With prices for nearly everything creeping upward, finding low-cost entertainment is a small but satisfying victory. Fortunately, there are more alternatives than ever for replacing your conventional cable setup without paying a dime. Numerous free streaming platforms have expanded, giving you access to content often overlooked by subscription services.
And you don’t have to huddle around a tiny phone screen or gather the family around a battered tablet to watch beloved shows or films. You can install apps on your Smart TV or even on your Xbox or PlayStation consoles.
Of course, some murky options circulate that provide pirated streams. So we’ve compiled a list of free, lawful TV streaming apps that offer cable-cutting choices with no strings attached.
If you still pay for streaming, there are ways to pare expenses. The best cash-back credit cards can help you earn rewards on streaming subscriptions every month.
13 Free TV Apps That Will Help You Cut Cable
- Freevee
- Crunchyroll
- The Roku Channel
- Tubi
- Pluto TV
- NewsON
- PBS Kids
- PBS
- Xumo Play
- Twitch
- YouTube
- The CW
- Popcornflix
Whether you want to stay abreast of current events, pick a movie for date night or keep the kids entertained with educational programming, there’s a streaming service that lets you do it without opening your wallet.
Give these free TV apps a try and determine which suits your needs best.
1. Freevee
Available on: iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Samsung smart TV, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox and Xfinity devices.
Owned by Amazon, Freevee (previously IMDb TV) offers numerous full episodes of current and classic TV shows along with a range of films.
The catalog contains binge-able titles such as “Reacher” and “Schitt’s Creek.”
Unlike some offerings you might access through a paid Prime account, Freevee is ad-supported, so expect to encounter a few commercial breaks.
2. Crunchyroll
Available on: iOS or Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Samsung smart TV, Xumo TV, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox.
Anime and manga enthusiasts are probably familiar with Crunchyroll. It focuses mainly on Japanese content but also includes films and series from around the globe. Crunchyroll boasts thousands of anime titles, many of which are tough to find on other platforms.
While premium subscriptions exist, the free Crunchyroll tier provides ad-supported episodes of popular series like “Black Clover,” “My Hero Academia” and “Spy X Family.”
This app is an excellent choice for anime fans. That said, parents should monitor younger viewers since much anime targets teens and sometimes adults.
3. The Roku Channel
Available on: iOS or Android devices, Roku device or mobile app.
Even if you don’t own a Roku device, you can install the free Roku Channel app. It features a rotating roster of free movies and TV series. Selections include titles like “Frasier,” “2 Broke Girls” and “Longmire.”
The Roku Channel also hosts Roku Originals such as “UFO Cowboys.” Viewers in the U.S. and Canada can stream live news 24/7. The service is ad-supported but requires no subscription.
4. 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.
A division of FOX Entertainment, Tubi partners with major studios like Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lionsgate. It also highlights many foreign and indie productions.
Tubi’s catalog is refreshed frequently, and the platform claims to add new titles each week.
The lineup includes popular TV shows such as “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Dance Moms.”
Since the service is supported by ads, expect a couple of minutes of commercials roughly every 12 minutes — an experience similar to conventional TV.
5. Pluto TV
Available on: iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Google TV, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox and Xfinity devices.
Pluto TV provides linear TV channels much like a cable package, alongside plenty of on-demand choices.
There are dozens of classic TV, movie and sports channels — and even highly curated niche streams.
If breaking news is your priority, pick from a variety of major network news channels that stream live.
Kids (or the kid in you) can enjoy shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Peppa Pig.”
Pluto TV’s ads can be frequent and irritating, but the tradeoff is that the service is completely free.
6. NewsON
Available on: iOS and Android phones and tablets, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
Streaming media isn’t solely for entertainment. The NewsON app delivers hundreds of local and national news streams.
You can access both live and on-demand local news from more than 285 affiliates across 165 markets. Broadcasts remain available for up to 48 hours after airing, so you can catch up if you missed them live.
7. PBS Kids
Available on: Android phones and tablets, iOS phones and tablets, and Amazon Kindle devices.
Children deserve free streaming choices too. PBS offers a PBS Kids Video app that provides hundreds of hours of educational and entertaining content for young viewers. The colorful, kid-friendly interface makes it easy for children to navigate independently.
You can even tap the “Live TV” option to watch what’s airing on your local PBS station at that moment.
Videos from beloved PBS series like “Wild Kratts” and “Daniel Tiger” are available for streaming.
8. 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 need cable to watch “PBS NewsHour.” The free PBS app lets you stream that program along with more than 4,000 other shows.
9. Xumo Play
Available on: iOS and Android devices, Xumo TV.
In late 2022, Xumo teamed up with Comcast and Charter to broaden access to devices and Xumo TVs. But if you want the free offerings, you can still download the Xumo Play channel.
Like Pluto, Xumo Play offers a selection of major network news channels — such as CBS News — that stream live.
It also includes more than 300 free channels, including themed streams if you’re in the mood for action movies or comedies.
10. Twitch
Available on: PC, iOS and Android devices, game consoles, Apple TV and Fire TV.
For anyone interested in gaming and esports, Twitch is the premier free streaming destination.
Twitch hosts user-created channels and live streams focused on video games and esports, with an integrated chat that lets viewers interact in real time.
While thousands of streams are free, Twitch also offers premium perks through a monthly subscription called Turbo.
Although popular with younger viewers, parents should be cautious: Twitch streams are loosely regulated and may include adult language or content.
11. YouTube
Available on: Virtually every device with a screen.
The ubiquitous YouTube has videos on nearly any topic you can imagine.
Many uploads aren’t high-end productions, but there are still plenty of full-length films, documentaries and curated channels that deliver free entertainment for the whole household.
There are ways to save YouTube videos for offline viewing, but be careful: many third-party sites and apps that offer downloads are laden with malware.
12. The CW
Available on: CWTV.com, Roku, Vizio smart TVs, LG smart TVs and Chromecast, as well as iOS, Amazon Fire and Android devices.
The CW maintains a free streaming app. While it doesn’t carry every episode of every CW series ever produced, you can stream a sizable selection, including recent episodes of shows currently airing. The catalog also includes programs that originally aired on other networks. Available titles include “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” “Drop Dead Diva” and “Bates Motel.”
13. Popcornflix
Available on: Apple and iOS devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV and Xbox One.
If you favor action, sci‑fi or horror, take a look at Popcornflix. Categories on the platform include offerings like “Gripping Documentaries” and “Retro Thrills.”
While Popcornflix requires no subscription, it does include intermittent ads sprinkled throughout the content.
Seattle-based writer Lena Morales is the creator of the WalletWise blog and author of “Smart Spending for Modern Life.” She frequently contributes to Savinly. Former staff writer Nicole Dow and senior managing editor Tiffany Wendeln Connors assisted with research for this piece.
