4 Of The Best Free Streaming Apps You Can Find On Amazon Fire TV – BGR

Amazon’s Fire TV platform is a popular alternative to media streamers like Roku TV and Google TV. It powers devices like Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, and numerous smart TVs, and comes with built-in access to many popular streaming apps. Additionally, the Amazon Appstore provides even more ways to use a Fire TV Stick and other Fire TV devices. And while games and other forms of entertainment are available in the Amazon Appstore, what many people are often looking for is a way to stream free content.

Netflix recently raised its prices, and in general, streaming services can get expensive, especially if your favorite content is spread across different services. Digging through the Amazon Appstore can turn up some great finds, including apps that stream content for free. Free access, however, can sometimes mean you’re stuck with uninteresting or obscure content. But we’ve found a number of free streaming apps available for the Fire TV platform that require no cost whatsoever, including the likes of Tubi, Pluto TV, and some underrated gems as well. Moreover, we’ve ensured each streaming service has plenty of movies, TV shows, and live channels worth watching.

One free streaming app that makes it to the list no matter what platform is being discussed is Tubi. Not only do we find it to be one of the best free streaming apps on Amazon Fire TV, but we consider it one of the essential Fire TV apps worth installing. It has the largest library of all streaming services, which amounts to more than 300,000 movies and TV episodes that are available to watch any time you like.

Tubi is somewhat unique in that it claims it will forever be 100% free to watch. This, of course, means it’s supported by advertisements, and you will be forced to sit through ad breaks here and there while streaming. But that’s a small price to pay for access to such a massive library of content. Because it’s entirely free, Fire TV users can install Tubi from the Amazon Appstore and dive into things without having to provide a credit card.

Users also don’t need to set up an account to start watching Tubi, though one is helpful for creating watch lists and receiving movie and TV show suggestions based on your previous watches. On-demand movies and TV shows are the focal point of the Tubi library interface, though the platform also comes with access to live TV, international entertainment, and Tubi Originals that include reality shows and movies.

Kanopy is one of the more unique finds among the free streaming apps available on Amazon Fire TV. It provides access to thousands of films, including popular movies, world cinema, and documentaries. The best part is that it’s not simply limited to older and lesser-known titles, as you might assume with a somewhat obscure streaming app that doesn’t charge for access to its content. New titles are added weekly, and the Kanopy library is searchable by filmmaker, cast members, and title.

Not only is Kanopy free to watch, but it also doesn’t play any ads while you do so. The only requirement to access the Kanopy library is a library card. The platform partners with libraries and universities in order to present all movies and TV shows ad-free. With its focus on education and, to an extent, academia, it is one of the best streaming platforms for more thoughtful entertainment.

While the requirement of a library card or an association with a university may not seem like much in order to access a no-cost, ad-free streaming library, Amazon Fire TV users without a library card or a valid university login might find it a bit of a nuisance to get set up. But access to Kanopy can be just a short drive to the library away for those interested in exploring the movies and TV shows it has to offer.

Amazon Fire TV users who enjoy a cable or satellite-TV-like interface can turn to Pluto TV for free content. Instead of presenting itself primarily as an on-demand streaming service, Pluto TV is built around the experience of watching live TV. It offers hundreds of channels that are organized into a more traditional channel layout. It has channels categorized under comedy, science fiction, classic TV, and even “Star Trek” content, among many others.

Pluto TV has a bit of a nostalgic feel to it, and it’s likely to feel welcoming to recent cord-cutters. If you’ve switched to the Fire TV platform in order to save on monthly cable or satellite bills, Pluto TV makes a great starting point for accessing free content. In addition to what can be found on Pluto’s own channels, content from popular TV networks like Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount is accessible.

If there are downsides to Pluto TV, they are that the live TV format means there may not be something you want to watch playing at any given time, and the viewing experience is interrupted by ads. But ads, for the most part, are par for the course with free streaming apps, and Pluto does have a large library of on-demand content if you can’t find anything worth watching in the TV lineup.

One of the most trusted names in TV, PBS, is available on Amazon Fire TV and that too completely free. The app provides on-demand access to more than 4,000 PBS and local station shows. While an app like Kanopy curates its library toward thoughtful content from various studios and networks, PBS is dedicated to its own original content. This includes things like “PBS NewsHour,” “Nova,” and documentaries made by longtime PBS collaborator Ken Burns.

The PBS app also supports livestreaming from local PBS stations, which gives Fire TV users a way to watch live, regional PBS content alongside the on-demand library. The app allows users to change their local station directly within the interface, so the live feed reflects the correct regional programming rather than a generic national feed. For users who want to tune into a scheduled broadcast rather than watching something from the PBS library, the live option makes the PBS app feel a little more like a traditional TV experience.

While a lot of free content is available with the PBS app, it’s worth noting that some content is only available through PBS Passport. This is a membership tier available to PBS donors that unlocks extended access. For Fire TV users who want total access to what PBS has to offer, a donation to a local PBS station is required.

The Amazon Fire TV platform is one of the most widely used TV operating systems, and its App Store gives users access to a wide range of streaming options. Our focus was on apps that are entirely free to download and stream content. We wanted to provide options that require no subscription or payment of any kind to get started. The apps we’ve selected offer a range of approaches to accessing free streaming content, from on-demand libraries and live TV to ad-free content supported by taxpayers.