Updated July 6, 2026By Bilal Zouheir · Founder of A Good Movie to Watch180,722 readers
20 Best Free Streaming Services in 2026
The short version
Free streaming falls into a few buckets: FAST apps with live channels like Pluto and Xumo, on-demand libraries like Tubi and the Roku Channel, genre specialists like Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush, and library-card services like Kanopy and Hoopla that carry the good stuff with no ads at all. Pick by what you actually want to watch, not by which app has the biggest logo.
Cord-cutting has brought about an interesting trend: free streaming. You’ll likely have to watch a couple of ads, but you won’t have to pay a cent for a subscription.
The best free on-demand streaming service is undeniably Tubi, which is full of great movies, especially smaller ones. Meanwhile, the best free live TV service has to be Pluto TV, which carries 200 channels. Although to be fair, most of those are made-up channels that repeat the same show.
If you’re looking for more choices, we’ve also made a list of the best free trials in streaming. You can find that here.
How to read this list
Free streaming is not one thing. Some services are live channels you surf, some are giant on-demand libraries, and some need nothing but a library card. We grouped every pick by what it is actually for, so you can jump straight to your kind of thing.
MyFree DirecTV is one of the newer entries in this list, so it makes sense that it streams the least number of live channels and on-demand titles. Compared to the thousands carried by Tubi and Sling Freestream, for instance, MyFree DirecTV only has hundreds. Still, it gets points for being easy to access and navigate. You don't have to input your credit card information to start watching, and you can update your account to the pricer (but more packed) DirecTV Stream with just a click of a button.
Pros
Allows you to create multiple profiles - No credit card info needed
Cons
More ads than usual - Slim selection of on-demand titles and channels
Philo Free TV may be new, but it already offers more than a hundred live channels, choice on-demand content, and most notably, free 30-day DVR. It has decent live channels, but its strong suit is its on-demand library, which has indie gems like Sunshine Cleaning, Stranger than Fiction, and shows like Power, Nurse Jackie, and The Walking Dead. Some of the newer AMC titles it carries, like Mad Men and Halt and Catch Fire, only offer the first few seasons for free. Philo Free conveniently doesn't mix its free and paid offerings (unlike, say, DirecTV Free and Sling Freestream). Instead, it has an "Upgrade Preview" button that reveals all the content you can unlock when you upgrade to Philo Core.
Pros
Free unlimited DVR for 30 days - Highly customizable guide - Great on-demand selection from partners like AMC and Lionsgate
Cons
Some shows only offer the first few seasons for free
Sling Freestream offers more than 40,000 on-demand titles and 500 live channels, which places it next to Tubi as the service with the most amount of content. While its selection is less curated and recent than Tubi's, Freestream stands out for offering 10 hours of cloud DVR (a rarity in free streaming) and the option to purchase add-ons like AMC+ and MGM+ on top of your free plan. Unfortunately, extras like the Sling News Extra are only available to paid plans.
Pros
Includes 10 hours of cloud DVR - You can purchase Sling's add-ons (but not extras) with a Freestream account
Cons
Can be overwhelming to navigate content - Highest resolution stops at 720p
Local Now is a live TV streaming service that gives you access to local channels in your area. Availability varies, but where we tested in Seattle, we got the local affiliates of CBS, ABC, and NBC. Note that Local Now only streams the local affairs portions of these networks — no primetime drama or sitcoms. It does, however, carry on-demand films and TV shows with ads, as well as sports, entertainment, and other news channels.
Pros
Detects your location and streams your local channels - Also carries on-demand films and TV shows
Cons
Only shows segments of local channels, not the full feed
Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Stirr is a free streaming service whose strength lies in the local news channels it offers. It has a section dedicated entirely to different markets, so you can simply scroll and click your city to start watching. It does offer other channels and on-demand content, but they're quite niche and outdated. An annoying thing Stirr does is that it features, front-and-center, trailers of big films that are currently in theaters or on paid streamers, which can easily trick viewers into thinking they can watch them on Stirr. Needless to say, it's best to stick around Stirr for the local channel viewing only.
Pros
Nice selection of classic films
Cons
Very limited on-demand catalog - Clunky live TV guide
KlowdTV is another free live TV streaming service that doesn't need you to sign up to start watching. Its lineup is limited to right-wing, faith-based, and select European channels, but it also offers paid tiers if you want to expand that selection. As of the moment, it doesn't carry on-demand content.
Pros
Free news and faith-based channels
Cons
Limited channel lineup - No on-demand content - Clunky interface
Xumo Play has evolved over the years. Like Tubi and Pluto, it now allows you to group your favorite channels. It also has a decently organized library of films, and its interface isn't as buggy as when it first launched. It's worth mentioning, too, that it has one of the neatest TV guides out there. However, its on-demand library still isn't as robust. It has a few gems, but you could say the same about the other services in this list.
Owned by Paramount, Pluto TV is packed with popular films and TV shows. Some standouts, as of this writing, include NCIS, Tracker, Indiana Jones, The Matrix, Mean Girls, and The Godfather. It has similar news, sports, and entertainment channels as the others in this list, but it has more classics hubs, which is why it's particularly popular among fans of old films and TV shows. That said, those viewing via desktop may find it frustrating that there's no way to minimize the screen that automatically plays what's on.
Pros
No sign-in needed - Great selection for fans of classic cinema and TV
Deep on-demand libraries you actually search, not just channels you surf. Tubi and the Roku Channel are the giants here, thousands of titles free with ads.
Glewed TV streams a good number of films, TV shows, and live channels, but they don't have much going for them apart from the fact that they're free. A lot of them are unrecognizable, but if you want as many options as possible, it might be worth checking out.
Pros
Wide-ranging content including sports, classics, and animation
Cons
Limited features and content when watching on desktop - Very few recognizable titles
Tubi is one of the best free streaming services right now. It has a good mix of popular, critically-acclaimed, and niche titles, as well as an interface that is both easy on the eyes and easy to use. As of this writing, its catalog includes movies like The Menu, Arrival, Pulp Fiction, and Bones and All. You can also use it immediately—no sign-up required. The only downside, apart from the ads, is that its resolution is capped at 720p. It also doesn't offer an ad-free plan.
Fandango at Home, formerly Vudu, is primarily an online video rental store. Like Amazon and Apple, it allows you to rent movies fresh out of the theaters for as little as $6. However, it also has a small but packed section dedicated to streaming films for free. As of this writing, their catalog includes films like Jurassic World, The Northman, and Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Pros
A decent number of recent films, blockbusters, and classics
Cons
Signing-up for an account is required - No live channels
The Roku Channel comes pre-installed in Roku streaming devices, but even if it wasn't the default choice, we'd still recommend the service for its content and accessibility. It has thousands of movies and TV shows, and a good chunk of them are award-winning, popular, and recent. We only wish they were organized better, so it's easier to find what you like. It shares more or less the same live channels as the other services in this list. Unlike most, however, Roku offers content in 4k, and its ad load isn't as heavy.
Pros
Select content and channels are in 4k
Cons
Messy organization of films and TV shows - Already installed in Roku streaming devices
True to its name, Midnight Pulp streams a lot of pulpy, sleazy, but still fascinating content that will appeal to genre fans — particularly fans of horror, thriller, and erotic films. It also has 24/7 channels, but they’re mostly just repeat viewings of its on-demand library and that of sister services RetroCrush, AsianCrush, and ScreamBox.
Cineverse is a free streamer that shares the same owner as RetroCrush and Midnight Pulp, so you'll see live feeds of those and a couple more in its "live TV" section. As for its on-demand selection, Cineverse has a decent range of content, but a lot of them are either old, Hallmark-esque, or scrappy self-submitted movies.
Pros
Has a wide selection of on-demand content - Also carries content from RetroCrush, AsianCrush, and Midnight Pulp
If Tubi is like the Free Netflix, then Retro Crush is like the Free Crunchyroll. The ad-supported streaming service mostly has old-school anime, which might be niche, but it does carry titles that would otherwise be lost in this side of the world. Understandably, not everything is English-dubbed, so you'll have to rely on subtitles a lot. Notable titles on the platform include Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan, Yu-Gi-Oh, Sonic, and Lupin the Third.
Pros
Carries vintage anime titles you likely won't see elsewhere - Not too heavy on the ads
Cons
Limited live channel feeds - Limited English-dubbed shows
Shout Factory TV has some of the better curated collections in this list, especially if you're a fan of the classics. As of this writing, it has films like Dope, Point Break, Glengarry GlenRoss, and Donnie Darko, as well as dedicated collections for anime, film noir, martial arts, and comedies. Shout Factory also has "live TV," although they're mostly just channels that replay stuff that is already in their library.
Pros
Well-organized library of classic films and TV shows - Easy-to-navigate interface - Offers ad-free plans
Not ad-supported at all. Hoopla and Kanopy are paid for by your local library, so all you need is a card. Arthouse and prestige titles the FAST apps never get, usually with a monthly borrow limit.
Hoopla, like Kanopy, is a digital service that's completely free for anyone with a public library card. While Kanopy focuses on arthouse and indie content, Hoopla's range is wider, not just in terms of genre but in form as well. It has everything from e-books to puzzles to albums. It also has what it calls a "BingePass," which allows you to essentially try certain services free for a week. As of this writing, this includes access to Hallmark+ and CuriosityStream. Film enthusiasts might prefer Kanopy, but if you're looking for something that offers more, then Hoopla is worth checking out.
Pros
Offers offline downloads - Also has music, e-books, and games - Its "BingePass" allows you to try services that would otherwise cost you
Cons
Interface can be buggy - Slim film library compared to Kanopy
If the services on this list overwhelm you with their ads and endless content, Kanopy's more carefully curated catalog could be a great alternative. An account is free for those with an eligible library card or school email. It gives you access to quality films and TV shows, many of which are from Criterion, A24, Bleecker Street, PBS, History, and the like. While Kanopy is free, some titles require "tickets," which are provided to you by your library. The amount varies per library, but you're usually given around 30 to 50 per month, with special titles costing 3 to 5 tickets each. The rest, including the Kids Library, are fully free.
Pros
Zero ads - Has educational and kid-centered content - Unlimited simultaneous streams per account
Cons
No live channels - Amount of content viewed is limited by a "ticketing" system
An easy and free way to watch your local PBS without cable is by simply downloading the PBS App. The app gives you access not only to the live channel, but to a wide library of PBS programs, films, and documentaries. Again, the app is free, but some shows, like Masterpiece and NOVA, require a PBS Passport membership ($5/month), to be viewed on-demand.
Pros
Free access to your local PBS channel - On-demand catalog features old and current PBS programs
Cons
Some of the newer shows are exclusive to PBS Passport members
Vix was recently dubbed "the fastest growing streamer," and it's easy to see why. Not only does the Spanish-language streaming service have hundreds of live channels and on-demand content, it also has a free, ad-supported tier called Vix Gratis. The channels cover sports, news, and entertainment, while the on-demand content has a good mix of Latin American and (Spanish-dubbed) Hollywood films. A possible downside is that you get limited subtitles in English. You also won't find Univision and Unimas channels in the platform.
Pros
Content available in 4k - Has a good mix of South and North American films on-demand
Cons
No Unimas and Univision channels - The best content and channels are exclusive to Vix's paid plans
A Good Movie to Watch has been covering streaming services since 2012. Over the last 14 years we have tested every major streaming service available in America. You can read all our cord-cutting work here, or browse the complete list of streaming services we cover. For each one, we pay our own way, run it on multiple devices, and write down what actually changes when the promo period ends. Affiliate links may earn us a small commission. They do not change the rankings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free streaming service overall?
Tubi and the Roku Channel have the biggest on-demand libraries, both free with ads and no account required. For live channels, Pluto TV and Xumo Play are the deepest. If you have a library card, Kanopy and Hoopla beat all of them on quality because they carry arthouse and prestige titles with no ads at all.
Are these free streaming services actually free?
Yes. Every service on this list is free to watch. The FAST apps (Tubi, Pluto, Xumo, the Roku Channel and the rest) pay for it with ads. Kanopy and Hoopla are paid for by your public library, so you just need a library card. None of them ask for a credit card.
Do free streaming services have live TV?
Many do. Pluto TV, Xumo Play, Sling Freestream, STIRR, Local Now and MyFree DIRECTV all carry free live channels you flip through like cable, mostly news, reruns and themed FAST channels. They do not carry your local ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox affiliates or live cable sports, which is what paid live TV is for.
Founder of A Good Movie to Watch. I have been covering streaming services for over a decade, longer than some of the services on this list have even been around.
