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11 Free TV Apps You Need to Download Now
Disillusioned by password sharing crackdowns with streaming platforms? You may now be on the hunt for free TV apps.
With the cost of everything seemingly going up lately, finding cheap entertainment is at least a small win. Luckily, there are more options than ever for replacing your traditional cable setup without shelling out cash. Many free streaming services have stepped up to offer access to content overlooked by subscription-based services.
And you aren’t confined to squinting at your phone’s screen or gathering the family around the old iPad to watch your favorite TV series or movie. You can download free tv apps to your Smart TV or even your Xbox or PlayStation consoles.
Of course, there are some rather shady options out there that stream pirated content. So we’ve rounded up free, legal TV streaming apps that provide no-strings-attached cable-cutting solutions.
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11 Free TV Apps That Will Help You Cut Cable
- The Roku Channel
- Tubi
- Pluto TV
- NewsON
- PBS Kids
- PBS
- Xumo Play
- Twitch
- YouTube
- The CW
- Popcornflix
Whether you’re looking to keep up with the news, find a good movie for date night or entertain your kids with educational content, a streaming service exists to ensure you can do so without paying a dime.
Try these free TV apps out and see which works best for you.
Looking for More Ways to Save Beyond Free TV Apps?
Everything is more expensive these days, so we love hearing our favorite word, “free.” If you’re looking for more ways to save money beyond downloading free TV apps, we’ve got some ideas for you. From saving on credit card interest to car insurance, these are some of our favorite ways to save.
| Offer | Why We Like It | What You Need to Do | Start Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Penny Hoarder Auto Insurance Tool | Save ~$500 per year | Provide some basic information | |
| AmOne | Save on interest payments with a personal loan | Answer a 10 quick qualifying questions | |
| Balance Transfer Credit Cards* | Cancel Your Interest Payments Until 2026 | Apply for a 0% Interest Credit Card | |
| Upside | Save $40/month on Gas | Download this free app |
1. The Roku Channel
Available on: iOS or Android devices, Roku device or mobile app.
Even if you don’t have a Roku, you can download the free Roku Channel app. This channel hosts a rotating selection of free movies and TV series. Offerings include options like “2 Broke Girls” and “Law & Order.”
The Roku Channel also is home to Roku Originals like “UFO Cowboys.” Those in the U.S. in Canada also can stream live news 24/7. The Roku Channel does have ads, but it doesn’t require a subscription.
2. Tubi TV
Available on: Android and iOS devices, as well as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV and Playstation 4 or 5.
Tubi is a division of FOX Entertainment that has deals with major studios. It also features lots of foreign and independent productions.
Tubi’s library is updated regularly, and the service claims to add new content every week.
The library is solid and offers popular TV series like “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Dance Moms.”
Because the service is ad-supported, you can expect to watch a couple minutes of ads every 12 minutes or so. The experience is pretty similar to watching normal television.
3. Pluto TV
Available on: iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Google TV, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox and Xfinity devices.
Pluto TV offers TV channels of linear content much like a cable package, though there are plenty of on-demand options, too.
There are dozens of classic TV, movie and sports channels — and even some highly curated streams of niche content.
If you’re looking for breaking news, you can choose from an assortment of major network news channels that are live streaming.
The kids (or kids at heart) can check out things like “Peppa Pig.”
Pluto TV has advertisements that occur with annoying frequency. But, hey, the service is 100% free.
4. NewsON
Available on: iOS and Android phones and tablets, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
Streaming video isn’t always just about entertainment. The NewsON app provides hundreds of local and national news streams.
Both live TV and on-demand news broadcasts can be streamed from more than 285 local news affiliates in 165 markets. The broadcasts are available for up to 48 hours after they air, so even if you don’t catch the news as it happens, you can catch up later.
5. PBS Kids
Available on: Android phones and tablets, iOS phones and tablets, and the Amazon Kindle.
Kids need free streaming content, too. PBS has a free PBS Kids Video TV app that provides hundreds of hours of educational and enriching content for the youngest members of the family. The app has a colorful, child-friendly interface, which makes it easy for kids to take control themselves.
You can even tap the “Live TV” button to watch what’s currently airing on your local PBS station.
Videos from many of PBS’s most popular series are available for streaming including “Wild Kratts” and “Daniel Tiger.”
6. PBS
Available on: iOS or Android devices, Amazon Fire Tablet or TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV and Amazon Fire TV.
You don’t have to miss out on “PBS NewsHour” if you ditch cable. You can watch that along with 4,000+ other shows with the free-to-download PBS app.
7. Xumo Play
Available on: iOS and Android devices, Xumo TV.
In late 2022, Xumo partnered with Comcast and Charter to expand their services to include devices and Xumo TVs. But don’t fret. If you’re looking for the free content, you can still find it all by downloading the Xumo Play channel.
Like Pluto, Xumo Play lets you choose from an assortment of major network news channels like CBS News that are live streaming.
But it also includes more than 300 free channels, including themed ones in case you’re in the mood for action movies or comedies.
8. Twitch
Available on: PC, iOS and Android devices, game consoles, Apple TV and Fire TV.
For anyone with even a passing interest in gaming and esports, Twitch is the go-to free streaming service.
Twitch hosts user-created channels and streams focused on video games and other esports. It features a built-in chat feature, so users can chat with other streamers in real time.
While there are thousands of free streams, Twitch also features premium features for a monthly subscription called Turbo.
Although Twitch is popular with children, parents should be aware: Twitch streams are somewhat unregulated and can sometimes contain adult language or content.
9. YouTube
Available on: Just about every device that has a screen.
The ubiquitous, YouTube features videos on nearly any topic imaginable.
Most of those videos are not exactly premium content, but there are still plenty of full-length films, documentary series and curated channels that provide cost-free entertainment for the whole family.
Although there are ways to download YouTube content for offline viewing, proceed with caution: Many of these sites and apps are full of malware.
10. The CW
Available on: CWTV.com, Roku, Vizio smart TV, LG TV and Chromecast, as well as on iOS, Amazon Fire or Android devices.
The CW has a free streaming app. Although you can’t watch every episode of every CW show ever, you can catch quite a lot of content, including new episodes of shows that are currently airing on TV. There also are some shows that originally aired on other networks. Offerings include “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “90210.”
11. Popcornflix
Available on: Apple and iOS mobile devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV and Xbox One.
If you’re into action flicks, sci-fi or horror, you might want to check out Popcornflix. Some of the categories of free movies and free tv shows on this platform include: “Gripping Documentaries” and “Pulse-Pounding Thrills.”
Although you won’t need a subscription for Popcornflix, you will have to watch a few ads spread throughout the content.
Pittsburgh-based writer Brynne Conroy is the founder of the Femme Frugality blog and the author of “The Feminist Financial Handbook.” She is a regular contributor to The Penny Hoarder. Former staff writer Nicole Dow and senior managing editor Tiffany Wendeln Connors contributed to this report.
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