Best Free Streaming Apps for iPhone in 2026 (No Subscription Required)
"Free streaming app" gets used loosely enough that it's worth being precise: some apps are genuinely free with ads, some are free-to-download fronts for a paid subscription, and some sit in between with a real free tier and a paid upsell layered on top. Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, and Sling Freestream all stream real movies and live TV on iPhone at no cost — here's what's actually free in each one, what's ad-supported, and where the upsells hide, as of September 2026.
Tubi: the biggest free library, full stop
Tubi is the closest thing to a no-catch entry on this list: ad-supported, no subscription tier to upsell you into, no premium unlock hiding behind the free version. It streams a large, constantly rotating catalog of licensed movies and TV shows — not the deepest library in absolute terms, but everything in it is actually free to watch, not a teaser for something you'd need to pay for.
Stream a vast library of movies, TV series, and live channels without any subscription fees. Discover new content added weekly, including originals and international entertainment. Enjoy personalized recommendations and a seamless viewing experience across multiple devices.
At 4.8 stars across roughly 1.24 million ratings, Tubi has the review volume to back up its reputation as one of the more reliable free-streaming apps on iPhone. The catch, such as it is, is standard for ad-supported streaming: expect commercial breaks, and expect the exact lineup of available titles to shift from month to month as licensing deals change.
Pluto TV: live channels that feel like actual TV
Pluto TV's pitch is different from Tubi's on-demand-first model: it leans into live, scheduled channels — genre-based feeds that run continuously, closer to flipping through cable than picking a title from a grid. It also has an on-demand library alongside the live channels, so you're not limited to whatever happens to be airing.
Stream thousands of free movies and TV shows on demand, plus live channels for news, sports, and entertainment. Enjoy a vast library of content across various genres, all accessible on any device without any cost.
Pluto TV matches Tubi's 4.8-star average, across roughly 1.62 million ratings — a genuinely massive review base for a free app, which is a strong signal the ad-supported model hasn't driven people away. If you miss the feel of channel-surfing more than you miss any specific show, this is the pick over Tubi's on-demand-only approach.
Between Tubi and Pluto TV, the honest advice is to install both — they're both fully free, and their catalogs don't fully overlap.
Plex: free if you steer clear of the Plex Pass upsell
Plex's free movies-and-live-TV section is a real, ad-supported product — hundreds of licensed films and live channels, no payment required to watch. Where Plex differs from Tubi and Pluto TV is that it's also a paid media-server platform: Plex Pass (monthly, yearly, or a one-time lifetime purchase) unlocks features like personal media-library hosting and remote streaming of your own files, which is a completely different product from the free streaming content.
Stream live TV channels, discover new shows, and watch movies on demand for free. Organize your personal media collection and enjoy content from major studios and news partners across various genres. Watch anywhere, on any device, with friends.
The risk with Plex specifically is upsell confusion, not cost — the free streaming section works without ever touching a Plex Pass prompt, but the app's interface doesn't always make that distinction obvious to a new user. If you only want free ad-supported movies and TV, ignore every Plex Pass prompt you see; you don't need it for that.
Sling Freestream: the free slice of a paid live-TV app
Sling TV, the app, is best known as a paid live-TV subscription service — cable-replacement channel bundles starting around $40+/month. Buried inside the same app, though, is Sling Freestream: hundreds of ad-supported live channels available with no subscription, no credit card, and no trial to remember to cancel.
Stream live TV, sports, news, and popular shows without cable. Customize your channel lineup with flexible subscriptions and add-ons. Enjoy hundreds of free live TV channels with no credit card required.
This is the one entry on this list where the free and paid products share an app, which makes it easy to accidentally tap into a subscription upsell flow while looking for the free tier. Stick to the Freestream section specifically, and you get real free live TV without ever entering payment information.
Free streaming apps, side by side
| App | Content type | Cost | Paid upsell? | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tubi | On-demand movies & TV | Free (ads) | None | 4.8 (1.24M) |
| Pluto TV | Live channels + on-demand | Free (ads) | None | 4.8 (1.62M) |
| Plex | Free movies + live channels | Free (ads) | Plex Pass (media server features) | 4.6 (137K) |
| Sling Freestream | Live channels | Free (ads) | Sling TV (full paid subscription) | 4.6 (247K) |
- Install Tubi and Pluto TV first — both are fully ad-supported with no paid tier to accidentally opt into
- On Plex and Sling, look specifically for "free" or "Freestream" sections and skip any Plex Pass or Sling TV subscription prompts
- Expect ads on all four — that's the actual cost of "free" here, not a hidden fee
What we left off this list
A few well-known names didn't make the cut for a reason worth explaining rather than just skipping silently. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock's full catalog all require a paid subscription — Peacock does offer some free content, but its headline library sits behind a paywall, which puts it in a different category from the four apps above. We also didn't find a standalone Roku Channel app with meaningful traction in AppsHunter's own catalog data — Roku's iPhone presence is dominated by remote-control apps rather than a Roku Channel streaming client, so it's not a reliable pick to recommend here.
See AppsHunter's free streaming apps topic page for the broader, continuously updated list beyond these four picks.
FAQ
Are these apps actually 100% free, or is there a catch? Tubi and Pluto TV are fully free with no paid tier at all. Plex and Sling have genuinely free sections, but they share an app with a paid product (Plex Pass and Sling TV, respectively) — the free content works fine, just watch for upsell prompts.
Do free streaming apps show ads? Yes, all four rely on ad breaks to stay free. That's the actual trade-off, not a hidden subscription.
Is Plex safe to use without ever buying a Plex Pass? Yes — the free movies and live-TV section is a complete, standalone product. Plex Pass adds separate features for hosting your own media library, which most casual streamers don't need.
Can I cast these apps to a TV? All four support standard iOS casting (AirPlay at minimum), so yes — check each app's settings for its specific casting options.
Library availability and ratings change over time; verify current content and pricing in the App Store before relying on this list.