Where to Watch TV for Free

I'm addicted to watching new content as often as I can. So I like my streaming services preferably without commercials, but it can become expensive to have multiple streaming services. Sometimes we pick and choose what to watch. Of course, Netflix has been our go-to for over a decade.

When prices started going up in the last few years, we found ways to watch TV for free or for less money. When I am interested in a show, I first look for the different watch options on Google. Sometimes I find there are free or cheaper options and what streaming service it's available.

Google Opinions "Money"

How I watch many shows not available through Netflix and Amazon Prime is to buy or rent the movie through Google Play. Well, that costs money. Not if you earn Google reward money through their opinion app. I fill out occasional surveys that are short and earn 10 to 40 cents at a time. I can only use that "money" through Google, yet there's so much available that way. This is how I recently rented Pitch Perfect 3.

YouTube

YouTube has oodles of content including some movies and shows for free. For a while, our family enjoyed watching Studio C with the original cast of Matt Meese and company. I know they have YouTube TV which costs money. My husband watches a lot of YouTube of various political pundits, game makers, and so on. I'm not that big into YouTube--only if I can find a movie or show I am interested in. They have a library of those you can find through Google TV or YouTube. To me, Google TV and YouTube are interconnected since Meta runs them both.

You can also find free content through Twitter and other social media channels. Recently, Daily Wire released What Is a Woman? through Twitter.

FreeVee and Pluto

I access many shows through FreeVee (hosted by Amazon) and a few from Pluto. You can install these apps on your smart TV for immediate access. I have an Android TV so you can put apps on easier (in my opinion). It has been a while since I used Pluto TV, and I watch FreeVee shows through Prime though it is available separately. Last month, I watched Pitch Perfect 2 this way.

BYUtv

I watched Studio C and some other content through BYUtv. You can watch shows separately or on live TV. Brigham Young University employees and students create uplifting content for this channel. I usually just use the app to watch the Latter-day Saint General Conference twice a year. The content ranges from Latter-day Saint-specific content, Christian content, to uplifting content.

Angel TV

Angel Studios runs on donations, so you can choose to pay or not. Also, the app is free to install on your TV and phone. Other users donate so you can watch content for free and you can pay it forward too. Our family has paid for VidAngel (a great filtering service BTW) for years and now Angel Studios has separated from that company, but that's how we started watching their content. You can find religious content, like The Chosen, comedy, and children's programs like Wingfeather and the Tuttle Twins on the app.

Personally, I enjoy The Chosen and the Dry Bar Comedy collection. The studio brings the Bible to life with relatable characters in The Chosen, especially a passionate and humorous Jesus. Watching Dry Bar episodes, I can have a laugh and not worry about my children hearing anything too racy. Plus, the collection keeps getting bigger.

History Channel

I first became interested in Alone on Netflix and then I discovered I watch other episodes for free on the History app. There are annoying ads, but it's free. I stopped watching the latest season when I lost interest in survival shows. Their other content isn't as appealing to me Mostly, I hate waiting through ads.

Bunny Ears

Growing up, we could only get a few network channels with our bunny ears. We'd adjust the outside antenna to locate various channels that varied in reception quality. Usually, the picture was fuzzy, but I could handle that so I could chill with TGIF.

After getting married, we bought a set of antennae which included the first digital receivers. We used that for several years to watch Biggest Loser, American Idol, and kids' shows on PBS and QUBO. We bought a new digital antenna a few years ago to achieve better reception. Anyway, I'm amazed at how many channels I can watch using just a digital receiver. However, I rarely watch network TV because I enjoy on-demand TV. I'm spoiled.

Free Streaming Trials

Content is becoming exclusive to only streaming services, so they are harder to watch for free. Sometimes, my husband and I have started free trials when a season is finished on a streaming service. Then we binge-watch that season. Sometimes we will stay a few more months on the service. We used to round-robin our free trials so we have new content for a period of time.

Just remember to cancel your subscription after the free trial. Or you may find it worth the money to continue with that streaming service.

Saving on Content

Some TV services offer a cheaper version with commercials. It can be annoying but may be worth it. We often will switch around what streaming services we subscribe to also, so we are paying for less at a time.

I've also found that I will avoid the theater and just watch a movie when it comes to the streaming service. We just can't afford to go to the theater like we used to. Mostly, the pandemic changed our theater habits when streaming services often put the movies out later. I'll also wait to watch a show when I can rent it through Amazon Video or Google TV. The name of the game is patience.

There are many more apps that I have yet to discover for free content. How about you list those free services in the comments? Thanks!