KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Roku offers free public channels like The Roku Channel and Tubi with diverse content and no monthly subscription.
- Access live news with channels like CBS News and enjoy a wide library of movies with FilmRise and Redbox.
- Educate with TED Talks, explore space with NASA, and cast videos from Firefox and Roku Media Player.
Are you looking for the best free Roku channels around? We've got you covered.
After setting up your Roku device, it's time to start installing channels—the Roku equivalent of apps. So, here are the best Roku channels you shouldn't miss. All of them are free to install and do not require monthly subscriptions.
Movies and TV
1. The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is an official release from Roku that lets you watch movies for free.
Thanks to content from several major studios, including Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros, it offers hundreds of Hollywood movies across many categories.
You don't need an account to watch the content, but be warned that you will have to sit through some ads.
Download:The Roku Channel
2. Tubi
Tubi is one of the best free streaming services out there. It is ad-supported like other free services, but the ads are shorter and less invasive. It has a wide variety of movies and TV shows, with new content being cycled through frequently.
The best part is that you can access the entire Tubi library without making an account, but if you find yourself using it quite often, you can make an account to save your watchlist and get catered recommendations.
Download: Tubi
3. FilmRise
FilmRise has more than 10,000 free movies. You won't find the same number of recent releases as on The Roku Channel, but it's a great place to watch B-movies and classic films.
Again, no registration is required. You just need to install the channel to get started.
Download:FilmRise
4. Plex
Plex is one of the most user-friendly services available on Roku, and it's completely free. Plex lets you make a watchlist incorporating content from your favorite services.
However, Plex also offers free access to an on-demand library of movies and shows and over 600 live TV channels.
Download: Plex
5. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is a completely legal way to watch live TV.
The company has partnerships with NBC News, MSNBC, Sky News, and Bloomberg to bring you 24/7 coverage of the world's current affairs. The channel also offers lots of minor channels, including Crime Network, Funny AF, IGN, Pro Wrestling, and All-Day Anime.
You can also enjoy a small library of 1,000 on-demand TV shows.
Download:PlutoTV
6. Crackle
Crackle is well-known for cord cutters. It offers free TV, some old movies, and even some original content. The exact shows you can enjoy varies between countries.
Because Crackle works on multiple platforms (including Android, iOS, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox), your recommendations list and watch history will sync up regardless of which device you're using.
Download:Crackle
7. Kanopy
Kanopy is another free service where you can watch a variety of movies and TV shows. It's accessed through your local public library and has one of the best selections of documentaries on any service. Kanopy gives you a certain number of monthly tickets, which you can use to stream free content for both education and entertainment.
While it has different content based on your library, and you can only watch a certain number of things per month if you are already a frequent library goer, Kanopy is easy to set up and gives you access to content you won't see anywhere else.
Download: Kanopy
8. The CW
The CW channel is the official Roku app of the American television network of the same name. It's entirely free to use, so no cable subscription is needed.
It offers the last five episodes of a given series on-demand. Shows are generally available 24 hours after they air on TV.
Download:The CW
9. Redbox
Everyone knows Redbox as the DVD rental service, but their streaming service has made them much more than that. While you can still rent movies through the Redbox service, they also have a library of free content.
It offers free movies to stream and live TV. While its library isn't comparable to that of some other streaming services, it's another good place to find free things to watch.
Download: Redbox
News
10. CBS News
If you're a cord-cutter in need of news, you can't go far wrong with the official CBS app. It offers 24/7 live-streaming of its news channel, along with on-demand segments such as CBS Evening News, CBS This Morning, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, Sunday Morning, and Face the Nation.
Download: CBS News
11. ABC News Live
Live news coverage is one of the many reasons people keep their cable subscriptions, but with the ABC News Live channel on your Roku, you can watch live news coverage and recent top stories.
This channel also lets you watch the most popular ABC News shows, such as Good Morning America, 20/20, Nightline, and World News Tonight.
Download: ABC News Live
12. NewsON
If you're more interested in local news than global affairs, this is the channel for you. It offers more than 170 live local news channels from across the United States, and you can watch reruns from the previous 48 hours.
Unlike some other local news apps in the Channel Store, NewsON does not require a cable subscription to operate.
Download:NewsON
13. NBC News
Another one of the best options for streaming live news coverage on your Roku is NBC News. You can see all of today's highlights on NBC as well as many other more specific news categories, such as sports, pop culture, food, and shopping.
Download: NBC News
14. WeatherNation
If you want to stay updated on the weather in your area, look no further than WeatherNation. It's a very simple, user-friendly app that gives you detailed information and forecasts for the weather in your area and any other locations you're interested in.
Download: WeatherNation
Kids
15. PBS Kids
The number of shows on PBS Kids isn't vast, but it's more than enough to amuse young children for hours. You'll find classics such as Sesame Street and Curious George, as well as modern releases like Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Dinosaur Train, Super Why, and Wild Kratts.
You can also find classics like Masterpiece, Frontline, and NOVA, as well as cutting-edge documentaries and even some original web content on the regular PBS channel.
Download:PBS Kids
16. Cartoon Network
The Cartoon Network channel offers free episodes of some of their best programming. With popular shows like The Amazing World of Gumball, Ben 10, Teen Titans GO!, and many others, there is enough content on this channel to keep your kids entertained for hours.
Download: Cartoon Network
Audio
17. Pandora
Pandora is another well-known audio app. Pandora offers three different plan options: Free, Plus, and Premium. The free tier has some limited features, but it still delivers on the core premise of learning your musical tastes over time and playing tracks you'll enjoy. It's perfect for background music at an event.
Download:Pandora
18. Spotify
Spotify needs no introduction. It is the most popular music streaming app in the world. More than 100 million songs are available, its music discovery tools are the envy of the industry, and there is a never-ending supply of playlists made for you to listen to, made by Spotify's over 600 million users.
Download: Spotify
19. iHeart Radio
iHeart is one of the best services for streaming free live radio. You'll have access to all the top radio stations, including music, news, sports, podcasts, and local radio.
This channel also allows you to save and replay songs directly from custom artist radio stations, create personalized music playlists, and listen offline when you don't have an internet connection.
Download: iHeart
20. Audacy
Another great free option for audio streaming is Audacy. You can listen to all your favorite music, sports, news, and talk radio, and it lets you discover new radio stations and podcasts based on your interests.
One unique feature that sets Audacy apart is the ability to search for radio stations anywhere in the country. You won't be limited to stations in your area; if there is a station you love based across the country, you can listen to it anytime.
Download: Audacy
21. True Crime Network
If you're a fan of true-crime podcasts, True Crime Network is a channel you'll want to check out. You can watch the newest episodes of your favorite true-crime shows and there is even television content available as well.
This channel is full of crime investigation programming and even hosts some educational content to help keep users safe.
Download: True Crime Network
Gaming
22. Text Twist
We have covered some of the best Roku games elsewhere on the site, but Text Twist deserves a special shout-out.
It's great for family fun. The app gives you either six or seven random letters, and you face a race against time to make as many words as possible before the clock runs out. If you can work out the top answer, you can move on to the next level.
Download:Text Twist
Educational
23. TED
The TED channel is one of the best educational resources on Roku, with access to over 2,000 educational TED Talks. There are countless categories of talks to look through, like science, psychology, technology, and many others, all told by accomplished people who are experts in their fields.
Download: TED
24. Hoopla
Like Kanopy, Hoopla is a service that works through your public library. Unlike Kanopy, though, Hoopla offers a broader variety of content for both education and entertainment.
Using your local library card, you can log in to Hoopla and browse their collection of more than 500,000 eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, comics, and movies.
Download: Hoopla
25. NASA
The NASA channel is the place for all things space. You can view on-demand videos from NASA missions and learn about recent discoveries. There is even a real-time view of Earth from the International Space Station.
Download: NASA
Apps
26. YouTube
Everyone knows YouTube, but you might not know that it can fill needs met by almost every other service on this list. You can watch live news coverage and educational content, and listen to music and podcasts, there is even a selection of free movies available to stream right in the YouTube app.
Download: YouTube
27. Roku Media Player
If you're looking for a way to view your local files on your Roku device, this channel is for you. With the Roku Media Player, you can access all the photo, video, and audio files you have downloaded on your other devices.
If your Roku has a USB connection you can plug directly into it and access your files through the media player, but if not, you can still play files on your Roku through your network.
Download: Roku Media Player
With such a wide variety of free content on Roku, it's easier than ever to ditch your cable subscription and still watch everything you did before. These channels are just the tip of the iceberg; the more you use your Roku, the more channels you'll discover.
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