Sling Freestream is a free, ad-supported streaming service with 650+ live TV channels and access to 41,000+ on-demand movies and shows — no subscription required, no credit card needed. It’s owned by DISH Network and runs inside the Sling TV app, but you don’t need a paid Sling plan to use it.
For cord-cutters looking to drop cable without picking up another monthly bill, Freestream is one of the most channel-rich free options available in 2026. This page covers every channel category, the best picks worth your time, what the service is missing, and how it compares to Tubi and Pluto TV.
What Is Sling Freestream?
Sling Freestream is DISH Network’s free streaming tier. It launched as a distinct brand in February 2023, built on top of the free channels Sling TV had offered inside its app for years.
It’s a FAST service — Free Ad-Supported Television. That means you watch live linear channels and on-demand content in exchange for seeing ads. No monthly fee. No credit card on file. You can create a free account to access everything, but even that isn’t strictly required on most devices.
How It Differs from Paid Sling TV Plans
Paid Sling TV starts at $40/month and adds live cable channels — ESPN, CNN, HGTV, Fox News, TNT, and others. Freestream has none of those. What it does have is a wide range of niche, curated, and streaming-native channels that lean heavily on movies, true crime, news, and entertainment.
Think of Freestream as the free layer underneath paid Sling. If you upgrade, all the Freestream channels stay. If you never upgrade, Freestream still works on its own.
Do You Need an Account to Watch?
No. On Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and several other devices, you can browse and watch Sling Freestream without signing in. Creating a free account unlocks a better experience — personalized recommendations, watch history, and access to more on-demand titles — but it’s optional.
How Many Channels Does Sling Freestream Have?
Sling Freestream has 650+ free live TV channels in 2026. That number has grown significantly from the 400 channels it launched with in early 2023. The on-demand library sits at 41,000+ movies and TV episodes.
The channel count fluctuates. Sling adds new channels regularly and occasionally removes others when content licensing deals expire. The categories below reflect what’s available as of early 2026.
Complete Sling Freestream Channels List by Category
This is the full breakdown. Channels are grouped by content type so you can find what’s relevant to you quickly.
News Channels
Sling Freestream carries 15+ dedicated news channels. These are 24/7 linear streams — not clip libraries.
- ABC News Live
- CBS News 24/7
- NBC News Now
- Scripps News
- Cheddar News
- Bloomberg Quicktake
- Al Jazeera English
- Euronews
- France 24 (English)
- NHK World Japan
- India Today
- Mirror Now
- Free Speech TV (FSTV)
- News 12 New York
- USA Today Channel
- Court TV
- Law & Crime Network
The news lineup is genuinely strong for a free service. ABC, CBS, and NBC all have dedicated 24/7 streams here. Bloomberg Quicktake is solid for business coverage. Al Jazeera and France 24 add international perspective that most American FAST services skip.
Entertainment & TV Shows
This is the largest category — well over 150 channels covering reality, drama, classic TV, pop culture, and general entertainment.
Selected channels include:
- People TV
- Reelz
- Pop TV
- WE tv
- LMN (Lifetime Movie Network)
- Hallmark Movies Now
- UPtv
- Oxygen True Crime
- Investigation Discovery
- A&E Crime Central
- Viceland
- IFC
- Sundance TV
- Shout! TV
- Comet TV (sci-fi)
- Charge! (action/adventure)
- Grit TV (westerns)
- Decades (classic TV)
- GetTV
- Laff (comedy)
- Bounce TV
- Stadium (sports/entertainment)
- Tastemade
- Cooking Channel On Demand
- HGTV Go (select content)
- BabyFirst TV
- Boomerang (classic cartoons)
- Warner Bros. Archive
Movies
Sling Freestream has 30+ movie-dedicated channels. The selection skews toward classic, cult, and genre films rather than recent theatrical releases.
- FilmRise Free Movies
- Cinevault: Classics
- Cinevault: 80s
- Cinevault: Westerns
- Cinevault: Murder & Mayhem
- Gravitas Movies
- Free Movies Plus
- IFC Film Picks
- Midnight Pulp
- Kung Fu Movies
- Maverick Black Cinema
- My Time Movie Network
- Cinelife
- Sony Movie Channel
- Fandor
- Mubi (select titles)
- OUTtv Movies
- Popcornflix
- Crackle
- RetroPlex
For recent movies, Freestream’s on-demand library of 41,000+ titles covers more ground. The live movie channels are best for casual browsing, not finding specific titles.
Sports
Live sports on Sling Freestream is limited. This is the category where Freestream shows its biggest gap compared to paid streaming services.
What you do get:
- Stadium (college sports, highlights, original content)
- beIN Sports (select programming)
- Fite TV (combat sports)
- Fubo Sports Network
- Outside TV (outdoor/adventure sports)
- FloSports (select events)
- ESPN Classic (on-demand content, no live games)
- NBA TV (studio shows and classic games, not live NBA)
- MLB Network (studio shows, not live games)
- NFL Network (programming, not live games)
- Tennis Channel (select programming)
Live NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games are not available on Freestream. You get studio programming, highlights, and classic replays. If live sports is a priority, Freestream won’t cover it alone. For full sports coverage, FuboTV and YouTube TV carry live games across major leagues.
Kids & Family
- BabyFirst TV
- Boomerang
- Cartoon Network (select)
- Nick Jr. (select)
- Kidstream
- TBD Kids
- Kids Street
- Lego TV
- Wildbrain (Strawberry Shortcake, Inspector Gadget, etc.)
- YoYo TV
- Kidoodle.TV
- DreamWorks (select titles)
The kids section is decent. Boomerang covers classic Cartoon Network content. BabyFirst is strong for toddlers. It’s not as deep as a dedicated kids streamer like Noggin, but for free it covers the basics.
Lifestyle & Reality
- Tastemade
- Food Network Kitchen (select)
- America’s Test Kitchen
- Magnolia Network (select)
- DIY Network (select)
- People TV
- E! Entertainment
- Bravo (select content)
- Oxygen
- Style Network
- OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network, select)
- Logo TV
Spanish & International
Sling Freestream carries 30+ Spanish-language and international channels. This is stronger than most competing FAST services. If you’re also exploring Spanish content on other platforms, the ViX channels list covers another major free Spanish-language streaming option.
- Noticias Univision 24/7
- UniMás
- Canal de las Estrellas
- Telemundo
- beIN Sports en Español
- TeleXitos
- Mexicanal
- EstrellaTV
- Cine Mexicano
- Cine Colombiano
- Cine Estelar
- NBC Universo
- Zona Telenovelas
- Corazon
- TV Azteca (select programming)
- CGTN (China Global Television Network)
- Arirang (Korean)
- TRT World (Turkey)
- NHK World Japan
- NDTV (India)
True Crime & Documentary
- Investigation Discovery
- Oxygen True Crime
- Court TV
- Law & Crime Network
- A&E Crime Central
- Reelz
- Vice TV (crime content)
- American Heroes Channel
- Smithsonian Channel (select)
- Documentary Channel
- CuriosityStream (select)
- National Geographic (select)
True crime is one of Freestream’s strongest verticals. Four dedicated crime/court channels plus overlap from entertainment channels gives you more content here than Tubi or Pluto TV on their own.
Comedy
- Laff
- Comedy Dynamics
- Comedy Central (select)
- Pluto TV Comedy (mirrored)
- Shout! TV (classic comedy)
- Decades (classic sitcoms)
- Cozi TV
Music
- Stingray Hits
- Stingray Country
- Stingray Smooth Jazz
- Stingray Rock
- MTV Hits (select)
- BET Soul (select)
- Fuse (music programming)
Best Channels on Sling Freestream
Most of Freestream’s 650+ channels are niche. Here are the ones actually worth bookmarking.
ABC News Live — The best free 24/7 news channel available. Consistently updated, professional production, no cable required.
Scripps News — Solid national news from the E.W. Scripps network. Less partisan than most cable news.
Tastemade — Genuinely good food and travel programming. Production quality is above average for a FAST channel.
FilmRise Free Movies — The best of the free movie channels. Wide genre range, regularly updated library.
Stadium — The only channel on Freestream with legitimate sports programming. College sports highlights and original content.
Fite TV — If you follow boxing, MMA, or wrestling, Fite carries more live combat sports than any other free channel.
Cinevault: Classics — Clean prints of classic Hollywood films. Better than most library movie channels.
Investigation Discovery — A full 24/7 true crime channel. Better programming consistency than most competitors.
Noticias Univision 24/7 — The strongest Spanish-language news option on the platform.
Boomerang — Classic cartoons from the Cartoon Network and Hanna-Barbera library. Great for families with younger kids.
What You Don’t Get on Sling Freestream
This is what competitors won’t tell you. Freestream has real limitations.
No live sports from major leagues. NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL live games are not here. If that’s your primary reason for watching TV, Freestream won’t replace cable.
No premium cable channels. ESPN, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, HGTV, Bravo, TNT, TBS — all of these require a paid Sling plan. Freestream has genre-adjacent alternatives, but not the real channels. If you need to know what channel ESPN is on DISH Network or what channel CBS is on DISH, those require a paid subscription.
No local broadcast TV in most markets. Freestream doesn’t carry local ABC, CBS, NBC, or Fox affiliates. You can watch ABC News Live (national), but not your local ABC station. For local news and network programming, you’ll need a TV antenna or a paid live TV service.
Ad load is heavy. Expect 4–6 minutes of ads per hour on some channels, up to 8–10 on others. This is normal for FAST, but it’s more than paid streaming services.
Stream quality varies. Most channels top out at 720p. A handful of channels hit 1080p. 4K is not available on Freestream.
Content licensing changes often. Channels come and go. A channel available today may be gone in three months.
What Devices Support Sling Freestream?
Sling Freestream works on 20+ device types. Here’s the full list:
- Roku (all current models) — see the full Roku channel list for what else is free
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick — free channels on Fire Stick go beyond just Freestream
- Apple TV (4th gen and later)
- Android TV and Google TV
- Chromecast with Google TV
- iOS (iPhone and iPad)
- Android phones and tablets
- Web browser (sling.com/freestream)
- Samsung Smart TV (Tizen OS) — also has Samsung TV Plus built in
- LG Smart TV (webOS) — LG TV channels include a separate free tier
- Vizio SmartCast TVs — Vizio TV channels include WatchFree+ at no cost
- Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
- AirPlay 2 (via iOS) — check AirPlay 2 supported TVs for compatibility
On Roku and Fire TV, you can often access Freestream content directly from the device’s own free channel aggregation without opening the Sling app. No account is required to start watching on most of these platforms.
Sling Freestream vs. Tubi vs. Pluto TV
All three are free ad-supported services. Here’s how they compare on the things that matter.
| Feature | Sling Freestream | Tubi | Pluto TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live channels | 650+ | 20+ | 300+ |
| On-demand titles | 41,000+ | 50,000+ | 35,000+ |
| Live news | Strong (15+ channels) | Minimal | Moderate |
| Live sports | Limited | No | Limited |
| Spanish content | Strong (30+ channels) | Moderate | Moderate |
| Account required | No (most devices) | No | No |
| Max stream quality | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free |
Sling Freestream wins on live channel count. No other free service comes close to 650 live linear channels. If you want the feel of channel surfing — not just browsing a library — Freestream is the better pick.
Tubi wins on on-demand depth. Its 50,000+ title library is larger and more current than Freestream’s. Check the full Tubi TV channels list to see what’s available there. Tubi regularly adds films from the last 2–3 years, while Freestream’s movie content skews older.
Pluto TV sits in the middle. Around 300 live channels and a solid on-demand library. The full Pluto TV channel list shows its strongest categories are news and entertainment. Its channel organization is cleaner than Freestream’s, and it’s available on more smart TV brands out of the box.
Other free services worth stacking alongside Freestream include Amazon Freevee, Peacock TV, and Airy TV.
The ideal setup for many cord-cutters is running two or three of these together. They’re all free, so there’s no cost to using all of them.
How to Start Watching Sling Freestream
Three steps. No credit card needed.
Step 1: Download the Sling TV app on your device — Roku, Fire TV, iPhone, Android, or wherever you watch. If you’re not sure whether your Fire Stick needs to be connected to every TV separately, this guide answers that.
Step 2: Open the app and select “Watch Free.” You don’t need to enter an email address or create an account on most devices. On web, you may be prompted to create a free account.
Step 3: Browse channels by category or use the search bar to find something specific. The EPG (electronic program guide) shows what’s live on each channel and what’s coming up.
That’s it. No trials, no cancellation reminders, no billing page.
How to Upgrade to Paid Sling TV
If Freestream covers most of what you need but you miss live sports or cable news, Sling TV’s paid plans start at $40/month for Sling Orange or Sling Blue.
Sling Orange includes ESPN, ESPN2, Disney Channel, and Freeform — good if sports is the gap. Sling Blue adds Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, and regional sports networks — better for news and local content. You can also compare it to Philo TV, Hulu TV, or Frndly TV if you’re shopping for the most affordable paid live TV option.
All your Freestream channels carry over when you upgrade. You’re adding content, not replacing what you had.
Both plans come with a free trial. There’s no annual contract — you can cancel anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sling Freestream really free?
Yes. Sling Freestream is completely free. There’s no subscription fee, no credit card required, and no hidden charges. The service generates revenue through ads you see while watching.
Does Sling Freestream have live sports?
It has limited live sports. You get channels like Stadium, Fite TV, and beIN Sports with some live programming. But live NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games are not available. Major league live sports require a paid streaming service. FuboTV and YouTube TV are the strongest options for live sports.
Can I watch Sling Freestream without creating an account?
Yes, on most devices. Roku, Fire TV, and several smart TV platforms let you watch Sling Freestream without signing in. Creating a free account adds personalization features but is not required.
How often does Sling Freestream add new channels?
Frequently. Sling has added hundreds of channels since the service launched in 2023. New channels typically appear every few weeks. Some channels also disappear when licensing deals end, so the count fluctuates.
What’s the difference between Sling Freestream and Sling TV?
Sling Freestream is the free, ad-supported tier. Sling TV is the paid service starting at $40/month. Freestream has 650+ free niche and streaming-native channels. Paid Sling adds live cable channels like ESPN, Fox News, CNN, and HGTV. You can also look at the DISH Network channels list since DISH owns both services. You can use Freestream without ever paying for Sling TV.
Sling Freestream is one of the strongest free streaming options in 2026. The 650+ channel count puts it ahead of every competitor on sheer live TV volume. It won’t replace cable for sports fans or people who need local news, but for entertainment, movies, news, and casual viewing, it’s hard to beat at $0 a month.
