While Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video have long reigned supreme in the streaming world, offering a vast array of content, maintaining subscriptions to all can become rather costly.
However, there’s a lesser-known platform where you can watch films and TV shows entirely for free.
Although Tubi is one of the most popular free services, boasting an impressive 97 million users, Pluto TV might not yet be on your radar.
Operated by Paramount, Pluto TV is a FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) service. It offers over 150 live channels and more than 1,000 TV shows and films to stream.
While it may not feature the latest Hollywood blockbusters or buzzworthy shows, its entire catalogue of content won’t cost you a penny.
Launched in 2014, Pluto TV has grown in popularity over the past 12 years. Initially featuring only 20 short-form channels, it now includes big names like BBC, CNN, and NFL, reports Surrey Live.
As of April 2023, Pluto TV boasted a staggering 80 million active monthly users worldwide. However, this figure could be significantly higher as no registration is currently required for users.
To access the content library, simply visit pluto.tv on your web browser. The service is also available for download on Apple TV, the App Store on your phone, or an Amazon Fire Stick.
With a cornucopia of content available, Pluto TV caters to a variety of tastes with offerings that include cherished kids’ programmes, riveting reality shows, electrifying sports and a cinematic library that covers every genre imaginable.
Reflecting on Pluto TV’s vast selection, Amy Kuessner, the Senior Vice President of Content Partnerships, previously extolled the platform’s enhanced catalogue after Paramount joined forces with it. Speaking to Forbes, she expressed: “With the acquisition, the access to the content that we’ve been able to get from Paramount has just been a pivotal moment for us.
“We have hundreds and hundreds of TV series, everything from NCIS to CSI to Love and Hip Hop to Basketball Wives and thousands of top-quality movies like The Godfather and the Indiana Jones franchise.”
Viewers can indulge in a plethora of TV hits, including Skins, Gracepoint – a Broadchurch spin-off, Hell’s Kitchen, and the much-loved 90s classic Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The complimentary streaming service has garnered rave reviews for its expansive and free offerings.
A user awarded it a stellar five-star rating on the Amazon Appstore, commenting: “Pluto TV is a game-changer in the world of streaming services. The fact that it’s completely free caught my attention, but the exceptional quality kept me hooked.”
An equally enthusiastic viewer exclaimed: “I was stunned by the amount of movies there are available and all free! I felt like I had walked into a DVD rental store…There are some fantastic titles available too, some even have the sequel and there are TV box sets for free!”
Over on Reddit, one satisfied streamer shared: “I find it is great, if you want to watch older movies from the 80s and 90s, better than something like Netflix or Hulu.”
One enthusiast remarked: “I’ve been watching Pluto since its inception and have always enjoyed it.”
Despite a few voicing their annoyance at the restricted selection, it’s generally accepted as a minor inconvenience for a service that’s absolutely free of charge.
