There's a lot of great video content on the internet, and not all of it is on paid sites like Netflix and Hulu. Streaming sites like YouTube are packed with free streaming videos, including music, movie previews, and even full shows. Aggregate all of this content in one place, and you'll have a free alternative to Netflix or Hulu – or, at least, that's what Mobdro is hoping. Mobdro is an app that puts free content from all different sources under one roof, making it easy to access videos from all over the internet within just one app. The app comes in free (“freemium”) and premium versions. Is either worth your time? Is the premium version worth your money? Here's our full Mobdro review.
Mobdro Review
User experience
I'll talk about Mobdro's app in a moment, but first I want to talk about how you get it, because downloading Mobdro was a bit of a hassle. Mobdro's website says that the app is available only on Android, and not through the app store: the site gives instructions for downloading the APK file, enabling apps from unknown sources, and installing the app manually.
But Mobdro is, in fact, available through the app store – albeit in the form of these many apps, which seem to be unofficial:
And Mobdro also appears in Apple's iOS app store – in three different versions. One (just “Mobdro”) focuses on music videos. Another (“Mobdro TV”) crashed each time I tried to open it on my iPhone. A third claims to be the premium version. But none of these apps are claimed by Mobdro's website: only the APK file one is, and that version doesn't seem to be available in any app store. So, while I took a quick look at these other apps, our Mobdro review will focus solely on the “official” app – the one you have to download manually, per the instructions on Mobdro's site.
Assuming you can install and open the app, Mobdro has a pretty pleasant user interface. It's fairly elegant and very reminiscent of other free video apps, such as YouTube's. Unfortunately, Chromecast support – a key feature for an app that is going to compete with other free streaming video apps – is available only in the premium version.
And Mobdro does have a few clever new tools to use with your free content. With a “share” feature, you can watch what your friends are watching (assuming they're sharing, too).
Unfortunately, Mobdro is missing some key features, too. Tap a show you want to watch and you'll be launched right into an episode – there's no episode selection or anything like that. It's one of the things that make Mobdro seem amateurish and sketchy.
Speaking of sketchy, let's talk content.
Content
Mobdro doesn't have content of its own. Instead, it aggregates free video content from around the web. That content generally seems to fall into two categories: content from free sources like nature web cams and YouTube, and content that makes you wonder how it's free.
The first category just isn't that impressive. YouTube is already the clear king of streaming video and, as a result, and Mobdro often feels more like a third-party YouTube client than an aggregator of tons of rich content sources. Or, at least, that's the case in the music video section. Switch to “shows” or “sports,” however, and you're in a new category.
When I tried Mobdro, the shows category included The Office and other popular shows. Click the show and you're pushed right into an episode – no menu, no episode selection, no nothing. The sports section included a live stream of ESPN and other sports channels. That's great, but make no mistake: there's no legal way to get a free live stream of ESPN. Mobdro is doing something here that's not quite on the level.
Streaming quality
I streamed Mobdro on an Android tablet using Wi-Fi. My stream was consistently choppy and laggy, with the audio frequently running ahead of the video. If you're waiting for the nice part of our Mobdro review, keep waiting.
How much is Mobdro?
Mobdro is free for its “freemium” version, but a few perks – including an ad-free experience – are available when you upgrade to the premium version. Mobdro's premium version costs €2.99/year (yep, the price is in Euros).
Platform support
As mentioned up in the user experience section, Mobdro's platform support is a mess. Mobdro's website says that it's only available on Android, but there are no fewer than three Mobdro apps in Apple's iOS app store, and they all bear Mobdro's logo and branding. And on Android, Mobdro's “real” app is available only via APK download – yet the Android apps store if full of “Mobdro” apps, also complete with the service's branding.
The verdict
Here's the short version of this Mobdro review: steer clear.
Look, Mobdro isn't the first app to try to group a bunch of free content sources into one app. This is why we have media centers like Kodi and even Roku. Apple's new TV app does this, too. But those services also include paid services in their interface, and they offer more in terms of content discovery.
Mobdro strikes me as a start-up idea in search of an audience. It takes a very real resource – free video content on the internet – and packages it in an app that looks pretty slick. But is there an audience that consumes this much free video content and is also looking for a new, more convenient way to get it? I'm not so sure. And Mobdro doesn't seem so sure, either, because they've sneakily supplemented the free content with the sort of pirated content that once plagued Kodi add-ons.
(Kodi, by the way, has cracked down on those add-ons and is no longer hiding behind its claim to own no content or the fact that it is open source. Mobdro seems to be using this outdated strategy to protect themselves while selling a premium version of their product. This strikes me as a bad idea.)
If you want great content, you pay for it – you turn to Netflix or Hulu or a skinny bundle like DIRECTV NOW. As for the rest – those free videos – most of us will turn to YouTube or browse absentmindedly on a web browser. Mobdro gives its users some tools for organizing and discovering free content, but to the extent that it stays within the law, it strikes me as an unnecessary and sometimes inelegant solution to a problem that nobody is having.
This is why we have media centers like Kodi and even Roku? Do you really think those are the same? You’re right about my drawer though very sketchy.
I don’t think we said that they’re the same.
I don’t like Apps like Mobdro that try to force you to use only Chromecast for casting. Make it an open interface to use any casting app (such as Allcast and many others), and then it will be worth my time.
Get an Android TV box. You don’t have to do any casting and you can download any app you want
BEST decision I ever made. I only pay for internet!
Mobdro is helping me through this self isolation, I’d be lost without it, I like clicking on a channel and not knowing what I’m getting, or which episode, it’s kind of great
I have Mobdro installed on my Fire TV (I sideloaded it, no trouble), the channels are laggy a bit, but only just installed today and started using. They do have channels from the US (ABC, CW, Syfy, to name a few) even premium movie channels like HBO and Starz. They also have channels from Australia, Ireland, and England. They have more channels, but I stopped scrolling when it got to the non-English speaking channels. One reason I like it (so far, the British channels).
Why all the haters? You are wrong about at least two things. The “laggy” thing is YOUR apparatus and/or network connections… nothing more. Mobdro works PERFECTLY on my $29 Android ATT prepaid phone using Wi-Fi in my house and casts a PERFECT HD picture to my big screen in many instances when that HD stream is available. Secondly, presently, there is NO paid version. It is offered at $2.99/year, but it CLEARLY states that the premium version is NOT AVAILABLE YET. It is true that Mobdro is presently NOT giving the cable experience of choose the channel, and watch uninterrupted from beginning to end, but it is a very nice place to see things from around the world that cable does not offer. The biggest downside is that you cannot know in advance what program is on which channel.
Mobdro pretty much has every available US cable and network except NBC. For some reason it doesn’t have NBC. Some channels seem to be available all the time, while some aren’t for some odd reason. It’s a great alternative to paid sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, but it isn’t always that reliable. You click on a site and the stream is there, come back a hour later, it’s unavailable. I got it set to no updates, I’d rather do the updates myself. The damn thing is always doing random updates without my permission. That I don’t like.
When you can’t get a Channel Try typing in search. True, all channels are not available all the time, but most channels have more than one tile. If you search every tile or variant of a channel will show up and usually you’ll find what you’re looking for
Just downloaded the new version of Mobdro. Like the channel presentation, similar to Livenet. However, having saved all my favourites only a limited number appeared in the favourites group. Also found that the search option does not work. Don’t like the new version. Would appear that Modbro has lost the plot!
Upgrade to new version video looks like I took a couple tabs of LSD.
Change the setting on the decoder at the bottom.
I don’t know what version of Mobdro you’re using, but please, try again.
It offers a lot of channels that you can’t get on Roku. It has most all of the major networks and cable content, even The Weather Channel, that you can’t get on Roku. There’s a LOT of major networks from other countries (and no, I don’t mean someone’s backyard videos), such as BBC with extended channels, etc. And you don’t get episode selection because it’s mostly live TV.
On my Window’s laptop, I downloaded Bluestacks, an Android simulator, and it works great with that, as well.
I love it! I use it for ‘on the road’ and for channels that I can’t get elsewhere.
Give it another look, OK?
Agree with those who like Modbro. It does what you should expect, provide content for free. Hello, the word free mean anything? I turn on Seinfeld and it plays all day, if I want. Fox News comes in pretty well, I use it for ESPN as well. I saw my college football game today. It does buffer occasionally, but again the word free should be considered. Right? Thumbs up, Mobdro!
Just downloaded the new version. Got sound but no picture. Also don’t like the intrusive 25 Sec adverts when you open the app. Unacceptable! We should have the choice of when to view ads. They should understand that I will never use any services advertised in this way.
You need to downgrade your version as the latest (x.0.58, I think) is broken on the Fire Stick at least. There’s a guide on YouTube on how to do it easily. Search “firestick mobdro fix.” Video was dated November 2017.
Why in the upgraded version (free version) I can no longer keep channels in my favourites? After a while favourites is empty. Also it sucks that when you click a channel that was working fine yesterday, and the next day it is off air… until hours later or next day perhaps it works again? Why is this?
Maybe this review needs to be updated. Downloaded 2018 and it works pretty well. Mobdro basically has way more live TV than any of the paid services except for the cable alternatives like Sling TV or YouTube TV which cost $40 a month.
Sounds like a lot of whiners who already signed up for paid services are a little jelly.
One thing I don’t like is the permissions it seeks. Access to all your accounts on your phone, the ability to turn on and off your GPS. Access to your contacts. Use of your phone and messaging. It’s sketchy, very sketchy. I have removed it from my phone but still have it installed on a dedicated Android box with no contacts or GPS features/messaging features.
Be careful of your data.
Why does the app need my GPS and phone contacts? Seems sketchy at best.
The app sucks. Only downloaded to watch F1, and that’s the only channel that will not play.
Install VPN unblocker to view from anotger country.
There’s this one problem with Mobdro. Disney Channel keeps changing to this thing called NRJ Hits. Could you fix this?
Mobdro is fine, but there is one problem. Disney Channel keeps changing to this dumb thing called NRJ Hits. You think you could fix that bug?
Yes,and some movies play repetitious.
Would like to see newer movies. Like Monster movies there’s a lot of Project Terror old movies to be shown.
Come on get real, bored ! Will delete soon.
To all the complainers out there, what do you expect for free. Ok, it’s not perfect. But not all problems are from their end. Lagging problems are your network connection. The more users on at one time in your area will slow down your connection. Anyway, it still beats overpaying for cable and satellite service.
I’ve been using Mobdro for over 2 years. I don’t get any ads as I use an adblocker app, called StopAd, on my Amazon Fire TV box. I love Mobdro, especially the 24/7 movie channels. Never had any problems at all and it updates regularly. I use it more than Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos… that I pay for! There is even a Mobdro for Kodi.
Mobdro sucks. No matter what Mobdro employees post here. Constantly: locks up, out of sync, repeats, unavailable, offline, TV ads, Google video game ads written for and by morons, etc. Not worth the trouble unless you want something to fight with 2/3 of the time.
Download and install Blokada to block ads if your and Android user. Works for me no annoying adds. If they do re appear after installing it means blokada needs to be refreshed or updated.
Very pleased with this post! However cant install it on my ipad
It’s not bad. A lot of the channels do look choppy. But again like someone mentioned it’s free, so I don’t complain. The only problem I had recently was, it kept giving me an offline error, which I fixed by deleting, and installing it back again on my firestick.
PLEASE can we have a paid version to get rid of the advertising between channel selection. It is intrusive and totally spoils watching with Mobdro, especially when it (frequently) hangs or drops out and you need to re-select the program that you were watching. A good app spoiled by advertising.
Hi there, I have a couple of gripes too but that is to be expected as it is free. A couple of you have said it’s your internet connection, I don’t fully agree with that. Explaine this? Watching the movie channel and it will suddenly change to a different movie, sometimes in another language or you will end up losing the last 20 minuets. Sometimes it’s been know and does change to a channel that shows kick boxing or music. Those are my gripes. Other than that you get what you get. I can’t say what you pay for as it is free.
The constant buffering and the app site download time it bad.
i am currently watching a channel that is skipping every other word and freezing.
while i am grateful for the service, i would rather pay to avoid the impossible site.
it is not worth the aggrivation.
hi i am user of mobodro and i love it to me is the best streamer ever. i will like the option to be purchase it could they convert it to us dollars.
It is a great program, try TVTap pro its great.
I started using mobdro after purchasing my smart TV. I don’t mind the buffering so much but, what bothered me is that all of my favorite channels such as ESPN are not streaming. Only one of my favorite channels still stream. What is the problem? This is frustrating. I have restarted the app by clearing the data and cache as shown. I don’t know what else to do.
I tried watching football Saturday on the ACC channel, but to my horror it was not the ACC channel but a hunting channel disguised as the ACC channel…….SMDH!
mobdro tv has cost me a few tv’s-due to me throwing remotes at them during games, news, and movies which seem to always break up on every snap of a football game, during every important message on the news, most interesting parts or every end of movies, and never during the commercials. I swear I’d love to kick somebody’s ass real hard. It’s the obvious intentional breakup of signal at just the wrong time that’s irritating the most. You know with sometimes several different ways to watch the same game, and they all fail mysteriously-then during commercials and breaks-signal couldn’t be better-
Do you need a VPN or can i just down load Mobdro?
Just down load mobdro.
i dont know what youre taking about. mobdro is great. been using it for years. i love the fact i can click on my favorite shows and watch continueously uninterupted. i dont care that its on a continueous loop. im watching my favorite shows. and just like on regular tv you dont get to chose witch episodes they air. if i want to watch a spacific episode or movie ill go to a different app. but mobdro is my favorite by far. EVEN over our paid apps. im only here because it stopped working yesterday and im trying to find out if it got shut down or just having tech issues. by the way kode sucks deleted it years ago.once yoj click on it.it didntvlike to let you leave which really pissed me off….
What happen to mobdro its not coming in whats going on it keep saying can’t load data. Check your connection but my connection is fine. Every thing else coming in on my fire stick