My favorite free streaming service just added more than 60 new live TV channels ‣ Diverse Daily

The biggest frustration I have with streaming these days, and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, is how expensive it’s become. I still remember back in 2016, when Netflix’s ad-free 4K plan cost just $12 a month. Fast-forward to 2026, and after its latest price hike in March, that same plan now costs $27 a month — a staggering 125 percent increase in just 10 years.

Of course, Netflix isn’t the only culprit. Nearly every major streaming service has raised prices over the past few years, including Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple TV.

However, if there’s one silver lining to all these price hikes, it’s the massive surge in popularity it’s caused for free streaming services like The Roku Channel, Plex, Pluto TV, and Tubi. Not only do they offer thousands of movies and TV shows on demand for free, but they also give you access to hundreds of free live TV channels.

Even Google saw the writing on the wall and jumped on the free streaming trend. The company introduced “free channels” in 2023 and rebranded the service as Google TV Freeplay in 2024 following the launch of its Chromecast successor, the Google TV Streamer. Since then, the lineup has grown rapidly, surpassing 250 free live TV channels by the end of 2025.

Now, this summer, Google is expanding the service once again in a big way, adding more than 60 new free live TV channels to the lineup, all of which you can easily access on your Google TV.

Google TV Freeplay now has over 300 free channels

You can access Freeplay through the Live tab on Google TV

Credit: Google / Pocket-lint

With the recent addition of more than 60 new free channels, Google TV Freeplay now offers 316 channels. That’s a substantial increase from the roughly 250 available at the end of 2025.

Google hasn’t released an official list of every new channel, but as Cord Cutter News reports, the latest additions span a wide range of genres, including news, lifestyle, entertainment, sports, and classic TV.

Google TV Freeplay is available on Google TV devices, including the Google TV Streamer and Onn’s lineup of Google TV streaming devices available at Walmart, such as the Onn 4K Pro, Onn 4K Streaming Device, and Onn Full HD Streaming Device. It’s also available on select Google TV-powered smart TVs from brands like Sony, TCL, and Hisense.

To access Google TV Freeplay, simply select the Live tab in the navigation bar at the top of the Google TV home screen. You can also launch it directly from your apps page. In addition to Freeplay channels, the Live tab includes free channels aggregated from other streaming services, including Plex and Pluto TV.

Google TV Freeplay channels are available only in the US.

Which channels can you watch on Google TV Freeplay?

There’s something for everyone

Google offers a complete list of every channel available on Google TV Freeplay on its official support page, and there’s a wide variety of content to choose from depending on your interests.

Some of my favorite channels include Alfred Hitchcock Presents, BBC Earth, Classic Doctor Who, Corner Gas, Filmrise Western, Murdoch Mysteries, and Top Gear.

You can also watch several local NBC News stations through Freeplay, including NBC News Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, South Florida, San Diego, and the Bay Area.

Overall, while Google TV Freeplay doesn’t yet offer as many channels as The Roku Channel, which has more than 500, or Plex, which has over 600, it’s continuing to grow. If you have a Google TV device, I’d highly recommend checking it out. It is free after all, so you’ve got nothing to lose.