Best free streaming this winter: UK services first, then free options around the world

Winter nights are long, and subscriptions add up. The good news is that there’s a lot of TV and film you can stream without paying a monthly fee, especially in the UK. This guide starts with the UK services, then covers free options we could verify in other countries.

Two things to know first. Most free services are geo-restricted: a UK broadcaster app generally only works in the UK, Australia’s only in Australia and so on. And “free” usually means free with adverts, sometimes with a free account. We haven’t listed prices for the optional paid tiers, because they change and vary by country; check each service’s own site.

UK services (UK only)

These are all UK services. They’re built for viewers in the UK and won’t generally work elsewhere.

BBC iPlayer (UK)

No adverts and a huge back catalogue of drama, comedy, documentaries and box sets. One important caveat: iPlayer isn’t free in the strict sense. According to the BBC, you need a valid TV Licence to watch anything on iPlayer, whether live, catch-up or on demand, on any device. If your household already has one, iPlayer costs nothing extra.

ITVX (UK)

ITV’s streaming service is free with adverts. An optional paid tier, ITVX Premium, removes most ads and adds extra content. The free tier alone has plenty of ITV dramas, reality shows and films.

Channel 4 (UK)

Channel 4’s streaming service (it used to be called All 4) is free with adverts and has a big library of box sets, documentaries and comedy, including international drama.

5 (UK)

Channel 5’s streaming service, which used to be My5, has been branded simply as 5 since 2025. It’s free with adverts and strong on true-crime documentaries and easy-watching drama.

U (UK)

UKTV Play became U in 2024. It’s free with adverts and carries shows from UKTV’s channels (U&Dave, U&Drama, U&W and U&Yesterday): lots of comedy panel shows, crime dramas and history documentaries.

STV Player (UK)

STV is the ITV-network broadcaster for most of Scotland, but STV Player is available across the UK. It’s free with adverts (an optional paid tier removes them) and is useful for Scottish shows and for catching up on network dramas.

Free, ad-supported apps that also work in the UK

Tubi launched in the UK in July 2024 and is free with adverts, with a large library of films and TV. Pluto TV and The Roku Channel also offer free, ad-supported viewing in the UK, though their libraries are different from their US versions. And Amazon closed its separate Freevee app in 2025 and moved the free, ad-supported content into the Prime Video app. In the countries where Freevee operated (the US, UK, Germany and Austria) you can watch it with a free Amazon account, without a Prime subscription. What’s included varies by country, so check in the app.

Free streaming in other regions

We’ve only included services we could verify. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and availability varies by country.

United States

• Tubi, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel are the best-known free, ad-supported services in the US, each with large film and TV libraries plus live channels.
• Prime Video’s free content: after Freevee closed, Amazon moved its free shows and films into Prime Video, where you can watch them with a free Amazon account.

Canada

• CBC Gem has a free tier with on-demand and live TV supported by ads; a paid Premium plan is optional.
• Tubi and Pluto TV are available in Canada too.

Australia

• ABC iview is free; according to the ABC, you need a free ABC account for most on-demand viewing.
• SBS On Demand is free with adverts and has a strong world-cinema and international drama section.
• Tubi is available in Australia as well.

Ireland

• RTÉ Player is free for live and catch-up viewing in Ireland.

Germany

• ARD Mediathek is free in Germany with no registration needed. Most programmes are in German.
• Prime Video’s free content (the former Freevee library) is also available with a free Amazon account in Germany and Austria.

Almost everywhere

YouTube carries full-length free films and series from official channels in many countries, though what’s available depends on where you are. Some anime distributors also put free episodes on their official YouTube channels; look for verified, official channels rather than re-uploads.

Making the most of free streaming

1. Use a search tool. A service like JustWatch lets you filter by “free” in your own country, so you can see whether a show you want is on a free service.
2. Mix free and paid. Keep one paid service and fill the rest of your viewing with free ones. Our streaming services compared guide explains what each paid service is best for.
3. Plan your winter box sets. For ideas on what to watch, our best TV box sets for Christmas 2026 list is organised by service.

A final reminder: availability changes all the time, and catalogues vary by country even on the same service, so check the app where you live before you get settled in.