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Oct 25, 2024 · Which? compares the biggest TV streaming services in the UK, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney Plus and Now TV, to help you find the best package.
- Watch Freevee here. The Roku Channel app comes automatically with any Roku TV or device, but it’s also available for download on mobile phones and tablets.
- Watch The Roku Channel here. The Viacom-owned Pluto TV has a decent selection of on-demand movies and shows but where it really shines is in live TV streaming.
- Watch Pluto TV here. Think of Tubi as a free version of Netflix, with an on-demand library of over 20,000 movies and TV shows. Of course, Tubi doesn’t have the newer, high-profile titles that a subscription platform boasts, nor originals.
- Watch Tubi here. Crackle is a pioneer in the free streaming space, launching in 2004 — back when Netflix was still shipping DVDs. Owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Crackle houses free movies and TV shows and even original programming, which sets it apart from many of the other free streaming services on this list.
- Lifehacker Staff
- Kanopy and Hoopla. Streaming services Kanopy and Hoopla both have a large selection of high-quality movies—Kanopy even carries The Criterion Collection—but they’re only available if your local library system has a subscription, which also means you’ll need a valid library account to log in.
- PBS. PBS is home to shows like PBS Newshour, Antiques Roadshow and This Old House. While many titles are restricted to paying members, some of PBS’s online selection (taken from its TV programming) is available online for free, including a series of film school shorts.
- Tubi. Free streaming site Tubi offers movies and TV shows from several major studios with minimal (sometimes zero) advertising. The catch is that—judging by a spot-check—desktop streaming is limited to SD resolutions.
- Vudu. Paid streaming service Vudu has a free section offering an assortment of recognizable movies floating among less familiar titles. You’ll need to sign up for a free account and sit through some ads—and some movies are only available in SD, which isn’t great—but you’ll get access to more than 5,400 movies on your computer, phone or streaming device.
- Comedy Central
- Nick
- PBS
- PBS Kids
- A&E
- History Channel
- Lifetime
- Food Network
- Smithsonian Channel
Comedy Central hides a lot of its shows (including Tosh.0 and Key & Peele) behind a cable pay-wall, but it also has a selection of full episodes for non-subscribers, including recent episodes of The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, South Park, and Workaholics. Platforms: Chromecast (iOS and Android); Xbox One Restrictions: The Daily Show and The Col...
Got kids? You’re in luck with Nick’s app, which has dozens of full episodes from shows like Spongebob Squarepants,iCarly and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(albeit the inferior remake). Platforms: Chromecast (iOS and Android) Restrictions:Some older episodes have clearly marked expiration dates, but there’s a lot of free stuff here.
Sure, it’s the same video you can get for free with an over-the-air antenna, but the app lets you watch shows like Austin City Limits, Frontline, Antiques Roadshow, and Natureon your own schedule. You can view shows from your local PBS affiliate as well. Platforms: Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:None, but there’s a donate button in the app if...
Like its adult counterpart, the PBS Kids app offers hundreds of full episodes for free. But instead of documentaries and Antiques Roadshow reruns, you get Sesame Street, Curious George, and The Cat in the Hat. Platforms: Chromecast (iOS and Android), Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:None
This haven for offbeat reality TV offers full episodes of a handful of series for free, including Storage Wars, Country Buck$, and Beyond Scared Straight. Everything else, alas, is trapped behind the cable paywall. Platforms: Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:Check the “featured” section first for full episodes, but you may find the occasional f...
Much like A&E, the History Channel mainly offers reality programming—Pawn Stars is a staple—but occasionally makes good on its name with history-minded variants like Museum Men and Search for the Lost Giants. Platforms: Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:The “featured” section is your best bet for full episodes, though you can find a handful of o...
Lifetime subsists largely on reality shows such as Project Runway All Stars and True Tori, but a bunch of the network’s made-for-TV movies are included as well. Platforms: Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:Most shows have are behind the paywall, so check the ”featured” section first for full episodes. Those cheesy movies, however, are largely fr...
Get your celebrity chef/competitive cooking fix with shows likeBeat Bobby Flay, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Sandwich King. For foodies, it could be the one app that makes Google’s Nexus Playerworthwhile. Platforms:Android TV Restrictions:Most older episodes are behind a cable paywall, but many shows have a few of their most recent episodes available for...
Compared to more popular TV networks, Smithsonian is extremely liberal about putting full episodes online, with specials like The King’s Speech Revealed, When Lions Attack, and Secrets: Easter Island. Platforms: Fire TV, Roku Restrictions:None Keep in mind that this is only a list of networks with proper apps available on streaming TV devices. If y...
- Tom Bedford
- Freevee. Countries: US & UK | Content: some live channels and many movies and box sets| Best for: binge-able TV and originals. Prime Video's free sibling is Freevee, formerly IMDb TV, is the best free streaming service right now — its library is so large that you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's not actually free!
- Pluto TV. Countries: US & UK | Content: live & on-demand movies, TV shows and reality | Best for: recent and classic TV. Pluto TV, owned by Paramount, is a fantastic free streaming service with a large library and many live TV channels.
- Tubi. Countries: US | Content: live & on-demand movies and TV shows| Best for: horror movies. Tubi is the biggest free streaming service in the US, though unfortunately, it isn't available outside of the country.
- Plex. Countries: US & UK | Content: live & on-demand movies and TV shows, plus streaming service directory| Best for: movies. If movies are your thing, Plex is a fantastic streamer to check out — as long as you make sure to familiarize yourself with how it works.
Aug 29, 2023 · There is an ad-free service, All 4+, which lets you watch 1500 shows without ads for just £3.99 a month with a 14-day free trial. My5. It’s a similar story with My5, the streaming service for...
Free legal streaming incl Amazon, Disney+, Netflix & Now. Chris Knight | Edited by Andrew Capstick. Updated 1 August 2024. Online streaming sites have become a mainstay of modern life, giving access to 1,000s of movies, TV shows and box sets. We take you through the big providers and how to stream as cheaply as you can.