What is Freely? The UK's free alternative to Sky and Virgin Media explained

UK TV viewers are spoiled for choice when it comes to streaming services. Not only are there the global platforms, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, but each of the main broadcasters operates its own free option – BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and 5.

Add on top of this paid TV services, such as Sky and Virgin Media, and we're inundated with choice in this country. Even the terrestrial TV service Freeview has its own catch-up mode, Freeview Play, which enables you to catch-up on shows you've missed at the tap of a button.

However, there's also a relatively new kid on the block that's gaining traction, and it's an attractive alternative to paid platforms., so could save you a bundle.

Freely is a completely free, all-internet TV service supported by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and it provides access to the UK's live TV channels, plus a whole lot more. It's now available on TVs from multiple manufacturers and the list is growing all the time.

So here's everything you need to know about Freely, how to get it, and what it offers.

What is Freely?

Freely is a live streaming platform for the UK that offers an alternative to Freeview and paid TV services. It streams live channels over an online connection rather than via an aerial, including all the main stations from the major broadcasters.

Operated by Everyone TV, it is supported by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. That means you get all of the channels each broadcaster offers, plus those from U (formerly UKTV), including U&Dave and U&Drama.

In many ways, it is the future of British broadcasting, as it some are calling for a new TV switch-over to occur in the 2030s – where over-the-air signals are entirely replaced with over-the-top (OTT) internet delivery.

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What you need to watch Freely

Having been around for little more than a year, Freely is still finding its feet when it comes to manufacturer support. However, brands such as Panasonic, TCL, Sharp, Toshiba, Bush and Hisense already have some models with Freely on-board. And the likes of Philips and JVC are soon to follow.

You can see a list of currently supported TVs on the official Freely site.

It cannot currently be downloaded as a separate app for an existing non-Freely TV, although there are plans to introduce a Freely box in the future.

Not only has the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, recently suggested the broadcaster would be interested in introducing such a device, T3 spoke with TV platform TiVo during an event in April 2025 where it also revealed plans to incorporate Freely into a set-top-box.

That would expand the availability of Freely greatly, meaning anyone can use it with a TV they already own.

Will Freely replace Freeview?

As things stand today, Freely runs alongside Freeview, even though it is effectively a rival. It's currently a choice rather than replacement.

However, as the BBC's Tim Davie said in May 2025, the corporation is planning for an internet-only future and the switching off of terrestrial broadcast signals: "We think now is the time to confirm an IP switchover in the 2030s, setting out the conditions and providing certainty to ensure success," he explained in a forward-thinking speech.

"To help, we want to double down on Freely as a universal free service to deliver live TV over broadband."

This could eventually see Freely replace Freeview as the UK's TV delivery platform.

Will Freely replace BBC iPlayer and ITVX?

As it is primarily a live TV service, Freely is no threat to BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, or 5 streaming platforms. In fact, it supports them, using each to play content selected on the EPG.

Like with Freeview Play, you can scroll backwards through the guide and select retrospective programming. That then loads into the respective service, such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX, and plays the show or movie from there.

Find out more about Freely

You can find out more about the Freely platform and service by heading to its official website: freely.co.uk.