As food, energy and fuel prices rise, it is no surprise that households are looking for ways to keep their bills down and ride out the cost of living crisis. Brits are now checking their bank statements for ways they can cut expenditure, and one of the industries coming under attack is streaming service providers.
Subscriptions to the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon have taken a hit to the tune of close to a million cancellations between the months of January and September, according to research from Kantar. It says that the number of UK households with at least one paid-for streaming plan has fallen by 937,000 during that period.
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."
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With this in mind, the Express sought out free app alternatives to the big providers. While the apps may not have access to some of the exclusive show that the big providers can bring, they do offer a range of films and boxsets that may tempt you - and of course, they're free. Here's what the publication found.
Plex
First on the list is Plex. It can be accessed on a variety of platforms such as Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox or via your web browser. Plus, according to the publication, it is one of the most popular free streaming apps around, with over 25million people signed up to use the free movie and boxset service.
If you're a fan of reality TV and cooking shows then you are in for a treat. You can watch the late Anthony Bourdain's first show A Cook's Tour or Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. Then there's options such as Ricky Gervais's Extras, acclaimed crime drama Happy Valley (which also is available to stream on Netflix) and BBC series Silent Witness.
For anyone getting in the mood for Halloween Plex also has horror films in its library including cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn, which stars George Clooney and Quentin Tarrantino. Plex also has a number of themed channels which offer curated content you can tune into.
Freevee
Amazon's Freevee app was released earlier this year and replaces the former iMDB TV service. A major reason for this rebrand was to help highlight how the app is - as the name suggests - free, which could draw more viewers into the 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 is Bosch Legacy, the follow-up to Prime Video's hit Bosch series based on Michael Connelly's books.
Other original content includes Judy Justice - which stars reality TV's Judge Judy, teen spy drama Alex Rider, and a documentary on pop superstar Post Malone.
There is also a huge selection of films - new and old - like classic horror The Blair Witch Project, the critically acclaimed Slow West, and family-friendly Angry Birds Movie 2. You can tune into Freevee via your web browser, on Fire TV, Google TV and Android TV devices, and through the official Android and iOS app.
Rakuten TV
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).
Heading to their website or download the official app to access this service.
Pluto TV
Can also be tuned into by heading to their website or by downloading the official app. Here, you'll find on-demand content and a range of live channels. Pluto TV also has an extensive and varied selection of on-demand content that ranges 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.
With apps like Pluto TV, Plex and Rakuten TV you may have to hunt around for a bit to find something that appeals but as you don't have to pay a penny to access these services, you've got nothing to lose by checking them out.
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