Legal streaming websites typically acquire their content through licensing agreements with movie studios, production companies, or distributors. They enter into legally binding contracts, often paying a considerable amount in royalties or fees to gain distribution rights. These agreements allow them to stream content directly, ensuring they provide high-quality video and audio, often with additional features like subtitles and various language options. Additionally, some platforms produce their own original content, becoming both creators and distributors.

Illegal streaming websites, however, usually obtain content through unauthorized means. They might download movies from legitimate sources by bypassing digital rights management (DRM) protections, use screen recording software to capture films while they’re played, or access pirated copies circulated on file-sharing platforms or via torrents. These sites often rely on user-uploaded content, where individuals share or upload pirated movies to be hosted on their servers. As a result, these illegal sites often provide lower quality streams, are laden with intrusive ads or malware, and do not compensate original content creators, leading to legal actions against them and potential consequences for their users.