Streaming TV For Free: The Apps You Didn't Know You Had

Recently, we explored how to build a satisfying streaming life using only truly free, ad-supported services and an antenna. We then looked at how to get even more content by leveraging memberships you already have, like Amazon Prime and Walmart+, for "as good as free" content.

But the world of free streaming is bigger than just the major FAST services. There are a number of stand-alone apps that can provide a surprising amount of quality content without a single subscription. These are the apps you might not know you had, or you might have overlooked entirely.

A Deep Dive into Free-to-Use Apps

While services like Tubi and Pluto TV have led the charge on free streaming, a number of other apps offer a huge amount of free content that’s worth your time.

• The CW App: If you want current TV, the CW app is one of the best examples of a broadcast network that truly embraces the free model. You can stream new episodes of their shows the day after they air, and they provide an entire back catalog of past seasons for free—all without a single login.

• The PBS App: The PBS app is a fantastic resource for quality programming. It offers a large, rotating on-demand library of shows, documentaries, and specials for free. For a small donation of $5 per month, you can unlock the entire library through the PBS Passport program, making it a great example of a freemium model that is still in the spirit of your blog's mission.

• Fandango at Home: While best known for renting or buying movies, Fandango at Home has a large, free, ad-supported library of its own. It’s a great way to find content that might not be on the bigger FAST services, as its library is a bit more curated and focused on a theatrical experience.

A Word of Caution on Other Network Apps

While other network apps exist, they are not all created equal, and it is important for a cord-cutter to manage expectations. The NBC app, for example, has a large library of older "throwback" shows that you can stream on-demand, which is a great perk that your antenna can't give you. However, its library of new shows is very limited, and it is a good example of an app that is designed to be a companion for a live TV subscription. On the other hand, the ABC app is largely useless for a cord-cutter, as it has almost no free content and is designed to get you to log in with a TV provider.

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The world of streaming isn't just about what you pay for directly, or what you can watch for free with ads. It's also about leveraging the value of the services you already use every day. By exploring these free apps that stand on their own, you can unlock a surprising amount of premium, exclusive content, making your streaming life even richer without adding a single new subscription to your budget. My Streaming Life has been built on a foundation of always looking for more value from the services that are already a part of my daily routine.