Hidden trove of Roku apps unlocks over 195,000 movies and shows legally as fans admit ‘I never knew it was free’

ROKU fans have shared their list of TV apps that offer free content – so make sure you're not missing any.

One of the best things about owning a Roku device is the vast library of no-cost content available to you.

It's easy to think that you need pricy Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max subscriptions to enjoy TV.

But it's increasingly easy to watch almost non-stop television simply by choosing free apps.

Earlier this year, Roku fans flocked to Reddit to showcase their favorite streaming apps that offer at least some free content – with one saying they "never knew" about some of the options..

One of the top mentions was Pluto TV.

This is one of the biggest names in free TV streaming, so it's no surprise that it was mentioned so frequently.

The no-cost app has a collection of more than 250 live TV channels.

And it promises "thousands" of on-demand movies and TV shows too.

Another top mention was Tubi, which also has 250 channels in its library.

Its selection of on-demand content is also very vast with over 50,000 movies and TV shows available.

One of the more surprising entries is Amazon Freevee, which some users may not even realize is available on Roku.

That's because Amazon creates devices that compete with Roku – but still offers Freevee as a downloadable channel.

It has over 500 free 24/7 channels, plus more than 15,000 movies and shows.

Another more "hidden" app that made the list from fans is Plex.

Many people will know Plex as a way to share your own saved content to screens of your choice.

But in late 2019, Plex also launched a free TV streaming service.

This gives you more than 800 channels, along with over 50,000 shows and movies.

It's all supported by ads so you don't have to pay anything.

You don't even need to create an account if you don't want to.

Stream swapping – the easy way to cut your bills?

Here's what Sean Keach, The Sun's Head of Technology and Science, thinks...

It's no secret that TV streaming apps are costing more and more.

Not only are prices shooting up, but we find ourselves asked to pay for an increasing number of apps and services.

And when you combine those TV bills with your music streaming, mobile and internet fees, and every other drain on your bank account, it all starts to get a bit much.

One of the best ways to cut your TV bills is to simply cancel all of your streaming subscriptions and only sign up to one per month.

Pick an app like Netflix, Disney+, or Apple TV+ and smash through all of the content you want to watch on that app.

Then the next month, swap to something else.

And once you've done them all, you can cycle back to the start again.

It's an easy way to avoid forking out for a rolling library of streaming apps with more content than you could possibly watch.

Also don't forget that paid-for streaming isn't the only game in town.

There are loads of apps that don't cost a penny to enjoy, and downloading a few will unlock thousands of live TV channels plus tens of thousands of movies and shows.

Try apps like Tubi, Amazon Freevee, The Roku Channel, Plex, and Pluto TV to get some ad-supported television without having to pay any monthly fees.

It's also worth noting that The Roku Channel received several honorable mentions.

This is Roku's own service with over 350 live TV channels.

And its on-demand library is vast with over 80,000 free movies and shows.

Here are some of the apps that received mentions in the thread:

• The Roku Channel
• Comedy Central
• Pluto TV
• Tubi
• Hoopla
• Kanopy
• Amazon Freevee
• NHK World Japan
• Fawesome
• Classic TV
• Free Movies Plus
• Plex
• FilmRise
• Local Now
• PBS
• PBS Kids
• YouTube

It's worth downloading some of these apps to see if you can cut your monthly streaming bills.