in association with ExpressVPN
The best free streaming services explored
You don't need to pay for streaming TV - here's how
in association with ExpressVPN
The streaming TV revolution has taken the world by storm. Now there’s no need to tune into one of a limited number of channels, carefully checking listings to make sure you’re watching the right one at the right time for the show you like. Now you can just switch on your TV, choose from a list, and watch whatever you want.
There’s a downside to all this, however. Subscriptions. Nobody likes actually paying for things, despite the fact that the whole of society is set up to separate us from our money in one way or another, and there are streaming services available that don’t actually charge you (a monthly subscription, at least) to watch them, though you’ll need to sign up for an account before you can start. Let’s take a look.
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BBC iPlayer
If you’re in the UK, and using a TV, the chances are you’re paying annually for a TV licence. This grants you access to the iPlayer – so is it really free? Well, there’s no subscription and no ads, and it’s a cost you’ll likely be paying anyway. So, sorta. You’ll need to log in with a BBC account to use it, and it can’t be used outside of the UK unless you use a VPN, but it does supply a huge selection of quality telly from the BBC, including shows like Doctor Who, Gardeners World, Only Connect and more. There’s a rotating selection of movies too, and the renowned CBeebies shows if you’re trying to entertain young children without exposing them to adverts.
Channel 4
The C4 streaming service has been through a couple of names and iterations, and has settled on a free to access, ad-supported service that keeps box-sets of Channel 4 shows for you to watch any time. That means you can dip in and out of Taskmaster and Derry Girls as often as you like, and if the ads get too much there’s a £3.99/mth subscription option to get rid of them. Channel 4 streaming is only available in the UK and Republic of Ireland, so it can be tricky to take on holiday with you without a VPN.
ITVX
Another ad-supported service, ITVX is the streaming app from the UK’s commercial TV giant ITV. This means it’s the one with Coronation Street, if that’s something that excites you, and there’s also a large back catalogue of British drama series such as Maigret, Endeavour and Benidorm, as well as some things you might not expect, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a selection of Hollywood movies. There’s a premium option, which gets rid of the ads and expands the library (via a collaboration with Britbox) for £5.99 per month.
Plex
Plex started life as a home media server, which you could use to stream your collection of camcorder videos of the kids being charming or distant relatives’ weddings to your TV. It still does that, but has branched out into TV content that streams over the internet. It all comes with ads, but there’s a surprisingly broad selection of free stuff on offer, from movies starring Jason Statham and Nicholas Cage, to episodes of Mythbusters Homes Under the Hammer and even UFC. You’ll need to register, and there are paid plans on offer, but you can watch for free and there’s an app for just about everything.
Freely
This free TV platform is a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. Freely is the streaming version of Freeview, as it carries live TV from the major UK terrestrial broadcasters, with an EPG, as well as on-demand streaming of shows. Freely exists as an app that runs on your TV, phone or tablet, and the shoes and movies are supported by adverts rather than a subscription option.
U
The streaming app from the UKTV channels has changed its name a couple of times, but has now settled on ‘U’. Broadly similar to Freely, just with different free content available, U has both catch-up and live TV channels with adverts in between. Channels include Yesterday and Dave – now branded as U&Yesterday and U&Dave, with a mix of programming including classics like Bergerac and Miss Marple, to more up to date fare such as Bergerac and other lady detectives.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV comes from Paramount, the huge US media conglomerate behind Star Trek and The Twilight Zone. It doesn’t just offer Paramount shows, however, with ad-supported programming from the likes of CNN, NFL, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central available to stream, which you can do without even needing to register – you can just go to the website and start streaming. We spotted classic Bowie movie Labyrinth, The A-Team, Mission impossible (the original ‘60s TV series) and loads of reality TV too.
Free trials
Many of the premium streaming apps offer free trials, so that you can sign up for a week, binge as much as you can possibly watch in that time, and not pay a penny by cancelling before you get charged. iPhone and Apple Mac fans can get three months of Apple TV just by buying and registering a new device, and while this is an expensive way of getting a free subscription, it’s a nice little extra tucked in with your new toy. Students can get six free months of Amazon Prime Video, and full movies and TV episodes occasionally drop on YouTube too, though they’re always accompanied by ads.
Ian Evenden
