How To Get Free TV Channels And Movies On Your Smart TV

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Remember when Netflix used to be cheaper than a movie ticket? Now, it feels like Netflix just keeps raising prices every other year. Streaming has become a luxury due to the increasing subscription costs. And with new streaming services popping up regularly, finding what you want means juggling between apps as the titles are spread across multiple subscriptions. The good news is that there are plenty of free streaming apps that let you watch movies and TV without a paywall.

In 2024, a survey by Tubi found that 62% of viewers prefer free streaming options, including ad-supported services, over paid subscriptions. And what's better than watching it on bigger screens? Smart TVs, with their developing technologies, now deliver stellar picture quality, making streaming at home more popular than going to theaters.

You may be tempted to install some shady free streaming apps, but such apps are a major source of malware infection, and you can be exposed to legal trouble. For example, in the U.S., piracy can lead to a fine of up to $150,000. Instead, you can look for free, and safe-to-use, streaming options like YouTube and Tubi. Let's discover how to install these apps, as well as explore free streaming apps for your smart TV.

Streaming isn't just about paid apps anymore, as big names, like Roku and YouTube, now offer free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and free ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services. They offer live TV channels and on-demand programming. You can install these apps directly on your smart TV and start watching for free without subscriptions. These services mostly rely on advertisements, so you will encounter a few ads while watching the content. 

You may need to install a few different apps to watch titles for free, as the content is distributed, and every smart TV operates differently. But no matter whether you own a Samsung, LG, or Fire TV, the process is roughly the same. These TVs have a dedicated app store, where you can search and install the apps. With Google TV or Apple TV, you can use your TV remote to open the app store. There, you can either type the app name or use voice search, if available, to install it and start watching for free. And if you're experiencing sluggish response from too many apps, there are several ways to fix a slow smart TV.

If you're interested in FAST, The Roku Channel is the answer, offering over 500 channels across news, sports, kids, movies, and entertainment. A few popular live channels available include PBS Kids, Fox Sports, ABC News Live, FilmRise Free Movies, and more.

Along with live TV, there is also a dedicated library of free on-demand content and Roku originals, including classics, comedies, dramas, and newer content. You'll find titles like "Prey" (2022), "2 Broke Girls" (2011–2016), and "Retribution" (2023). The AVOD content rotates due to licensing agreements, while live TV on Roku is frequently updated with new channels. All of which is free in exchange for watching a few ads.

The Roku Channel is available on most smart TVs, including Google TV, Samsung TVs, and, obviously, Roku TV. In case your TV doesn't support the Roku app, such as Apple TV, you can simply connect a Roku streaming player, which is rated as one of the best streaming devices. With this, you can enjoy all FAST channels and AVOD content on The Roku Channel, while the streaming device itself supports thousands of apps. You can install subscription-based services like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ in one easy-to-use platform. With regular content updates and an expanding TV channel collection, The Roku Channel deserves a spot on your smart TV.

You can think of Tubi as a free Netflix alternative. Here, you need to watch ads instead of paying for a subscription. Tubi is a dominant force in FAST and AVOD, offering one of the biggest libraries. You get over 260 live TV channels across genres, and over 275,000 movies and TV shows, including 300 originals. Though the claims are big, titles may be country-restricted, as Tubi is only available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. You get Tubi with most TVs and streaming sticks, but the max resolution is capped at 720p, which can make viewing less enjoyable if you have a bigger TV. 

Tubi has partnered with major production companies to offer everything from classic titles and anime to popular programming. At the time of writing, some well-known titles that you can stream in the U.S. include "Hercules" (2014), "The Angry Birds Movie 2" (2019), "Angel Has Fallen" (2019), and "Tom and Jerry."  It also stands out with originals like "Cinnamon" (2023) and "Bed Rest" (2022). Although registration is not mandatory, if you do register, you get additional features like recommendations, parental controls, "continue watching" functionality, and watch history. 

Pluto TV is a pioneer in the FAST space, and its success ushered in more competitors. With Pluto, you get hundreds of curated channels from sports, movies, kids, and themed channels like Stargate and True Crime. As a Paramount product, you will find some exclusive Pluto-branded channels, including Comedy Central Pluto TV, MTV Pluto TV, and Nick Pluto TV. It also has external licensing partnerships to offer you linear channels like Pluto TV Action, Pluto TV Comedy, and Pluto TV Spotlight that use the Pluto brand name, but with content that may not be exclusive.

Mostly popular as FAST, Pluto does have AVOD content as a complimentary service. Though the number of AVOD titles are unknown, you likely won't be disappointed with the content they host, from CBS originals like "Ghosts" and "FBI" to the classic "Godfather" trilogy. You can also explore new titles that are released every month. Pluto TV offers a balanced live TV-style app interface for your TV, with a robust mix of CBS originals, classics, and rotating titles. 

Freevee was Amazon's free ad-supported streaming platform, which has now been bundled with Prime Video. The good news is that the content will continue to be available on Prime Video for free with ads and if you are not a Prime member, an Amazon account is enough. You can enjoy Amazon originals like "Bosch: Legacy" and "Jury Duty," which made Freevee stand out among its peers. While some FAST channels may overlap with those of other platforms, a few exclusive options are available on Prime Video via Freevee, like BBC Comedy, BBC Sci-Fi, The Stand Up Channel, and Exhibit C: True Crime. 

If you are a Prime member, the Freevee integration gives you access to more content without having to install an additional app. However, since Prime members also have to watch more ads than ever, the distinction between the two services can be less clear. For those using Freevee, it's worth noting that Amazon's useful X-Ray feature is now available across a wide range of free content.

Plex became well-known as a media server before expanding into FAST and AVOD. As a media server, you can set up your own server on a PC or network-attached storage (NAS) and stream the content on the Plex app. In some setups, you can use a USB storage drive to create a home media server with your router, allowing the Plex server to access files over the network.

Expanding beyond its media server roots, Plex has entered the FAST and AVOD market, offering over 600 channels and 50,000 titles by partnering with industry giants such as MGM, BBC Studios, and Paramount. Though the numbers are big, some are region-locked, as Plex is available almost everywhere. If you want additional features on top of the free content, you can buy a Plex Pass subscription.

Offline downloads, live TV recording (DVR), and enhanced parental controls are a few features you get with Plex Pass. The Plex app is supported on all smart TVs, providing a clean interface, letting you switch between live TV, on-demand content, and your personal media easily. The sheer number of TV networks and on-demand programming that Plex has makes it one of the most content-rich free streaming apps available for your smart TV.

You may not know what TCL stands for, but you may recognize this Chinese consumer electronics company for delivering premium TVs at affordable prices, such as the TCL QM6K TV. Apart from selling TVs, TCL also operates a FAST and AVOD platform with TCLtv+. It comes preinstalled if you have TCL-branded TVs, or you can download it on other smart TVs as well, namely, Google TV, Fire TV, and Roku. With over 350 FAST channels and AVOD content, TCLtv+ is another good free option. It also offers many of the channels from FilmRise that appear across the FAST ecosystem. 

Beyond licensed content, TCL, through its TCLtv+ Studio, is exploring original content using animation and AI-assisted stories. Their first AI original movie, a short film called "Next Stop Paris", got some bad reviews. But TCL seems not to hold back from criticism, as it continues to release AI originals. Whether this experiment will work for TCL remains to be seen, but with an expanding network of TV channels and free movies, TCLtv+ is a competitive entry in the FAST space.

Comcast, the cable TV giant, has its own app in the crowded FAST space with Xumo Play. Despite Comcast's ownership of NBCUniversal's large library, you may be disappointed to find only a few exclusives. Although Xumo Play boasts more than 350 channels and plenty of free on-demand titles, most of these are also available across other FAST platforms. You do get a few unique channels, like Xumo Movies, Kids, Documentaries, and Crime, however. 

Being the product of a media giant, one might expect good original content with Xumo, but you will likely be left wanting as there are only a few originals. While you do get exclusive content, the options are limited, including films like "District 9" (2009), "The 6th Day" (2000), and "The Covenant" (2006). You will not find anything new or popular from NBCUniversal's huge catalog. Xumo Play is worth a shot, but like other FAST apps, you need to sit through ads. The app is supported by most smart TVs and has a good interface, but ultimately, the content library falls short.

Unlike most free streaming apps that deliver both FAST and AVOD content, Fandango at Home operates a little differently. You can't directly watch every title for free, as Fandango at Home is a hybrid of paid and ad-supported free content. You can buy or rent most of the titles, while also having access to ad-supported movies and programs under the free section. You can also expect blockbusters and popular titles in this free section, as content is frequently updated. The service also comes with a useful filter option, making it easier for you to find titles, a feature that is less common in the AVOD section of other platforms.

Fandango at Home is one of the few streaming services that support audio descriptions, though not all the titles in the library may offer it. This feature audibly explains the on-screen action for people with vision issues. It may not look like other conventional FAST apps, but Fandango at Home's mix of paid and free content, along with 4K support, makes it a unique player in the streaming market.

No list of free streaming apps is complete without mentioning YouTube. It can be a Pandora's box, as your search will definitely find a result. Most times, you'll find what you're looking for, while sometimes you may stumble on a hidden gem. Don't think of YouTube as a dedicated FAST or AVOD service, but you can find live TV channels, mostly news or 24/7 live streams like non-stop "Mr. Bean" shows, "Tom and Jerry," or wildlife documentaries. YouTube does manage a paid VOD service, but a lot of content is uploaded for free by production houses or creators, from full-length movies and short films to TV shows and animations. Sometimes, individuals upload unlicensed popular titles, but YouTube deletes the content once detected.

Though YouTube is normally ad-supported, you can buy a premium subscription to go ad-free. Unlike other FAST platforms that run ads natively for revenue, YouTube shares a part of the advertising income with content creators based on the viewership. The YouTube app comes pre-installed on most smart TVs and offers features like video quality control, the ability to change the audio track, automatic captions, playlist creation, and more.

If you are into indie films or arthouse movies, Kanopy is for you. A rare service that is both free to use and free of ads. Exciting as this sounds, not everyone has access to Kanopy's catalog. The service is exclusively available for public libraries and academic institutions with which they have partnered. If your library or institution has subscribed to Kanopy, then you can use your library card or university login credentials to access thousands of films, including foreign cinema, educational videos, documentaries, and classics. There may be restrictions in place, however, capping the number of titles allowed per month.

You can watch award-winning films like "Parasite" (2019) and "Lady Bird" (2017), and slow burns like "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" (2023). You can also find some of the edgiest horror, like Hereditary (2018), or mockumentary comedy like "Best in Show" (2000). Kanopy is supported on major smart TVs, but you also cast from the Kanopy mobile app. With regularly updated content, Kanopy helps fill the void as other platforms are drifting away from classic, indie, and art movies.

If you are an anime fan, you know what Crunchyroll is. If you have never watched anime, don't think of it as merely cartoons for kids. It's a serious art with a blend of emotions, actions, humor, and riveting stories. And Crunchyroll has one of the largest anime libraries on the market.

Although most titles require payment, Crunchyroll does offer a free ad-supported plan in the U.S., but it gives you access only to a limited portion of its catalog. Most of the older series and some popular anime shows are free to watch, like "Naruto," "Tokyo Revengers," "Chainsaw Man," and "The Promised Neverland." Newer titles, simulcast programs, and offline viewing are not available unless you subscribe.

The Crunchyroll app is widely available across major smart TV platforms and streaming devices, making it easy to dive into anime on bigger screens. The interface is straightforward, giving you quick access to both free ad-supported shows and the full premium library if you subscribe. With subtitle and dubbing options supported on smart TVs as well, you get an immersive experience optimized for living-room viewing.