From January to September this year, almost a million people in the UK have ditched some of the most popular streaming sites. Subscription services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime have taken a hit, with the rising cost of living meaning that people are cutting back on their expenses.
New data from insights company Kantar shows that the number of UK homes with at least one paid-for account has dropped by over 900,000 in that eight-month period as people try to cut down on monthly bills, the Express reports.
Dominic Sunnebo, the global insight director at Kantar's worldpanel division, said: "There are a number of dynamics at play in the market, such as the cost of living crisis and subsequent ‘cord-cutting’, as well as a degree of ‘content fatigue."
Cancelling your subscription services means you may miss out on your favourite programmes, such as Stranger Things, House of the Dragon and more. But if you still want to spend your evenings and weekends binge-watching without the hefty price tag, there are a number of free apps you can turn to for entertainment.
Freevee
Amazon's Freevee app was launched earlier this year and replaces the former iMDB TV service. One reason for this rebrand was to help highlight how the app is free, which could draw more viewers into the selection of movies and boxsets available with the service.
Like Amazon's paid-for Prime Video service, Freevee is home to a number of exclusive shows you won't find anywhere else. One of the big-name shows to launch on Freevee is Bosch Legacy, the follow-up to Prime Video's hit Bosch series based on Michael Connelly's books.
More exclusive content available on Freevee includes Judy Justice - which stars reality TV's Judge Judy, teen spy drama Alex Rider and a documentary on pop star Post Malone. Besides original shows, there's a huge selection of movies available to watch on Freevee - such as classic horror The Blair Witch Project, the critically acclaimed Slow West (starring Michael Fassbender), and the family-friendly Angry Birds Movie 2.
Other things to look out for on Freevee are hit comedies Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock. You can access Freevee via your web browser, on Fire TV as well as Google TV and Android TV devices, and through the official Android and iOS app.
Plex
Plex is a hugely popular free streaming app, with over 25million people signed up already. Like with Freevee, Plex can be accessed on a wide variety of platforms such as Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox and much more. You can also easily access Plex via your web browser
If you love reality TV and cooking shows then you can watch the late, great Anthony Bourdain's first show A Cook's Tour on Plex. While if you're after something a bit more fiery Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen is also available. There are also a number of great options such as Ricky Gervais's Extras, acclaimed crime drama Happy Valley and BBC favourite Silent Witness.
For anyone in the Halloween mood, Plex also has horror films in its library including cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn, which stars George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino. There's also a number of themed channels which offer specially curated content for you to watch.
Other free apps
If you can't find anything to watch on these apps, there are plenty of other alternatives. Rakuten TV and Pluto TV can easily be tuned into by heading to their websites or by downloading the official apps. On-demand content and a range of live channels are available on both sites.
With Rakuten TV, you'll be able to find dedicated channels for movies, children's content like Teletubbies, documentaries and more. This is in addition to on-demand content like the Oscar-winning The Big Short and Hollywood rom-com Love And Other Drugs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.
Pluto TV also has a varied selection of on-demand options that range from boxsets like Skins and Geordie Shore, to cult classic films like J-horror Ringu, hit 90s comedy Empire Records, and much more.
Dedicated channels also air popular shows non-stop like Baywatch, CSI Miami, Mythbusters, Kim's Convenience, Location, Location, Location and much more. And since all of these apps are free, you've got nothing to lose from having a browse and seeing what you can find.
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