Free to download does not always mean free to watch. All 12 apps here are free on Google Play, yet most also list in-app purchases, and several expect a TV subscription or provider login. This page sorts them by what the catalog shows, so you can judge what each one asks of you. Samsung TV Plus is the clearest fit for the keyword, with 750+ live channels. Fandango points to free movies with limited commercials. Sling, Philo and YouTube TV sell live channel bundles. None of the 12 reached our top catalog tier, and three show no ads: Sling, Fandango and YouTube TV.
| App | Price | Ads | Google Play rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Free | Has ads | 4.5 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.5 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.6 |
 | Free | Has ads | 3.9 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.7 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.6 |
 | Free | No ads | 4.5 |
 | Free | No ads | 4.5 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.2 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.1 |
 | Free | Has ads | 4.4 |
 | Free | No ads | 3.8 |
Ratings are Google Play ratings at the last data refresh.
ESPN is published by Disney and focuses on sports coverage. It holds a 4.5 rating.
Hulu is another Disney service, with a 4.5 rating from Android users.
Peacock TV is published by Peacock TV LLC and carries a 4.6 rating.
Samsung TV Plus has the lowest rating among the top apps here, at 3.9.
discovery+ has the highest rating in this list, at 4.7.
DIRECTV carries a 4.6 rating, matching Peacock TV.
Sling is a live TV app that has passed 10 million installs.
Fandango Media publishes this app, which has passed 10 million installs.
The NBC App is published by NBCUniversal Media and has passed 10 million installs.
Paramount+ has passed 10 million installs.
Philo has over 5 million installs on Google Play.
YouTube TV is published by Google LLC and has passed 10 million installs.
This list draws on catalog information only: installs and ratings on Google Play, update dates, price, ad and in-app purchase flags, and the features each app names. We did not test these apps by hand, so nothing here describes picture quality, speed or reliability. None of the 12 reached our top catalog tier. Ratings reflect Google Play at the time of writing, and channel lineups or plans may change.
All 12 are free on Google Play, so the download costs nothing. Nine list in-app purchases, and several expect a subscription or provider login. Samsung TV Plus and ESPN list none.
Samsung TV Plus lists 750+ live channels plus on-demand movies and shows at no cost, and it shows no in-app purchases. YouTube TV lists 100+ channels, but through a monthly membership after a free trial.
Sling, Fandango and YouTube TV are the three with no ads in the catalog data. All three still list in-app purchases.
