Whilst there are many streaming services to choose from, there’s a newfound interest in Pluto TV, as it is the new home of Star Trek: Discovery in the UK after the show was abruptly pulled from Netflix.
Whilst it’s not as well-known as the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, this ViacomCBS owned streaming platform does have some hidden gems on it, and a big unique advantage over a lot of rivals. If you’d like to know more, then keep on reading.
What is Pluto TV and how much does it cost?
Pluto TV has been around since 2018 in the UK and is a streaming service with over 100 channels, as well as 13 live dedicated TV channels. There is also a selection of movies and TV shows to watch on-demand as well.
The best part is that it is free to watch, meaning you don’t need to subscribe. This is because it is ad-supported.
Pluto TV is available in the US, where it is also free to watch. However, you can’t watch Star Trek: Discovery season 4 on the US version of Pluto TV, as instead it airs exclusively on Paramount Plus. It does have much more content in general though, with over 250 live channels.
How to watch Pluto TV
There are several ways to watch Pluto TV. You can head on over to the website on your browser and tune in there. It is also currently available on Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV devices, Now streaming sticks, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, iPhones, Android phones and more.
For most of these devices, you’ll need to download the Pluto TV app, which is available on the Apple App Store, Amazon Appstore, Google Play and the Roku Channel Store.
You don’t need to enter your email to sign up – once you have the app, you’re free to stream however you please.
What to watch on Pluto TV
Pluto TV offers a range of different genres, including movies, entertainment, crime, paranormal, kids, news, drama, comedy and more timely offerings such as Christmas content.
In the UK, lots of people will be heading to Pluto TV to stream season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery. Keep in mind that you can’t stream this at any time – it airs new episodes live at 9pm GMT on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. If you want to know when things are airing, you can click on the official Pluto TV guide in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen.
Other popular shows on Pluto TV include Hell’s Kitchen, Baywatch, Most Haunted, Mythbusters, Ten Years Younger and Beauty and the Geek. Films on the platform include Halloween, Muriel’s Wedding, Cruel Intentions, Wilde and Love and Other Drugs.
There is also some very niche content on here – for example, those who enjoy ambience videos can also find long streams of cracking fireplaces and Christmas tree lights.
The US version of Pluto TV includes channels such as CNN, NBC News, CBS News, Fox Sports and The NFL Channel, as well as classic movies such as those in the Bond franchise.
The long or short of it is that there are lots of free channels to take advantage of, and there may be a guilty pleasure among the catalogue for you. You can see what other streaming options are out there in our guide to the best TV streaming services.
Author: Hannah Cowton, Senior Staff Writer
Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She's also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.