Everyone knows that person who really seems to love TV. Maybe they used to spend several hundred a month on cable TV, or maybe they are the kind that collects subscription services like pokemon. I used to be one of those folks. If you can think of a mainline streaming service, I had it. I even paid for a few niche series like Crunchyroll. Then the pandemic happened, inflation got bad, and I found myself entering a new level of frugality. This meant dropping several streaming services, as well as cutting to ad-supported tiers.  That’s why I really appreciate the fairly recent rise of decent free streaming services.

While none of these free services are perfect, they are a great way to supplement broadcast TV, paid streaming, or cable. There are literally dozens of options out there, but not all free streaming services are created equal. Here’s a look at the very best free streaming services, as well as some general advice on what to expect.