Thursday, May 30, 2019

Hoopla Review: Free Streaming Service For Movies, Books, Television & More!

Cutting the cord is not quite as easy as it seems! Well, cutting the cable cord by cancelling cable TV is easy, but finding free economical and quality content can be a search. However, it is a rewarding search when discovering services such as Hoopla which offers free content which appeals to the entire household.
Collage of Hoopla features: credits, movies

What Is Hoopla?


Hoopla is the free online streaming service which offers a wonderful mix of free content including:

  • Movies
  • Television
  • Audiobooks
  • eBooks
  • Comics
  • Music


Your library card is the key to access Hoopla. Each patron has a monthly access limit quantified by credits. I have 20 credits per month and one credit equals one title. Just as with a physical library checkout, Hoopla requires the "return" of the item in 3 days.

Hoopla streaming service

Is Hoopla Free?

Yes and no or yes with an asterisk.
Yes, because there are no upfront fees, contracts or subscriptions.
No, because your library pays for access to Hoopla and your tax dollars pay for the library.

How Do I Access Hoopla?


Hoopla is accessed through your library card. Check the digital services offered by your local library to see if Hoopla is offered. Note: Super Sleuth Margaret Schindel of Review This Reviews! discovered when I reviewed the free streaming service of Kanopy it appeared the library did not offer Kanopy, but she found it actually was offered when the service was searched for on the app.

So check with your library, the library website and on the Hoopla App - Hoopla Digital (another reason cutting the cable cord can be a little more work!) Hoopla is very accessible. It can be accessed via desktop,  iPhone, iPad, Android devices and Apple devices, Fire TV and Apple TV.

What Is The Difference Between Hoopla And Kanopy?

It is apples to oranges regarding content which is a bonus for the user! Each offers different content with Kanopy having a strong selection of documentaries and classic cinema and Hoopla offers more mainstream content with a robust catalog from the British Broadcasting Company (BBC.)

The main difference is the content from Hoopla can be downloaded! Excellent for those with an unstable internet collection or travelling. Listening to audiobooks when travelling is a breeze when the book can be downloaded to your phone.

BBC Fan Alert!

If you are a fan of television and movies by the BBC then Hoopla will not disappoint. Was it so long ago when I would seek, search and find an older BBC series on DVD at the library and then go through the checkout hoops of:


  • Putting the series on hold
  • In numerical order 
  • Find a parking space
  • Pay for the parking space
  • Checkout the DVD
  • Return on time
  • Wait for the next DVD to be available
  • Checkout the next DVD
  • Rinse and repeat
Along with the BBC content there is a large selection of British movies and television by Acorn TV. Acorn TV offers original British content including comedies, mysteries and drama series.

Hoopla streaming service dashboard



Streaming is so much easier especially for binge viewing!

My first Hoopla checkout is RBG , documentary of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.



Hoopla streaming service

Free Alternatives To Cable TV




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


8 comments:

  1. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I actually do get this one through my library. That is sooooo cool! I only get 2 movies a month, but we will enjoy them for sure. Thank you Tracey & Margaret for this fabulous discovery. I am so excited!!! We cut our cable cord years ago and I don't miss paying that ghastly amount each month at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad it is available for you! Maybe there are more credits in your future :)

      Delete
  2. I think I need to start this comment like Sylvester Mouse did! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just checked and you can get Hoopla even in Canada! I am so excited. I have stopped watching most of TV because I just did not like what I was seeing. Now maybe I can watch a movie or documentary and enjoy it. Thanks Tracey!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tracey, I can't thank you enough for sharing both Kanopy and Hoopla with us! BOTH of them are available through my library - woot! I have already started adding lots of wonderful movies to my Kanopy watchlist (which I'm delighted to be able to watch on my television by connecting the app to my Amazon Fire TV stick) and I'm very excited to do the same with Hoopla. I adore British television (and subscribe to Acorn TV already), so the large catalog of BBC content will be wonderful. Thank you again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely woot! These are library benefits I will definitely enjoy and am happy to have found and share :)

      Delete
  4. It's so nice to know that libraries are part of this free streaming sites. I will have to tell my daughter & SIL in St. Louis about it as they LOVE BBC offerings. A wonderful alternative to cable TV and high rates.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely happy to say goodbye to the high rates! Hope St. Louis libraries are participating!

      Delete

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