Short answer: start with the free layer, because on Roku it's large. The Roku Channel alone carries 500+ free live channels including local news, Pluto TV adds 250+ more, and Tubi has the deepest free movie library — all ad-supported, no subscription, no card. For cable networks, Frndly TV starts at $8.99 and Philo at $28. For ESPN, Sling Essentials at $19.99 is now the cheapest route. For local ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC plus sports, you're into YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV territory at $85+ a month — or a $40 antenna, which gets locals free.
These are official Channel Store apps. For the separate question of IPTV players on Roku, see here.
"Free" means three different things
This catches people constantly. Every app in the Roku Channel Store is free to install — so Netflix, Max and Paramount+ appear free until you open them and hit a login.
| Type | Examples | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Free to watch | The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, Sling Freestream | Nothing — ads pay for it |
| Free to install, paid to watch | Netflix, Max, Paramount+, Peacock | A subscription |
| Free with something you already have | Network apps via your TV provider login | Your existing bill |
The app is a door, not a key.
The free live TV apps
The Roku Channel. Roku's own, built in, 500+ live channels including local news, plus a large on-demand library. The obvious starting point because it's already there.
Pluto TV. Owned by Paramount, 250+ channels laid out like a cable guide, many built around a single show — Star Trek, Survivor, CSI, Doctor Who. No sign-up. You can't pause live channels, because they're real linear streams; the On Demand tab has playback controls.
Tubi. The deepest free on-demand library on the platform. Occasionally does something unusual: Fox-owned Tubi streamed two 2026 World Cup matches free in 4K. Titles leave on fixed licence dates, so don't let a saved list sit for months.
Sling Freestream. Free live channels without even an email address.
Xumo Play and Plex. Further free live and on-demand channels. Plex also doubles as a player for your own media server.
News apps. Local Now and Haystack News for free local and national news.
What none of them carry: your actual local broadcast affiliates in full, and live sport beyond the occasional exception. That's the line where free stops.
The paid live TV apps
| Service | Price (US, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Frndly TV | $8.99/mo | Cheapest cable channels; Hallmark, family |
| Sling Essentials | $19.99/mo | Cheapest ESPN |
| Philo | $28/mo | Entertainment cable, unlimited DVR, no sports |
| Sling Orange | $45.99/mo | ESPN plus TNT, TBS, USA |
| Sling Blue | $50.99/mo | Local ABC/FOX/NBC in select markets, NFL Network, FS1 |
| YouTube TV / Hulu + Live TV / DirecTV | $85+/mo | Full locals, sports, cloud DVR |
Two practical notes. YouTube TV's Roku app is widely rated the most polished of the full services. And Sling's is its most mature — Roku was one of its earliest platforms.
For a single league, sport-specific apps usually beat the bundles: NFL+ at $6.99, MLB.TV at roughly $5.99 a month paid yearly.
Before subscribing to anything with local channels, put your ZIP code into the provider's lineup checker. A service can carry a network nationally while not carrying your local affiliate.
The antenna shortcut
The cheapest route to local channels isn't an app at all. A $40 antenna pulls in ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS free, uncompressed and with no monthly fee.
Paired with a streaming service for cable channels, it's the setup that most reliably cuts the bill: an antenna for locals, Philo or Frndly for cable networks, and the free apps for everything else. The antenna pays for itself within the first couple of months against a full live TV service.
Some Roku TVs have a tuner built in and show antenna channels in the same guide as the apps. Covered in more detail here.
A sensible Roku setup
No monthly cost. The Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Tubi, plus an antenna. More than most people expect.
Cable channels, no sport. Add Frndly ($8.99) or Philo ($28).
Some sport. Sling Essentials for ESPN, or a single-league app.
Everything including locals and sport. YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV — or antenna plus Sling to get most of it for less.
What not to bother with
Paying for a live TV service just for local news. The Roku Channel and Local Now carry a lot of it free, and an antenna covers the rest.
Two services with the same networks. Philo and Frndly overlap; so do several Sling tiers with each other.
Assuming "free" in the Channel Store means free to watch. Check before building a home screen around it.
Apps outside the Channel Store. Roku removed non-certified channels in 2022; anything claiming otherwise is out of date.
Quick answers
What's the best free live TV app on Roku? The Roku Channel, with 500+ live channels, then Pluto TV.
Can I watch local channels free on Roku? Some local news via The Roku Channel and Local Now; full locals need an antenna.
Cheapest way to get ESPN on Roku? Sling Essentials at $19.99.
Cheapest cable channels? Frndly TV at $8.99.
Why is my "free" app asking for a subscription? It was free to install, not free to watch.
Can I pause Pluto TV? Not live channels. The On Demand tab supports pause and rewind.
Sources: Consumer Reports, Engadget and CableTV.com guides to free and live TV streaming (2026); published service pricing as of mid-2026. Prices and lineups change and vary by ZIP code — check with the provider before subscribing.