online today?
Where to Watch ‘Friends’ All Seasons?
The tv show Friends, a 90’s hit series, became a people’s favorite and a video-on-demand as early as the Cable TV era. This popular demand has facilitated the transfer of Friends from Cable TV even to online streaming platforms.
Luckily, we do not have to miss out entirely or merely wish to re-watch the show though it concluded so long ago. Yes, Friends is available for streaming online, but where?
For a tv show concluded as far back as 2004, it is rather surprising that all seasons are still available for streaming online. You can watch all seasons of ‘Friends’ on various platforms; however, ‘Friends’ has been removed from some over the years. In this article, I will direct your attention mostly to sites where ‘Friends’ is still available for streaming in its entirety.
Below is a list of platforms where ‘Friends’ is currently available for streaming. This list is not an exhaustive one but a recommendation for the best viewing experience.
- HBO Max
- Peacock
- Amazon Prime Videos
- Fubo TV
- Google Play
- Showmax
- YouTube TV
It is noteworthy that watching ‘Friends’ is possible from any season or episode while retaining the fun. Still, ‘Friends’ is not a random comedy show but has a storyline that runs through the entire series. I would recommend watching ‘Friends’ in chronological order from season 1 to 10; after all, they are all available for streaming online.
Is ‘Friends’ on Netflix?
Beginning in 2005 and for many years, Netflix had the exclusive right to stream all seasons of ‘Friends.’ During this period, ‘Friends’ remained a staple on Netflix, and in 2018 it was the second most-streamed show on the platform. Notwithstanding these feats ‘Friends’ achieved on this platform, ‘Friends’ is no longer on Netflix!
I was in awe when I learned that Netflix paid a whopping $100 million for the exclusive rights to stream ‘Friends.’ Ordinarily, this would seem like an outrageous sum for an already concluded series, but this is not just any series. ‘Friends’ is a 90’s hit still in popular demand today, and its massive reception on Netflix justifies the cost of acquisition.
It was rather shocking that after streaming ‘Friends’ for over five years with so much success, Netflix had to remove the show on December 31, 2020. Earlier in July 2020, Netflix had lost the rights to the tv show when WarnerMedia out bode them for the rights to ‘Friends.’ This move birthed a distressing time for fans and viewers anticipating a new spin-off, ‘Friends: The Reunion.’
This time was especially distressing, not just because a new subscription to another platform was required but also because the platform itself was not ready! Though WarnerMedia won the bid, their intended streaming platform was not ready, forcing viewers on a break until the spin-off premiered. Now ‘Friends’ is back and available for streaming alongside The Reunion but not on Netflix.
Is ‘Friends’ on Amazon Prime?
Generally, Amazon Prime Videos is a last resort when seeking “old but golden” movies and series. ‘Friends’ is one such series that any platform would keep satisfying the high popular demand, and Amazon is no exception. With an Amazon Prime account, though, you can do more than just stream ‘Friends’ online.
‘Friends’ is on Amazon Prime Videos, and you can watch all 236 episodes once you are a Prime subscriber. On Amazon, you can also download episodes, which is an advantage for such a hilarious sitcom. Once you download an episode, you can always re-watch your favorite scenes at no additional cost.
You can also buy Friends on digital just as easily as you can stream episodes with an Amazon Prime account. On Amazon, a single-season costs about $19.99, and you can also purchase episodes singly at $2.99 each.
Buying episodes of ‘Friends’ from Amazon is especially advantageous since it is geo-restricted content. Only Prime subscribers in the United States can stream all seasons of ‘Friends’ on Amazon Prime Videos. For other locations, the option to rent or purchase on Digital is more feasible.
Is ‘Friends’ on HBO Max?
All seasons of ‘Friends’ are available for streaming on HBO Max, the new home for this popular show. As a matter of fact, on May 27, 2021, HBO Max availed of ‘Friends: The Reunion’ for streaming on their platform. Remember when WarnerMedia out bode Netflix for this show? This place was the destination platform for which WarnerMedia made the bid.
Here is an interesting fact; HBO Max and not NBC is the original network airing the ‘Friends: The Reunion’ spin-off. You can stream all episodes of ‘Friends’ and all spin-offs at a $15 monthly subscription. Unfortunately, HBO Max does not offer any free trial with which you can stream this series. Nevertheless, if you wish to watch friends on HBO Max for free, keep reading, as I will address that a little later.
Here is a thought on a raging controversy. Many people have expressed conviction that pulling ‘Friends’ off Netflix and onto HBO Max, a new platform, targeted to pull subscribers. They call it TV politics by WarnerMedia, whereas others believe it’s simply business. What are your thoughts?
Is ‘Friends’ on Disney Plus?
Have you noticed that Disney Plus now has more adult-focused content on its streaming platform? Yes, Disney Plus today is no longer just about ‘The Simpsons’ and other children’s content. Disney’s acquisition of Star and its contents has added meaning to the plus on their name. Now, it refers to Disney Originals and so much more.
Yet, with so much more on the platform, can you find Friends on Disney Plus? Sadly, the popular tv show Friends is not available on Disney Plus. This decision also applies to the spin-off ‘Joey and Friends: The Reunion,’ which aired just months ago.
If you have had so much as a peak from a teaser, you would agree that the content of ‘Friends’ is compatible with Disney Plus. ‘Friends’ is such a hilarious, captivating, and entertaining show somewhat educative even to the younger generations. As a subscriber on Disney Plus, I still have not come to terms with ‘Friends’ being left out in Disney Plus.
Is ‘Friends’ on Hulu?
In recent times Hulu has become a reliable source for streaming popular and on-demand movies and tv series. Sadly, it is not possible to watch ‘Friends’ on Hulu, at least not directly. Still, there is one way Hulu subscribers can also enjoy this interesting and captivating series on the platform.
For now, ‘Friends’ is only available for streaming to Hulu subscribers who have an HBO Max add-on. Hulu subscribers can watch all seasons of ‘Friends,’ including spin-offs and behind-the-scenes clips, with this extended subscription. For me, this amounts to watching the show on HBO Max, just through another platform.
Though not available on Hulu, Friends remain in popular demand. As a result, you can also stream the show on VOD platforms such as Vudu, Apple TV, iTunes, Microsoft Store, and others.
If you have a running subscription on Hulu and cannot access Friends, why not check out Brooklyn 99. Brooklyn 99 also offers hilarious entertainment; it is similarly a sitcom following the life of carefree young adults.
Is ‘Friends’ on BBC?
The BBC has been a UK favorite since the network has continued to keep the region in pace with the world’s entertainment. Through their streaming platform BBC iplayer, the BBC has kept providing the UK with nonstop entertainment even from American productions. So, can you stream ‘Friends’ on BBC?
Currently, BBC does not have ‘Friends’ available for streaming on their platform. It would appear that, despite the popular demand for this show, no doubt even in the United Kingdom, BBC was not moved to acquire and stream ‘Friends.’ The case, however, is different from the recent spin-off, Friends: The Reunion.
It is now obvious that BBC is making efforts to acquire and stream ‘Friends: The Reunion’ on BBC iplayer. I reckoned this not just from subtle comments released so far but also from recent actions.
I cannot overlook the efforts BBC made for streaming The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air just seven weeks after it was aired. They did this though they had not streamed the main show at all, so I expect something similar for ‘Friends’ in line with their preparations.
Where to Watch Friends For Free?
‘Friends’ is a video-on-demand which means viewers are streaming after the show and not the other way around. As a result, accessing ‘Friends’ on many platforms requires a subscription and sometimes an above regular subscription. However, is it possible to watch all seasons of ‘Friends’ online for free?
There are a handful of places where you can watch ‘Friends’ online for free. NBC.com is a good site to watch all 236 episodes of ‘Friends’ completely free. Still, while watching ‘Friends’ here is free financially, it is not ads-free! Unfortunately, on NBC.com, you would have to sit through all commercials, almost doubling the watch time.
You can also watch ‘Friends’ on HBO Max for free. Well, not entirely free as if to log in and watch, no! Here you would have to be a subscriber and sign up for any of AT & T’s wireless services. When you do this, AT & T includes HBO Max for free, giving you express access to TV shows on HBO Max, including ‘Friends.’
Though not streaming on Hulu, you can still use Hulu to watch ‘Friends’ for free. Recall that Hulu offers a 7-days trial for a prospective customer and that Hulu can stream ‘Friends’ with an HBO Max add-on. So whenever you begin your Hulu trial, you are also given access to HBO’s content where you can stream ‘Friends’ for free!
You can also watch all seasons of ‘Friends’ on Amazon Prime for free. Ordinarily, you would be required to enter a Prime subscription before access, but there is also a trial offer. Amazon Prime extends a 7-days trial to intending subscribers, and you can stream ‘Friends’ for a whole week using this trial period.
YouTube TV and Fubo TV are VOD platforms where you can stream all seasons of ‘Friends.’ They also have this in common; they offer a 7-days free trial to which you can use to stream the show. Sling TV also presents a similar offer, but not all episodes of ‘Friends’ are available to watch on Sling TV.
Showmax, on the other hand, has all seasons of Friends available for streaming. Additionally, Showmax extends as much as a 14-days trial period for new customers, and ‘Friends’ is available to watch during the trial period. Can you believe it? Fourteen days of limitless entertainment from ‘Friends’ are all free using Showmax’s free trial.
You are missing out if you have not watched ‘Friends’ but then what are you waiting for. For starters, it is not so time-consuming, with a run time between 22 to 24 minutes. Even if the cost posed a challenge, I have surmounted even that for you in this article. So, hurry now and enjoy the experience or an express re-cap already.
