Best Free Channels on Roku

As a Roku owner, I understand it can be overwhelming to find quality channels on your Roku device. I’ve covered how you can get channels like AMC, HGTV, Discovery, and many more for just $25 per month on Philo. But what if you want free channels? Today, I’m going to cover some of my favorite free channels to enjoy them without digging through some 7000+ channels. I’ll also link each channel to its page in the Roku Channel Store. From there, you can add the channel to all your Roku devices with the click of a button.

So here they are the best free Roku channels:

Pluto TV

Pluto TV partners with various content providers to offer free TV and movies. The content is broken down into channels within Pluto TV. For example, if you like news Pluto TV offers a curated selection of content from NBC News, MSNBC, Sky News, Bloomberg, and more. There is also Crime Network, Funny AF, and IGN. As of the publish date of this article, there are over 250 channels available on Pluto TV. 

For more details, check out our guide: What is Pluto TV?. You can also check out their website to get an idea of what they offer. (Add this Channel)

Plex

Plex is a media player that not only aggregates thousands of free TV shows and movies from across the web but also helps organize your own media. While you will have to pay for some of Plex’s media organizing and sharing features, there is still a ton of free content available through the Plex app. (add this channel)

Crackle

Crackle TV is an entirely free streaming service owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. The service features movies, TV, and original programming that rotates monthly. It’s one of the best free channels around, and I recommend every cord-cutter looking for free movies and TV add it to there device. While the video quality caps out at 480p, they have quality movies and TV available for free. Please check out my review of Crackle for more info. (add this channel)

The Roku Channel

Roku put out its own free channel. It’s worth having on your home screen as you can always find a quality movie to watch The channel aggregates content from several free sources on the web and provides those free TV shows and movies through a convenient on-screen guide. While the content on Roku Channel is ad-supported, there are some premium upgrades like HBO and Showtime if you want to use the Roku Channel to act as a hub for TV viewing. (Add this Channel)

The CW App

Did you know all of the TV shows on The CW are available free on-demand through The CW app? That’s right; You can watch Riverdale, Black Lightning, The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supernatural, Dynasty, Jane The Virgin, The 100, Valor, iZombie, and more all for free! It’s a must-have channel for fans of the DC Comics TV universe. Check out our article, How to Watch The CW Online for more information on the CW app. (add this channel)

CBS News

CBS News Is our favorite way to get News live for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CBSN has live anchored breaking news coverage, original reporting, and delivers original content, including the daily shows “Red & Blue” and “CBSN AM.”

In times like these, we need a source of news and what better way to get it then free! If you would like more options, check out our article on ways to watch news. (add this channel)

PBS Kids

Are you looking for some great free kids programming? Look no further than PBS Kids. Kids can watch their favorites like Curious George, The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Wild Kratts, and of course Sesame Street. There is no better source of quality educational children’s programming than PBS Kids, where you are a cord cutter or not. (add this channel)

Comet

Comet is an entirely free Sci-Fi channel. They show sci-fi favorites and tons of cult classics. Sci-Fi fans are sure to find some hidden gems. Comet airs both sci-fi movies and TV shows. I regularly use it to watch Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and the classic 60’s sci-fi show, The Outer Limits. Check out all the shows available on Comet. (add this channel)

NewsON

Watch live, local TV newscasts for free. NewsON streams newscasts from over 160 local news stations across 100 US markets. Watch live news and previous newscasts (up to 48 hours for most stations), or news clips from your favorite stations. It’s an entirely free way to keep up with your local news. Check out the NewsON website and see if they cover your local news. (add this channel)

Tubi

Formerly known as Tubi TV, Tubi offers free TV and Movies. The service offers a good balance of big-budget movies, cult classics, and some stuff you’ve likely never heard of. The service is a bit heavy on the ads compared to other free services. However, movies and TV are in high definition when available. For more details, check out our review of Tubi or visit their website. (add this channel)