I’ve been shifting my streaming habits more and more toward free streaming services this year, and, truth be told, I wish I had done this a long time ago.
It’s no secret that streaming costs have risen rapidly over the past few years, with major services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, and more all raising their prices. So I’ve been trying my best to cut back on the number of streaming services I pay for, and free streaming services have been a huge help.
There are plenty of great free streaming services out there, like The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, and even PlayStation has its own free streaming service on PS5 now. But one of my favorites is, hands down, Plex. While Plex has long been known for its home media server tools, it launched its own free streaming service in 2019 and has since amassed a huge library of over 50,000 free on-demand movies and TV shows, as well as a lineup of over 600 free live TV channels.
Plex is also constantly expanding and adding more free content each month, and this November is no exception, as it’s just added another batch of free live TV channels to stream.
- notable shows
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Broadchurch, The Kids in the Hall, The Fall
- notable movies
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Warrior, A Walk to Remember, Heat, Halloween
- Premium Subscription
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No
- Originals
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No
What’s new on Plex?
Its list of more than 600 free channels just grew longer
At the start of November, Plex added seven new free live TV channels to its lineup, and just a week later, it’s back at it again, adding nine more channels, according to Cord Cutter News.
Highlights from this latest wave of free channels include 60 Minutes, which airs episodes of the long-running news magazine known for its in-depth reports, investigations, and interviews; Pawn Stars, featuring the hit series that follows Rick Harrison and his family as they run their pawn shop in Las Vegas; American Pickers, following Mike Wolfe as he travels across the US in search of rare artifacts and forgotten treasures hidden in basements, attics, and barns to sell in his shop.
There is also History’s Greatest Mysteries, which explores some of humanity’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries through documentaries; and, just in time for the holidays, The Great Christmas Light Fight, featuring the competition series where families deck out their homes with dazzling light displays and vie for prizes.
Here are all nine of the new free channels Plex just added that you can stream now:
- American Pickers
- History’s Greatest Mysteries
- Judy Justice
- Pawn Stars
- The Great Christmas Light Fight
- The Librarians
- Tribunal Justice
- Vikings
- 60 Minutes
QuizFree streaming channels trivia
Trivia challenge
From Tubi to Pluto TV — how well do you know the world of free, ad-supported streaming?
TubiPluto TVPlexSmart TVsStreaming
Which major media company acquired Tubi in 2020?
Correct! Fox Corporation acquired Tubi in April 2020 for approximately $440 million. The deal gave Fox a major foothold in the ad-supported streaming space without launching a subscription service.
Not quite — Tubi was acquired by Fox Corporation in 2020 for around $440 million. It remains one of the largest acquisitions in the free streaming world, giving Fox a strong presence in FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV).
What does the ‘FAST’ in FAST channels stand for?
Correct! FAST stands for Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television. Services like Pluto TV, Tubi, and Plex TV are all major players in this growing segment of the streaming market.
The correct answer is Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television. FAST channels are a booming part of the streaming industry, offering viewers free content in exchange for watching advertisements, much like traditional broadcast TV.
Which company owns Pluto TV?
Correct! Paramount Global acquired Pluto TV in January 2019 for $340 million. Pluto TV has since grown into one of the most popular free streaming services, available in dozens of countries worldwide.
Not quite — Pluto TV is owned by Paramount Global, which purchased it back in 2019 for $340 million. Paramount has used Pluto TV as a free complement to its subscription service, Paramount+.
In addition to free live TV channels, what is Plex primarily known for?
Correct! Plex started as a media server application that lets users organize and stream their own personal libraries of movies, music, and TV shows. It later expanded to offer free FAST channels and on-demand content.
Plex is best known for letting users organize and stream their own personal media libraries. It began as a powerful media server tool before evolving to include free ad-supported live TV channels and on-demand streaming content.
Samsung’s built-in free streaming platform, found on its smart TVs, is called what?
Correct! Samsung Free is the built-in free streaming hub available on Samsung smart TVs, offering live TV channels, news, sports, and on-demand content at no extra cost. It was rebranded from Samsung TV Plus in some regions.
The correct answer is Samsung Free, the built-in streaming hub on Samsung smart TVs. It offers a range of free live channels and on-demand content powered by ads, and requires no subscription or sign-up to use.
LG’s free built-in streaming service, available on its smart TVs, is known as what?
Correct! LG Channels is LG’s free, ad-supported streaming service built into LG smart TVs. It offers hundreds of live and on-demand channels across news, entertainment, and sports, powered by the webOS platform.
The answer is LG Channels — LG’s built-in free streaming service available on its smart TVs running webOS. It provides hundreds of live channels and on-demand content with no subscription required, just an internet connection.
Approximately how many movies and TV episodes did Tubi claim to have in its library as of recent years, making it one of the largest free streaming catalogs?
Correct! Tubi has boasted a library of over 50,000 movies and TV episodes, making it one of the largest free streaming catalogs available. Its vast library is a key differentiator from many subscription-based competitors.
Tubi has claimed a library of over 50,000 movies and TV episodes, which is one of the biggest catalogs in the free streaming world. That enormous content offering is a major reason why Tubi has attracted tens of millions of active users.
Which of the following free streaming services was launched first?
Correct! Plex launched in 2009 as a media server platform, predating all the others by several years. Pluto TV launched in 2014, Tubi in 2014 as well, and Peacock didn’t arrive until 2020.
Plex is actually the oldest of these services, launching back in 2009 as a personal media server. Pluto TV and Tubi both launched in 2014, while Peacock — NBCUniversal’s streaming service — didn’t debut until 2020.
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How to find these free channels and more on Plex
The Live TV tab is where all of Plex’s free channels are available
If you’re curious about Plex and want to see everything it has to offer, including all its new free live TV channels, it’s easy to do.
For starters, if you don’t already have the Plex app, you can find it on most smart TVs, including Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sony, and Vizio, as well as on streaming devices and platforms such as Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, and Roku. You can also download the Plex app for iOS and Android.
Once you have the app, you’ll find all the free content Plex offers in two places: its Live TV and On Demand sections, both accessible via the sidebar on the left side of your screen.
The Live TV section features over 600 free live TV channels, including the nine new channels Plex just added. On the other hand, the On Demand section lets you browse over 50,000 free movies and TV shows available to stream. If you’re curious whether Plex has one of your favorite movies or shows available for free, you can use the search feature to quickly check.
Overall, Plex has grown into one of the largest free streaming platforms, rivaling The Roku Channel in size, and its latest wave of free channels is another example of how it continues to grow. If you’re looking for a large library of free content and live TV channels to check out, it won’t disappoint.
