Pluto TV: App, Channels, Guide and How to Activate
Free TV is available to watch on Pluto TV. Yes, completely 100% free! If your budget can’t handle another monthly subscription, Pluto TV is one of the best free streaming services out there.
The ad-supported service offers over 250 live channels, as well as on-demand movies and TV shows. They’re constantly adding new content, including 6,300 episodes of legendary CBS franchises last month. Classic series include Cheers, Frasier, and Star Trek.
Paramount-owned Pluto TV launched in 2014 and has grown rapidly since then, with over 64 monthly active users. The service operates in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, Latin America, and Brazil. Pluto has recently expanded to include the northern countries. Unlike cable TV alternatives like Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, and YouTube TV, Pluto curates free content that’s already available on the web. It’s a way to cut the cord for free.
What is Pluto TV?
Pluto TV is an “over-the-top” (OTT) service, meaning it comes online (like Netflix) rather than on dedicated lines or over the air. It’s also advertiser-supported video on demand (or AVOD). This puts it in the same group as streaming services like Crackle, Tubi, and Sling Free.
To use Pluto TV, you can stream it on Pluto site (Opens in a new tab) Or download the app on any of the many devices supported by the service.
So, what makes Pluto TV one of the best free streaming services? Read more below.
Free Pluto TV bundle (with ads)
Yes, seriously: Pluto TV is completely free. You don’t even need to sign up with an email address nor do you have to enter any credit card information. Just launch Pluto’s website or app, and you can start watching shows and movies right away.
You can choose to sign up for a Pluto TV account, which gives you special features like the ability to set favorite channels and resume watching a show on a different device.
All of this is made possible by broadcasting Pluto commercials during shows. Overall, the experience is similar to watching cable TV. A half-hour show usually has approximately four ad breaks, each break consisting of several 20-30 second ads.
Pluto TV channels and shows
Pluto TV channels are divided into sections such as Featured, Entertainment, Movies, Sports, Comedy, Kids, Latin, and Tech + Geek. The latest update to Pluto TV has added a slew of free TV channels, including two big ones: Rocky and Sailor Moon.
There are versions from top cable networks like MTV but in general, Pluto TV channels aren’t the ones you’d find in a standard cable or satellite package.
News channels are names you know — CNN, NBC News, CBS News, etc. — but they mostly run pre-recorded and formatted segments instead of the network’s live broadcasts.
Similarly, sports channels are the ones you’ve heard of, such as Fox Sports, NFL Channel, PGA Tour, and Major League Soccer. However, you can’t watch live sports on Pluto; These channels play past games, highlights or analyzes.
Pluto TV shows are mostly sitcoms and reality shows that are generally found on other free streaming services, such as Hell’s Kitchen, Roseanne, and The First 48.
Recently, Pluto had a huge new addition: Pluto TV 007. This channel will not be broadcasting anything from the James Bond movies, as Pluto says, “24 hours a day, 007 days a week.” Specifically, Pluto has 19 Bond movies starring Connery, Moore, Lazenby, Dalton, and Brosnan, so don’t expect a Daniel Craig boot when you listen. We are waiting for the full list.
Pluto has also added the Pluto TV Pranks and British Comedy channels.
Pluto TV app and supported devices
The Pluto TV app is available on devices including web browsers as well as many smart TVs, smartphones, streaming boxes and sticks.
- Android mobile phone and tablet
- Apple iPhone and iPad
- Apple TV (4th generation)
- Amazon Kindle / Fire tablets
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- Roku devices and Roku TVs
- google chromecast
- TiVo Stream 4K software
- Android TV (various)
- Internet browsers
Pluto TV review
While there aren’t a lot of Pluto TV reviews out there, those out there are mostly positive about the free TV streaming service.
computer mag (Opens in a new tab) He says, “Pluto TV is a viable solution for people who don’t want to close the door entirely on cable, but more importantly, don’t want to pay for the privilege.” Their review warns potential users, “Anyone looking for a viable alternative to cable with a live IPTV service may be overwhelmed by Pluto TV.” They think the service could use a bit of a redesign as well, saying, “Pluto TV needs to polish its interfaces and channel guides. The omission of DVR features is also noticeable, but not surprising given it’s free.”
Clark (Opens in a new tab) He says, “If you decide you’re going to stop paying for cable TV and subscription services, I think Pluto TV needs serious consideration as part of the free streaming content mix. There’s a strong selection of suitable content on this platform, and the barrier to giving it a try is very low.” .”
Pluto TV movies on demand
Yes, Pluto has thousands of movies on demand and streams live on movie channels with different themes, ranging from genres (drama, romance, horror) to 80s rewind and black cinema.
Pluto TV Movies consists of older titles that were moderate hits in their day. Recent selections have included Shaft, Addams Family Values, The Rainmaker, Airplane, Clue, Road to Perdition, and First Wives Club.
Pluto TV internet speed requirements
Pluto TV does not provide specific internet speed guidelines for its service. In the help section the company says, “Having a fast connection (faster than 5mb) is definitely important, but having a ‘stable’ connection can be just as important, so the ultra-fast WiFi drops out for half a second and that will cause playback issues” .
more: How Much Internet Speed Should You Really Pay For?
Can Pluto TV replace cable?
You may be wondering, “Can I use Pluto TV to replace cable?” The answer: kind of. Pluto TV offers some programming that you may enjoy, if you are satisfied with old movies and shows. But if you want a true alternative to cable TV, you’ll need to supplement Pluto TV with other streaming services.