SALTZMAN: How to stream TV shows, movies – for free

Whether it’s to replace a cable TV subscription or to augment it, millions of Canadians have turned to streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Apple TV+, Disney+, and YouTube Premium, to name just a few.

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Therein lies the problem: with prices averaging about $13/month between the big players, subscription costs can really add up – especially if you opt for a few services to binge a variety of TV shows and movies.

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It also defeats the purpose of cord-cutting if we’re paying the $80-$100 a month we once dished out for cable.

And so, budget-conscious consumers are discovering completely free (and legal) streaming solutions, referred to as “AVOD” or “FAST” services, both of which contain advertisements between and during content.

But hey, free is free.

AVOD vs. FAST

AVOD stands for ad-supported video-on-demand, where the content starts when you want (like Netflix). You can pause a movie or show, skip forward to the next video, and perhaps “binge” an entire season of something over a weekend.

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Similarly, FAST is an acronym for free ad-supported television, which are more traditional “linear” channels, with a program guide, you can leave on all day to see what’s playing.

Popular AVOD and FAST services in Canada include Tubi, Pluto TV, Popcornflix, Filmrise, YouTube, and The Roku Channel.

Tubi is No. 1 in Canada

“More and more people are embracing free ad-supported video on demand streaming services because they offer an incredible amount of content, a frictionless experience, and a low ad load,” says Adam Lewinson, chief content officer at Tubi.

“We know people love their subscription-based services for watercooler content, but they can really add up, and that’s where the value of a service like Tubi comes in.”

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According to the company, Tubi is the leading and fastest growing fully free, ad-supported streaming service for movies and TV in Canada, with 36% during the year ending in September 2023. Between its AVOD programming and more than 40 FAST channels, Tubi has over 150,000 movies and TV episodes in Canada, including 140 Tubi Originals (exclusive content).

Especially ideal for Canada’s multicultural population, Lewinson says they’re “dedicated to providing all people access to all the world’s stories … that showcases diverse voices and stories.”

Based on your viewing habits, Tubi also helps viewers find content that resonates with them. “If you have an obsession — whether it’s true crime, horror, reality TV, Anime, documentaries, or anything in between — Tubi allows you to go down your own personalized rabbit hole of entertainment,” added Lewinson. “The more you watch, the more personalized the experience gets.”

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What you need to get going

If you’ve got an internet connection and a screen, you can watch AVOD and FAST services on just about anything.

That is, you can access most on its website (and no registration is necessary), or by downloading a free app (iOS or Android) for viewing on a smartphone or tablet.

When on an iPhone, iPad or Android, you can choose to wirelessly “cast” the video to a nearby and compatible Smart TV or streaming device plugged into a television (like Roku, Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV stick). You need to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your television.

Smart TVs also let you install apps for many of these AVOD and FAST services, as well as video game consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Network apps

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It would be remiss not to acknowledge many of Canada’s biggest national networks are heavily promoting streaming apps, such as CTV, Global TV, and CBC Gem.

These, too, are free to use, but cord-cutters won’t get as much out of them as you unlock all its content and features if you opt to sign in with your TV service credentials (or pay a few bucks a month).

A few big ones:

—  Global TV: From within the Global TV app or on the web, stream live and on-demand content, including 24/7 local and national news feeds, a limited-time collection of popular original series from Food Network Canada and HGTV Canada, plus access Global TV’s primetime shows (free for seven days after their broadcast premieres). To watch shows after seven days, you’ll be required to authenticate with a cable subscription. Content is also available from W Network, HISTORY, Showcase, Slice and, coming soon, National Geographic and Adult Swim.

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— CTV: Similarly, you can access a vast catalogue of CTV television programming, with no subscription or sign-in required (across the CTV app and CTV.ca), and this includes all CTV Movies, CTV Throwback, and MTV content. Episodes from select prime-time series are unlocked for a limited period. To access all programming available, including live feeds and on-demand content, you are required to sign in with an account tied to a service provider.

— CBC Gem: A TV provider account is not required to access the CBC Gem app (or cbcgem.ca), but there are three membership options available, including an ad-free Premium membership ($4.99/month) that also grants streaming access to CBC News Network, live coverage of Olympic Games, past seasons on demand, cross-device continued streaming, enhanced audio and video, and more. All for kids and tweens is always ad-free.

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