20 Best Free TV Apps: Cut Cable, Keep Content!

1. Pluto TV

Available on: iOS and Android

This app has over 100 live channels and 1000s of movies on demand. Many of their channels are popular ones you find on TV as well as a few original ones they’ve created like Food TV, Anime All Day, and Pro Wrestling Channel.

There are no fees, subscriptions, or credit cards needed.

A few channels you can find are:

• CBS News
• Frontdoor
• NBC / MSNBC
• After School Cartoons
• Weather Network
• Horror 24/7
• Bloomberg TV
• Crime Network
• Fight Channel
• World Poker Tour
• Tastemade
• CNET
• THC – Channel 420

By the way, if you are a football fan, you’ll be happy to know that the NFL and Pluto TV have launched the NFL channel “celebrating the NFL’s iconic and classic moments spanning over a decade of past seasons.” Unfortunately, you can’t stream NFL for free.

2. Crackle

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Stream free movies, TV shows, and exclusive series on your device with Crackle.

This app is owned by Sony so you can get all your favorite Sony movies like:

• Step Brothers
• Grown Ups
• Hitch
• Ocean’s Eleven

There are also exclusive shows created for the app such as:

• StartUp
• SuperMansion
• The Oath
• Snatch

3. Tubi TV

Available on: iOS and Google Play

This app has thousands of movies and TV shows for free. It’s completely legal and requires no subscriptions or credit cards. The app does have ads, but claims to actually have less than what you’d normally experience with cable.

You can find content from students such as Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM.

They have tons of categories like:

• Comedy
• Drama
• Kids
• Classics
• Korean drama
• Anime
• British television
• Horror

They also have unique categories like “Not on Netflix” and “Highly Rated on Rotten Tomatoes” so you don’t end up seeing the same results you always find.

4. News On Nationwide

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Watch live, local TV news for free. This app has over two hundred local news stations across the United States. You can watch live news, previous newscasts from the last 48 hours, and local news clips. You can set favorites so it’s easy to quickly access the channels you want.

No cable subscription or login required.

5. PBS Kids

Available on: iOS, Google Play, and Windows

PBS is the number one source for high-quality educational media for kids and now you can access all of their kids content on their handy app. Stream the PBS Kids channel any time, anywhere, completely free.

This app:

• Is child-safe
• Is updated every week with new content
• Has parental resources in a grownups tab

6. Fite.TV

Available on: iOS, Google Play, and Roku

Are you a fan of boxing, wrestling, and MMA fighting? Check out this fun streaming app to fulfill all your entertainment needs. Fite live streams:

• MMA events from UFC, BAMMA, Professional Fighters League, RIZIN MMA
• Pro Wrestling shows
• Boxing matches
• Hundreds of other combat sports promoters

Don’t want to watch it on your tiny phone screen? No problem.

Open up the app and it can cast to your television if you have a:

• Smart TV
• Xbox One
• Xbox 360
• Roku
• Dish Hopper
• Chromecast
• Fire TV

7. Twitch

Available on: iOS and Google Play

If you enjoy watching esports, video game commentary, and art creation, you will probably enjoy Twitch. This app lets you watch live streams created by people just like you who have a passion for entertaining their audience.

The top features of Twitch are:

• You can watch live videos of games like Minecraft, Overwatch, Fortnite, and more
• Chat with the host of a live stream, other viewers, or simply mute the chat and enjoy the content by yourself
• Go live yourself and start streaming your own games
• Watch artists create art and learn from their processes

8. Hotstar

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Hotstar is the biggest streaming app in India now, with literally thousands of movies, dramas, and sports events. Most content is available in 17 different languages, so people from other countries can enjoy it too.

There are premium subscription plans available but you can still access a lot of content for free.

9. Popcorn Flick

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Want to watch free movies and shows on your tablet or phone? This completely legal service will give you that with no subscriptions required. They add content every week so you’ll never get bored.

You can find movies in genres such as:

• Action
• Horror
• Thriller
• Comedy
• Family

10. Snag Films

Available on: iOS and Google Play

As the title suggests, this app lets you snag over 5,000 movies, shows, and documentaries completely free.

You can see movies in categories like:

• Action
• Adventure
• Drama
• Horror
• Science fiction
• Comedy
• Thrillers
• Romance

For kids there are:

• Full-length movies for kids and family
• Animations about animals and nature
• Cartoons

For those interested in foreign films you can find:

• International movies
• Hindi Bollywood movies
• Movies in different languages
• Asian movies from Japan, China, and Korea

Documentaries include:

• We’re Not Broke
• Supersize Me
• Trashed

Finally, they also have special interest topics like:

• Biographies on celebrities
• Pop culture topics like Star Wars and video games
• LGBT films

11. Roku

Available on: iOS and Google Play

While this app is free, you do still need to get a Roku device to stream. However, this is a one time cost that is much cheaper than cable so it’s still worth mentioning. On Roku you can stream movies, shows, and more.

You can also cast videos, photos, and music straight to your TV by using the app.

12. ABC

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Are you a fan of ABC shows?

Check out all the latest episodes of shows like:

• Grey’s Anatomy
• The Bachelorette
• A Million Little Things
• Modern Family
• The Conners
• The Good Doctor
• General Hospital
• Black-ish
• Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

You can also access live events like the NBA finals and The Oscars for free.

13. CW 

Available on: iOS, Google Play, and Windows

Stream CW shows completely free, no subscription or account needed.

Once you install the app, you can stream:

• Riverdale
• Black Lightning
• The Flash
• All American
• Charmed
• Supergirl
• DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
• Arrow
• Supernatural
• And many more super popular shows!

You can also set up notifications for the latest premieres of whatever shows you watch from CW.

14. FOXNOW

Available on: iOS, Google Play, and Windows

Watch all your favorite FOX shows live or on-demand, including The Masked Singer, Empire, The Resident, Gotham, and The Orville.

You can also watch live sports broadcasts. Many episodes are available live when they premiere so you don’t have to wait to watch them.

15. NBC

Available on: iOS and Google Play

NBC has tons of hit shows you don’t want to miss out on, and thankfully with their app, you don’t have too! You can watch series across the NBC network, including Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, and more.

You can get access to full episodes of:

• This Is Us
• The Good Place
• America’s Got Talent
• American Ninja Warrior
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• The Blacklist
• Law & Order: SVU
• Saturday Night Live
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Project Runway
• Keeping Up with the Kardashians
• Dateline: Secrets Uncovered

Plus you can get hundreds of episodes of classic shows no longer aired on TV.

16. PBS

Available on: iOS and Google Play

PBS has more than just the kids’ app we listed earlier. Adults can enjoy their videos, documentaries, and shorts on the go from the regular PBS app.

Features of the app include:

• Access to TV times and channels for your favorite PBS programs
• See what’s showing on your local PBS station
• Bookmark your favorite programs
• Watch recent episodes of Masterpiece, Nova, Frontline, Antiques Roadshow, and more.

17. Hoopla

Available on: iOS and Google Play

This unique app is used by libraries across the country to let you borrow free digital movies, books, music, and more whenever you want. All you need is a library card which can be obtained for free from your local library.

The best part?

You don’t need to worry about returning items or getting a late fee.

18. Vudu

Available on: iOS and Google Play

You don’t have to pay for the thousands of free movies available on this app. Stream your favorite titles straight from your phone or tablet. No subscriptions or credit cards needed.

This app features:

• Thousands of movies for free with limited commercials
• Downloadable shows and movies that you can watch offline

19. Free TV App

Available on: Google Play

This app gets you the latest news happening around the globe but it can also be used for entertainment purposes.

You can get free TV shows, talk shows, movies, sports, cartoons, music, and more.

20. XUMO

Available on: iOS and Google Play

Download this app to get access to over 160 channels of content. You can find thousands of movies, news networks, shows, sports events, and family-friendly programming for your kids.

Final Thoughts

After reading this article, you should have access to thousands of hours of entertainment. These free streaming TV apps can easily replace cable television for free and are accessible anywhere when you are on the go. That’s even better than cable!

Are there any apps you like to use to stream media? Have you used any of the ones we listed above? Let us and our readers know about any other free TV apps you use and your experience with them in the comments below.