Your Android TV can do a lot more than YouTube and Netflix. You can open it and flip through live news at 7 am, catch an afternoon cricket match, and end the night with a movie channel. That is exactly what the best live channels apps for Android TV give you.
You install the app, get a real channel guide, and start watching. Some of the best options are completely free. Others give you 100-plus channels that replace cable for good.
If you are hunting for free live TV apps for Android TV or best live TV apps for Android TV that replace cable, here are the ones that actually deliver
What Makes a Great Live TV App for Android TV?
Great apps share a few things you will feel right away:
- Reliable streaming quality. You want an Android TV app with reliable streaming quality so the game does not freeze in overtime.
- A real guide. A live TV app with channel guide or an Android TV app with electronic program guide lets you browse forward, see what is next, and jump fast.
- Smart extras. Look for an Android TV app with multiple channel categories, an Android TV app with subtitles and closed captions, a live TV app with pause and rewind, and if you need it, a live TV app with parental controls.
- No hassle setup. The best Android TV apps for watching live channels install in seconds and work with your Android TV remote and Google Assistant.
Let’s get into the best ones.
1. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is the best free live TV app for Android TV if you want free forever.
You get 250 plus live channels, all legal and free ad supported live TV services. You get free news channels for Android TV like CBS News, NBC News Now, CNN Originals, live entertainment channels on Android TV, movie channels, crime, reality, comedy, and dedicated channels for shows you grew up with.
It has a full grid guide that integrates with Google TV Live, so you see Pluto channels right on your home screen. It also offers on demand movies.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Free with ads. No subscription.
Also read: How to Install Pluto TV App on Smart TV?
2. Tubi Live TV
Tubi is famous for free movies, but its live section is a hidden gem and one of the best FAST apps for Android TV.
You get 200 plus live channels plus 74,000 plus movies and shows on demand. Enjoy Fox local news through Fox Soul and News on Tubi, plus Fox Sports highlights, entertainment, and family. That makes it a strong pick for best live TV app for movies because you can jump from live to on demand without paying.
It has an Android TV streaming apps with channel guides layout, closed captions, and parental controls. Create a free account and you get a watchlist and continue watching across devices.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Free with ads.
Read this too: Best Pluto TV Alternatives
3. Plex Live TV
Plex does two jobs in one app. You get 300 plus free live channels plus you can add your own antenna to watch local ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox free.
You get live news, sports highlights, kids, lifestyle, and entertainment. The free channels include an Android TV app with electronic program guide that feels premium.
If you add a tuner and antenna, you unlock a live TV app with pause and rewind for antenna TV and, with Plex Pass, an Android TV app with cloud DVR to record over the air shows.
It is ideal if you want HD live TV streaming for Android TV and one app for free streaming plus your own media.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Free live channels are free. Plex Pass pricing for DVR features is $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.
Another interesting read: Best Streaming Device for Plex
4. Xumo Play
Xumo Play is one of the most underrated free live TV apps for Android TV in the US.
You get 350 plus live channels including ABC News Live, CBS News, NBC News Now, Fox Weather, plus live entertainment channels on Android TV, family, and sports.
It is a legal free IPTV alternative for Android TV, fully licensed and ad supported. The guide is fast, you get Android TV app with multiple channel categories, and it works great with the Live tab on Google TV.
If you want free local news apps for Android TV and national news without an antenna, Xumo covers a lot.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Free with ads.
5. The Roku Channel
You do not need a Roku device to use it. The Roku Channel on Android TV is completely free and surprisingly good.
You get 400 plus live channels, including live news, sports highlights, comedy, crime, reality, and home. You also get a huge on demand library.
It is one of the best Google TV live channel apps because it feels native, loads fast, and offers an Android TV app with reliable streaming quality.
It is also great for family. You can set up a live TV app with parental controls and profiles for kids.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Free with ads.
6. Sling Freestream
Sling Freestream is the free side of Sling TV and one of the smartest Android TV apps for cord cutters.
You get 400 plus free channels including live news, sports shows, entertainment, and movies. You get a real channel guide, you get HD streaming, and when you want more, you can upgrade to Sling Orange or Blue inside the same app. So you start free, then add paid channels only if you want them.
That makes it perfect if you want the cheapest live TV app for Android TV path and you hate paying for what you do not watch.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Freestream is a completely free, ad-supported streaming service.
7. YouTube TV
If you want the best cable replacement app for Android TV, this is it. YouTube TV is the top pick among live TV streaming services for Android TV for a reason.
You get 100 plus channels including all your local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, plus ESPN, FS1, TNT, TBS, CNN, and more. You get unlimited cloud DVR, which means you have an Android TV app with cloud DVR with 9 months storage. You can pause and rewind any live channel. You get 3 simultaneous streams and 6 accounts per home.
It integrates perfectly with Google TV search, voice, and your Live tab. If you search best TV apps for news, sports, and entertainment in one app, YouTube TV covers it.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Base plan $82.99 per month. New user promos often offer $67.99 for first three months.
8. Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is more than live TV. It bundles live channels with Hulu on demand, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus.
You get 95 plus live channels including local news, national news, live sports streaming apps for Android TV coverage like ESPN and FS1, entertainment, and kids.
It also offers unlimited DVR, you get an Android TV app with subtitles and closed captions on nearly everything, and you get Android TV apps with live news and entertainment in one bill.
If you already pay for Hulu or Disney Plus, this bundle often saves you money.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Starts at $89.99 per month with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus included.
9. DIRECTV Stream
DIRECTV Stream is the closest you get to cable on Android TV without a satellite dish. If you want the best live TV apps for Android TV that feel premium and include everything, this is it.
You get 90 plus channels in the base package including your local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, plus ESPN, FS1, TNT, TBS, CNN, and regional sports networks that most other services do not carry. It also offers unlimited cloud DVR, so you have an Android TV app with cloud DVR and a live TV app with pause and rewind on every channel.
Enjoy 20 streams at home, multiple channel categories, and reliable streaming quality even during big live events.
It integrates with Google TV, it offers an Android TV app with electronic program guide that is fast and familiar, and it is one of the best cable alternatives for Android TV if you want local sports.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Entertainment package starts at $59.99 per month for the first month. The price will be higher from the second month.
10. Fubo
Fubo is built for sports but it is great for everyone. If you search best Android TV app for live sports, Fubo should be on your list.
You get 180 plus channels including ESPN, FS1, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, regional sports networks in many markets, plus news and entertainment.
You get unlimited cloud DVR, 4K streaming on select events, and an Android TV app with reliable streaming quality even during big games. You get HD live TV streaming for Android TV with a guide that supports favorites and filtering.
It is one of the best live TV streaming services for smart TVs if sports drive your decision.
App link: Play Store
Pricing: Pro plan starts at $79.99 per month for one month after trial.
Which App Wins?
All these ten options are legal live TV apps for Android TV, but your best pick depends on what you watch most.
If you want free and easy, Pluto TV is still number one. It gives you the most channels free, the cleanest guide, and zero signup. Pair it with Tubi and Xumo Play and you have over 800 free live TV channels on Android TV without paying a dollar.
To fully cut cable and keep everything, YouTube TV beats Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and Fubo for most US households. Why YouTube TV wins: you get more top sports and local channels in the base plan, unlimited DVR that keeps recordings for 9 months, 3 streams at once, and the best integration with Android TV and Google TV.
Hulu + Live TV is a great bundle if you already live on Disney Plus, but for pure live channel power, sports coverage, and guide experience, YouTube TV gives you more.
Start free with the best live channels apps for Android TV like Pluto, Tubi, and Xumo. If you need locals and sports live, upgrade to YouTube TV.
You will have cable free television running in under five minutes, right on your Android TV.
