Best Free Streaming Services

What if we told you there are free streaming services that have excellent on-demand content, live TV channels, limited ads, and a chance to get you out of your monthly cable bill?

And who doesn’t like free? Who doesn’t like watching TV shows and movies?

We have gifted you with details of the five best free streaming services that you can start using today while you need to kill some time or destress.

• On-demand content and live channels
• Limited ads
• Don’t need to create an account

The Roku Channel gives you both live TV channels and great on-demand content that you can watch any time of the day.

Some of the live channels you can watch with the Roku Channel:

• ABC News
• USA Today
• Newsy
• Comedy Central
• BET
• MTV
• Cheddar News

Movies on the Roku Channel include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, all of The Hunger Games, Secondhand Lions, and Escape From Planet Earth. And you can enjoy series such as Alone, Hell's Kitchen, Forensic Files, The Bachelorette, and 60 Days In.

When we watched Schitt’s Creek on The Roku Channel, the first episode didn’t have any ads whatsoever. But there were two ads in our second episode.

We couldn’t find a trend, but it’s definitely nice when an episode or two has zero ads for zero interruptions. Other free services will have up to three ads in one 30-minute episode, which can get a little bothersome (to say the least).

You and your family can watch The Roku Channel through the app, on your laptop, Roku TVs, or other TV-connected streaming devices with the Roku app.

We don’t know about you, but we know we don’t mind when we can use a service without giving them our full name. Oh, and our email address so they can blow up our inbox with “suggestions” or “what’s new.”

But if you do create an account with The Roku Channel, you’ll get the following benefits:

• Access to premium channel subscriptions
• Continue watching movies right where you left off
• Get recommendations based on your interests

So, it might actually be worth giving your information. Because you know you like the simplicity of jumping to the scene where you left off and getting “Recommended for You” suggestions.

• Good: The Roku Channel has great frequently updated on-demand content and offers live TV channels.
• Bad: The downside to free content is unavoidable ads, and the Roku Channel doesn't offer an ad-free, paid subscription option.
• Full review: If you want more updated, popular content, check out our review on Netflix and Hulu + Live TV.

• Live TV streaming
• On-demand content

• Lots of ads

First of all, similar to The Roku Channel, you don’t even need to sign up or create an account for Pluto TV. You can just start watching TV when you open the website or app.

Pluto TV is the best free service for live TV with more than 250 channels. It’s a cable-like streaming service with the following channels:

Also, there are channels dedicated to one particular TV show, such as Tosh.O, Degrassi, and Deal or No Deal.

And perfect for Spanish speakers, there is a Latino section with Peliculas, Telemundo Telenovelas Clásicas, and Nickelodeon Latino.

The massive amount of content Pluto TV offers includes 70 different movie genres. Anyone will find something to watch when you’re waiting in the long line at the grocery store or when you need to kill some time at home.

Movies include Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, What Lies Beneath, Bull Durham, and all of the original James Bond movies.

The on-demand shows on Pluto TV include The First 48, Hell’s Kitchen, Rosanne, and Leverage.

Watch Pluto TV on the app, on your computer, or with one of these devices:

While we shouldn’t complain too much about a free service, we must let you know: there are quite a few ads.

Yes, they need to make money somehow.

But just so you don’t get blindsided, expect three 30-second or one-minute ads in your 30-minute TV episode.

• Good: Pluto TV is the best for live TV and also offers on-demand content.
• Bad: You might have to pick through the on-demand content and deal with the ads.
• Full review: If you want more channels, check out our full review of the best live TV streaming services.

• Loads of movies and TV shows
• Rent movies
• Ads are minimal

Vudu’s free titles are well-known. But keep in mind, they seem to exist in the late '80s to early 2010s.

Download the Vudu app to watch Black Hawk Down, Mr. 3000, King Arthur, Magic Mike XXL, and Road House.

There are also lots of movies and TV series your kids will enjoy, such as Escape from Planet Earth, Norm of the North, Pokemon, and My Little Pony. If you want to find more streaming services for your little ones, check out our top streaming services for kids.

Rent newer movies from $1.99–$5.99 like Spider-man: No Way Home, Sing 2, Ghostbusters Afterlife, Encanto, and Moonfall.

They also have a “Fandango at Home” section that has all of the brand new movies you can rent for $19.99, including The Batman, X, The Outfit, and Infinite Storm (but if you wait a little longer, you can buy the movie on Vudu for the same price).

This feature might sound similar to Amazon Prime Video, but you don’t have to worry about paying for a monthly subscription with Vudu.

Ads aren’t inconveniently in the middle of a sad scene or the middle of an actor’s sentence.

When you watch a movie, a 30-second to one-minute ad will pop up at the beginning, and that’s it. (Thank you, Vudu.)

• Good: Vudu has lots of on-demand content, and you can rent or buy videos anytime you want.
• Bad: Yes, there are ads, but luckily they’re placed at the beginning of your show to avoid a frustrating interruption.
• Full review: If you want even more and newer on-demand content, check out our full review of Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

• Movies dating back to the late '80s to early 2000s
• Lots of genres

Tubi TV has all of the nostalgic content you need from Alf and The Dick Van Dyke Show to The Bachelor and Hell’s Kitchen.

You’ll also have movie choices such as Barber Shop 2, Shrek Forever After, Boondock Saints, and Donnie Darko.

And when we watched Into the Blue, there were no ads throughout the entire movie. Now that’s a super big bonus.

Visit the past by streaming Tubi TV on your Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xfinity X1, Xbox, Samsung Smart TVs, Sony Smart TVs, PlayStation and online.

The big list of genres and categories on Tubi TV goes on and on. Everyone (I mean everyone) will find a category they like.

There are categories such as Crime TV, Family Movies, Preschool, Sports Movies & Shows, Good Eats, and Movie Night.

This free streaming service is worth checking out, but you’ll have to sign up for an account before you can view all of its nostalgic content.

• Good: Tubi TV gives you lots of free content of different genres that will remind you of the old days.
• Bad: Arguably, most of the content is not for the younger generations.
• Full review: Speaking of nostalgia (if you want more), check out our review of Disney+, a streaming service that has all of the movies you watched when you were a kid.

These free streaming services are an excellent alternative to traditional streaming or cable TV, but you won’t get a lot of newer content.

We sorted through more than a dozen free streaming services to highlight some of the best. We considered content, channels, and ads to determine which streaming service deserves your attention. Overall, we can say this about each:

• The Roku Channel: The Roku Channel will give you frequently updated on-demand content, live channels, and limited ads.
• Pluto TV: If you’re looking for the most live TV channels for free, Pluto TV is the service for you. Enjoy channels for news, kids, entertainment, reality, and sports.
• Vudu: With Vudu, you’ll get access to loads of movies and TV shows. It’s also a service where you can rent and buy new movies without a monthly subscription.
• Tubi TV: If you’re looking for a movie from the early '80s to early 2000s, Tubi TV at your service. Also, enjoy all of the filtered categories to find what you’re really in the mood for.