Pluto TV vs Tubi: Which Free Streaming Service Is Better?

Pluto TV is the better choice if you want free live TV that feels like cable: a big guide of channels you flick through. Tubi is the better choice if you want to pick a specific film or series and start it now, and it's stronger on local news. Both are free, legal and ad-supported, so the honest answer for most people is: install both. They cost nothing and complement each other well.

At a glance

Live TV: Pluto TV wins

Pluto TV was built around live channels. Its guide looks like a cable box, organised by genre, with many channels dedicated to a single show or theme. It's the service to open when you don't know what you want to watch and just want something on. Our Pluto TV guide covers how to get the most out of it.

Tubi's live section is good and growing, but it feels like a second tab next to its library rather than the main event.

On demand: Tubi wins

Tubi's on-demand catalogue is one of the biggest of any free service, with a deep film library across genres, plenty of TV series and its own Tubi Originals. Search works well, and it's where to look first for a specific older film. Pluto has on demand too, and it's decent, but smaller.

Local news: Tubi wins

Tubi carries local news channels for many US cities, which is unusual for a free app and a real draw if you've dropped cable. Pluto has some local news streams but fewer. For full local stations, with prime-time shows and sport, neither replaces an antenna: see how to watch local channels free.

Sport: Tubi, occasionally

Neither carries the major leagues week to week. But Tubi, as part of Fox, has streamed some big events free. It carried the opening ceremony and first two matches of the 2026 World Cup, including USA vs Paraguay, live in 4K, with a free account (Tubi). Pluto has sports news and niche sports channels.

Ads

Both are paid for by adverts, and both show regular breaks. Ad loads vary by programme and time of day, so we're not going to pretend one is reliably lighter. Neither offers a paid ad-free tier. If ad breaks freeze or glitch on your device, that's a known annoyance with free streaming services; see Pluto TV not working for fixes that also help with Tubi.

Devices and countries

Both are in the official app store on Fire TV, Roku, Google TV, Apple TV, most smart TVs, consoles and phones, and both work in a web browser. Country coverage differs: Pluto is stronger in continental Europe and Latin America; Tubi covers the UK, Australia and New Zealand. If you're outside the US, check which is available where you are.

Kids and family

Both have dedicated kids' sections. Pluto's includes Nickelodeon content and runs as live channels, which works well for younger children who just want cartoons on. Tubi's kids' area is mostly on demand, with a large selection of family films and series. For young children, use your device's parental controls with either, since both services also carry adult-oriented films and crime shows in their main sections.

Spanish-language TV

Both are strong here. Pluto has a large "en Español" section of live channels. Tubi has a sizeable Spanish-language library on demand. If Spanish-language live TV is the priority, start with Pluto; for films and series, Tubi.

Recording

Neither has a DVR, so you can't record. The workaround is the same for both: many shows on the live channels are also in the on-demand section, and you can add them to a watchlist with a free account.

Which should you use?

• You channel-surf in the evening: Pluto TV.
• You pick a film and settle in: Tubi.
• You want local news without cable: Tubi, plus an antenna.
• You want as much free TV as possible: both, plus The Roku Channel. See the best free live TV apps.

Setting them up is a two-minute job on any device. For step-by-step help, see free live TV on Firestick or free live TV on Roku.