Free Apple TV channels to try

The Apple TV 4K is one of the more expensive add-on media streamers you can buy, with some justification — it’s snappy, supports all the major HDR standards, and has access to a wealth of apps. Nowadays, it even comes with a tough aluminum remote you can charge via USB-C. Splurging on the top-end version lets you access Thread, Ethernet, and even some extra storage.

Just because you’ve spent a lot on the hardware, though, doesn’t mean you need to pay even more for the content. In fact, there are plenty of quality movies, shows, and more you can watch on an Apple TV for free. It’s just a question of knowing which apps to download.

1 YouTube

Don’t overlook the obvious

YouTube / Pocket-lint

It’s easy to take YouTube for granted, especially if you’re only familiar with it from MrBeast or whatever your kid watches after school. In truth, there’s a mountain of professionally-produced content on the platform, some of it as good or better than the material on paid subscription services. That’s particularly true if you want something informative or educational. Some skepticism is warranted, of course, and you should always consider the credentials of the creators you’re watching — whenever possible you should get your science content from practicing scientists, for example.

The toughest part is discovering the right channels. Below are some of my personal favorites, with short descriptions and presented in no particular order.

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2 Pluto TV

When you need something to watch right now

Pluto TV / Pocket-lint

Some people still crave the format of broadcast TV. That’s not me, usually, but even I’ll admit that there’s an appeal to clicking a button and getting a constant stream of movies and TV shows interrupted only by ad breaks. Pluto TV tends to scratch that itch, in the rare case I get it. The service’s best version is probably in the US, mind. Since different streaming rights apply elsewhere, you may get fewer and/or inferior channels.

Thankfully, you should always be able to find plenty of news, comedy, drama, and other genres on offer. Pluto seems to specialize in classic and kids’ TV shows, so it’s the place to be if you want to binge things like Frasier, I Love Lucy, or Naruto. The entire app is organized like a cable provider’s TV guide, so it’s easy to flip between themed channels and see what’s coming on next.

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