7 best Google Freeplay alternatives to watch live channels on your smart TV

27 Nov 2024, 13:00 by Parth Shah · Android Police

Google rebranded FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channels as Google TV Freeplay. After a brief appearance, the search giant pulled Freeplay from the Google TV platform due to crashes. Google promises to bring it back, but we don't have a definite timeline, leaving many cord-cutters searching for alternatives. Still, you have other ways to access free live TV channels on your Google TV. This post explores the best Freeplay replacements, offering options with diverse channel lineups and features to keep you entertained.

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7 Philo TV: Save your favorite shows on DVR

Source: Philo TV

Philo TV is a compelling option for Google TV users seeking free live TV, but it's more than a Freeplay replacement. It runs on a hybrid model with free and paid tiers, giving you flexibility and choice. Philo includes a respectable lineup of over 110+ free-ad-supported television (FAST) channels. This includes a diverse mix of news, entertainment, kids, sports, and other channels. Popular titles include BBC News, Crackle, AMC Thrillers, Revry, Vevo Pop, Welcome Home, Xtreme Outdoor, and more.

Philo offers a 30-day DVR (on selected titles) and doesn't require an account or credit card to get started. If you like its offering and want to unlock more content, upgrade to Philo Core at $28 per month. It offers 70+ paid channels, premium add-ons, and a one-year unlimited DVR.

6 Xumo Play: Access a vast catalog of on-demand shows

Source: Xumo Play

Xumo Play is another capable Google Freeplay alternative that offers free live TV and on-demand content. It has over 350+ live TV channels, covering a range of genres, including live news (NBC News, News NOW, ABC News, CBS News), movies and TV (Crackle, FilmRise, CONtv), Sports (Fox Sports, the NFL Channels, PGA Tour), and lifestyle and entertainment (FailArmy, America's Test Kitchen, The Pet Collective).

Along with live TV channels, Xumo Play offers a catalog of 15,000 on-demand movies and TV shows. You can jump in without a subscription or sign-up process. The company collaborated with TV manufacturers like Hisense and Element to integrate its platform into their smart TV offerings.

5 Sling Freestream: Stream popular TV shows

Source: Sling TV

Don't mistake Sling Freestream with the standard Sling TV app. Sling Freestream is a different service for those seeking free live TV and on-demand content, making it a strong contender to fill the void left by Google Freeplay.

It offers 500+ live TV channels in multiple categories, including news and opinion, entertainment, sports, food, home, travel, international, and Latino. You can stream popular titles like USA Today, ABC News, AMC Thrillers, Love Peta, Sports Grid, Boxing TV, Willow Sports, FITE by Thriller, Waypoint, HSN, Fashion TV, BBC Travel, and more.

Unlike Freeplay, the free tier unlocks 41,000+ on-demand titles. Upgrade to one of the Sling TV plans (Sling Blue or Sling Orange) to access popular cable channels like ESPN, TNT, and NBC Sports.

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4 Plex: Accessible in most countries

Source: Plex

Plex is a powerful media server platform to stream your collection of movies, music, and photos. It's also a fantastic free streaming service with live TV channels and on-demand content. The best part is availability. Unlike Freeplay and its alternatives, Plex is accessible in almost every country. Go to Plex's official page to download a list of live TV channels available in your region.

In the US, you can stream live TV channels like Reuters, Euronews, Yahoo Finance, Crackle, RetroCrush, Tastemade, The Bob Ross Channel, and more without paying a dime.

3 The Roku Channel: Free TV plus premium subscriptions

Source: Roku Channel

Although Roku is a rival of Google TV in the smart TV space, the company's streaming service, The Roku Channel, is available on Google's TV platform. The Roku Channel will get deeper integration on Google TV. You can access Roku's 500+ FAST channels from the Live TV tab on Google TV.

The company offers a range of channels covering news (ABC News Live, NBC News NOW), entertainment (Comet, FilmRise Free Movies), lifestyle (Tastemade), and more. It also has a dedicated kids' section with channels like PBS KIDS and Kidoodle. There is a hub of premium subscriptions to unlock Showtime, Starz, AMC+, and other add-ons to elevate your cord-cutting experience.

2 Tubi TV: Works on all smart TV platforms

Source: Tubi TV

Tubi TV is a hidden gem in free streaming and a fantastic alternative to Google Freeplay. It's free and has a massive library of live TV channels and on-demand content. It's a cross-platform solution with apps on all smart TV platforms, including Google TV.

Tubi has over 40,000 movies and TV shows, making it one of the largest free streaming libraries. You'll find everything from Hollywood blockbusters and classic films to popular TV series and kids' shows. The live TV channels library isn't as extensive as others, but it has several news and entertainment channels.

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1 Pluto TV: Stream games and anime, too

Source: Pluto TV

Pluto TV is a giant in the free streaming world and a top-notch alternative to Google Freeplay. It offers a massive selection of live TV channels and on-demand content without a subscription. You can stream 250+ live TV channels neatly organized into a familiar TV-like grid.

You'll find channels dedicated to news (CBS News, CNN, Bloomberg), movies (Pluto TV Movies, Classic Movies), entertainment (MTV Pluto TV, Comedy Central Pluto TV), sports (Fox Sports, Stadium), and specialized interests like gaming and anime. It's free, cross-platform, delivers a user-friendly interface, and remains a valuable addition to any entertainment setup.

Unlock live TV for free

Did you fire up your Google TV to stream free live TV and discover Freeplay had vanished? The world of free streaming is vast and full of excellent alternatives. Whether you watch news, sports, or your favorite TV shows on entertainment channels, a free app is ready to fulfill your needs. Go to the Google Play Store, download these apps, and stream your favorite live TV channels without paying a dime. If you are new to Google TV, check out our top tips and tricks to get the best out of it.