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I replaced my paid streaming apps with free ones - here's what surprised me
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My monthly streaming bill is relatively low, totaling $41/month for Apple Music, YouTube Premium Lite, Netflix with ads, and Peacock with ads. I don't mind the occasional ad on my video streaming services, so I subscribe to ad-supported tiers to save a few bucks.
You might expect free services to have limited usability, outdated titles, and incessant ads -- and that assumption is not totally wrong. Yet, many free services have old favorites, local channels, and plenty of "Family Feud" episodes. If your paid, on-demand services are causing decision fatigue, it might be time to return to the simplicity of cable without paying for it.
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As comfortable as I am with my subscriptions, I never stop looking for ways to save money. So, I figured I'd try some free video and music streaming apps to see if any could replace my big four services. Here's how it went.
Vizio WatchFree+
- Ways to watch: Online; built-in Vizio TVs; app for iOS and Android
- Number of TV shows and movies: 6,000+
- Number of free live channels: 300+
Vizio TVs come with the brand's built-in free streaming service, Vizio WatchFree+, which lets you watch hundreds of TV shows and movies on demand and access even more live TV channels. The best way I can describe the titles on this service is as "things you might have watched while staying at your grandparents' house for the summer."
The live channels consist of programs such as the World Poker Tournament, "The Andy Griffith Show," "Bonanza," and "Judge Judy." However, what I did enjoy was the array of local news channels; watching the live broadcast was much better than keeping up with the networks' digital formats I usually peruse.
If you prefer on-demand streaming, this service offers several obscure titles that may pique your interest, as well as some well-known ones, such as "Ex Machina," "Memento," and "Terrifier 3."
Verdict
Accessing my local news channels was a refreshing change. Other free streaming services deliver national news, but nothing as local as Vizio's service. I usually keep up with Atlanta News First and WSBTV on my phone, but nothing beats tuning in to the local channel's primetime broadcast to stay on top of events, local economics, weather, and sports.
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Otherwise, WatchFree+'s live channels and on-demand titles didn't interest me much; this service offers lots of sitcoms, dramas, westerns, and movies from the 1970s to 1990s. Still, if that's your jam, you've quit cable, and you have trouble finding your old favorites on your paid services, WatchFree+ likely has what you're looking for.
You don't need a Vizio TV to access WatchFree+; you can watch online or download the app on iOS and Android.
Tubi
- Ways to watch: Online; app available to download on streaming sticks, smart TVs, iOS, and Android.
- Number of TV shows and movies: 40,000+
- Number of live channels: 250+
I've been a shameless Tubi fan for years now -- I'm the sort of person who can stomach an entertaining yet incredibly low-budget original screenplay. As the years have passed, Tubi's titles and app experience have improved significantly, and there's now something for everyone on Tubi.
Animated shows from the early 2000s, such as "Courage the Cowardly Dog" and "The Powerpuff Girls," are available to watch in full, and cult classics such as "The Fifth Element," "Roll Bounce," and "The Lost Boys" are on deck.
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Tubi works because it takes itself seriously as a free streaming service while being realistic about what it can offer users. Though other streaming apps also use algorithms for watch recommendations, Tubi's interface and user experience feel more modern and similar to Hulu, Netflix, or Peacock.
Overall, Tubi is a great place to rewatch childhood gems or discover a movie from 10 years ago you never got to see but really want to now.
Verdict
Tubi's selection of titles is shockingly good; you can find original movies, classics, animated titles, and more. Tubi invested heavily in its user interface, which has much smoother scrolling and browsing than that of WatchFree+ or PlutoTV. If Tubi, in its current form, had existed while I was in college and I had little money to spend on streaming services, I'd have been a regular viewer.
PlutoTV
- Ways to watch: Online; app available to download on streaming sticks, smart TVs, iOS, and Android
- Number of TV shows and movies: 10,000+
- Number of live channels: 250+
PlutoTV operates similarly to Vizio's WatchFree+ or The Roku Channel (which you can watch online), offering live channels and on-demand titles. PlutoTV offers many mid-2000s reality hits, such as "Bar Rescue," "Ghost Hunters," "RuPaul's Drag Race," and "Say Yes to the Dress," with many channels dedicated to reruns of the reality TV golden era.
You can also watch PlutoTV online through your browser, and PlutoTV's web interface is much more responsive and easier to navigate than the TV app. I often meander to PlutoTV when I want to watch Anthony Bourdain's shows or early episodes of reality shows I can't find on my subscription services, such as "America's Next Top Model," "Jersey Shore," and "Flavor of Love."
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As an NFL fan, I also enjoy PlutoTV's 24/7 NFL Channel. You won't find the latest season of "Quarterback" here, but if you like to revisit classic games, unedited press conferences, and older seasons of "Hard Knocks," you'll like what PlutoTV has to offer.
Verdict
PlutoTV is a great service if you're a reality TV fan and enjoyed the reality hits of the early to mid 2000s from networks like Bravo, MTV, VH1, and TLC. Some paid streaming services offer the same reality titles as PlutoTV, but longer-running shows may have earlier seasons and episodes omitted or locked behind an additional paid upgrade.
iHeartRadio
- Ways to listen: Online, app available to download on streaming sticks, smart TVs, iOS, and Android
- Number of radio stations: 3,500+
I usually listen to music while I cook dinner, so one night I hung up my cushy, immediately gratifying Apple Music subscription and replaced it with iHeartRadio. This service offers extensive live radio broadcasts, allowing you to tap into several locations across the US. Although I'm in Atlanta, I could listen to local stations in Topeka, KS.
You can tune in to sports, Latin, country, and oldies stations, as well as several other genres. iHeartRadio also has podcasts, such as "Hey Jonas," "Dateline NBC," "The Breakfast Club," and "The Joe Rogan Experience." Unlike Spotify's free tier, iHeartRadio users can download podcast episodes for offline listening. Still, iHeartRadio has far fewer podcast titles than Spotify.
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If live radio isn't your jam, iHeartRadio offers curated playlists for every mood, genre, and decade. Playlists operate like Spotify's free tier: you can't listen to any song you want at any time, and there are ads. Still, for a free service, iHeartRadio has an expansive selection of ready-made playlists that encourage music exploration and tend to creatures of comfort.
Verdict
I can never give up a paid, ad-free music streaming service, but iHeartRadio delivered more than I expected. If you like to listen to live radio outside of your car, you can access a myriad of stations across topics and locations. If you don't like Spotify but still want a free music and podcast streaming service, consider iHeartRadio.