A Roku without free apps is money left on the table. Beyond Netflix and Disney+, the Roku Channel Store is packed with genuinely excellent free apps, and the UK gets some of the best: the BBC’s ad-free iPlayer, ITV’s deep ITVX catalogue, and Channel 4’s box sets, plus free movie services like Tubi and Pluto TV. Here are the 10 best free streaming apps on Roku in the UK, ranked by what they actually give you.
Best Free Roku Apps UK: The 60-Second Answer
Best overall: BBC iPlayer. Ad-free, huge archive of British drama, comedy and documentaries, plus live BBC channels. The single best free app on any UK streamer.
Best for live channels: Pluto TV. Around 150 free live channels in the UK with a proper TV-guide feel, no account needed.
Best pre-installed: The Roku Channel. Already on your Roku, with free movies, shows and live channels out of the box.
The 4 Best Free Apps to Install First
Start with these four. Between them they cover British TV, films, live channels and catch-up, and you will not pay a penny.
1. BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer remains the crown jewel of free UK streaming. It is completely ad-free, carries live BBC One, BBC Two and the other BBC channels, and holds a deep archive of drama, comedy, documentaries and children’s shows. From recent hits to classics like Blackadder and Pride and Prejudice, plus landmark factual series, the quality bar is higher than any other free service.
- Best for: British drama, comedy, documentaries, live BBC channels, kids’ TV
- Ads: none at all
- Catch: you need a UK TV licence to watch, and some programmes leave the service after their window expires
2. ITVX
ITV’s streaming home has grown into a serious free service. The free tier (ad-supported) carries ITV soaps, reality hits, a strong film library and exclusive box sets, alongside live ITV channels. It is the natural second install after iPlayer for anyone who watches mainstream British TV.
- Best for: ITV dramas, soaps, reality shows, free films
- Ads: yes, on the free tier (a paid Premium tier removes them and adds extra content)
- Catch: the very best exclusives sometimes sit behind the Premium paywall
3. The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is already on your Roku, which makes it the easiest win on this list. It offers a large library of free ad-supported movies and shows plus live channels, and most content plays without even creating an account. In the UK the catalogue leans on films and TV series rather than the US live-news feeds, but as a zero-effort free library it is hard to beat.
- Best for: free films and shows with zero setup
- Ads: yes, ad-supported
- Catch: the UK library is smaller than the US one, and premium add-ons sit next to the free rows
4. Pluto TV
Pluto TV is the closest thing to old-school channel surfing, free. Around 150 themed live channels in the UK, laid out like a cable guide, covering news, sport, entertainment, kids and single-show channels built around series like Star Trek and CSI. No sign-up required: install the app and start watching.
- Best for: lean-back live TV, background viewing, themed channels
- Ads: yes, like commercial TV
- Catch: you cannot pause or rewind live channels, and the content skews older
6 More Free Apps Worth Installing
5. Channel 4
Channel 4’s free app is a goldmine: Gogglebox, The Great British Bake Off, bold documentaries and a deep box-set archive, all free with ads. For distinctive British programming you will not find elsewhere, it is essential.
6. My5
Channel 5’s catch-up service. Lighter than iPlayer or ITVX, but strong on documentaries, lifestyle and factual entertainment, with a simple interface that older viewers tend to love.
7. U (formerly UKTV Play)
The home of UKTV’s channels (Dave, Drama and more). Free comedy, panel shows and drama box sets with ads. If you like Taskmaster-style panel comedy, this is your app.
8. Tubi
Fox’s free movie service has one of the deepest free film libraries anywhere, and it is fully available on Roku in the UK. No account needed, though titles rotate, so watch films sooner rather than later.
9. Plex
Two apps in one: hundreds of free ad-supported live channels and on-demand titles, plus the famous media-server feature for streaming your own video collection to the Roku. A free account unlocks the best of it.
10. YouTube
Easy to forget, hard to replace. Music, creators, documentaries, live streams and a surprising number of free films, all on the biggest screen in the house. Pre-installed on most Rokus.
Best Free Roku Apps UK: Comparison
| App | Best for | Ads | Account needed | Live TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer | British TV, ad-free | No | Free BBC account | Yes, BBC channels |
| ITVX | ITV box sets, films | Yes (free tier) | Free account | Yes, ITV channels |
| The Roku Channel | Free films, zero setup | Yes | No | Yes |
| Pluto TV | Live channels | Yes | No | Yes, ~150 channels |
| Channel 4 | Distinctive British shows | Yes | Free account | Yes |
| My5 | Simple catch-up | Yes | Free account | Yes |
| U | Comedy, panel shows | Yes | Free account | Yes |
| Tubi | Free films | Yes | No | Some |
| Plex | FAST + own media | Yes | Free account | Yes |
| YouTube | Creators, music, live | Yes | No | Yes |
Free Roku Apps UK: Your Questions Answered
Are these Roku apps really free?
Yes. Every app on this list costs nothing to install and watch. Most are ad-supported; BBC iPlayer is ad-free but requires a UK TV licence.
Do I need a TV licence for BBC iPlayer on Roku?
Yes. Watching BBC iPlayer, live or on demand, legally requires a UK TV licence, the same as watching live TV.
Which free Roku app has the most live channels?
Pluto TV, with around 150 themed live channels in the UK. The Roku Channel and Plex also offer free live channels.
Is The Roku Channel free in the UK?
Yes. It comes pre-installed on Roku devices and its films, shows and channels are free with ads. Most content needs no account.
What happened to Freevee on Roku?
Amazon folded the standalone Freevee app into Prime Video’s free-with-ads section during 2025. The free content still exists, inside the Prime Video app.
Can I watch live BBC and ITV on Roku for free?
Yes. BBC iPlayer carries the live BBC channels and ITVX carries the live ITV channels, both free on Roku.
Do free apps work outside the UK?
The broadcaster apps (iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, U) are UK-only and block viewers abroad. Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex and YouTube work in many countries with different catalogues.
How do I add a free app to my Roku?
From the Roku home screen, open the Channel Store, find the app, and select Add channel. It then appears on your home screen.
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Final Verdict: Best Free Streaming Apps on Roku (UK)
Install BBC iPlayer first. It is the best free app on any UK streamer: ad-free, packed with quality British programming, and live channels included.
Add ITVX and Channel 4 for the rest of British TV, Pluto TV for live channel surfing, and The Roku Channel and Tubi for free films. That is six apps, zero pounds, and more to watch than you will ever finish.
My final word: a Roku plus these free apps covers most households’ daily viewing. Paid subscriptions are for the extras; the free tier of Roku is already a complete TV service.
