You love Pluto TV for one simple reason. It feels like real TV. You turn it on, you surf, you land on something fun. No stressing about a credit card or subscription. But if you have used Pluto TV for a while, you know the library repeats, and the app can feel cluttered. That is why you start looking for the best Pluto TV alternatives.
If you are hunting for the best Pluto TV competitors and alternatives that give you that same channel-surfing thrill, you have great options right now. This guide breaks down the best alternatives that actually work, all with ad-supported streaming without subscription fees, live channels, and tons of on-demand titles.
These are the best free TV streaming services with live channels and free streaming services for smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, and mobile you can download today.
What Makes a Great Pluto TV Alternative?
Before we jump in, here is what you should look for:
- Free live TV channels with no subscription that you can flip through like cable
- On-demand movies and TV shows without subscription for binge nights
- Smart TV and mobile apps for free live television that just work on your devices
- Legal ad-supported free TV streaming so you never worry about shady streams
- Free streaming apps with account-free access or optional sign in
Let us get to the list.
1. Tubi
Free movies and TV shows with live channels
If you want one app to replace Pluto TV completely, start with Tubi. You get over 250 live channels plus more than 200,000 movies and shows on demand. It feels like cable, but you choose what to watch.
You open the app and you see live news, sports highlights, reality TV, true crime, and kids channels. Then you switch to on-demand and you find big studio movies from Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount. Tubi also makes its own originals now.
Why you will like it as one of the free streaming services like Pluto TV? Tubi learns what you watch. It recommends better titles, its search actually works, and it streams in full HD without forcing you to create an account.
Key features:
- Live channels plus huge on-demand library
- No account required to start watching
- Works on every major platform
- Better movie selection than most free apps
App links: Play Store | App Store | Roku
Pricing: Tubi is 100% free. No premium tier.
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2. The Roku Channel
Free streaming and live TV
The Roku Channel started as a perk for Roku owners. Now you can watch it anywhere, even if you do not own a Roku device. It gives you 400+ free live TV channels with no subscription and a deep on-demand catalog.
You get local news in many cities, live sports highlights, entertainment, comedy, and family channels. The interface looks clean, you surf fast, and you can add premium subscriptions if you ever want to.
This is one of the top best free live TV streaming apps for people who want channel-surfing streaming apps like cable TV without extra hardware.
App links: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: Free with ads. Optional paid add-ons available.
Also read:Â Best Roku AlternativesÂ
3. Xumo Play
Free live TV and on-demand service
Xumo Play is one of the most underrated ad-supported streaming apps with live channels. You get 350+ live channels and thousands of free movies and shows. It also powers the free live TV grid inside many smart TVs.
You will find news from CBS News, NBC News Now, and Bloomberg, plus sports, cooking, crime, and Latino channels. Its on-demand section organizes movies by mood, so you find something in seconds.
If you want streaming apps with local news, sports, and entertainment channels in one place, Xumo Play delivers.
App links: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: Completely free, ad-supported.
4. Plex
Free live channels and personal media streaming
Plex does two jobs at once. It gives you 600+ free live channels and a large on-demand library, and it also lets you organize your own movie and music collection.
For Pluto TV fans, the live TV part feels familiar. Viewers enjoy scrolling through a grid with news, game shows, home improvement, westerns, and 24/7 reruns of classic shows. You also get on-demand movies and TV shows without subscription fees.
You should try Plex if you want a no subscription streaming services option that grows with you.
App links: Play Store | App StoreÂ
Pricing: Free live TV and on-demand. Plex Pass is optional for personal media features.
5. Samsung TV Plus
Built-in free TV on Samsung smart TVs
If you own a Samsung TV, you already have one of the best Pluto TV alternatives for live TV and on-demand movies built in.
Samsung TV Plus offers 350+ channels in the US, including live news, sports talk, movie channels, kids shows, and music. You press the guide button on your remote and you surf instantly. It also works on Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets.
It is perfect if you want free streaming apps with account-free access that feel like broadcast TV.
Samsung TV Plus is reinstalled on Samsung Smart TVs 2016 and newer.
Pricing: Free for Samsung device owners.
Another interesting read:Â Best Apple TV Alternatives
6. LG Channels
Built-in free TV on LG smart TVs
LG Channels is LG’s answer to Samsung TV Plus, powered by Xumo. If you have an LG Smart TV, you get 300+ free channels without adding hardware.
You get live local news, weather, sports highlights, movie channels, and genre channels like comedy, drama, and food. The guide looks exactly like cable, so you know how to use it immediately.
It is one of the simplest smart TV and mobile apps for free live television.
LG Channels comes preinstalled on LG Smart TVs.
Pricing: Free with LG Smart TV, ad-supported.
7. Sling Freestream
Free live TV app
Sling Freestream is the free version of Sling TV. You get 500+ live channels plus 40,000+ on-demand titles, all without a Sling subscription.
You find news, true crime, home, cooking, sports replays, and pop culture channels. The app also lets you rent new movies or add Sling Orange or Blue later if you want paid live TV. For now, you stay completely free.
If you search for Pluto TV alternatives for live TV and on-demand movies that also offer an upgrade path, Sling Freestream is your best pick.
Apps: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: Free tier with no credit card. Paid Sling plans are optional.
8. DistroTV
Free streaming channels
DistroTV focuses on independent and global channels you will not find on bigger apps. You get 270+ channels with Bollywood movies, world news, sports, documentaries, and niche entertainment.
If you like discovering new content and you want legal ad-supported free TV streaming with a global flavor, you will enjoy DistroTV. It also has a great 4K section.
App links: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: DistroTV is completely free. It is an ad-supported streaming service (FAST) that requires no subscription fees, mandatory registrations, or sign-up costs to watch live television or on-demand content.
9. PBS Live TV
Free educational streaming
If you want something smarter than endless reality reruns, PBS Live TV is a gem. You get a free 24/7 live stream of your local PBS station plus a deep on-demand library of documentaries, dramas, kids shows, and science programs.
There is no trashy reality here. You find Ken Burns, Nova, Frontline, PBS Kids, and local shows that actually teach you something. It is one of the best free streaming services like Pluto TV if you care about quality and learning.
It also feels very calm. No loud ads every 3 minutes, just short sponsor messages.
App links: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: Free with ads. PBS Passport is optional via donation.
10. Kanopy
Library streaming with free access via library card
Kanopy works differently, and that is why it belongs on this list. You do not pay with ads alone, you pay with your library card. If you have a public library card or a university login, you get free access to one of the best curated libraries online.
You get critically acclaimed films, classic cinema, indie favorites, documentaries, and kids content with no ads at all. It does not have live channels, but it is perfect to pair with any of the channel-surfing streaming apps like cable TV above when you want on-demand movies and TV shows without subscription that feel premium.
Think A24 films, Criterion Collection titles, and festival winners you will not find on Tubi or Pluto.
Apps: Play Store | App Store
Pricing: Free with eligible library card or university. No paid tier.
Which One Should You Pick?
You have the best Pluto TV alternatives now. How do you choose?
If you want one app that does everything Pluto TV does but better, go with Tubi. Its movie library is bigger, its search works faster, and its live channels feel less repetitive.
In case you already own a Samsung or LG TV, start with Samsung TV Plus or LG Channels. You already have them. No install needed.
If you love building your own collection, Plex gives you free live TV plus your personal media server.
Looking for a no subscription streaming services with an upgrade path later? Sling Freestream lets you try free today and add paid live TV tomorrow.
For families who want ad-supported streaming apps with live channels plus educational content, pair PBS Live TV and Kanopy with Tubi or The Roku Channel.
The Verdict
My top pick is Tubi.
You get more new movies, a cleaner interface that remembers what you like, free streaming apps with account-free access so you start in seconds, and that cable-like surfing you love.
It is the most complete package among legal ad-supported free TV streaming apps right now. While Pluto TV gives you volume, Tubi gives you volume plus better curation.
You now have more than Pluto TV ever gave you, still with zero monthly bill. Try two or three from this list this week and see which guide you reach for first.
