How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Tubi is the best free pick, with thousands of free movies and TV shows, including classic series and kids content.
- The Roku Channel is the best free pick for live TV, with 500-plus live channels plus free shows, movies, and Roku Originals.
- Max is the best pick for prestige TV, with HBO series and Warner Bros. films under HBO Max branding.
- Peacock is the best pick for next-day TV and live sports, with a student discount and an annual deal.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Tubi | Free catalog | Free | Yes |
 The Roku Channel | Free live TV | Free | Yes |
 Max | Prestige TV | $10.99/month | No |
 Peacock | Next-day TV | See website | No |
 Paramount+ | Live sports and CBS | $8.99/month | No |
 Apple TV | Originals | $14.99/month | No |
 Hulu | Next-day TV | $9.99/month | No |
 MUBI | Curated cinema | $14.99/month | No |
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The best Couchtuner alternatives
This list covers licensed services only. Unofficial streaming sites carry malware, takedown, and quality risks and do not pay the people who make the shows. Every service below is legal in the US, and catalogs change, so check a specific show before subscribing.
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Tubi is the best free pick. Its homepage presents free movies and TV shows online, with a catalog spanning classic cartoons, sitcoms, family films, horror, and recent 2026 titles, plus creator content. Tubi costs nothing and needs no subscription, making it the closest legal replacement for free streaming.
The trade-off is ads and age: Tubi's catalog leans toward library titles, not current-season episodes. For viewers who want free legal TV and movies, Tubi is the best pick here. Tubi also suits families well, with kids and family sections that make it easy to find age-appropriate shows without paying for a kids profile on a paid service, though parents should still check ratings since the catalog mixes family titles with horror and thriller content.
What we like- Free movies and TV shows with no subscription
- Catalog includes Looney Tunes, Everybody Hates Chris, Scooby-Doo, Despicable Me 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Goosebumps
- Kids and family sections
- Creator content
Watch out for- Ad-supported
- Newest shows arrive late or not at all
- No downloads on free tier per published comparisons
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
The Roku Channel is the best free pick for live TV. Its homepage presents thousands of free TV shows and hit movies, Roku Originals, 500-plus live TV channels, kids entertainment, and premium subscriptions, all in one place, with family titles like Hotel Transylvania featured alongside long-running series.
The trade-off is the same as Tubi: free means ads and library depth rather than current seasons. For viewers who want free live channels plus on-demand shows, The Roku Channel is the best pick here. The Roku Channel also works well as a second service alongside a paid subscription, since its free live channels cover news, reality, and classic TV that paid services often lack, and its premium subscriptions let viewers add paid channels without leaving one app.
What we like- Thousands of free TV shows and hit movies
- 500-plus live TV channels
- Roku Originals
- Kids entertainment
- Premium subscriptions available in one place
Watch out for- Ad-supported
- Catalog varies by device and region
- Premium content costs extra
Starting price$10.99/month
Free planNo
Max is the best pick for prestige TV. Its homepage confirms the HBO Max branding, with series and movies across HBO, Discovery, and Warner Bros., and it streams AEW weekly shows from TBS and TNT. Published comparisons list the ad tier from $10.99 a month.
The trade-off is cost: Max has no free plan, and live events and pay-per-views cost extra. For viewers who want HBO-level drama and film, Max is the best pick here.
What we like- HBO Max branding with HBO series and Warner Bros. films
- Discovery content
- AEW weekly shows on TBS and TNT streaming
- Published ad tier from $10.99 a month
Watch out for- No free plan
- AEW pay-per-views cost extra per published guides
- Price rises with ad-free tiers
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Peacock is the best pick for next-day TV and live sports. Its homepage confirms live sports coverage and tier options, with a student Premium rate of $6.99 a month against the current $12.99 a month rate, and an annual deal offering 12 months for the price of 10. Peacock carries select specials and live sports alongside NBC shows.
The trade-off is pricing clarity: homepage prices did not render in text in this check, so confirm the current rate before subscribing. For NBC fans and sports viewers, Peacock is the best pick here.
What we like- Select, Premium, and Premium Plus tiers
- Live sports including Premier League, WWE, and golf
- Student Premium $6.99 a month vs current $12.99 a month rate
- Annual deal of 12 months for the price of 10
Watch out for- Homepage prices did not render in text in this check, so price is listed as See website
- No longer home of most WWE Premium Live Events
- Ad-supported base tier
Starting price$8.99/month
Free planNo
Paramount+ is the best pick for live sports and CBS shows. Its homepage confirms Essential at $8.99 a month with ads and Premium at $13.99 a month ad-free except live TV, with 40,000-plus episodes and movies, 3 devices, NFL, UFC, and Champions League coverage, and Showtime originals on Premium.
The trade-off is ads on live TV even on Premium. For CBS, sports, and Showtime viewers, Paramount+ is the best pick here.
What we like- Essential $8.99 a month with ads
- Premium $13.99 a month ad-free except live TV
- 40,000-plus episodes and movies
- 3 devices
- NFL, UFC, and Champions League
- Showtime originals on Premium
Watch out for- No free plan
- Ad-free Premium still shows ads on live TV
- Catalog smaller than Netflix or Max
Starting price$14.99/month
Free planNo
Apple TV is the best pick for originals. Its homepage confirms $14.99 a month after a 7-day trial, with no ads, hundreds of Apple Originals, Friday Night Baseball, Formula 1, and MLS in the US from 2026, family sharing for up to 5 people, and an Apple TV plus Peacock bundle from $17.99 a month.
The trade-off is library size: Apple TV is built on originals, not deep back catalogs. For viewers who want high-quality originals without ads, Apple TV is the best pick here.
What we like- $14.99 a month after a 7-day trial
- No ads
- Hundreds of Apple Originals
- Friday Night Baseball, Formula 1, and MLS in the US from 2026
- Family sharing up to 5
- Apple TV plus Peacock bundle from $17.99 a month
Watch out for- No free plan
- Smaller catalog than Netflix or Hulu
- Originals-focused, not a library service
Starting price$9.99/month
Free planNo
Hulu is the best pick for next-day TV. Hulu offers next-day episodes from major networks, originals, and an optional live TV plan, with published comparisons listing the ad-supported plan around $9.99 a month. Hulu's homepage was policy-blocked in this review and was not retried, so this listing rests on strong published comparison evidence and is flagged here.
The trade-off is ads and live TV cost: the base tier has ads, and live TV pushes the price well above $9.99. For viewers who want current-season TV the day after airing, Hulu is the best pick here.
What we like- Next-day TV from major networks
- Originals
- Live TV option
- Published ad-supported plan around $9.99 a month
Watch out for- Homepage was policy-blocked in this review, so listing rests on published guides and is flagged here
- No free plan
- Ads on base tier
- Live TV costs far more
Starting price$14.99/month
Free planNo
MUBI is the best pick for curated cinema. Its homepage confirms hand-curated cinema, one new film a day, a 7-day trial, a MUBI GO weekly cinema ticket, and Notebook magazine, with published comparisons listing membership around $14.99 a month.
The trade-off is scope: MUBI is for film lovers, not for catching up on current TV seasons. For viewers who want a curated film each day instead of endless scrolling, MUBI is the best pick here.
What we like- Hand-curated cinema with one new film a day
- 7-day trial
- MUBI GO weekly cinema ticket
- Notebook magazine
- Published membership around $14.99 a month
Watch out for- No free plan
- Curated catalog, not a broad library
- Art-house focus, not mainstream TV
How we chose
We compared these services on catalog depth, current-season availability, live TV and sports, free options, and price. We opened each vendor's homepage to confirm the service exists today and matches its description, except Hulu, whose homepage was policy-blocked in an earlier article in this batch and was not retried, so it is kept on published guide evidence and flagged here. We did not claim hands-on testing. Unofficial sites were excluded on purpose: they carry malware and takedown risks and do not pay creators. Price figures come from vendor homepages where shown, and from published comparisons where homepage prices did not render in text, as noted per tool. Readers should re-check prices at signup, since streaming prices change often and annual deals and student rates carry their own terms. A price quoted in this guide may already differ from the price shown at checkout, so the vendor's own pricing page is the final source.
What to verify in a trial
Start by searching for your must-watch shows on each service, since catalogs change monthly and no single service carries everything. Next, test the app on your TV, phone, and tablet, because playback quality and subtitle support vary. Finally, check live TV and sports rights for your area, since blackouts and regional rights change what you can actually watch. Also compare bundle deals before paying for several services separately, since Apple TV plus Peacock from $17.99 a month and similar bundles can cut the total bill, and rotating one subscription at a time often beats paying for all eight at once. Set a calendar reminder for every trial end date too, since trials convert to paid plans automatically and a forgotten trial is the most common streaming overspend.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Couchtuner alternative?
Yes: Tubi and The Roku Channel are both free and legal, with ads. They cover library shows and movies, not current-season episodes.
Which service has the most current TV shows?
Hulu, with next-day episodes from major networks, followed by Peacock for NBC shows. Check a specific show before subscribing, since rights move.
Why are unofficial streaming sites risky?
They carry malware, sudden takedowns, and poor quality, and they do not pay the people who make the shows. Licensed services cost money but stay available and safe.
Which is best for movies?
Max for prestige films, MUBI for curated cinema, and Tubi or The Roku Channel for free movies with ads.
Can I watch live TV free?
The Roku Channel offers 500-plus free live channels, and Tubi offers live channels too. Paid live TV comes from Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+.
Do these services work outside the US?
Catalogs and availability vary by country, and some services are US-only. Check the service's own site for your region before subscribing.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://tubitv.com
- https://therokuchannel.roku.com
- https://max.com
- https://peacocktv.com
- https://paramountplus.com
- https://tv.apple.com
- https://hulu.com
- https://mubi.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.