9 Best Live TV Services for Movies

Hulu with Live TV is an obvious choice if you already have Hulu On-Demand, as you'll get to keep all your payment information and history, interact with a similar interface, and get a Live TV service without much effort.

If you're a Sling TV subscriber looking to fortify your channel line-up, you might want to consider the Hollywood extra package—perfect if you're a movie fan and lover. It has eight channels dedicated to cinema, including SundanceTV (a treasure trove of indie gems) and Turner Classic Movies (endless classics for history film buffs). Sling Blue subscribers also get two additional channels: FXX and the FX Movie Channel, which are both subsidiaries of the Walt Disney company. Both libraries include films from 20th Century Studios, Twentieth Century Pictures, and Fox Film.

Paramount Plus is a video-on-demand service that replaced its predecessor, CBS All Access, and is currently available in the US, Canada, and parts of Latin America.  Subscribers used to also have the option to bundle the service with Showtime, but ever since the Paramount-Showtime merger in June 2023, the latter is now only available to "Paramount + SHOWTIME" subscribers. To its credit, standalone Paramount+ still has 40,000 episodes and movies to its name, plus live feeds on NFL on CBS and the UEFA Champions League.

Peacock is a streaming service owned by NBC, with options to choose three plans: TV-focused Peacock Select ($7.99/month), ad-supported Peacock Premium ($10.99/month), or ad-free Peacock Premium Plus ($16.99/month). It used to offer a free plan, but that went away amid the Great Streaming Price Hikes the previous year. Still, with both premium plans, you'll get access to the full catalog of 2,000 movies and shows, including every episode of original NBC favorites like Brooklyn 99, The Office, and Parks and Recreation. You'll also get next-day and early access to all the new episodes of live NBC shows like Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. You can stream Peacock on Apple devices like the iPhone and Apple TV, Google devices like Android phones and Chromecast, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles. But there is still no app available for Roku or Amazon platforms.

Dubbed "The Free Netflix," Tubi is one of the best options for streaming quality movies and TV shows online. The completely free, ad-supported service has one of the most extensive title lineups, plus it's compatible with most devices, making it an extremely popular option for cord-cutters. Though it has been noted to have a less-than-stellar resolution, most viewers don't mind due to its easy interface, constantly updated library, and of course free titles. Parents will also be glad to know that the service has parental control features.

The Roku Channel can't replace Netflix or a cord-cutting service like Sling, but it's a nice added bonus if you already have a Roku device. The selection of live channels is limited, but there's something for everyone, including news, sports, and entertainment. It has a nice mix of free on-demand movies (ad-supported of course) that range from indie hidden gems to blockbuster classics. And thanks to a multi-year deal, The Roku Channel will air a weekly Sunday MLB game for free, indefinitely.

Plex is a media management software that doubles as a free streaming service. Its main function is to organize your own library of content—that is, your own video, photo, or sound files—and make it streamable alongside Plex's offerings of 200+ live TV channels and 50,000+ on-demand movies and shows. Plex's basic package comes at no cost, but it also has a premium package starting at $6.99/month that boasts additional features, such as the ability to download content and watch them offline, among other things.

With YouTube TV's entertainment bundle, you get three premium services for the discounted price of $30—that's $5 off compared to getting HBO Max (without ads), Paramount+ with Showtime, and Starz separately. It may seem pricey, especially since you'll be paying it on top of YouTube TV's already costly subscription, but it could be worth it if you're looking to get a first-rate entertainment package. HBO Max alone gives you access to HBO's critically acclaimed shows, Warner Bros.'s blockbusters, and Discovery's many wildlife features. But coupled with Paramount+ with Showtime and Starz, you get prestige dramas, trendy comedies, and insightful documentaries on top of all that, not to mention YouTube TV's unrivaled DVR storage feature and lengthy live channel list. It's a bundle tailor-fit for TV and film enthusiasts.

Cineverse is a free streaming service that has both on-demand content and live channels, all of which feature a broad range of content. The new streaming service's mission is to offer as many titles as it can, so you won't find a lot of blockbusters or big studio productions here (unless they're available for rent on ROW8), but you will have access to a ton of vintage, international, and niche films and TV shows. Our personal favorites include Howard's End, Mustang, and The Little Shop of Horrors. Since the streaming service is free, you'll encounter a lot of ads, but you can always subscribe to Cineverse's premium version, which costs $2.99/month, to get rid of the commercials and access to even more content.