Cord-cutting is on the rise. More people are ditching traditional cable TV providers in favor of streaming devices. If you have any of the best Roku devices, you don’t have to spend money on paid services to watch good content. Even though you have a score of premium services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Disney+, there are plenty of free live TV channels you can use to stream on your Roku TV or any other Roku device. This guide lists the best free Roku channels you can watch on your Roku device.
1 The Roku Channel
Your Roku TV or smart TV attached to a Roku device comes with The Roku Channel, which offers access to live TV shows, TV channels, movies, original shows, and series. You can add your favorite TV channel to your watchlist and enjoy it anytime. You can subscribe to access premium services, such as Paramount+ or Starz, to unlock their content.
The Roku Channel gives you access to live local and national news, another reason for cord-cutters to give up cable connections. The only downside is that you get too many ads throughout the program.
2 Pluto TV
Pluto TV offers a variety of free live TV channels, such as MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount, and over 250 other channels. You can check out music videos, go through the latest happenings through multiple news channels, watch classic shows, and learn through history and science-based channels. Thousands of movies are available for free, ranging from action, comedy, romance, and horror. You can add your favorite channels to your watchlist or explore them in a guide-like grid.
You must sign in with your email address. You’ll get ads while watching its content.
3 Tubi TV
Tubi TV is another popular option for free content, live TV, or free movies. While popular streaming services like Netflix are expensive, Tubi TV is a great option that offers a range of live TV channels for news, weather, sports, and more.
The TV shows range from comedies to documentaries, with shows such as MasterChef and Scandal and animes such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon. You can also watch kids-friendly Tubi Kids, which offers password-protected parental controls. Tubi TV offers popular Spanish content, and you can tune in to Tubi Originals. This content is available to watch without an account and is accompanied by ads.
4 Local Now
With over 400 channels and 1,000+ Hollywood movies, Local Now TV is one of the best free Roku channels. The channels you can watch include local news, weather, sports, and more. Livestream channels include NBC News Now, PBS Digital Studios, Bloomberg Originals, Cheddar News, and Yahoo! Finance. You can watch Hollywood rom-coms, dramas, comedies, and more. Local Now TV also offers on-demand shows for travel, finance, and pets. You can add your favorite channels to the watchlist and watch them later.
The sign-up process is optional. You can dive into your favorite content without creating an account. The downside is the ads that you will see and the dated content.
5 FitOn
If you are into fitness, you don’t need to pay for good workout routines. The FitOn Roku channel is one of the best free fitness channels you can add to your favorites. It has a variety of free workouts ranging from cardio, HIIT, circuits, Pilates, and more. FitOn is among our best fitness apps for 2024.
The channel provides access to its library free of charge, and some workout routines include celebrity trainers such as Cassey Ho (of Blogilates), Jeanette Jenkins, and Katie Dunlop. You can also have your own customized workout plan to achieve your goals. It also offers guided meditations for relaxation and stress relief. You must provide your email address for account creation and may experience some navigation lag.
How to watch local channels on your Roku device
Cutting the cord with Roku doesn’t mean losing access to local channels
6 Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the go-to place for anime lovers to watch anime with English dubs and subtitles. With over 1,000 anime titles, this channel lets you watch acclaimed Crunchyroll Originals. You can watch past seasons and catch up with fresh episodes from Japan. The content on Crunchyroll is available for free. However, you must purchase at least the Fan tier to access premium features and all the Crunchyroll library. The subscriptions give access to fresh episodes on the same day as Japan, and all tiers support HD streaming.
There is something for everyone in the Crunchyroll library, especially after the merger with Funimation Now. Some users have reported buffering issues and crashes when playing Crunchyroll on Roku. There is a 14-day Crunchyroll Premium FREE option to test the waters.
7 Kids & Family
Kids & Family is a nice channel to have on your Roku device. The channel contains over 10,000 shows and movies suitable for infants to 10-year-old children. It also offers a live TV channel guide featuring multiple kids’ entertainment channels. It includes movies and shows such as Ryan’s World, Cocomelon, LEGO, Minecraft, Thomas & Friends, Barbie, and more.
A pin-based playback control option requires you to enter a pin to view the videos on the Roku channel based on the content ratings. Kids & Family also allows you to search for your content using the search feature and the Watch Again feature to watch your favorite shows again and again.
8 Freevee
Amazon Freevee is an ad-supported premium streaming service where you can watch a decent collection of hit movies, shows, and live TV channels from different genres to match your mood. There is a collection of Freevee Originals produced by Amazon Studios that you can watch with ads. You can also enjoy hit shows like Ugly Betty, Mad Men, My Name is Earl, and The X-Files.
You can add Freevee to your watchlist and watch your favorite content anytime and anywhere. The user interface is intuitive on the Roku device, and the content is separated into genre-defined rows of content for easier search. You aren’t required to pay monthly subscription fees.
9 Plex
With over 600+ live TV channels and a huge library of over 50,000 on-demand movies and shows from around the world, Plex is another source of great entertainment on your Roku device. The free live TV channels include game shows, kids’ shows, and sports. You can explore the vast library of live TV channels, movies, and shows on Plex without signing up.
The Watch Together feature allows you to watch your favorite shows with your family members across the globe. Plex lets you stream your media onto Roku through a beautifully crafted interface.
10 Fawesome
With over 100,000+ movies and TV shows across 25+ genres, Fawesome is a great channel to add to Roku. You can start streaming without registration or a subscription. With blockbusters such as Mission Impossible, Jack Reacher, Drive, Hellboy, and American Outlaws, Fawesome offers a great variety of content for a range of audiences.
New content is added weekly, and the channel lets you continue from where you left off using the Continue Watching feature. The content is available in HD, and the user interface offers a dedicated search bar for preferred selections.
Entertain yourself for free on Roku
The above are some of the best free Roku channels you can add to your watchlist and tune in when you want something new to watch. You can also check out other popular free channels, such as Crackle, PBS Kids, Popcornflix, Newsy, and The CW. With cord-cutting becoming a norm, you can enjoy high-quality entertainment anywhere, even from an Android device. Then, apply some Roku tips and tricks to elevate your next movie night.
