You do not need a stack of paid subscriptions to enjoy great television. Over the past few years, a new wave of free TV apps has quietly become one of the best deals in entertainment: fully licensed streaming services that let you watch movies, TV shows, and even live channels for free. Instead of charging you a monthly fee, these apps show advertisements — short commercial breaks that pay for the content, exactly like traditional broadcast TV did for decades.
The key word is “licensed.” Every app on this list is available in official app stores, partners directly with studios and networks, and streams content legally. That means no sketchy pop-ups, no malware risk, and no streams that vanish overnight. Below are the best free TV apps worth installing right now, what each one does best, and how to combine them into a setup that can genuinely replace — or at least slim down — your paid streaming lineup.
How Free TV Apps Work
Free TV apps fall into two broad categories. The first is FAST — free ad-supported streaming television — which offers live, scheduled channels that you flip through like cable. The second is AVOD — ad-supported video on demand — which works like a free version of a paid streamer: pick any title and watch it whenever you want, with ad breaks. Many of the best apps do both, mixing live channels with a large on-demand library. Because advertisers cover the cost, most of these services do not even require a credit card, and several do not require an account at all.
The Best Free TV Apps
1. Tubi — the biggest free on-demand library
Tubi is the heavyweight of free streaming, with tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes available on demand. You can start watching without creating an account, and the app runs on nearly every device: phones, tablets, smart TVs, streaming sticks, game consoles, and web browsers. Its catalog mixes older hits, cult favorites, international titles, and a growing lineup of Tubi Originals. If you only install one free app, make it Tubi.
2. Pluto TV — the closest thing to free cable
Pluto TV is the best pick for channel surfers. It offers hundreds of live channels organized by genre — news, sports, movies, comedy, reality, kids’ shows — plus a solid on-demand movie section. The program guide looks and feels like traditional cable, so there is always something on. No account is required, and the service is available in dozens of countries.
3. The Roku Channel — free movies plus live TV
You do not need a Roku device to use The Roku Channel. It streams free in a web browser and through apps on phones and smart TVs, offering a large rotating library of movies, TV shows, and live channels, including Roku Originals. A free Roku account unlocks the full experience. Roku’s own site highlights a huge selection of free entertainment, and you can explore the platform through Roku’s official website to see what is included.
4. Xumo Play — simple, no-fuss channel surfing
Xumo Play keeps things simple: hundreds of free live and on-demand channels with a clean, easy interface. Much of the content is watchable without signing up, which makes it one of the fastest apps to get running on a new TV. It is a great secondary app for discovering channels you did not know existed.
5. Plex — free streaming plus your own media
Plex is two things at once. It is a well-known media server that organizes your personal video collection, and it is also a free streaming service with hundreds of live channels and tens of thousands of on-demand titles. A free Plex account ties it together, and the app works on virtually every platform. The learning curve is slightly steeper than the others, but the payoff is a unified library of your files and free streams.
6. Samsung TV Plus — built into Samsung TVs
If you own a Samsung smart TV, you already have a free streaming service: Samsung TV Plus comes preinstalled, with thousands of channels available globally and no account needed. In several markets it now also runs in web browsers, so even non-Samsung owners can try parts of the lineup. LG TV owners get a similar built-in option with LG Channels.
7. Peacock’s free tier — NBC content without paying
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streamer, keeps a free tier with a selection of TV episodes, movies, news, and sports highlights. The best content sits behind the paid plans, but the free tier is a solid way to catch up on classic NBC shows and daily news without spending anything.
8. Crackle — originals and classics
Crackle has been in the free streaming game for years. Its catalog is smaller than Tubi’s or Pluto’s, but it includes Crackle Originals and a respectable collection of classic films and older TV series. Worth a look when you have exhausted the bigger libraries.
How to Start Watching in Minutes
- Pick two or three apps. A good starter combo is Tubi for on-demand movies, Pluto TV for live channels, and The Roku Channel for a bit of both.
- Install them from your device’s official app store. Never download streaming apps from random websites — the official versions are free anyway.
- Create free accounts only where needed. Tubi and Pluto TV work without accounts; The Roku Channel and Plex ask for a free one.
- Browse the live guide and on-demand rows. Give each app a week of casual use before deciding which ones earn a permanent spot on your home screen.
- Pair with your library. For ad-free documentaries and arthouse films, add Kanopy — learn how it works in our guide Is Kanopy Free? — and you will have a genuinely complete free setup.
Tips for a Better Free-Streaming Setup
- Combine apps instead of choosing one. No single free service covers everything; two or three together come close.
- Check regional availability. Catalogs and channel lineups vary by country, so an app that is excellent in the US may look different elsewhere.
- Accept the ad trade-off. Expect commercial breaks every 10 to 20 minutes — far less annoying than the pop-ups and malware risks of unlicensed sites.
- Use the search and watchlist features. Most apps let you search across their catalogs and save titles, making free libraries feel much more personal.
- Keep an eye on your data. Streaming in HD uses several gigabytes per hour, so use Wi-Fi rather than mobile data for movie nights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are free TV apps really free?
Yes. The apps listed here charge nothing and most do not even require a credit card. They earn money by showing advertisements during programs, which keeps the content free for viewers.
Are these apps legal to use?
Yes. Every app on this list is a licensed service available in official app stores. Studios and networks provide the content and are paid through advertising, so watching is completely legitimate.
Why do free apps have ads?
Ads are the business model. Producing and licensing shows costs money, and since you are not paying a subscription, advertisers cover the cost in exchange for short commercial breaks — the same arrangement broadcast TV used for decades.
Do I need to create an account?
It depends on the app. Tubi, Pluto TV, and Xumo Play let you watch without signing up, while The Roku Channel and Plex ask for a free account. None of them require payment details for the free tier.
Can I watch these apps on my smart TV?
Yes. All of these services offer apps for major smart TV platforms, streaming sticks, phones, tablets, and web browsers. Samsung and LG TVs even come with free channels built in.
About the Author
