Chinese dramas have become a global trend in recent years, especially among audiences who enjoy Asian content. These shows are known for their fast-paced storytelling and high-intensity plots, making them perfect for watching during short breaks. However, many platforms require a paid subscription to access these dramas. If a platform becomes unavailable or certain content is restricted, you’ll need reliable alternatives. This article shares 10 websites where you can watch Chinese dramas for free with English subtitles. Bookmark this list so you can enjoy uninterrupted drama anytime.
What is Chinese Drama?
In this post, Chinese drama mainly refers to Chinese short dramas. These are original web series produced in China with shorter episode lengths, typically ranging from a few minutes up to around twenty minutes. Unlike traditional long-form dramas, short dramas tell stories quickly and clearly, so they are great for people who want interesting shows but don’t have a lot of time.
Thanks to the rise of streaming platforms and the growing popularity among younger audiences, Chinese short dramas have quickly gained a large following. They cover a wide variety of genres, from romance and comedy to suspense and fantasy, often featuring fresh themes and innovative storytelling techniques.
Additionally, many of these short dramas come with English subtitles, allowing international viewers to enjoy and understand the stories easily, further boosting their global appeal.
Best 10 Free Websites to Watch Chinese Drama for Free with English Subtitles
This section will review the 10 free websites where you can watch Chinese short dramas with English subtitles. Keep reading to find out which site is best for you.
1iQIYI
I believe that iQIYI is not a platform for strangers for most people. It is a great site to watch Chinese movies with English subtitles and keep up with the latest episodes. It provides a variety of genres like romance, historical fantasy, and school life, so you can easily follow the story and characters as they develop. You’ll find detailed info about the shows, the main actors, and cool highlights. It’s perfect for viewers around the world who want to stay connected and never miss a moment.
Availability: iOS 12.0 or later and Android, and Web
Video quality: 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K
Price: Free, but some shows require a VIP pass to watch
2WeTV
As another major player in the global streaming market, Tencent’s WeTV has become a key platform for bringing Chinese dramas to international audiences. It mainly focuses on providing Chinese short dramas with English subtitles to global users. It features a wide range of genres, including romantic love stories, school life, historical fantasy, and mystery thrillers, providing viewers with a rich and diverse selection. You can watch popular mini-dramas like “Touch Your Heart” and “Wife’s Revenge” on the platform.
Availability: Web, iOS 12.0 or later, and Android
Video Quality: 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K
Price: Free (with ads); VIP subscription removes ads and allows streaming on 2 devices at the same time
3Dailymotion
Dailymotion is a well-known video-sharing platform that offers a large collection of Chinese short dramas with English subtitles. Here, you can watch popular series like “Dear, Love”, “The Untamed”, and “Goodbye My Princess”. The platform allows users to upload and share videos, providing a rich variety of content to meet different viewers’ preferences.
With its clean and user-friendly interface, Dailymotion is suitable for audiences worldwide to browse and enjoy dramas. It is completely free to use, and most content can be watched without registration.
Availability: Web, iOS, and Android
Video quality: 480p, 720p, and 1080p
Price: Free
Tip: Dailymotion updates content frequently. Besides popular Chinese short dramas, you can also find variety shows, documentaries, and movies.
4Rakuten Viki
Rakuten Viki has over 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store, offering a vast library of Asian dramas with stable HD streaming on an official licensed platform. It serves more than 200 countries worldwide and features over 15,000 titles with multi-language subtitles.
The platform makes it easy for users to find show updates, cast information, and subtitle progress. More importantly, viewers don’t face regional restrictions or intrusive ads like on other free platforms, making it the preferred choice for Asian drama fans in Europe and the US.
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Video Quality: 480p, 720p, and 1080p
Price: Free, $7.99/standard, or $11.99/plus to unlock more Asian movies
5YouTube
As the name suggests, YouTube is the world’s biggest video-sharing site, where you can find lots of Chinese dramas with English subtitles. You can watch different kinds of Chinese shows for free on official channels and from user uploads. You’ll also find drama updates, actor interviews, entertainment news, and deep-dive videos about popular stories.
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Video Quality: 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K
Price: Free, with optional YouTube Premium subscription
6Mango TV
If you’re looking for a platform to watch a huge variety of Chinese dramas and variety shows for free, give Mango TV a try. It’s an official streaming app designed for fans of Asian content. Once you create an account, you can access over 50,000 episodes of TV series, exclusive variety shows, and HD movies, all with official English subtitles.
One of the biggest advantages of this platform is its multiple streaming sources feature. If one stream lags or buffers, you can instantly switch to another to make sure you never miss any exciting moments.
Availability: Android, iOS, and Web
Video Quality: 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K available for VIP users
Price: Free; Provides VIP subscription
7Youku
Youku is a popular Chinese video platform that also provides an international version for global users. It’s available on iPhone, Android, Smart TVs, and web browsers, and gives you free access to a wide range of Chinese short dramas and trending TV series. The international version of Youku supports multiple subtitle options, including English, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Spanish. It also features a multilingual interface, making it easy to use for viewers outside of China.
You can watch top dramas like “Veil of Chu”, “Wealth and Wonder”, and “The Seven Relics of Ill Omen” with English subtitles for free.
Availability: Android, iOS, Smart TVs, Web
Video Quality: 480p, 720p, 1080p, and some 4K content
Price: Free with ads; VIP subscription available for extra features
8GoodShort
GoodShort is a handy platform for watching Chinese dramas with English subtitles for free. It features a wide range of short dramas and web series from China and other Asian countries. The free version includes ads that may disrupt viewing, while a subscription removes ads and offers higher-quality streaming.
Due to licensing restrictions, some users may need a VPN to access GoodShort in certain regions. The platform works on multiple devices and provides a simple, user-friendly experience with many English-subtitled Chinese dramas and shorts.
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Video Quality: Provides HD and SD options
Price: Free, $9.99/week, $99.99/year
9MyDramaList
MyDramaList is a well-known platform for people who want to watch Chinese dramas with English subtitles for free. It has a large collection of Chinese dramas, along with popular shows and movies from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries.
Although the platform mainly focuses on drama information, ratings, and user discussions without providing direct streaming, it guides users to various free streaming sites. This makes it easy for users to find Chinese dramas with English subtitles and enjoy their favorite shows.
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Video Quality: It doesn’t provide videos
Price: Free, $2.99/month, $29.99/year
10DramaCool
DramaCool is a free website where you can watch Asian dramas and movies. It helps you find the latest episodes from different sites quickly. You can filter shows by country, genre, or update status to easily find what you want to watch.
Even though it has a lot of content, DramaCool has some downsides. Some shows might have copyright problems, there are often ads while watching, and sometimes video links don’t work. You mainly use it through a web browser on your computer or phone.
DramaCool works like a search site that sends you to different streaming sources. So, it’s a good idea to check if the links are safe and working before you start watching to avoid ads or playback issues.
Availability: Web
Video Quality: HD and SD, depending on the show and connection.
Price: Free with ads, no signup needed.
Bonus: How to Watch Chinese Drama for Free with English Subtitles Offline
When you want to watch Chinese dramas with English subtitles offline, you may want to have an easy-to-use screen recording tool. For this purpose, we recommend Kingshiper Screen Recorder - a free Windows screen recorder that lets you save your favorite online videos directly to your computer.
It is free and simple to handle, enabling you to record screen and system audio at the same time to ensure a great viewing experience offline. You can check the user tutorial to quickly learn how to record and save your favorite Chinese dramas or movies.
The legality of these free Cdrama websites can vary widely based on factors such as whether the site has proper licensing, the legitimacy of the content offered, and the laws in the user’s country.
Legal platforms like Viki, WeTV, and Youku International usually provide Chinese dramas through official licenses or ad-supported models, ensuring that users watch content legally and safely.
On the other hand, some free Chinese drama sites stream pirated content without authorization, which can lead to legal risks, security issues, and poor video quality.
To identify legal sites, pay attention to their advertising methods, partners, copyright information, and user reviews. Always verify the legitimacy of the platform to avoid unnecessary risks and troubles.
Final Remarks
If you want to watch Chinese dramas with English subtitles for free, this article is all you need. We've gathered 10 useful platforms and methods, highlighting their key features to help you find the best way to watch.
Use screen recorders like Kingshiper Screen Recorder to save your favorite dramas to your local device, so you can watch them offline anytime and enjoy more flexible viewing.
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