Free Streaming Services: Best Options in 2026
In 2026, it’s very easy to stream movies and TV for free. There are dozens of free streaming services and each has something worth watching. Free streamers are essential to our mission of saving money, so Streaming Smarter will always spotlight your best options.
Best Ad-Free Option: Kanopy
Your quest for free streaming should begin with your local public library. Most libraries will partner with Kanopy and/or Hoopla. Kanopy is basically a miracle. Your library assigns you a limited number of digital “tickets” each month and you get to decide how you spend them. My library gives me 30 tickets each month, while kids’ content has no ticket restriction. Most films cost 2 tickets.
I’m always surprised at what’s available when I open Kanopy. As I write this, I can watch great flicks like “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Parasite,” “Coming to America,” “Oldboy,” “The Conversation,” “Paddington 2,” “Tropic Thunder,” “Good Will Hunting,” “The Naked Gun,” “Best in Show,” “The Truman Show,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “Zodiac,” “Fargo,” “Gladiator,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Memento,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “Mean Girls,” “Collateral,” “The Apartment,” and “A Bronx Tale.” Any streaming service would kill for that lineup.
Kanopy’s TV selection is disappointing unless you like BBC programming.
The instructional library is pretty great with several of The Great Courses. Check out the series to learn “Screenwriting 101,” “Birding in North America,” “The Art of Travel Photography,” “Yoga,” “Master Outdoor Cooking,” “Scientific Secrets for Self-Control,” and “Cooking with Vegetables.”
For kids, you’ll get titles like “Sesame Street,” “Bob the Builder,” “Molly of Denali,” “SciGirls,” “Madeline,” and “Rosie’s Rules.” You’ll also see read-along video books.
FREE
Kanopy
Free
Ad-free streaming
30,000+ on-demand titles
See our full review of Kanopy ►
Most Versatile: Plex
If you’ve never tried Plex, it’s time to change that.
Like others on this list, it includes a great movie and TV library for free. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
You can use Plex to stream any movies or TV shows on your computer’s hard drive. If your friends install it, you can watch their movies and TV shows, too. If you have an antenna, Plex can connect and stream the signal to any device in your home. You can even use Plex as DVR to record live TV.
The service also includes Plexamp: a fantastic music app that can stream any music from your PC’s hard drive.
I use Plex more than any other streaming service, including Netflix or any live TV option. Start for free and upgrade to a paid plan if you want to unleash Plex’s most amazing features.
FREE
Plex
Free
Free with ads
1,015+ free channels
Best for Kids: PBS Kids
I tell every new parent to fire up PBS Kids when it’s time to let their toddlers watch TV. “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” is the perfect gateway show. It teaches life skills and emotional intelligence in a way young kids can understand. I used Daniel Tiger to potty train my kids. (There are entire episodes dedicated to things like that or going to the dentist or supporting autistic classmates.)
As your kids grow, PBS Kids is there with “Wild Kratts,” “Super Why,” “Word Girl,” and “Work It Out Wombats.” My kids lost interest in PBS Kids around kindergarten, but it was a godsend until then.
Beyond the PBS Kids video app, there’s also the PBS Kids Games app with its free learning-focused games, perfect for even the youngest players. PBS Kids Learning and Science offers games that lean into STEM.
FREE
PBS Kids
Free
Beloved preschool shows
Best for News: Haystack News
Haystack News is my choice for news streaming. Unlike other free streamers, Haystack allows you to choose which TV stations and which topics you see. Beyond your initial settings, you can also “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” a clip, so the app tailors itself to your preferences over time. Haystack taps into more than 400 providers.
Unlike its competitors, Haystack allows you to skip news clips or replay them as you like. I love the “Popular” section, which gives you really intriguing stories. Haystack fuses national and local news sources – I use it to keep track of my hometown and where I live now.
FREE
Haystack News
Free
Free with ads
Watch news from 400+ channels
See our full review of Haystack News ►
Best for Movies: Tubi
If Kanopy doesn’t have what you’re looking for, Tubi probably does. It’s a giant library of titles. You’ll see blockbusters, Oscar winners, and the most pure cinematic trash ever filmed. It’s a wild assortment and there’s always something to watch. Tubi claims it has 275,000 movies and TV episodes.
As I write this, I see titles like “Edge of Tomorrow,” “The Thing,” “Casino,” “The Town,” “Tropic Thunder,” “Drive,” “Kill Bill,” “Road to Perdition,” “The Hurt Locker,” “Donnie Brasco,” “I, Tonya,” “A League of Their Own,” “Moonstruck,” “The Last Waltz,” “Tommy Boy,” “The Lego Movie,” “Labyrinth,” and “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”
The TV library has “Empire,” “Scandal,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “All in the Family,” “Community,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Shameless,” and “Moonlighting.”
FREE
Tubi
Free
Free with ads
300,000+ on-demand movies and TV episodes
Best for Background TV: Pluto TV
I always find myself drifting to Pluto TV when I just want “something” on in the background. Although Pluto TV has on-demand options, I usually just watch the channels.
Pluto has channels dedicated to specific genres, but I also love the channels pinned to specific titles, like “Cheers + Frasier,” “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” “I Love Lucy,” “The Addams Family,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Star Trek,” “Blue Bloods,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “60 Minutes,” and “Peppa Pig.”
It’s great to throw on an old favorite show and let it play 24/7. Pluto TV is the best for that.
FREE
Pluto TV
Free
Free with ads
400+ channels
Other Free Services to Consider
FREE
Hoopla
Free
Ad-free streaming
Movies, TV, music, eBooks, and more
FREE
Sling Freestream
Free
Free with ads
600+ channels
FREE
MyFree DIRECTV
Free
Free with ads
140 channels
FREE
Philo
Free
Free with ads
120+ channels
FREE
The Roku Channel
Free
Free with ads
500+ live TV channels
FREE
NewsON
Free
Free with ads
News from 285+ local TV stations in over 165 markets
FREE
Scripps News
Free
Free with ads
Reliable, balanced news
FREE
Prime Video Free Channels
Free
Free with ads
380+ channels
FREE
Xumo Play
Free
Free with ads
350+ live channels, 15,000 on-demand titles
FREE
DistroTV
Free
Free with ads
A few free channels with lots of Desi entertainment
FREE
Very Local
Free
Free with ads
Local TV from 26 U.S. markets
FREE
Local Now
Free
Free with ads
400+ local virtual channels
FREE
Zeam
Free
Free with ads
News and programs from 400+ local stations
FREE
HBCU Go
Free
Black college entertainment
Sports, films, comedy, and more
