Thanks to a wide range of streaming devices, many users have ditched satellite channels in favor of a cable-free setup at home. Whether you want to watch live TV channels, on-demand TV shows and movies, or PPV (Pay-Per-View) events, plenty of streaming services can get the job done.
However, most VOD (Video-On-Demand) services, like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Paramount+, Peacock TV, and FuboTV, are paid options upfront. Your credit card bill may skyrocket if you subscribe to too many streaming options. Here’s where the concept of FAST services comes into play.
What is FAST TV?
FAST TV, often known as Free advertising-supported streaming television, is a category of streaming services without paid plans or subscriptions. These services rely upon advertising revenue to deliver free content to users. FAST services offer the same content as other paid services, with ads. You also don’t get access to PPV events, DVR storage, and other perks that you usually get with Hulu, FuboTV, Paramount, and more.
If you have a tight budget and are fine with a few ads in between, give these FAST services a try. It’s a win-win situation for both the provider and the consumer. You can access on-demand content and live TV channels for free, while the provider gets more ad revenue due to the increasing number of users and can offset the cost of licensing and streaming the content.
Now that you have a good idea about FAST services and their business model, let’s take a quick look at the top options for your smart TV platform.
Pluto TV
Paramount’s Pluto TV is one of the top FAST services. Pluto TV struck a deal with Hulu in 2015 to stream popular shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox on its platform. It offers live TV channels, on-demand content, and more in different categories.
It got a major library boost when Viacom (parent company of Paramount) purchased Pluto TV and bought all the CBS Universe content from networks like Paramount Pictures, BET, Comedy Central MTV, and more. Pluto TV has 80+ million monthly users and apps on all the smart TV platforms.
Sling Freestream
While Sling TV has a couple of paid plans, the company also offers a free streaming service called Sling Freestream. You can watch 335+ channels and 40,000 TV shows and movies on-demand. It is different from Sling TV, and you don’t need to pay anything to get started.
Sling Freestream is available via the main Sling TV app. You can upgrade to Sling Orange or Sling Blue to unlock more premium content on your device.
Tubi
Fox’s Tubi is another popular option among cord-cutters. Apart from old movies and TV shows, you’ll also find content from leading networks like Fox Network, Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate. While Tubi’s user base is smaller than Pluto TV, the company recently went through a major internal reorganization, confirming Fox’s commitment to FAST.
Xumo Play
Owned by Comcast and Charter, Xumo Play is the FAST version of Xumo. It is available on LG Channels service, Xumo Stream Box, and affordable TVs from Hisense. While it doesn’t come close to Pluto TV and Tubi in terms of content library, it still packs a respectable content library to air free live TV channels, TV shows, movies, and more.
Vudu
NBCUniversal’s Fandango Media bought Vudu from Walmart in 2020. It doesn’t win any awards in terms of content, but you can still try it due to the old TV shows and movies available on the platform. For more content, Vudu recommends subscribing to NBC Network’s paid Peacock TV streaming service. Apart from classic TV, Vudu packs BBC hits, concerts, documentaries, and movies in different categories, like horror, romance, suspense, drama, crime, action, and more.
Plex
Plex is your all-in-one streaming partner to watch movies, shows, live TV, and more. There is also a rental section where you can purchase trendy movies. While it’s mostly known for streaming media on your local network, Plex has recently entered the FAST market. FAST channels aren’t locked behind a paid Plex Pass subscription, either. It offers 50,000+ titles, 600+ live TV channels, and more wrapped in an intuitive user interface. The Watch Together feature allows you to stream your favorite shows with your family members across the globe.
Related
Which streaming services are the best value right now?
There are plenty of economical options for in-home entertainment
FAST services from device manufacturers
Now, let’s look at some of the FAST services that leading TV manufacturers bundle on their devices.
Amazon Freevee
Available in the US, UK, Germany, and Austria, Amazon’s Freevee has a rich content library to stream for free. You only need an Amazon account to get started. Freevee is tightly integrated into Amazon’s Fire TV lineup of devices. It offers thousands of movies, TV shows, Freevee originals, and live entertainment channels on all the smart platforms. Some popular titles include Mad Men, My Name is Early, High School, and more.
Samsung TV Plus
Like LG, Samsung offers the Samsung TV Plus service on its TV lineup, Galaxy phones, and tablets. It offers a respectable number of live TV channels, TV shows, and movies. You don’t need a Samsung account to get started. You can set reminders, mark favorite channels, and create watchlists.
The Roku Channel
Roku offers some of the best streaming devices. Although the Roku Store is packed with all the paid channels, the company’s Roku Channel has grown in popularity with over 350+ channels, Roku Originals, and an option to rent and purchase popular TV shows and movies. Unlike other services, The Roku Channel is available on Samsung smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, and the web. It’s one of the best ways to stream local channels on your Roku device for free.
LG Channels
LG partnered with Xumo to deliver 100+ free channels on its webOS-powered TV lineup. If you have an LG TV running webOS 3.5 or newer version, use the default LG Channels section to stream your favorite news and entertainment channels for free.
Similarly, Vizio and TCL offer WatchFree+ and TCL Channel, respectively. Other popular FAST services include Crackle, Redbox, ITVX, Flixhouse, Herogo TV, Mometu, and more.
Revolutionize your viewing experience
As you can see from the list above, there is no shortage of FAST TV services. Besides, these are official apps and readily available to download from your smart TV’s app store. Google TV remains the most popular smart TV OS among these smart TV platforms. If you have a smart TV from Sony, Sansui, TCL, HiSense, or another Google TV partner, check out our top tips and tricks to get the best out of it.
