The best free streaming services are perfect for enjoying popular movies and TV shows without spending a dime. These great platforms offer a mix of live TV and on-demand content, including a wide range of older classics as well as some newer hits and originals only available on these platforms.
Premium streaming services offer convenience and entertainment value that are hard to beat. But most people can’t afford to subscribe to all of them. This is where the best services for free streaming come in to meet your needs. They have a lot of free TV shows and movies, but there are sometimes ads. This is similar to what you’d get with a pricey cable package. Below we have mentioned the best free streaming services.
Best Free Streaming Services Comparison Table
| Streaming Service | Price | Ads | Content Library | Live TV | Device Compatibility | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xumo | Free | Yes | Moderate | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
| Vudu | Varies | Yes | Extensive | No | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
| Sling Freestream | Free | Yes | Limited | No | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
| Crackle | Free | Yes | Moderate | No | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
| Tubi | Free | Yes | Extensive | No | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
| Pluto TV | Free | Yes | Extensive | Yes | Android, iOS, Web | Visit Website |
Xumo
Features
- Offers a lot of free live TV channels and content that you can watch whenever you want.
- Includes news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and more, among other things.
- Offers an interface that is easy to use and navigate.
- Streams on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices.
- Offers personalized suggestions based on what you like to watch.
Another free streaming service that has both live and on-demand content is Xumo. The app is built into some of the most popular smart TVs and can also be downloaded on Roku, iOS, and Android devices. There’s no need to sign up. Xumo has more than 190 channels, such as NBC News, Fox Sports, Funny or Die, and TMZ, which are all well-known brands. Currently, this is one of the best free streaming services you can consider now.
The main thing you can do on Xumo is look at a guide that looks like a grid and watch Pluto and Peacock. As you change channels, you can watch live TV. In the “on-demand” section, all of the channels are listed by type. The interface, on the other hand, doesn’t make it easy to see what TV shows are available. It looks like Xumo has the usual free shows, like 21 Jump Street, Forensic Files, Family Feud, and Unsolved Mysteries. At least the app for your phone has a tab for movies that you can look through.
Pros
- There’s a lot of content, like movies, TV shows, news, sports, and more.
- Interface that is easy to use and navigate.
- Available on smart TVs, streaming devices, and mobile apps, among other things.
- Free to use, but there are some ads.
Cons
- The content may be different in different places.
- There aren’t many ways to change things and make them your own.
- Sometimes there are problems with buffering or streaming.
Vudu
Features
- It has a list of free movies and TV shows that you can stream without having to sign up for a membership.
- Offers HD and 4K content that can be streamed in high quality.
- Users can make a free Vudu account so they can save their favorite movies and TV shows.
- Offers a section called “Movies on Us” where users can watch a rotating list of free movies.
- There are a lot of genres and categories to look into.
Walmart owns the Vudu is an online store where you can buy new movies and TV shows and also stream free content. You have to sign up for an account (or use your Walmart account) to use Vudu. After that, you can watch more than 10,000 free movies and TV shows. Even though none of the movies are new blockbusters, there are more of them than on other free streaming services. Recent movies like Troy, The Prestige, All Is Lost, Hoosiers, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Four Weddings and a Funeral are better than TV. And unlike other free services, Vudu wants to make its own shows, like the sci-fi show Albedo with Evangeline Lilly.
When we tried Vudu, we found that it was easy to use. There are clear signs for free content, and you can search for just free titles. The ads come up about as often as they do on other free services, but they tend to repeat more often and can be annoying if they ask you to choose one of several options. When we looked around Vudu’s free section, though, we couldn’t help but notice a few titles that seemed a little risque for the top of the pile, titles that would be hard to explain to kids. Most of the above services don’t have a problem with that because Peacock, Pluto, Roku Channel, and others don’t highlight that content as much. Thus, this is one of the best free streaming services you can consider now.
Pros
- There are a lot of movies and TV shows, including some that just came out.
- Some titles can be streamed in high-definition quality.
- For a premium experience, you can rent or buy movies and TV shows.
- Compatibility with different platforms and devices.
Cons
- There isn’t as much free content as there is paid content.
- Free content that is supported by ads may be interrupted a lot.
- In some places, supplies are limited.
Sling Freestream
Features
- It gives you a choice of free live TV channels that you can watch without a subscription.
- Channels like ABC News Live, Fox News, Bloomberg, and others are available.
- It works on smartphones, tablets, computers, and streaming devices, among other things.
- Offers an easy-to-use interface and a program guide that you can interact with.
- Users can get free access to a certain number of hours of DVR storage.
Sling is one of the best alternatives to cable TV. For $40 a month, you can get more than 50 channels. They recently brought back a free service called Freestream that lets you watch live and on-demand content. We love Sling because many of us here at TG have used it to cut the cord, and a free version might be the way to get more people to try the platform. Currently, this is one of the best free streaming services you can consider now.
When it first came out, Sling Freestream had 210 channels and 41,000 on-demand titles, including news, sports, game shows, crime dramas, nature, home improvement, and cooking shows. Some of the channels are well-known, like ABC News Live, ESPN On Demand, Family Feud, Forensic Files, Hell’s Kitchen, Rick Steves Europe, VH1 I Love Reality, and The Walking Dead Universe. Plus, users can add premium streaming services like AMC Plus and Showtime.
Pros
- Offers both live TV channels and content that you can watch whenever you want.
- Users can make changes to their channel lineup based on what they want.
- It works well with other products and services from Sling TV.
- compatible with a number of platforms and devices.
Cons
- Compared to paid subscription plans, there isn’t as much free content.
- When streaming content that is supported by ads, there may be breaks.
- You can only get it in the United States.
- To get to the content, you have to sign up and make an account.
Crackle
Features
- Provides a library of free movies, TV shows, and original content.
- Offers many different types of movies, such as action, comedy, drama, thrillers, and more.
- Offers collections and suggestions based on what the user likes.
- It lets you stream on a number of devices and platforms.
- Users can sign up for a free account that gives them access to more features, such as personalized watchlists.
Crackle was the first service to offer free streaming. It started in 2004, when Netflix was still sending DVDs. Crackle is different from many of the other free streaming services on this list because it is owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. It has free movies, TV shows, and even original shows. Crackle doesn’t require you to sign up, but if you do, you can add your favorites and save your place in a movie.
The movie library is much bigger and more interesting than the TV library. Crackle is one of the best free streaming services because it has original shows with top actors like Martin Freeman, Bryan Cranston, and Rupert Grint. It’s just that these are some of their lesser-known titles, and while we’re happy to learn about new projects, we’re also worried that there might be a bad reason we don’t know about these shows.
Pros
- There are a lot of movies, TV shows, and original shows that you can watch for free.
- Available on a number of platforms and devices.
- You don’t need a subscription or to sign up to watch content.
- Content is always being changed, which keeps the library fresh.
Cons
- Content that is supported by ads may be interrupted often.
- Not many popular and new books to choose from.
- Only available in some places.
- There aren’t many ways to change things and make them your own.
Tubi
Features
- Provides a huge number of free movies and TV shows.
- Offers a wide range of content, such as dramas, comedies, romances, documentaries, and more.
- High-definition streaming is possible.
- Offers personalized suggestions based on what you’ve watched before.
- Users can make a free account to save their favorites and continue listening on other devices.
Think of Tubi as a free version of Netflix. It has a library of more than 20,000 movies and TV shows that you can watch whenever you want. Of course, Tubi doesn’t have newer, more popular titles or originals like a subscription platform does. But for a free streaming service, they still have a pretty good selection of music. Currently, this is one of the best free streaming services you can consider now.
Tubi, which is now owned by Fox Corporation, was built by partnering with more than 250 content providers, such as Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM. The Terminator, Foxcatcher, Kill Bill, The Craft, and Fruitvale Station are all recent titles that are available. Henry T. Casey, who is in charge of streaming media for our company, loves Tubi for just one show: Lucha Underground, a stylized wrestling show on El Vez. The HBO show The Nevers is now available on Tubi.
Pros
- There are a lot of movies and TV shows from all kinds of genres.
- It works with a lot of different devices and platforms.
- You don’t need a subscription or to sign up to watch content.
- The interface is easy to use and navigate.
Cons
- Content that is supported by ads may be interrupted often.
- Not many popular and new books to choose from.
- Only available in some places.
- There aren’t many ways to change things and make them your own.
Pluto TV
Features
- Offers a large number of free live TV channels from many different genres.
- Offers movies and TV shows from different networks and studios that you can watch whenever you want.
- Streaming is supported on a number of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices.
- Offers an easy-to-use interface and a program guide that you can interact with.
- Users can sign up for a free account to customize their streaming experience and gain access to more features.
Pluto TV is owned by Viacom, and it has a good selection of movies and shows that you can watch whenever you want. But where it really shines is in streaming live TV. Viewers can look through live channels in a grid, just like with a cable TV guide. You can watch shows like TV Land Drama, BET Her, MTV’s Jersey Shore, and VH1’s I Love Reality, which are all owned by Viacom. They also have other well-known channels, like CNN and Fox Sports, which show edited clips instead of the live shows you’d see on cable.
We’re still waiting for Pluto to add dedicated channels for shows we really care about. Recent additions include Baywatch, Stargate, and Degrassi, but we know people who love those shows and keep going back to Pluto to indulge-watch them. Check out our Peacock for more up-to-date information. Still, this is one of the best free streaming services you can consider now.
Pros
- Offers a lot of live TV channels and content that you can watch whenever you want.
- Interface that is easy to use and navigate.
- You don’t need a subscription or to sign up to see content.
- Accessible on a number of devices and platforms.
Cons
- Content that is supported by ads may be interrupted often.
- Not many popular and new books to choose from.
- Some users have said that they sometimes have trouble with buffering or streaming.
- There aren’t many ways to change things and make them your own.
FAQs
Yes, the free streaming services listed above are legal and have the right to offer the content they do. But it’s important to remember that some content might not be available in your area, and it’s always a good idea to check the terms and conditions of each service.
Free streaming services offer a lot of different movies and TV shows, but they may not always have the newest ones. New games aren’t always available on these platforms, and most of the time you’ll find older or classic games instead. If you want to watch the newest movies and TV shows, you might need to subscribe to a paid streaming service or rent or buy the content from a digital store.
Most free streaming services do rely on ads to make money. During the streaming experience, ads will pop up at regular intervals. Depending on the service, ads may come more often or last longer.
