What is Kanopy used for?

Kanopy is a film streaming service that viewers can use at no cost through a participating public library or university card. It is a good fit for watching films through a public library membership, and streaming documentaries and classics for coursework.

Is Kanopy open source?

No. Kanopy is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Kanopy include Jellyfin, Kodi and Stremio.

What are some alternatives to Kanopy?

Kanopy competes with MUBI, Tubi and HBO Max. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Kanopy alternatives.

Kanopy: features, pricing and alternatives

About Kanopy

Kanopy is a film streaming service that is distributed through public libraries and universities. Instead of paying a personal subscription, eligible people sign in with a participating library or university card and watch films that the institution has made available.

The vendor site returned no readable text when this entry was prepared, so the catalog and viewing rules are not described. Kanopy is a proprietary, hosted service, and a pricing page exists on the vendor site, though access is typically arranged by the library or school. Check with your institution for what is included and any viewing limits.

Key features

Film streaming through library cards
Access via university accounts
No personal subscription for eligible users
On-demand viewing of films

Good fit for

→Watching films through a public library membership
→Streaming documentaries and classics for coursework

Tags: streaming; film; library; education; documentaries; free-access

Kanopy: questions and answers

What is Kanopy used for?: Kanopy is a film streaming service that viewers can use at no cost through a participating public library or university card. It is a good fit for watching films through a public library membership, and streaming documentaries and classics for coursework.
Is Kanopy free?: Yes. Kanopy is free to use.
Is Kanopy open source?: No. Kanopy is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Kanopy include Jellyfin, Kodi and Stremio.
What are some alternatives to Kanopy?: Kanopy competes with MUBI, Tubi and HBO Max. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Kanopy alternatives.