Guide
Free TV streaming in the UK: what's available
BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5 and Freely: the free and licence-fee options explained.
9/1/2026 · 3 min read
The UK has one of the strongest free streaming lineups in the world, built around its public service broadcasters.
ITVX, Channel 4 and My5 stream live channels and large on-demand libraries, supported by ads, with optional paid tiers that remove them.
Freely, backed by the major broadcasters, brings live free-to-air channels over broadband to compatible TVs with a familiar guide, no aerial required.
Watching live TV on any channel, or using BBC iPlayer at all, requires a TV Licence. On-demand viewing of non-BBC programmes on other apps doesn't.
For sport and premium drama, NOW and Sky Stream are the main paid options and are reviewed separately on this site.
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