How to Watch Free Live TV on FireStick (Best Live TV Apps)

In this article, you will learn how to watch live TV on your FireStick for free. I’ll cover the official and unofficial apps and how to install them on your Fire Stick. The methods work on all the latest and supported Fire TV devices, such as FireStick, Fire TV Cube, New FireStick 4K, New FireStick 4K Max, and more.

How to Watch Live TV on FireStick for Free

There are many options for watching live TV on FireStick. However, most services, including YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling, etc., charge a subscription fee. Furthermore, most of them are geo-restricted to only a handful of countries.

Thankfully, there are still ways to watch free live TV, both officially and unofficially. 

There are two ways to watch live TV on Amazon Fire TV – via official or unofficial apps. 

Both methods are great for people new to the cord-cutting. This guide covers each technique in detail, including a brief introduction, the installation process, and a list of the best apps.

Let’s get started.

Read: How to Install and Use Best VPN for FireStick

1. Using Best Free Live TV Apps For FireStick (Official)

If you want to catch up with local news, sports channels, and live TV in a legal and free way, there’s no better option than using official free streaming app services on Fire TV Stick.

In this section, you will learn how to watch live TV using free streaming apps on the Amazon App Store.

What Are Official Fire TV Stick Live Channels Apps

An official live TV streaming service on Fire TV lets you watch TV channels legally. Although you may not get a variety of networks, you can access the channels without any legal concerns.

Official Fire TV Stick live apps are mostly ad-based and consist of only a few of your favorite satellite channels. You can use the app as much as you want without paying anything.

Also, official live TV app services usually do not experience buffering issues.

In a nutshell, free and official IPTV app services on the Amazon App Store are reliable ways to watch live TV channels.

How to Install An Official Fire TV Live App

Before we get to the list of the best free and official live TV apps, let’s learn how to install them on FireStick. I’m installing the Pluto TV app on my FireStick Lite.

1. On your Fire TV home page, click the Find button in the middle left of your screen, adjacent to the Home button.

2. Next, scroll down and click on the yellow Search tile.

3. The search bar would appear with a keyboard layout. Enter Pluto TV and select the Pluto TV suggestion from the list below the keyboard.

4. Wait a few seconds for Fire TV to load the results. Then, select the Pluto TV tile from the search results.

5. Next, the Pluto TV dashboard will appear. Click on the white Get button to start the download.

6. Wait for the download and installation process to complete.

7. Once done, you’ll receive a notification on the bottom right side of your screen: Pluto TV is Ready to launch. Click Open to launch the app.

This is how you install an official live TV streaming app on your Amazon Fire TV Stick.  

Top 10 Free & Official Apps to Watch Live TV Channels

Here is our list of the best apps to watch live TV on FireStick.

1. Pluto TV

Pluto TV is among the most popular live TV apps in the United States and beyond. The ad-supported free streaming service is owned by Paramount Streaming, a division of Paramount Global.

This streaming service offers at least 250 live TV channels and thousands of free movies and TV shows.

The app is supported on various devices, including the Fire TV Stick, PC, Android, and iOS. The lightweight app is visually appealing with an easy-to-navigate user interface. You can explore content via live TV and on-demand tabs or use the search feature at the top.

Pluto TV is suitable for streaming live TV programs and on-demand content for free on FireStick. The streaming quality is superb, with video quality between 720p and 1080p.

How to Install Pluto TV on FireStick

2. Amazon News App

The Amazon News App is a native app on the Amazon App Store. You don’t even need to download it to start streaming content. Open the app and start watching breaking news and the latest business, sports, entertainment, and politics updates.

This app lets you watch popular updates within your locality. A New York user will receive news about New York and surrounding areas, while a New Jersey streamer will view news related to New Jersey. It is available in up to 80 cities across the US.

The app largely depends on news updates from popular channels in your area. These channels include ABC News, FOX Weather, Fox Sports, CBS Sports HQ, USA Today, People, and Bloomberg TV+.

Overall, the Amazon News App is one of the best official and free live TV apps for Fire TV.  

3. Tubi

Tubi is one of the most popular streaming apps for various reasons. First, the service is free and legal. Second, it offers live TV channels and a vast library of movies and TV shows. It even introduced Tubi originals, which have been well-received by streamers.

Another reason Tubi is a great choice is its multi-device compatibility. Streaming will be hassle-free whether using a FireStick, smart TV, Android TV Box, or smartphone.

Tubi offers over 200 live TV channels, including popular networks and local channels. You can find various live TV content from talk shows, sports, politics, and business to entertainment and breaking news.

Like most US-based streaming services, Tubi is geo-restricted to the US region. However, with a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN, you can connect to a US server and watch your favorite channels seamlessly.

How to Install Tubi on FireStick

4. XUMO

Xumo, also known as XumoPlay, is another fast-rising platform for streaming free TV and on-demand content. It is a joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications.

With XumoPlay, you can access over 250 live TV channels and thousands of movies and TV shows. The live TV section offers a lot of content, including sports, news, weather, lifestyle, and nature.

All this content is free. You don’t need to sign up for an account to start watching. In addition to the free TV and on-demand content, the streaming service has begun producing Xumo originals. If you want something different from mainstream videos, XumoPlay is a good choice.

XumoPlay is supported on various streaming devices, including the Amazon Fire TV. It can be downloaded directly from the Amazon App Store.

How to Install XUMO on FireStick

5. Plex

Plex is a free streaming app for live TV and on-demand content. It has an impressive library of over 600 live TV networks, including news, lifestyles, weather, movies, nature, sports, and entertainment channels.

The platform has a diverse content collection and streams 24/7. If you have foregone cable TV for IPTV, Plex is a great place to start.

Despite being free of charge, the high-quality streaming sets it apart from other live TV apps. You can access the content as a guest or register for a Plex account, which helps synchronize your watchlist.

It is also available in many countries, unlike others restricted to the US region. Popular networks on the lineup include CBS Sports HQ, Hallmark Movies, ION, CBS, and Crime 360. International channels, including Reuters, BBC Earth, and PBS Nature, are also available.  

How to Install Plex on FireStick

6. Very Local

As the name suggests, Very Local is a live TV streaming app for local content. This includes local weather, breaking news, original programs, sports, business, and documentaries.

It is free of charge, and you don’t even need to sign in to access content. Download the app from the Amazon App Store, select your city, and start streaming live updates.

In addition to live TV programs, Very Local lets you catch up with already-aired content. This content is in the form of recorded episodes, documentaries, and original videos available on demand.

The only issue with Very Local is select availability. The app is not available in all US states and cities. Some cities on Very Local’s radar include Baltimore, Jackson, Cincinnati, and Birmingham.

Verify whether the app is available in your region before installing it on your FireStick. Otherwise, the app offers incredible updates, from news to weather updates and documentaries.

How to Install and Use Very Local on FireStick

7. AnthymTV

Anthym TV is another free streaming app for watching live TV and on-demand content on FireStick. The content appeals to lovers of indie productions, such as sports, fights, news, true crime, nature documentaries, and outdoor content.

This app has an attractive and easy-to-navigate user interface inspired by Tubi, Pluto TV, and Xumo. You can explore the content by category, mainly Live TV and on-demand.

Most content is free, from movies and TV shows to originals and live channels. It is a great streaming platform for lovers of first responders’ content like 911 Network, Hero-Cam, and CCTV. However, some content is hidden behind a paywall. You can access the premium content by subscribing to the in-app subscription.

8. The Roku Channel

Roku Channel is another popular app for streaming free live TV. The app is supported on multiple devices, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.

It is popular for live TV channels, movies, TV shows, kids’ content, and documentaries. Most of the content is free and ad-supported. However, the app also lets you purchase premium live TV packages to watch premium cable TV networks.

Some live TV networks on the free plan include Dateline, ION, ABC News Live, NBC News, and CBC News. You can also watch episodes of your favorite live TV shows, such as Divorce Court, Family Feud, Forensic Files, and Crime 360.

The Roku Channel app is visually appealing, lightweight, and easy to navigate. Overall, it’s one of the best FireStick apps to watch live TV and on-demand content.

9. Airy TV

Airy TV started as a destination for watching free live TV but has since included a VOD section. This no-contract, no-conditions free streaming app offers up to 50 live TV channels to watch news, sports, entertainment, and kids’ content.

It also includes over 10,000 episodes of TV shows from the 1980s and 90s and more than 1,000 movies. All these videos are buffer-free and high-quality.

For sports lovers, Airy TV has a lot to offer. Whether you like wrestling, boxing, rugby, baseball, motor racing, gymnastics, or tennis, there is something to watch on this app.

The content is cloud-based, making Airy TV a lightweight app. This is a good feature for an app because of the limited space in your FireStick.

How to Install Airy TV on FireStick

10. DistroTV

Distro TV is one of the forces transforming how consumers watch live TV over the internet. This service resembles Pluto TV because it offers live TV and On-demand content on a similar layout.

The app is supported on various home streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, and Apple TV.

Distro TV boasts up to 150 live TV channels from around the world. You can find English, Espanol, and Desi channels in news, entertainment, lifestyle, and business. The networks include sports channels for watching local and international sporting events.

Distro TV offers hundreds of movies, documentaries, TV shows, celebrity videos, reality TV shows, and lifestyle programs in the on-demand section. All this content is free, but it is ad-supported.

The app is geo-restricted to the US, UK, and Canada, but you can access it from anywhere using a reliable VPN.

How to Install DistroTV on FireStick

2. Stream with Free Live TV Apps for FireStick (Third-Party)

Free official apps offer limited access to live TV content. For instance, most of these apps lack major cable TV networks. You need to use third-party apps to experience live TV’s authentic and limitless power.

Although third-party apps have a suspicious status on legality, they let you access thousands of channels worldwide. From sports to comedy, movies, documentaries, and news, free third-party streaming services apps let you tune into any popular TV network you like. 

What Are Free Third-Party Live TV Apps

Unlike free official live TV apps, third-party IPTV services aren’t available on the Amazon App Store. This is because they scrap the links of popular TV channels from unknown sources.

With third-party live TV apps, you can watch all your favorite sports, entertainment, movies, news, and more channels for free. Unlike the official apps, you aren’t limited to a specific set of local channels. There are hundreds of live TV channels you can stream via third-party apps.

Such apps are also available on all Android devices. They let you use external video players like MX Player, VLC, etc., to stream TV stations. Like official apps, they receive updates.

Free third-party live TV apps carry risks. I recommend using a VPN like ExpressVPN when streaming on these apps. The VPN conceals your online activity and protects your data from malicious players. 

Furthermore, a VPN like ExpressVPN would help you stream in HD+ quality as ISPs tend to throttle internet speed on third-party live TV apps. Some also block the whole service—more on this in the following section.

Should You Use a VPN With Free Live TV Streaming Apps?

 Yes, you should. 

Third-party live-streaming apps have questionable legality, so internet service providers often block them. Unfortunately, they won’t work; if they do, it will be slow. Using a VPN will bypass the firewall set up by your ISP, allowing you to use such an app without any issues.

In most parts of the world, like the UK, the US, Canada, etc., ISPs block third-party apps that are somewhat fishy regarding legal status. So, without a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN, you won’t be able to access them and enjoy a seamless free TV-watching experience.    

Are Third-Party Free Live TV Apps Legal & Safe?

We at FireStickTricks are strictly against piracy, so I want to acknowledge two concerns—legality and safety.

Are Third-Party Free Live TV Apps Legal?

Third-party apps fall under a legal gray area. Their channel lineup includes premium cable TV networks you’d otherwise pay to access, raising some legal concerns.

These unofficial apps scrape streaming links available on the Internet. This act isn’t harmful but could be legal. FireStickTricks cannot verify the legality of these apps because it depends on several factors.

These factors include licensing and agreements between the apps and content owners, where they source their content, and the country’s copyright laws.

I discourage piracy and recommend using a VPN service like ExpressVPN to avoid legal traps.

Are Third-Party Free Live TV Apps Safe?

Most unofficial apps are created by unknown developers. They are also unavailable on official app stores like Google Play and Amazon. You, therefore, don’t have the comfort offered by official apps.

Some may contain malware disguised as additional files, ads, or links. Always scan an app or APK file for viruses before installing it. I recommend using VirusTotal to scan for suspicious files or URLs.

I scanned LiveNet TV, one of the apps on the list, on VirusTotal. As you can see in the screenshot below, one out of 67 security vendors flagged the APK file as malicious.

Always use a reliable VPN to be safe when streaming on these unofficial apps. The VPN encrypts your data and protects it from malicious players.

How to Install a VPN on FireStick

Before I show you how to install free live TV apps on FireStick, I will start with the ExpressVPN installation steps.

Step 1: Subscribe to ExpressVPN HERE. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Meaning, you can use it free for the first 30-days and if you are not satisfied with the performance (which is highly unlikely), you can ask for a full refund.

Step 2: Power ON your Fire TV Stick and go to Find followed by Search option.

Step 3: Now type “Expressvpn” (without quotes) in the search bar and select ExpressVPN when it shows up in the search results.

Step 4: Click Download to install the ExpressVPN app on Fire TV / Stick.

Step 5: Open the app and enter the login credentials that you created while buying the ExpressVPN subscription. Click Sign in.

Step 6: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That’s all. Your connection is now secure with the fastest and best VPN for FireStick.

You can also read more detailed info on using ExpressVPN with Fire TV / Stick.

How to Install Third-Party Live TV App on FireStick

A third-party live TV app isn’t available on the Amazon App Store. You have to side-load it using the Downloader app and download the respective APK file. As the process is long, I have divided the section into two parts – so let’s dive in.

Part 1: Prepare Your FireStick to Download A Third-Party App

You must prepare your FireStick to download and install a third-party app.

Firstly, download and install the Downloader app on your device. Here’s a detailed installation walkthrough: How to Sideload Apps on FireStick with Downloader App.

Once the Downloader app is installed on your Fire TV, you should enable it to download and install third-party apps.

Now, you are all set. Let’s proceed and see how to install a third-party app on your FireStick using the Downloader app. 

Part 2: Install A Third-Party App on Your FireStick

Please follow these steps:

1. Long-press the home button on your Fire remote until the menu appears. Then, select Apps.

2. Next, select the Downloader app. If you don’t see it, select the App Library tile—it should be available there.

3. You’ll encounter two pop-ups when you launch Downloader for the first time. Allow the first to access your files and folders, and click Okay on the next one. Then, you’ll land on the Downloader home page.

4. Next, select the input box on the Home tab under the Enter a URL or Search Term.

5. After that, an input menu with a keyboard will appear. Enter the URL of the third-party app you want to download. For demonstration purposes, I’m entering the Live Net TV app URL: http://livenettv.tools. Once you’ve done this, click the OK button.

Note: FireStickTricks doesn’t host or own the app; we have just provided the official URL of the Live Net TV app.

6. Wait for the Live Net TV website to load, then scroll down. Click on the Download for Amazon Fire TV icon.

7. Select Download. 

8. Select Click here. 

9 After that, the APK file of Live NetTV would start downloading.

10. Wait for it to complete. Your device will then automatically stage the app for you. Click Install to install the app on your device.

11. Wait for the installation process to complete. Click DONE  to close the installation screen.

Congratulations! You have side-loaded a third-party live TV app on your Fire device.       

Top 10 Free & Third-Party Apps to Watch Live TV Channels

 Legal Disclaimer: This tutorial is purely educational. FireStickTricks.com doesn’t own, host, operate, resell, or distribute any streaming apps, addons, websites, IPTV or services. The page contains some unverified services, and we are not certain whether they hold legal licenses to distribute the content. FireStickTricks.com does not verify the legality of each app/service in all regions. Do your due diligence if you use any of the unverified apps/services, and stream only content that is available in the public domain. The end-user shall be solely responsible for the media accessed. 

There aren’t many third-party live TV applications that let you stream free channels. So, I have hand-picked the three currently working and have the best library of channels. So, let’s jump in and check them.

1. Live Net TV

Live Net TV is one of the longest-running and stable free apps for streaming live TV. The app claims to offer at least 700 TV channels from different countries and in various languages.

The geographical regions on the TV lineup include the US, UK, Canada, Pakistan, India, Turkey, and Middle Eastern nations. These channels show various content, from live programs, news, politics, sports, and lifestyle to movies and TV shows.

Live NetTV was made with the Android OS in mind. It is compatible with Android-based devices, including the FireaStick. It is easy to navigate and responds well to the Fire TV remote control.

One feature that makes this app stand out is the Request Channel feature. If you have a channel in mind that you’d like added to the lineup, you can request that the developers include it.

Live NetTV is a great app for streaming free live TV on FireStick.

How to Install Live NetTV on FireStick 

2. HD Streamz

HD Streamz is a popular streaming app among cord-cutters. It offers free live TV from around the world, and with over 1,000 TV networks on the lineup, it is one of the best apps for streaming live streams.

These live streams include sports and talk shows, movies, TV shows, kids’ content, and other forms of TV entertainment.

HD Streamz contains live TV networks from all over the globe. Notable regions include the US, UK, France, India, and Pakistan. In addition to the live channels, HD Streamz features an On-demand section and several radio stations. 

How to Install HD Streamz on FireStick

3. TvMob (Tv Tap Pro)

TV Mob, or TV Tap Pro, is a third-party streaming app for live TV. It offers hundreds of TV channels from around the world. Top TV sections featured include News, Sports, Entertainment, Food, Kids, Documentary and Music.

Most unofficial apps scrape several links from the internet. However, TV Mob provides only a single link, which works most of the time. It also offers good streaming quality, except for a few standard-definition channels (SD).

Featured countries on the channel list include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Canada and Arabic nations.

TV Mob is a great Fire TV streaming app. It has an in-built media player and still supports external players. It is lightweight and user-friendly, with reliable links. Coupled with a long list of local and international channels, it is an excellent addition to your TV streaming apps.

How to Install TV Tap on FireStick

4. Rapid Streamz

Rapid Streamz is a third-party streaming app that offers an ad-free live TV viewing experience. The app features a vast library of live TV channels from around the globe and in various major languages. Whether you like English networks or media stations in your local language, Rapid Streamz has got you.

The impressive lineup has networks dedicated to sports, news, entertainment, movies, documentaries, reality TV, leisure, and more. There is also a Kids TV section that offers kid-friendly programs.

Rapid Streamz is a decent app with a visually appealing user interface. It has self-explanatory sections like Live TV, Favorites, Recently Watched, and Request Channel. It is compatible with multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices like FireStick.

The video and audio quality are good, making Rapid Streamz one of the best apps to stream live TV over the internet. The developers provide regular updates to maintain the good features and fix bugs.

How to Install Rapid Streamz on FireStick

5. TikiLive

TikiLive is a free live TV streaming service that offers an alternative to watching cable TV networks for free or at a lower price.

The best live TV channels on TikiLive require a subscription. However, the free plan has many channels to watch movies, sports, news, entertainment, and comedy. It also offers pay-per-view (PPV) events, which you can purchase separately.

The video streaming quality on TikiLive is incredible, mainly in HD. The audio quality is also excellent, making it a worthwhile live TV streaming app for FireStick.

You can start streaming content on the app without an account. However, you can sign in to track your watchlist and sync data across devices.

How to Install and Use TikiLive on FireStick

6. Ola TV

Ola TV is a third-party IPTV service that offers up to 1000 free live TV channels. These include TV networks to watch sports, live updates, movies, TV shows, and other forms of TV entertainment. It is a FireStick-compatible app that responds seamlessly to the Fire TV remote.

Unlike most free services, Ola TV offers free TV without ads. Frequent ads between shows can be frustrating, so Ola TV is a good choice if you’re looking for uninterrupted streaming.

The only drawback with Ola TV is the lack of support for third-party media players like VLC and MX Player. Instead, the developers provide their own media player, Kshaw, which you must install alongside the Ola TV app. You also need an additional player called Ludio Player.

Ola TV is an excellent FireStick app for streaming free live TV. It features popular US, UK, Canada, UAE, and Brazil channels.

How to Install Ola TV on FireStick

7. UK Turks

It is a third-party app that provides all-in-one content, from movies and TV shows to live channels, cartoons, and concerts. The content library is vast, and the streaming quality is superb, with minimal buffering.

It is a lightweight app that supports external media players like MX and VLC. It also integrates with Real Debrid and similar services to provide exclusively premium streaming links. However, the app offers suitable enough streaming links even without Debrid services.

I like the app for its simplicity and ease of navigation, and working seamlessly with the Fire TV remote.

How to Install and Use UK Turks on FireStick

8. HDTV Ultimate

HDTV Ultimate is a free live TV streaming app that lives up to its name. The app offers access to over 1,000 live channels, most in HD. Top networks from various parts of the world offer live programs, news, sports, movies, and music.

It is a visually appealing yet simple app that’s easy to navigate. The content library is divided into Sports, Live TV, Movies, Shows, and Select Country sections. The Select Country tab lets you search for content by country. The lineup includes the USA, the UK, and select European and Asian countries.

The HDTV Ultimate app has some issues. To access content, you must install a third-party app called the Yalla Receiver. It is one of the best apps for watching free live TV on FireStick.

How to install HDTV Ultimate APK on FireStick

9. Kodi

Kodi is not exactly a third-party app to watch live TV because it doesn’t host any content. It is an open-source media player that lets you install plugins that fetch live TV streaming links from the internet. These plugins are called Kodi addons.

There are several Kodi addons for watching live TV. These can be official or unofficial. The official ones come pre-installed on Kodi. As for the third-party ones, you need to sideload them to Kodi from external stores called repositories.

If you are a beginner with Kodi, see our comprehensive Kodi guide.

Popular Kodi addons for watching live TV include The Crew, Fetch, and Catch-Up TV & More. Read our best Kodi Live TV addons guide for more options.

How to Install Kodi on FireStick

10. OceanStreamz

OceanStreamz is barely a live TV app. It is an all-in-one (AIO) third-party app for streaming movies, TV shows, live TV, anime, and adult content.

The latest app version includes two live TV options, Live TV options 1 and 2. The first option contains live TV channels across genres like sports and news. Most of the networks in this library are from the US, Canada, France, and Israel. Other countries represented here include Brazil, Sweden, and Poland.

Live TV option 2 comprises TV networks that air entertainment, kids, lifestyle, travel, and other content. This is the cooking, home improvement, reality TV, music, and kid’s content section.

I tested various networks from both live TV sections, and they worked seamlessly. However, I found that most of the content is not HD quality, but that is to be expected from an app that scrapes streaming links from the internet.

How to Install Ocean Streamz on FireStick

Wrapping Up

Those are the various ways to watch free live TV on FireStick. We have provided official and unofficial options; as expected, each has pros and cons. The official ones offer limited options, but you don’t have to worry about legitimacy and safety. Third-party apps provide more channels and diverse content but fall into a safety and legal gray area.

Related:

• Best FireStick Apps- Free Movies, Shows, Live TV, Sports
• Best Apps for Jailbroken FireStick
• Best Anime Apps for FireStick (Free & Paid)
• How to Sideload Apps on FireStick

Legal Disclaimer - FireStickTricks.com does not verify the legality or security of any add-ons, apps or services mentioned on this site. Also, we do not promote, host or link to copyright-protected streams. We highly discourage piracy and strictly advise our readers to avoid it at all costs. Any mention of free streaming on our site is purely meant for copyright-free content that is available in the Public domain. Read our full disclaimer.

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