Tv Shows Online For Free
These days, you don’t need a television set or cable package to enjoy full episodes your favorite TV shows whenever you want. There are plenty of websites out there that let you stream free TV shows online that include some of today's most popular programs; connect your device to a TV for a night of comfy couch-surfing. You just need to know where to look.
The trick is finding the best sites, which isn't always so easy to do. Some sites will scam you into signing up for unrelated fees while others require that you complete a survey before you can watch anything. And if you're not careful, some sites that come with sketchy downloads can even infect your computer with viruses. (Although this is true for many sites, Netflix now offers a fairly safe option for downloading TV shows and movies for offline viewing)
If you're going to use an unofficial site to watch free TV, you'd best do your research to find out from other users whether it's safe to do so first. Steer clear of any troublesome sites and check out the following high-quality, trusted streaming TV sites instead. We also keep an updated list of free movie streaming sites too!
Did you know you can watch streaming television on any device that can uses data plans? iPhones, as well as Android phones from makers like Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc. are all capable of streaming both movies and television shows.
Sony Crackle: Watch Hit TV Shows and Crackle Originals
What We Like
Great availability on many different platforms.
Easy-to-navigate interface.
What We Don't Like
Limited content availability.
Not much content unique to the service.
With Crackle, you can watch full episodes of your favorite TV shows (in addition to movies) and and create personal watch lists so you can keep track of everything you're watching. Because it's a totally free service with accessibility across multiple major platforms (including mobile with the free Crackle app), there are some commercials rolled into the programming. Regardless, Crackle is a great alternative that you can enjoy viewing on your computer or with one of its apps on your mobile device.
All you need to do is create a free account to start watching. Just click the TV tab in the top menu or search for a show title, choose the episode you want and enjoy. You can also use filter options to browse through shows based on genre, alphabetical order, recently added, full episodes, clips, trailers and what's coming soon.
Tubi
What We Like
Broad network of content partners.
Multi-platform availability.
What We Don't Like
Tracks your viewing history.
Targeted advertising platform.
Tubi is another incredible alternative to the online TV world that operates legally through license agreements. And just like Crackle, it also includes movies. Tubi TV is totally free, and you can actually just click on a show and start watching without even setting up a free account. It's worth it to sign up for an account and start watching, however, because the platform will start tracking your viewing history so that it can learn about your preferences to make better suggestions for you.
Browse through all your standard categories like Action, Drama, Comedy and others or take a look at some of the interesting categories like Cult Favorites and Highly Rated on Rotten Tomatoes. With over 40,000+ shows and movies available and more being added all the time, Tubi TV is quickly growing to become a TV favorite for internet users everywhere. You can even download the Tubi iOS or Android app to take your TV watching on the go.
Popcornflix
What We Like
Eclectic collection of content, including stuff hard to find elsewhere.
Easy-to-use, albeit antiquated, interface.
What We Don't Like
Much of the content is either old or hyper-niche.
Annoying ad model.
While Popcornflix is mainly known for its great range of full-length movies, documentaries, foreign films and original web series, it's also a great place to check out for unique TV shows that are hard to find anywhere else — including cable TV. If you're a millennial looking for some serious childhood nostalgia, you'll want to check out Popcornflix's 90's TV offering featuring classics like The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Adventures of Super Mario 3 Bros. and more.
Its TV show offering isn't exactly huge, but it might be worth checking out if you're looking for something different. Preroll ads will also play when you start watching, but you can start watching anything without having to sign up for a free account if you're just looking to try it out quick.
Yahoo View
What We Like
Emphasis on fan networking.
Content partnership with Hulu.
Baked into existing Yahoo ecosystem.
What We Don't Like
Networking emphasis makes content discovery more challenging.
Confusing site organization.
Browser-focused delivery.
Right after Hulu ended its free streaming option and switched to a subscription-only model back in August of 2016, Yahoo partnered with Hulu and launched a new service called Yahoo View, featuring a large collection of content that used to be freely available to watch on Hulu. Anyone within the US can watch the latest five episodes of popular shows that air on ABC, NBC and FOX for up to eight days after they've aired.
Yahoo View is a great one-stop shop for all your favorite shows you may have missed as it aired on cable TV.
ShareTV
What We Like
Emphasis is on the fan community.
Social discoverability and trend reporting.
Network of popular affiliates, including Hulu, partner with the service.
What We Don't Like
Hit-or-miss selection.
Busy user interface.
ShareTV is a search engine-like hub for TV shows (as well as movies). Described as a community-based website for fans of network television, the site claims to have every show you could possibly think of — complete with countdowns to the next new episode.
Browse through genres or check out What's New Tonight and Trending Shows. Simply click on a show and use the checkbox options for Free, Purchase, Subscription or TV Everywhere to find what you're looking for. Clicking on an episode will expand a summary and list of sources where you can watch it.
Yidio
What We Like
Excellent user interface.
Acts more like a search engine, or discovery tool, than destination portal.
Covers the basic pay services.
What We Don't Like
Points you to services you may have already paid for.
Not optimized for actually delivering movies and TV.
Similar to ShareTV, Yidio is a TV show source aggregator that points you in the direction of other third-party hosts where you should be able to watch a particular episode. In addition to using the right sidebar to browse by genre, you can use the menu at the top to filter available shows by what's available on several premium streaming services, but if you're looking for something to watch for free, you'll want to select the Free filter.
When you click on a show, you'll be shown a summary based on IMDb info along with several thumbnails of episodes that are available. Click on any thumbnail to be taken to the specific episode listing.
The downside to using Yidio is that its free listings aren't the most accurate or update to date, and you may come across a show that only has short clips rather than full episodes available to watch for free despite its listing in the Free category. There are lots of ads to Amazon, Google Play and iTunes in the way, but if the episode is indeed free, links to free sources (such as YouTube) will be available at the very bottom for you to click on.
YouTube
What We Like
Most people are already familiar with YouTube's interface and search tools.
Lots of related content, like fan cuts or highlight reels from movies and TV shows.
What We Don't Like
Strictly, most of the uploaded videos aren't licensed, making it likely that some infringement is going on.
YouTube is not intended to deliver movies or TV shows; it's optimized for user uploads.
Lots of people don’t realize that YouTube is actually a great place to look for television shows. While you won't exactly get access to the most current or popular shows (unless you pay), nor a guaranteed high-quality viewing experience, you might still be pleasantly surprised by what's available on the web’s largest video sharing network.
Just search for a show title and see what comes up. For example, if you search Boy Meets World — an old ABC family sitcom from the 90s — several uploaded episodes from virtually every season will come up. On the other hand, if you search for Grey's Anatomy — a more current and popular television drama — you'll notice results will come up where you'll have to pay a fee to stream it legally on YouTube.
TVPlayer
What We Like
Good selection of channels, with a focus on British television.
Sleek, easy-to-use design.
What We Don't Like
Free tier is basically an inducement to pay for a subscription package.
Ad presence seems a bit heavier than other options.
Free hd movie download. Extremely limited free account.
Are you in the UK? If you are, then you'll want to know about TVPlayer — a free TV streaming service that offers 95 channels for free on both the desktop and mobile devices, including shows that are currently airing live. 30 premium channels are available to users who upgrade to a Plus account for a monthly fee. (Sorry, U.S. readers; this site is just for readers across the pond.)
Free channels include popular ones like BBC 1, Discovery, ITV, Dave, Five, History, Lifetime and many more. All you have to do to sign up is create an account with your email address, verify your account creation and start watching!
Obviously, the big downside with this one is that it's restricted to users in the UK. If you're located somewhere else, like in the US, you can still create an account and sign in, but if you try to watch something, TVPlayer will first check to make sure you're in the UK and will block access if you're not.
Given that so many people have discovered the many advantages of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), it's possible that you could get around TVPlayer's geographical restrictions if you tried. Having said that, more streaming services are seriously cracking down on the VPN trend (like Netflix for example, so don't be surprised if TVPlayer doesn't work with your VPN either! See our Best VPN Service Providers list if you're interesting in trying out that route.
If you have a TV show you love and you want to watch it for free because you missed it or maybe you don't get that channel, a great way to catch up on it is to visit the network's website and see if it's available for streaming.
All of the networks below show some full episodes but also clips as well.
Here are some of the popular TV networks out there that provide options for streaming their TV shows:
- NBC: NBC does a great job of quickly posting and keeping their TV shows around so you have plenty of time to watch them. It's even possible for you to catch up on an entire series right from their website.
- ABC: They have full-length videos of the latest episode of every show as well as video clips, highlights, and sneak peeks into all your favorite ABC shows.
- CBS: At CBS you can watch shows for free after they've aired on CBS. There are quite a few advertiser interruptions during the streaming video, but you'll know when they're coming because they are clearly marked on the screen.
- DisneyNOW: You can watch Disney channel movies at DisneyNOW. There's a page that lists all the shows you can watch, plus some fun category pages.
- FOX: FOX posts free TV shows for you to watch one day after they've aired on TV but they remain locked so that you can watch them until eight days after they've aired.
- The CW: The day after the CW television shows air you'll be able to watch them for free at their website.
- PBS: PBS has a ton of free TV episodes online including Masterpiece Theater, PBS NewsHour, and Frontline.
- MTV: MTV has full episodes of all your favorite MTV shows, including clips and after shows.
- Freeform (ABC Family): The day after the TV shows on Freeform air, they are put online so that you can enjoy them.
- A&E: Watch full episodes of shows like Bates Motel, Storage Wars, and Dog the Bounty Hunter.
No money in the budget for a cable subscription? Or even for Hulu, arguably the best streaming-TV bargain at $5.99? Fear not: As long as you've got internet, you can enjoy a wealth of free TV.
Granted, you may not be able to binge-watch entire seasons, nor will you be able to access every show you want to see. But you might be surprised at how much content is available online, and how many options you have for viewing it.
There are, of course, some limitations. Many networks, for example, won't let you stream unless you're a paid cable or satellite subscriber. And as with broadcast television (remember that?), you'll likely to have sit through some commercials. Let's take a look at some the best free, legal ways to indulge your inner coach-potato. (Prefer movies? Check out these 10 free Netflix alternatives.)
Read more: The best live-TV streaming services for cord-cutters
Crackle
Naruto shippuden pain episodes. Sony's Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service, one that offers mostly movies, but also some TV shows -- including some original content. It's available on a wide variety of devices and doesn't even require you to set up an account, though doing so enables you to save favorites, get recommendations and resume playback if you switch between devices.
What you can watch: Crackle's commercial-supported selection is pretty extensive, with a smattering of great series like Community, Happy Endings and Rescue Me. Unfortunately, not every series is complete; in some cases you might get only one or two seasons, or even just a partial single season.
Where you can watch:Crackle's list of supported devices is also extensive. The service offers apps for all mobile platforms, game consoles and major streaming devices, and it's even baked into many smart TVs. It does not offer the option to download shows for offline viewing.
Hoopla Digital
Got a library card? Check to see if your library has partnered with Hoopla. This digital-media service allows you to check out all kinds of stuff -- including TV shows. When you 'borrow' one, you have 72 hours in which to watch it. Your library determines the total number of titles you can borrow each month.
What you can watch: Hoopla's TV selection is something of a hodge-podge, with a smattering of well-known shows mixed in with a lot of self-help, documentary and family fare. For example, you'll find three seasons of the SyFy original Humans, both seasons of The Jim Gaffigan Show and lots of Ken Burns documentaries. Hoopla also has instructional videos from The Great Courses series, various PBS Kids shows and plenty of Acorn TV content that would otherwise require a subscription.
Where you can watch: Hoopla content can be viewed just about anywhere: mobile devices, streaming devices and on your PC in a browser. Surprisingly, the mobile apps offer not only streaming, but also a download option for offline viewing.
Network apps and sites
Just about every major network lets you stream shows via a web site and/or mobile app, which seems like great news for cord-cutters. So what if you couldn't watch, say, the latest episode of Bob's Burgers? Just fire up the Fox Now app and stream it on-demand. At least, that's the idea.
What you can watch: If there's a show that's currently on the air, chances are good you can watch it online. However, in some cases there's a Catch-22: Many networks require you to have an active service provider like AT&T U-verse, Dish or Xfinity. Unless you can supply valid sign-in credentials, you can't stream. That's true of networks like AMC and Syfy, meaning no episodes of The Walking Dead or Deadly Class for you. But CBS (which owns CNET), TBS, The CW and a few others will let you watch at least some episodes of some shows without a sign-in. So you'll have to poke around a bit.
Where you can watch: This also varies from one network to another, but in most cases you can watch shows in a browser, on a mobile device or via a media-streamer app. But download options are few and far between, so don't expect to be watching shows offline unless you pay for them.
Pluto TV
A relative newcomer, Pluto TV is noteworthy for offering not only on-demand movies, but also live TV channels including CBS News and, ahem, CNET. It's ad-supported, of course, but definitely one of the best free-content options currently available.
What you can watch: Pluto offers a pretty impressive selection of live channels, all of them sorted into categories like news, sports, comedy and movies. On-demand TV content consists mostly of crime and reality shows, and it's actually not organized nearly as well as the live channels. One oddity: If you're watching a live stream, there's no way to pause; you can only mute it.
Where you can watch: Pluto TV works in desktop browsers, but also offers a Windows client. It has apps for Android, iOS and various smart TVs and channels for Apple TV ($169 at Walmart), Fire TV and Roku.
Tubi TV
The name belies the content: Tubi TV offers considerably more movies than it does TV shows, but that's not to say you shouldn't check out its extensive library. Similar to Crackle, this ad-supported network is available on a wide variety of devices and doesn't require an account, though signing up for one enables you to save favorites and resume playback if you switch between devices.
What you can watch: Tubi TV definitely isn't Hulu; its TV selection consists of a lot of British imports and various shows you've probably never heard of. Indeed, there's not even a dedicated TV section, just a few TV-specific categories (comedies, dramas, etc.) within its much larger content list. I can't say I found much to recommend, save for season 1 of Everybody Hates Chris and lots of episodes of Taxi. Ironically, Tubi TV does better in the movie department.
Where you can watch: Tubi TV's list of supported devices rivals that of Crackle. The service offers apps for Android and iOS, the major game consoles and streaming devices, and some Samsung TVs. It does not offer the option to download content for offline viewing.
Yahoo View
Although Yahoo's streaming service has a smattering of movies, the big focus is on TV shows. It has lots of them, thanks to a partnership with Hulu, and you don't even need a Yahoo account to get in. Indeed, this is perhaps the most abundant source of free online TV.
What you can watch: Yahoo View offers many of the same shows Hulu does, but not nearly as many episodes, and still with commercials. For example, View has only the four most recent episodes of Bob's Burgers, while Hulu offers the entire series. Even so, if you're looking for a place to watch a wealth of both current and classic TV (Happy Days, anyone?), Yahoo View is an excellent source.
Where you can watch: Unfortunately, Yahoo View's TV selection remains stubbornly web-only. No mobile apps, no support for streaming devices.
Originally published on Feb. 28, 2017.
Update, March 11, 2019: Added new information.
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