What Are Free Streaming Services? (And Are They Worth Your Time?)

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With the launch of heavyweights like Apple TV+, Peacock, and Paramount+ in the past 5 years, big-name streaming services have been getting a lot of attention. So much so that free streaming services have often been overlooked.

That’s not surprising, considering the 8 largest entertainment streamers spent $105 billion on content in 2019 alone. But while free streamers may not be dropping billions on production – or even have the newest movies and TV shows – they’re definitely worth a look.

But what are they and what do they offer? And are any of them are worth watching? Read on to find out.

What’s the difference between FAST and AVOD?

Free streaming services are similar to the ad-supported tiers that Peacock and Paramount+ had at launch, and that Netflix and Max recently added. Except that they’re completely free, not just less expensive.

But like paid streaming services, there are different types of free services. As such, you may notice a lot of acronyms thrown around when reading about streaming entertainment. When it comes to streaming free movies and TV, the 2 you’ll see the most are FAST and AVOD.

What does FAST stand for?

FAST stands for Free Ad-supported Streaming Television. These platforms often have a mix of linear and live TV channels, but they might have no live TV whatsoever. The key point is that most content is delivered through linear streaming channels. Like their paid counterparts, they typically also have an on-demand library.

What does AVOD stand for?

AVOD stands for Ad-supported Video On Demand. These services are like Netflix, delivering content (and therefore ads) through on-demand libraries. Platforms focused on AVOD generally don’t have linear channels and offer everything on demand.

Do free streaming services have a lot of ads?

While most free streaming services started out by touting fewer commercials than traditional TV, the difference between them has certainly become less pronounced. When businesses see the chance to make another dollar, they usually pounce on it.

We’ve watched (and counted) a lot of commercials to see how streaming services compare. For simplicity, we categorize ad loads into 3 levels – high, medium, and low – based on the minutes of ads per hour. However, none of the free streaming services fall into the medium range, which is more common among with the ad-supported tiers of paid streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and Peacock.

If you’re currently paying for an ad-supported tier with a major streaming service, take a look at the best free streaming services to see if any of them are worth switching to.

But before you go thinking “I’m gonna stick it to the Big Guys!” and stop paying for subscriptions, just know that a lot of free streaming services are owned by them. We indicate who owns what in the aforementioned list free streaming services.

Do free streaming services require an account?

Some of them require you to sign up for a free account, but most don’t. (Some don’t even give you the option!)

However, if you can, we recommend you do. The major benefit of signing up for an account is to save your watch lists, favorites, and viewing history.

Do free streaming services work on all devices?

All the free streaming services on this list can be watched in a web browser. But when it comes to TVs, mobiles, and streaming devices, the app support varies greatly.

Some free streaming services – like The Roku Channel and Samsung TV Plus – were launched exclusively on devices to promote their sales. Those days are more or less gone (although Samsung is still clinging to the past), but don’t expect to be able to watch everything everywhere. 

Do free streaming services have 4K video?

As of October 2023, we’ve only found one free streaming service with 4K video quality – Samsung TV Plus. And the selection is limited to a few episodes from lifestyle TV shows and a half-dozen fireplace videos. Also, you need a Samsung 4K TV in order to watch those few shows.

Which free streaming services are best?

If you’re looking for the best free streaming sites and apps, look no further. Our list of the best free streaming services has the most popular and polished FASTs and AVODs around, with easy-to-read key points for each.

Final thoughts on free streaming services

If you don’t mind commercials, it’s definitely worth your time to check out the FASTs and AVODs above. Obviously, if you don’t like ads, don’t bother.

It also depends on what you’re watching. Who’s fond of having 10 (ten!) commercial breaks during a horror movie? It spoils the mood more than a machete-wielding maniac ruins summer camp. But sitcoms, crime dramas, sports, and the news are a different story. Most people grew up with commercials interrupting those shows on a regular basis.