Short answer: no. The 2018 animated Grinch movie left Netflix a while back. It streams on Peacock now, with rental copies available on Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play if you'd rather skip a subscription. Freeform also airs it during its holiday lineup most years if you'd rather watch it for the cost of a cable login than a rental.
If you landed here after Netflix told you the title "currently isn't available to watch in your country," that's not a bug or a regional quirk. It's gone, at least for now, and the reason has more to do with who owns the film than anything else.
Where is The Grinch actually streaming right now?
The 2018 film, the animated one from Illumination with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the Grinch, is a Universal property. Universal's streaming home is Peacock, and that's where the movie currently sits as an included title for subscribers.
If you don't want another subscription just to watch one Christmas movie, you can rent or buy it instead. As of this writing, it's listed for rental or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play. One thing to flag: some aggregator sites list it as rental-only right now, while Peacock's own listing and NBC's press coverage both confirm it's included with a subscription. Streaming rights shift without much notice, so check Peacock directly before paying for a rental you might already have covered.
Why did The Grinch leave Netflix?
Nothing dramatic happened here. Universal owns the film through its Illumination label, and since NBCUniversal launched Peacock, Universal has been steadily pulling its catalog titles back from other platforms to make Peacock the place to watch them. Licensing deals for a specific title run for a fixed window, and once that window closes, the studio decides where it goes next. For The Grinch, that's Peacock, at least for now.
This is the same pattern behind most "wait, wasn't this on Netflix?" moments. It's rarely about the movie disappearing. It's a studio moving its own content to its own platform.
Which Grinch movie are you actually looking for?
There are three different films people mean when they search for "The Grinch," and mixing them up is easy since they share a title and a holiday. Here's how they break down:
| Film | Year | Studio / lead | Streaming home | Rent or buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas! | 1966 | MGM/Warner Bros. (TV special), narrated by Boris Karloff | Rotates by season, check current listings | Amazon, Apple TV |
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas | 2000 | Universal, starring Jim Carrey | Peacock (subscription availability shifts by season) | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home |
| The Grinch | 2018 | Illumination/Universal, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch | Peacock | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Google Play |
None of the three are on Netflix right now. If a friend swears they watched "The Grinch" on Netflix recently, there's a decent chance it was a different title entirely, or it was true at the time and has since moved.
A quick way to decide what to do: if you already have Peacock, just search for the 2018 title and press play. If you don't want another subscription for one movie, renting is a one-time cost with no commitment. If you'd rather spend nothing extra and don't mind waiting, check Freeform's schedule closer to December.
How do you watch The Grinch (2018) on Peacock?
Sign up for Peacock directly through peacocktv.com or the app on your TV, phone, or streaming box. Peacock offers an ad-supported plan and an ad-free plan; either one includes The Grinch as part of the regular catalog, not as a premium add-on. Once you're signed in, search "The Grinch" and filter for the 2018 result if more than one comes up.
If you already pay for Peacock through a bundle (some mobile and cable providers include it), check your existing account before creating a new one. It's a common way people end up with two subscriptions for the same service.
Is there a free way to watch The Grinch?
Freeform has run The Grinch (2018) as part of its holiday programming block in past years, typically closer to December. If you have a cable or satellite login, you can usually stream it live or on-demand through the Freeform app at no extra cost. There's no reliable, ongoing free subscription option beyond that. Sites advertising a permanently free stream of a current theatrical release usually aren't the film's actual rights holder, so treat those with suspicion.
The same caution applies to any site that asks you to install an unfamiliar player or browser extension before a movie will "start." That's a common way free-streaming scams distribute unwanted software, and it has nothing to do with whether the film is legitimately streaming somewhere else.
How do you keep your stream private while you watch?
Say you're at a relative's place for the holidays, connected to their guest Wi-Fi, trying to finish The Grinch on your phone before dinner. Or you're on hotel Wi-Fi during a work trip, catching up on Peacock after a long day. Shared and public networks like these aren't encrypted the way your home connection is, which matters more than most people realize when you're signed into a streaming account.
This is where a streaming VPN is useful, not as a way to unlock anything, but to keep your connection private while you use a subscription you already pay for. It also helps if your ISP throttles video traffic during peak hours, which some providers do without telling you.
A few honest caveats. VPN Super doesn't change what Peacock, Netflix, or any other service shows you; the film's availability is set by studio licensing, not by which server you connect through. And not every privacy feature is available on every platform yet. Kill Switch and Split Tunneling are rolling out platform by platform rather than all at once, so check what's actually available on your specific device before assuming a feature is there.
One more thing to plan for: content libraries can differ by country even on a subscription you already pay for. If you're traveling internationally and pull up Peacock, don't be surprised if a title you watched at home isn't listed. That's the same licensing mechanic described above, just applied to your own account instead of Netflix's.
Recommended setup for travel:
- Download VPN Super on whichever device you'll actually be streaming from, before you leave home.
- Connect before you open any streaming app on hotel, airport, or guest Wi-Fi.
- If you plan to travel often, Premium's larger server list (64 countries across iOS, Windows, and Mac; 58 on Android) gives you more stable server options than the free tier.
For occasional use, like protecting one login at a coffee shop, the Free tier has no time limit and covers the basics. If you're traveling regularly and want the widest server selection, Premium is the better fit.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Grinch (2018) on Netflix in 2026?
No. The film moved to Peacock as part of Universal's push to keep its catalog on its own platform. You can also rent it on Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, or Google Play.
Where can I watch The Grinch (2018) right now?
Peacock is the current subscription home. If you'd rather not subscribe, it's available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play. Freeform also airs it during its holiday schedule in some years.
Why did The Grinch leave Netflix?
Universal, which owns the film through Illumination, has been moving its catalog titles to Peacock since launching that service. Licensing windows expire, and studios generally choose to keep their own content on their own platform once they can.
Is The Grinch on Netflix or Disney+?
Neither. It's easy to assume a Christmas classic like this belongs to Disney, but it's a Universal film, and Universal's streaming home is Peacock, not Disney+.
Who has The Grinch streaming for free?
There's no ongoing free subscription option right now. Freeform's holiday broadcast is the closest thing to a free option, and that requires a cable or satellite login to stream through its app. Be cautious of sites claiming a permanently free stream of a current release.
Is the 2000 Jim Carrey version of The Grinch on Netflix?
Not currently. It's also a Universal title, and its streaming availability tends to move between Peacock and rental platforms depending on the season. Check current listings if you specifically want this version rather than the 2018 animated one.
Is the 1966 animated Grinch on Netflix?
Not right now. This one is the original Chuck Jones television special narrated by Boris Karloff, owned separately from the two Universal films, and its streaming home shifts with licensing deals from year to year. Check listings again closer to December.
Is The Grinch on Netflix in Canada, the UK, or Australia?
Streaming rights are licensed country by country, and availability for this title outside the US couldn't be independently confirmed at the time of writing. The most reliable way to check is directly on Netflix or Peacock's own site for your region, since listings change without notice.
