Are you looking to lower or even eliminate your monthly entertainment bills in 2023? Free streaming services are emerging as a popular option to replace cable television, and in some cases, subscription streaming services.

Money expert Clark Howard is a big fan and has free streaming services on 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:his own television.

“The hottest thing in streaming right now is free streaming products,” Clark says. “There are tons of them. And it seems like there are new ones all the time. You’re able to watch a ton of content at no cost.”

So how does it work? Instead of paying your monthly subscription fee to streaming giants such as Netflix, you can stream content from a dozen or so companies that won’t charge you a dime. They don’t even ask for a credit card number. Of course, there’s a trade-off involved. Instead of a monthly bill, you’ll have to endure advertisements. That’s how these free services make their money.

This article was updated in May 2023 and I review it every three months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

---

Table of Contents

• Guide Summary
• Free Streaming Services Chart
• Top Free Picks for Each Category
• Final Thoughts

---

Guide Summary: Understanding Free Streaming Services

If you’re new to the free streaming scene, it can be overwhelming to understand the differences between all these services.

It’s our goal to help you feel comfortable with your choices so that you can be confident in making changes to your entertainment budget. (Please visit our 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:full streaming guide to get the full picture of the market.)

First, let’s set some expectations. Here’s what you will see from many of the free streaming services that are listed in this guide:

• Popular movies from yesteryear
• Full series of TV shows that are no longer in production
• Varying amounts of original content
• Lots of awkwardly placed commercials and advertisements

And here are some things you’re probably wishing you could get but just aren’t a part of the free streaming experience:

• Regular access to live pro and college sports (No ESPN here.)
• Popular TV shows that have your friends talking
• New release movies that are fresh from the theater

With those expectations in mind, I reviewed several free streaming services. I downloaded each of their products and consumed content via web, phone, tablet and television streaming devices. I took notes on the content library, ease of sign-up, availability of apps, user interface and the volume of commercials.

In addition to this guide, I’d encourage you to visit the individual Team Clark reviews for these services (linked below) to ensure that you’re making the best choices for your needs.

---

Best Free Streaming Services for Movies and TV

Below is a list of 15 free streaming services that could help you replace cable TV.

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all replacement for 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:live TV streaming services or video subscription services.

But the right combination of these free services could help you stay entertained while keeping your wallet happy. Read on to see which services I recommend for each type of streamer.

Free Streaming Service	Pros	Cons	Team Clark Review	Try It Out
Crackle	Strong selection of hit movies	Lack of live TV options	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Crackle Review
DistroTV	App has quick load times and is easy to navigate.	On-demand content is underwhelming.	DistroTV Review
Freevee (formerly IMDb TV)	Amazon-backed content collection	Hidden in Prime Video on some apps.	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Freevee Review
Kanopy	Unique indie content	Requires a library card.	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Kanopy Review
Plex	Integration of content from other streaming services	Weak TV series collection	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Plex Review
Pluto TV	Mainstream live TV options	No DVR function on livestream	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Pluto TV Review
Popcornflix	Good selection of independent films	Weak TV series collection	Popcornflix Review
Redbox Live TV	Easy-to-use app for live streaming TV	Content menu is not particularly strong.	Redbox Live TV Review
Roku Channel	Great selection of TV and movies	Limited availability on non-Roku devices	Roku Channel Review
Samsung TV Plus	Cable-like experience with recognizable brands and content	Available only on Samsung phones, tablets and TVs	Samsung TV Plus Review
Sling Freestream	More than 200 streaming channels	Login needed for full experience	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Sling Freestream Review
Tubi TV	Quality user interface	Unpredictable commercials	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Tubi TV Review
Twitch	Gamers creating new wave of entertainment	May not connect with non-gaming crowd.	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Twitch Review
Vudu	Fandango-backed content selection	Sign-up is required.	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Vudu Review
Xumo	Blend of live and on-demand content	Live channels feature abbreviated content.	耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Xumo Review
YouTube	Creators provide wide variety of content.	Lots of "junk" videos to navigate past.	N/A

---

Best for Live TV Experience:

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the live free streaming TV pool, my suggestion is that you start with 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Pluto TV.

This service is owned by ViacomCBS, so there are mainstream television options at your disposal. Pluto TV also does a really good job of aggregating some of the popular free streaming offerings from across the web, so you can easily replicate that familiar “channel surfing” feeling that you get from cable or satellite TV. The live channel selection includes well-known brands including Comedy Central, MTV, BET, VH1, Spike TV and Nickelodeon. It is important to note that these are not livestreams of traditional channels. Instead, they’re more narrowly focused on types of content. For example, there are six different Nickelodeon channels that range from Nick Kids to Nick Movies. Sports options include offerings from Fox Sports, MLB, PGA and the NFL. These are not live sporting events, though. Pluto TV also features news streams from CBSN, NBC News, CNN, Bloomberg, Newsy and more.

Also Worth Checking Out for Livestreaming TV: XUMO, The Roku Channel

---

Best for On-Demand TV Series:

In a move that likely has put DVD sales of old TV series to bed, there are several streaming services that offer complete series of formerly popular television shows for free.

耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:The Roku Channel is arguably the best among them.

That’s because it boasts a nice blend of popular TV series from both network and premium cable channels. It also acquired the entire content library from defunct streaming service Quibi and rebranded those shows as 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Roku Originals.

Available titles tend to come and go from free streaming services, but here are some of the familiar TV shows that you could stream for free with The Roku Channel as of January 2023:

• 2 Broke Girls
• Cold Case
• Heartland
• Coach
• Hell’s Kitchen
• Bull
• The Mentalist
• Without a Trace

The one hassle with The Roku Channel is that you’re going to need a Roku.com account and most likely a Roku device to stream it on your television. That may not be a barrier, as there’s a free Roku Channel app for your phone or tablet, and you can also view from your laptop’s web browser without logging in.

Also Worth Checking Out for On-Demand TV Shows: Crackle, Tubi TV, Freevee (formerly IMDb TV)

---

Best for On-Demand Movies:

Ready to get your popcorn and hunker down on the couch for a few hours?

Good news: Many of the free streaming services we reviewed rely heavily on the on-demand movie market for their content mixes. And Crackle is one of the best at it.

Crackle is owned by Sony and Chicken Soup for the Soul productions, so it has access to movies associated with those companies. It offers recognizable movie titles across all genres and features Hollywood stars such as Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman and more. Like most free streaming services, Crackle often shuffles movies on and off its menu within a matter of weeks. So if you see something you’d like to watch, you should take advantage of it while you can.

Also Worth Checking Out for On-Demand Movies: , The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Freevee (formerly IMDb TV)

---

Best for Children’s Content:

If you’re a cord-cutter who has children, finding a good selection of kid-friendly content for free is likely a top priority.

Tubi TV may be a perfect fit. In addition to a strong on-demand movie and TV show library that is likely to please the adults in the family, the FOX-owned service offers a “Tubi Kids” section that is dedicated to the youth of the house.

In this section, you’ll be able to find movies and TV shows that are appropriate for children. The programming is “siloed” so that kids can navigate without easily stumbling upon inappropriate content. Some of the recognizable characters available on Tubi Kids at the time of this review included The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, My Little Pony, Sonic the Hedgehog, Barbie and Barney the Dinosaur. Family movies available included Free Willy, Annie, Little Big League, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland and Kung Fu Panda.

Also Worth Checking Out for Children’s Content: The Roku Channel, PBS Kids

---

Best for Original Content:

Many of the free streaming services that are backed by major film and broadcast companies are working on original television series and shorts for you to enjoy, but most of the high-quality streaming shows and movies are found on subscription services.

When it comes to free streaming entertainment, you may find that your best original creators are on YouTube.

After gaining popularity as a place to find funny or interesting video clips in the early 2000s, YouTube has morphed into a video streaming site that allows for full-length shows and movies as well as interactive livestreams. YouTube has that highlights creators who produce things strictly for the streaming service. But it doesn’t stop there. I’m just scratching the surface of the original content that you can find on the platform, as sports leagues and news channels are getting more comfortable with the idea of livestreaming their products here.

and keep continual livestreams of their content going on YouTube. Major League Baseball livestreams one game per week exclusively on YouTube. And you’re not only able to watch for free, but you can also interact with other fans and experts in real time as the action happens.

Also Worth Checking Out for Original Content: The Roku Channel, Twitch, Freevee (formerly IMDb TV), Tubi TV

---

Best for Gaming and Interactive Viewing:

If you’re from a certain generation, the concept of watching other people play video games may not seem like your idea of entertainment.

But it’s a very real and emerging force in the free streaming market. There are millions of people being entertained daily by content creators on platforms such as .

Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, is a website and app that allows you to stream live and recorded content from across the globe. Esports, which is basically competitive video gaming, is the primary function of this streaming site. You can watch live tournaments of some of the most popular video games in real time, comment on the action and engage with the players as you watch along.

But as the site has grown in popularity, it’s turning into more than just livestreams of gameplay. There are also interactive talk shows migrating to the platform because it is so easy for people to post their comments. And Twitch content creators can monetize this through the ad-supported portion of the platform or charge a subscription fee for exclusive content.

This may not be traditional television consumption, but it is a new wave of streaming entertainment that is completely free to try out.

---

Final Thoughts for Free Streaming Services

Are you ready to get started with free streaming TV? The best part about these services being free is that you can move in and out of any service with practically no barriers. That means trying them out is extremely easy. Keep an open mind to different services, make notes on which suit your needs best, and watch for new releases as services build out their content catalogs. Personally, I’d start with a mix of Pluto TV, Tubi TV, YouTube and The Roku Channel to get a mix of live and on-demand TV, plus content for kids and original programming. But it’s important to remember that there is no formula for achieving a perfect content mix. My suggestions likely aren’t going to fit your entertainment needs perfectly. The good news is that there are enough options out there that a satisfactory setup can be achieved — with a little tweaking and some patience.

What is your favorite free streaming service? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the wasabisushigrill.com community.

---