With streaming costs rising, I’ve started cutting down on the number of streaming services I pay for, and one thing that’s really helped do that is free, ad-supported streaming platforms like Plex, Pluto TV, Tubi, and The Roku Channel.
I’ve always used these platforms, but since I canceled streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix this year, I’ve been relying on them a lot more, and I’ve been continually impressed by not only how many free on-demand TV shows and movies these services have, but also all the free live TV channels you can watch. The Roku Channel, in particular, has been one of my go-to streaming services for a while now.
The Roku Channel not only has tens of thousands of on-demand shows and movies you can stream anytime for free, but it also offers a large selection of free live TV channels, with over 500 to choose from. And credit is due where credit is due, because one great thing about Roku is that it’s constantly adding more free content to stream on The Roku Channel, including adding new free live TV channels every month this year. And to kick off November, Roku is keeping this trend going, as it’s just added another wave of new free channels to stream.
- notable shows
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2 Broke Girls, Billions, Mary & George
- Originals
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Yes
- Live TV
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Yes
- Price
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Free
What’s new on The Roku Channel?
Over 500 free channels and growing
To kick off November, Roku is expanding The Roku Channel once again by adding five new channels, according to Cord Cutter News.
This month’s free additions span a variety of genres, including sports, science fiction, crime drama, westerns, and Spanish-language programming.
A few highlights include the new Outlaw channel, which features classic Western TV shows and movies; AYM Sports 3, which focuses on Mexican and Latin American sports competitions, including baseball and soccer; and Mutant X, which continuously airs the Mutant X science fiction series from the early 2000s, following the story of genetically modified humans and their superpowers.
Here are all five of the channels Roku has added, along with their channel numbers:
- AYM Sports 3 (#620)
- Mutant X (#5120)
- Outlaw (#1521)
- The Oxygen Murders of America (#2687)
- Todo Familia (#5121)
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 Roku
You can search by channel name or number
If you’re interested in checking out any of the new free channels Roku has just added, you can find them in the Live TV Guide within The Roku Channel app.
The Roku Channel app is available on all Roku smart TVs and streaming devices, as well as on Google TV and Fire TV devices. You can also download the Roku app on iOS and Android. The Roku Channel is also accessible to watch through its website.
Roku’s Live TV Guide is reminiscent of a cable TV guide, and when you open it up, you’ll see a full list of all the channels Roku has to offer, and a list of categories on the left side of the guide that help you browse it more easily by looking at specific genres of channels, like News, Sports, Entertainment, Comedy, and more.
To quickly find any of the new channels Roku added, just press the Star (*) button on your remote, then select “Jump to Channel” in the pop-up menu that appears and enter the channel number. Alternatively, you can use the search function found on the left side of the Live TV Guide to search for a channel by name.
All in all, The Roku Channel remains one of the largest free streaming platforms, and if you’re looking to cut down on your monthly streaming bill, it’s a great free alternative with plenty of on-demand content and free live TV channels to watch. Plus, new free content is constantly being added to keep things fresh.
