Netflix is often considered an essential streaming service—arguably the most essential—and has become as standard on the monthly bill as utilities like water or electricity.
However, the cost of monthly subscriptions can quickly add up, especially with prices continuing to creep higher and higher. There are also competing services such as Disney+ and Apple TV+ to consider as well, each with their own content libraries.
But you can also enjoy streaming movies and shows completely free of charge, thanks to a growing number of FAST services: Free Ad-supported Streaming Television. Instead of paying a monthly fee, you watch a few ads instead.
While the selections on these services aren’t quite top tier, they’re a lot better than you might think—and you can sign up to as many of them as you like without paying a dime. These are the best FAST platforms you need to know about.
Pluto
As soon as you load up the Pluto website you’re thrown straight into watching a random live channel, and you don’t even need to register an account. From there, you can click through to a wealth of live channels and on-demand content, with plenty in the way of classic shows, sci-fi, horror, and reality TV.
You’ve got dedicated channels for action, crime, and cartoons, and comedy—with the total number of 24/7 channels exceeding 150 at the last count—and the platform is easy to use. Dedicated apps are available for Android and iOS, as well as multiple smart TV operating systems, and when the ads appear, they’re not too intrusive.
Plex
Plex is a suite of apps and services that can serve up your local video and audio files to multiple devices, as well as providing access to more than 600 live channels and more than 50,000 on-demand titles. There’s always something to watch, and you can get started via the Plex website without even signing up for a user account.
If you do get a free account, you can sync your viewing across other apps—including those for Android and iOS. Features such as search and recommendations are really well done, and while the films and shows are mostly a few years old, there are definitely some gems included. You’ll have plenty of classics to catch up on, with nothing for you to pay.
Tubi
Tubi very much puts the focus on the content, with the Tubi website immediately presenting you with a host of movies and shows that you can queue up with a click. There’s some great stuff here too, though the best content is a couple of years old (or older). You can also watch on your phone through the Android and iOS apps.
Out of all the FAST services out there, Tubi has a strong claim to be the most straightforward to use—everything’s just really simple. You can search for something specific with a click or a tap, or sift through the movies and shows based on genre or theme, or load up a live TV channel (there are now more than 250 available).
Roku
The Roku FAST service is available as part of the selection of apps on Roku streaming devices and TVs. You don’t even need a Roku device to tune into the Roku Channel—just a Roku account. You can then sign in and access a host of free content through the Roku website or through the official Roku apps for Android and iOS.
There’s the usual FAST mix of classic content and live TV included, as well as some original programming and themed packages around topics such as fitness and motorsports. As you would expect from something bearing the Roku branding, it’s all neatly laid out and simple to get around, whether you’re on a laptop or using a TV remote.
Kanopy
Kanopy is a little different to the other services here because it’s public-funded and works through a library card or a university email address. This means that you do need to sign up to start watching. As well as getting to your content through the Kanopy website, you can also install the apps for Android and iOS, and spread your watching across multiple devices.
The platform brands itself as offering “thoughtful entertainment,” and there’s a smaller selection here, with no live TV channels. However, the movies, shows, and documentaries you do get are of a very high quality, and they include lots of critically acclaimed titles as well as plenty of educational content for keeping the kids entertained.
