Samsung is one of the largest TV and smartphone manufacturers in the world. Because of its success, the company bundled its streaming service with TVs, top Galaxy smartphones, and tablets. In 2015, Samsung introduced Samsung TV Plus, a free, ad-supported streaming service with live TV channels. It became available on Samsung televisions and later expanded to Galaxy devices.
Samsung TV Plus isn’t the South Korean giant’s first attempt to crack the growing streaming services market. Samsung unveiled its ambitious plans in 2014 under the Milk brand and launched Milk Music and Milk Video services. Both services failed to acquire meaningful attention, forcing Samsung to shut down Milk Video in late 2015 and Milk Music the following year. There’s a lot to know about Samsung TV Plus. Our guide discusses what Samsung TV Plus is and the features you can access.
Samsung TV Plus: The basics
Samsung started TV Plus as an experiment in the US and South Korea. The company introduced TV Plus as a video rental service in the US and launched the same as an ad-supported video service in its home country of South Korea. After analyzing user data for about a year, Samsung decided to go ahead with TV Plus within the AVOD (Advertising Based Video on Demand) space.
With TV Plus, Samsung isn’t trying to chase Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Netflix. The company doesn’t produce original TV shows or movies or host on-demand titles from other networks. TV Plus is more in line with YouTube TV, Sling TV, or FuboTV, with on-demand live TV channels.
Unlike other platforms, TV Plus is free to use, and there are no paid plans to remove ads (although it may change in the future). Samsung doesn’t offer DVR storage or add-ons to include more live TV channels and doesn’t cap the number of simultaneous connections.
Samsung TV Plus availability and channels
Samsung had massive success with TV Plus on smart TVs, and the company expanded the same to Galaxy smartphones and tablets in 2020. Samsung took another big step in June 2021 by introducing TV Plus on the web. Samsung TV Plus web version is only available in the US and South Korea.
Where is Samsung TV Plus available?
The streaming service is available in 24 countries, and the company plans to increase the TV Plus footprint in more regions. The list includes the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, France, Switzerland, Spain, Thailand, Italy, South Korea, Denmark, Brazil, Belgium, Australia, Finland, India, Mexico, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Luxembourg, and Sweden.
Samsung TV Plus channel lineup
Samsung offers over 1,200 channels across 24 countries. The offering differs from one region to another. TV Plus has over 200 channels in popular categories in the US: News, Entertainment, Sports, International, Comedy, Gaming, Music, and more. You can check the channel lineup from the Samsung TV Plus page. The service also supports 4K channels like Love Nature 4K and Clarity 4K.
Source: Samsung
You can access news channels like CNN, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and Reuters in the UK. Shows like Comedy Hub, Homes Under the Hammer, Come Dine with Me, and more should cover your entertainment coverage.
America’s Got Talent TV show is only available on Samsung TV Plus in the UK. TV Plus offers mouth-water perks in Germany. You can watch Das Boot in 8K resolution and access the DAZN streaming service to catch live sports events. DAZN has a rich library of boxing matches and popular sports games.
Samsung TV Plus: Supported platforms
You’ll find Samsung TV Plus on the company’s smart TV lineup running Tizen OS and Chromecast. The mobile app is limited to Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. You can download it from the Galaxy Store or Google Play Store. Samsung TV Plus is unavailable on the best streaming devices like Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. Let’s look at the devices you can use to access Samsung TV Plus.
- Galaxy phones and tablets running Android 8.0 or higher in 11 countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, India, Republic of Korea, and Italy
- 2016-2023 Samsung Smart TVs in 24 regions
- Family Hub refrigerators in the Republic of Korea (2017-2022)
- 2017 Family Hub refrigerators in the United States
- Samsung Smart Monitor line up like M7 and M8
- Samsung TV web version in the United States and the Republic of Korea
Samsung integrated TV Plus into the Samsung Free menu on Galaxy smartphones. Samsung Free is Samsung’s replacement for Google Discover on Android. You can read news articles, play games, and go to the Watch tab to check live TV channels from the Samsung TV Plus service. If you aren’t a fan of Samsung Free, switch to Google Discover.
Do I need a Samsung account to access Samsung TV Plus?
You don’t need a Samsung account to use Samsung TV Plus. However, if you want to sync your streaming history across several devices, you must create and log in with your Samsung account. Syncing your account may be beneficial if you use Samsung TV Plus on your Smart TV. Connecting a Samsung account to your Smart TV gives access to the Smart Hub, where you can download other apps and games.
Does Samsung TV Plus work offline?
Although Samsung TV Plus is free, you must connect to the internet to watch. You
may be charged additional data rates or encounter reduced speeds
if you stream Samsung TV Plus using your phone on LTE or 5G.
Samsung TV Plus requires an internet connection. Currently, you can’t use the service offline. Samsung notes that additional data rates may apply if you stream Samsung TV Plus on your mobile device.
Samsung TV Plus alternatives
Samsung isn’t the only major player in AVOD (Advertising Based Video on Demand). If you don’t like Samsung’s free offering with limited availability, switch to one of its rivals and enjoy live TV channels and on-demand content for free using the FAST TV model or a small monthly price tag.
Pluto TV: Similar to Samsung TV Plus, but available on more devices
Pluto TV has more than 250 live TV channels, and unlike TV Plus, it’s available on every major platform you can think of. The service carries a familiar UI with a guide format and follows the same ad-supported business model as TV Plus. Pluto TV availability is limited, though. You can only access the service in the US, U.K., Austria, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland.
Source: Pluto TV
Tubi TV: 80 live channels with sometimes-awful original programming
Tubi TV is another neat Samsung TV Plus alternative with more than 80 live TV channels and on-demand titles. It also offers original programming that ranges from incredible to laughably awful (there’s a reason #tubimustbestopped is a TikTok favorite). Although the service has apps for the major platforms, its availability is limited to the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.
The Roku Channel: Free shows and movies 24/7 with premium subscription offerings
The Roku Channel offers rich TV shows and a movie library for free. You don’t need to create a new account to access the Roku Channel on your device. The company’s streaming service is available on Roku, Samsung, Amazon Fire TVs, Roku players, and the web, Android, and iOS platforms. If you want more content, add premium subscriptions such as Showtime, Starz, AMC+, BET+, and more.
Source: The Roku Channel
Samsung TV Plus is free, so it’s worth a shot
There’s no shortage of capable paid streaming apps in the US. We aren’t surprised to see Samsung’s major push for TV Plus. Samsung has plenty to offer with its TV service. With continuous expansion and new TV channel offerings, the ad revenue will grow over the next few years. If Samsung TV Plus isn’t for you, check out options from Google, like YouTube TV or the free ad-supported alternatives mentioned in our guide.
