Ask any Roku user which free apps they use and you'll hear the same answers: Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel. These are great services, and they deserve their popularity. But the Roku Channel Store has hundreds of free apps, and some of the best ones are flying completely under the radar.
Here are 10 free Roku apps that most people don't know about — but absolutely should.
1. Kanopy — The Ad-Free Film Lover's Secret
Kanopy might be the best-kept secret in free streaming. If your local public library participates (and thousands do across the US), you can stream thousands of critically acclaimed films, documentaries, and educational content with zero ads. That's right — completely ad-free, completely free, using nothing but your library card.
The library includes the Criterion Collection, award-winning documentaries, classic cinema, foreign films, and educational content from The Great Courses. It's the streaming service that film school students dream about. Check if your library participates at kanopy.com — you may be pleasantly surprised.
2. Hoopla — Free Movies, TV, Comics, and Audiobooks
Like Kanopy, Hoopla is a library-card-based service, but it goes even further. In addition to movies and TV shows, Hoopla offers free access to digital comics, graphic novels, audiobooks, ebooks, and music albums. The streaming library includes thousands of movies and TV shows with no ads and no waitlists. If your library offers Hoopla (check hoopladigital.com), it's an incredible free resource.
3. Plex — More Than Just a Media Server
Most people who've heard of Plex think of it as a media server for organizing your personal movie collection. And it is that — but it's also a full free streaming service with thousands of movies, TV shows, and 500+ live channels. The free streaming side of Plex rivals Tubi in content depth and has a lighter ad load. If you haven't explored Plex's free streaming features, you're missing out.
4. Tubi Kids — A Dedicated Free Kids Streaming Experience
While Tubi's main app has a kids section, the dedicated Tubi Kids app provides a safer, more focused experience for younger viewers. It features a curated selection of family-friendly movies and shows in a kid-friendly interface, without the mature content that appears in the main Tubi app. It's a solid free alternative to Disney+ for families with younger children.
5. Crackle — Sony's Underrated Free Service
Sony's Crackle has been around since 2007 and remains one of the most underrated free streaming services. It offers a curated selection of Hollywood movies from Sony's library, plus original series that have received genuine critical attention. The movie selection skews toward action, thriller, and drama, with a mix of recent and catalog titles. No account required.
6. PBS — America's Public Television, Free and Commercial-Light
The PBS app on Roku provides free access to PBS programming with minimal commercial interruptions — a refreshing change from the ad-heavy free streaming landscape. Content includes Masterpiece Theatre productions (Downton Abbey, Victoria, etc.), NOVA documentaries, Frontline investigative journalism, Ken Burns documentaries, and much more. The PBS app is particularly strong for documentary and educational content.
7. Pluto TV's Niche Channels — The Hidden Gems Within a Hidden Gem
Most people who use Pluto TV stick to the popular channels and never explore the full 300+ channel lineup. Hidden in there are some remarkable niche channels: Pluto TV Anime (24/7 anime programming), Pluto TV Westerns (classic western movies and shows), Pluto TV Classic TV (vintage television from the 50s-80s), and dozens of specialty channels covering horror, sci-fi, true crime, and more. Spend an hour exploring Pluto TV's full channel guide — you'll find channels you'll want to watch every day.
8. Haystack News — Personalized Free News
Haystack News aggregates news content from hundreds of local and national news sources and creates a personalized news feed based on your interests and location. It's a smart way to get local news from your hometown alongside national and international coverage, all for free. The app is well-designed and the personalization actually works well.
9. Fawesome — Free Movies Organized by Mood
Fawesome (short for "Favorites Awesome") takes a different approach to free movie streaming by organizing content by mood and theme rather than just genre. Looking for something "feel-good"? "Thrilling"? "Thought-provoking"? Fawesome helps you find movies that match your current mood, which can be a refreshing change from endless genre browsing. The library is smaller than Tubi but well-curated.
10. Stirr — Local TV Channels from Across the Country
Stirr is a free live TV service that specializes in local TV channels from cities across the United States. If you've moved away from your hometown and miss watching local news from that city, Stirr might have it. The service also includes national channels and a solid on-demand library. It's particularly useful for people who want local news coverage from multiple markets.
How to Find More Hidden Gems
The best way to discover more free Roku apps is to regularly browse the Roku Channel Store's "Free" section, sorted by rating. New free apps are added regularly, and some of the best ones don't get much publicity. Also check the "Featured" section, where Roku often highlights quality free apps that deserve more attention.
The free streaming landscape on Roku is richer than most people realize. With the apps listed above, plus the well-known services like Tubi and Pluto TV, you have access to more free content than you could watch in several lifetimes. The challenge isn't finding enough to watch — it's deciding what to watch first.