Are you sick and tired of video streaming services raising prices on you in 2026? You’re not alone.
People who called themselves “cord cutters” when they ditched cable and satellite are now looking for a reprieve from rising streaming subscription costs.
And a value-oriented segment of the market is ready to deliver: FREE streaming services.
Money expert Clark Howard has been consistent in his messaging that a digital antenna and a few free streaming TV services downloaded to your smart TV are a great way to get entertainment without putting a dent in your monthly budget.
For example, you could save more than $1,000 per year by ditching YouTube TV and Netflix for this strategy.
The cool part is that you can try all these free services with no obligation before you commit to any “permanent” changes to your streaming strategy.
But where do you get started? That is what this article is all about.
There are plenty of free options, but service quality varies. I have reviewed more than 20 free services for Team Clark and have created an in-depth guide to the best free streaming services.
Let’s talk about the services I’d suggest for “getting started” and which services are most likely to impress you.
Start with the Big 3 of Freebie TV
After reviewing a bunch of these freebie TV apps, it became clear that many air the same “dated” television series, a hodgepodge of movies you may have never heard of, and a similar menu of free, ad-supported (FAST) channels.
But three stand above the rest in terms of quality of recognizable content, some live news and weather, user-friendly apps, and even some original content that you can’t get anywhere else.
And it’s probably no surprise that each has the backing of a major media company that can provide the tools and content to succeed in the space.
So, without further introduction, I believe every cord cutter should have these three free services on their streaming device and in regular rotation:
Pluto TV Review
Parent Company: Paramount Skydance
Website: pluto.tv
FAST Channel Count: More than 400
Recognizable TV Series: “The Walking Dead”, “Cheers”, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, “X-Files”, “Star Trek: The Original Series”
Live News and Weather Channels: CBS News 24/7, NBC News Now, ABC News Live, CNN Headlines, BBC News
Kids Content Brands: Dr. Seuss, Dora the Explorer, Garfield, Rugrats, Peppa Pig
Tubi TV Review
Parent Company: FOX
Website: tubitv.com
FAST Channel Count: More than 250
Recognizable TV Series: “Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “The First 48”
Live News and Weather Channels: LiveNOW from Fox, Fox Weather, NBC News Now, ABC News Live, Scripps News
Kids Content Brands: Looney Tunes, Pokémon, Lego, Transformers, Tom and Jerry
Roku Channel Review
Parent Company: Roku
Website: therokuchannel.roku.com
FAST Channel Count: More than 500
Recognizable TV Series: “Cold Case,” “Frasier,” “Nashville,” “Heartland,” “Bewitched”
Live News and Weather Channels: CBS News 24/7, NBC News Now, ABC News Live, LiveNow from Fox, Weather Nation
Kids Content Brands: Garfield, The Magic School Bus, Barney & Friends, Teletubbies, Caillou
Note: The content offered on FAST services changes often. The information provided about these services is accurate as of the article’s publish date. Check out the service’s app or website for the latest content offerings.
Supplement with These 2 Targeted Freebies
The three services mentioned above will give you a broad base of on-demand TV series and movies, hundreds of the best FAST channels, plenty of kids’ content, a variety of live news options, and even some original content sprinkled in.
But many of you will still feel like there’s a gap in your content options compared to a live TV streaming service.
So I have a couple more suggestions for making sure you’re getting a well-rounded free streaming experience:
Zeam: If you’re not getting local channels for free via a digital antenna, you’re probably going to feel the pain of missing your local news via the three mentioned above. Luckily, there are a few free streaming services out there dedicated to delivering access to local news content. One of the emerging options I like is Zeam, but you may also find luck with Local Now.
YouTube: No, I’m not talking about paying for YouTube TV. I’m talking about the old-fashioned YouTube app. There are literally millions of options for free content on this platform, which is now available via a smart TV app. Most creators, including many of the networks you’re paying for, post high-definition content on the platform for free. It’s a great spot to catch popular podcasts, docuseries, viral content creators, and even some live sports. This will give you a taste of the “here and now” in the world of social content as part of your free streaming experience.
Bottom Line
Everyone’s taste in free streaming content is a little bit different.
So, test several platforms, find the ones that offer the content you like most, and ditch the rest to curate a free streaming experience that makes your household happiest.
I most often recommend Pluto, Tubi, and The Roku Channel to people interested in saving money on streaming TV. I find that if streamers can’t find one useful, they may not be ready to ditch paid subscriptions just yet.
Do you have these free streaming services on your device? What are some of your other favorites? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the Clark.com community.
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