10 Of The Best TV Channels You Can Watch Online For Free
The evolution of the internet has given us many wonderful new ways to consume media. No longer tethered to a world in which television only enters our homes via antenna, satellite, or cable feed, the internet makes media much more accessible. However, even with the vast array of content available to read, watch, and listen to for free, many of our favorite TV programs are held behind paywalls, subject to ongoing subscription fees for access.
A phenomenon known as cord-cutting arose as streaming video services came online, offering viewers another choice to watch the best shows on television. It entails the cancellation of cable or satellite TV in favor of Hulu, Netflix, and the like. However, with increasing subscription fees and our favorite programs sometimes spread across four, five, or more platforms, some folks might want to find a way to watch something without all the surcharges. Fortunately for anyone who can identify with this situation, alternatives exist. These are the best channels available to watch online for free.
Comet
For all the sci-fi junkies looking to pass some time, Comet has you covered. Launched in 2015 on, most fittingly, Halloween, Comet provides 24/7 programming involving all things related to outer space, cryptids, mad doctors, paranormal phenomena, and more. Programming on the channel is a mix of television series and movies, all of the same or similar genre. TV shows are all older series broadcast in syndication and include some big hits such as The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Stargate SG-1. The movies consist of older sci-fi thrillers and blockbusters mixed with a broad selection of B-movies from all eras of sci-fi, of which there is a seemingly endless selection to choose from.
Comet is a product of Sinclair Broadcasting, the largest owner of local television stations in the country. Programming is available through a variety of free TV apps, the official Comet stand-alone app, and Sinclair's STIRR app. All shows are delivered as a live feed — no on-demand video. Furthermore, Comet is broadcast over the air in dozens of markets supported by advertising. Through Sinclair's vast network of local stations, Comet reaches around 17 million households within the United States.
Comedy Central
One of the longest-running networks on cable TV today is Comedy Central, which emerged from a merger between the fledgling The Comedy Channel and Ha! Network in 1991. It has since become a leading outlet for original shows with a focus on comedy. It is the home of The Daily Show and South Park, two juggernauts in their own right that have both cemented their place in popular culture while continuing in production more than two decades after their start. It has also served as a breeding ground for new talent, launching the careers of many household names, such as Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Jordan Peele.
As a cable channel, it can be watched through a cable provider or its app, although that requires a login provided by a cable provider. For those of us who want to keep expenses down but still want first-rate entertainment, Comedy Central is also available on Pluto, a free streaming app with dozens of channels of live-streaming television. However, the Pluto channel is not a mirror of what you see on cable. It is a curated selection of some of the most popular Comedy Central shows available on a 24/7 stream. Parent company Viacom acquired Pluto in 2019, adding several channels, including this one. Regular rotation of shows such as South Park, Tosh.O, Workaholics, and many other syndicated comedies are on the schedule. First-run shows will continue to require a cable subscription, but this is a good alternative for comedy entertainment.
Cartoon Network
Another longtime cable channel created by Turner Broadcasting in 1986 is the Cartoon Network. Turner had acquired the catalogs of Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera cartoons, which provided the bulk of programming in the early days. Its first original shows came in 1994, The Moxy Show and Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and its repertoire has grown ever since.
Today, Cartoon Networks has dozens of original shows in its catalog, with some of its biggest hits being The Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, and Steven Universe. Cable subscribers in most markets have Cartoon Network included in their lineup, but a streaming option is also available. A selection of original shows can be watched directly on the Cartoon Network website or from its stand-alone app. The available programming is split into two sections, giving viewers a choice of programming for either wee little tykes or older kids and adults. The lineup of shows is only available on-demand and the number of episodes may be limited, with a full catalog being reserved for subscribers.
Court TV
Those not familiar with Court TV might question just how interesting its content may be. However, it would be selling this channel short to dismiss it out of hand. Court TV got started in 1991 when a New York journalist and lawyer decided to televise the high-profile Central Park jogger rape case. Knowing how much interest big trials garner, he felt that this case and others could attract viewers to watch live feeds, accompanied by commentary from legal experts. He was right, and Court TV has been a part of the TV landscape ever since, serving as a place for people to follow big trials such as the O.J. Simpson and Menendez brothers murder trials in the '90s.
Court TV continues to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, broadcasting lesser-known trials involving a variety of crimes and more sensational cases such as the Johnny Depp defamation case in 2022. This channel is included in many cable TV packages or can be viewed streaming. It can also be watched through its own app. Furthermore, many localities feature Court TV among their available over-the-air stations, usually as a secondary digital channel.
Vice TV
With roots as a self-published and freely distributed punk zine in Montreal, the sizable Vice media operation that sprang from the original Voice of Montreal was never a foregone conclusion. Having found a niche catering to the desires of Gen X kids in the '90s, Vice continued to deliver edgy news and reality-based entertainment in an irreverent fashion on its way up. With the explosion of the internet and video platforms such as YouTube coming online in the 2000s, Vice branched out into video production, eventually establishing its own channel, Vice TV, for delivering original content.
While Vice Media has had some ups and downs, including rounds of venture capital being injected and scandals being exposed by newspapers of record, it is still around. The shows you will find on this channel are unlike anything else. Hamilton's Pharmacopeia explores drug use of many types from around the world, while Hate Thy Neighbor finds a Black Briton touring the South and interviewing white supremacists and literal Nazis. The Dark Side series explores the more unseemly aspects of the 2000s, wrestling, comedy, and football, and One Star Reviews seeks out the lowest-rated establishments to see if they are deserving of their status. Dozens of shows are available and are accompanied by Vice News programs exploring oft-overlooked stories in the headlines.
Vice TV can be watched free on the official Vice app and Tubi and is included in the channel lineups of many paid cable, satellite, and streaming TV services.
ABC
The American Broadcasting Company is one of the original three television networks that sprang up from the days of radio as television spread throughout the country. Today, ABC is one of the three major producers of television entertainment and is broadcast over the air in every major market and carried by cable and satellite TV across the country.
The catalog and archives of ABC contain some of the most beloved shows of all time, as well as many current hits. One of its early successes was "Dick Clark's American Bandstand," which ran for 37 years and was later emulated by other hit shows such as "Soul Train." Later hits include "Happy Days" and "Charlie's Angels" in the '70s and the '80s hits "The Love Boat," "Dynasty," and "Growing Pains." Today, ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Company and features "Shark Tank," "The Good Doctor," and "The Rookie." ABC has also been a stalwart of television news, with regular nightly newscasts accompanied by hard-hitting video journalism like "20/20."
ABC can be tuned in with a digital antenna, but it's also available to watch online through the official ABC app or website. This offers a broad selection of free programming with a subscription option for premium content.
Freevee
Joining the party much more recently is Freevee. This free streaming television service was rebranded from the IMDb Freedive video-on-demand service in early 2022. The newly reformed streaming app is an attempt by Amazon, the parent company for IMDb, to widen its scope in streaming entertainment by supplementing its Prime video service with an ad-supported free programming model.
Already, Freevee has an impressive roster of shows, including many originals created expressly for this service. The popular "Bosch" detective show from Prime has been resurrected as "Bosch: Legacy," a continuation series, and the mockumentary "Jury Duty," in which a single citizen is called to jury duty, unaware that all other jurors, the judge, and bailiff are actors working hard to upend the fake justice system in increasingly comical ways. Options include other original programming along with an extensive list of beloved classics. Freevee now hosts "Columbo" (1971–2003), "Lost" (2004–2010), "The Twilight Zone" (1959–1964), and "The X-Files" (1993–2018).
Freevee can be downloaded to most smart TVs and streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire Stick. Furthermore, it is offered on the web through the Amazon website and can be accessed without a Prime membership.
NBC
The company that is today NBC Universal comes from the very beginning of the moving pictures industry with a merger forming Universal Film Manufacturing Co. in 1912. It then played a big part in movie and radio production and experimented with TV broadcasting as early as 1931. It was in the 1940s that NBC's television studios were granted the first television license, and just over a decade later, NBC network service was active from coast to coast.
Some of the favorite shows produced by NBC over the years include "St. Elsewhere," "Cheers," and one of the most-watched shows of the '90s, "Seinfeld," a show about nothing. Today NBC broadcasts dozens of shows, including the ever-popular and long-running "Law and Order," "911," and the talent-finding "America's Got Talent." NBC News has been keeping the American people informed for decades, while its "Dateline" show covers crimes with stunningly detailed journalism. Also, "The Tonight Show" (currently with host Jimmy Fallon) has been entertaining with its talk show format since 1954.
NBC is one of the major networks sending out live broadcasts over the air through regional affiliates, but also maintains a website and app for both live streaming and on-demand material. Each offers live streams from several of its networks, although NBC News is the only stream that is free. Otherwise, a select number of shows can be watched for free. NBC also created its Peacock app to offer premium and exclusive content for a subscription fee.
CBS
Also originating in the world of radio was the Columbia Broadcasting System, commonly known as CBS. This American television stalwart is a part of the ViacomCBS company and is responsible for a wide range of media across the globe, including its mainstay, television programming.
CBS is responsible for some of the biggest shows in television history and has entertained generations with comedy and drama alike, with highlights including "M.A.S.H.," "WKRP in Cincinnati," "How I Met Your Mother," and, more recently, "The Good Wife." Master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock got his break creating shows of the mysterious and macabre for CBS, while Magnum P.I. made kids across the country long for their own red Ferrari someday. Other shows have sought to break down social barriers, such as the way "The Jeffersons" showed affluent Black Americans as professionals and "Murphy Brown" highlighted the plight of the working professional woman. Today it is home to "Yellowstone" with Kevin Costner, "Undercover Boss," and the investigative journalism of "60 Minutes."
CBS maintains parts of its catalog to view for free on its official website and accompanying app, but holds back some premium content and exclusive programming to the subscription-based Paramount Plus streaming service.
PBS
America's Public Broadcasting System, or PBS, is the public television service that is beloved by citizens and has been integral to the experience of growing up in the modern world for millions of American kids, thanks to its original children's educational programming. Having content that is publicly funded and free of advertising provides meaningful entertainment, cultural enrichment, and education that is produced to a high caliber, ever since its official incorporation in 1969.
The programming offered by PBS and its independent affiliate stations has always been a different mix of cultural and educational offerings. Some of its more successful adult programming includes "PBS NewsHour" and the space-exploring "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage" presented by astro-luminary Carl Sagan. Kids for years have loved the inimitable Fred Rogers on "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" while "Sesame Street" has become a cultural icon in its own right. PBS has also provided programming from overseas, particularly the British Broadcasting Corporation, introducing American audiences to classics such as "Monty Python's Flying Circus," "Doctor Who," and "Antiques Roadshow." The decentralized structure of PBS also allows local member stations to run regional news and original programming.
The current lineup of shows on PBS includes an array of dramas, news, and documentaries, although few grab big attention in the headlines. As a publicly owned network, all programming is freely available to U.S. residents. It can be viewed over the air, on its website, and through its app, although registration through an American-based IP address is needed to confirm your location. Local live feeds are also available via YouTube TV.