If you want to save as much money as possible with the TV shows you watch, free streaming services are constantly evolving and can offer several benefits. For example, Google TV Freeplay recently added thousands of new titles to watch, potentially making it a more desirable free streaming choice. However, services like Google Freeplay also have some drawbacks that may tempt you to pay for streaming.
Some of the main drawbacks you may encounter when using Freeplay include the fact that ads on the interface may seem intrusive and that you cannot always run Freeplay outside the United States. Additionally, much of the programming is only available in low resolution, and accessing Freeplay becomes much more difficult if your TV doesn’t run Android TV or Google TV OS. But more importantly, Freeplay’s overall programming still lags behind other free streaming options, despite recent programming upgrades.
If these drawbacks seem off-putting but you still don’t want to pay for streaming, you can consider other free options. For example, Roku is one of the most watched free TV streaming services and it might be worth taking a look. Some of the other best free streaming services include Tubi and Pluto. Similar to Freeplay, you will have to watch ads if you want to stay in the free tier with Roku, Tubi, or Pluto.
Ads can almost overwhelm programming
When you select a free streaming service instead of a paid streaming service, you know you will have to watch ads. However, the combination of the already ad-saturated Google TV interface and ad-supported content makes Freeplay a tough watch. Users are complaining about repetitive ads and a recent increase in the number of ads. Some viewers even said that some ads were not suitable for younger or sensitive viewers.
Google understands that users complain about the frequency of ads. The company even surveyed its Google TV users a few years ago about what they thought about the level of advertising. However, it is unclear whether the company has made any changes based on the survey results.
If you’re frustrated by ads on Google TV, a free third-party app (Projectivy Launcher) can help you control them. It allows you to bypass the layout of the Google TV launcher that runs on Android TV operating system and remove ads. However, you may lose easy access to Freeplay, which is integrated into the Google TV launcher replaced by Projectivy Launcher.
Freeplay may not work outside the United States
For those who like to use Google TV Freeplay but also frequently travel outside the United States, the free streaming service may not work while you travel. Freeplay is currently only available to people in the United States, likely due to licensing issues for some shows outside the country.
Some of the free streaming service options that you can use inside or outside the United States include Tubi and Plex. For example, you can watch Tubi in countries like Canada, Mexico, Australia, etc., and the service can work with a VPN in other regions. If you’re trying to use a VPN to watch Google Freeplay outside the US, it may work for a while. However, Google may suddenly block content if it believes you are streaming over a VPN from a foreign country. Additionally, you will need a Google account to use Freeplay, and Google may be able to determine whether you are in the United States based on your account settings and information.
Much of Freeplay’s content is only displayed in low resolution
Google recently announced that Freeplay will offer more than 10,000 movies and TV shows on demand and more than 300 live channels. Unfortunately, since much of Freeplay’s programming is only available in non-Full HD resolution, the benefit of having new content may not outweigh the frustration of watching programs in lower resolution when you’re used to 1080p or 4K HD programming.
Most shows on Freeplay are available in HD, but you’re often limited to 720p. You keep the data with lower resolution content. Streaming 720p HD programming can use up to 3 GB of data per hour, while 1080p Full HD programming can use up to 5 GB per hour. Some channels available through Freeplay offer 4K content, but you may need to pay for a YouTube TV 4K Plus subscription to access the content (which means you’re no longer streaming for free).
It’s not uncommon for free streaming services to lower the resolution of certain content in order to use less data. For example, Tubi also streams primarily in 720p for its programming and rarely offers 4K content.
Using Freeplay is more difficult with some smart TV operating systems
If you have a TV that uses Google TV or Android TV as your smart TV interface, it’s easy to access Freeplay content. As long as you have the latest version of Google TV software, you will be able to find Freeplay programming directly integrated into the interface. Some TVs from manufacturers like Hisense, RCA, Sony and TCL may feature the Google TV interface.
However, if you have another type of Smart TV interface, it potentially becomes much more difficult to use Freeplay. For example, if you use Samsung’s Tizen as your Smart TV interface, you cannot directly access Freeplay content on your TV. If you have an old (discontinued) Chromecast stick or the new Google TV Streamer box, you can still access Freeplay content on almost any smart TV. Ultimately, it’s simply easier to stream Freeplay if you have a TV running the Google TV interface.
Freeplay has added content, but it still lags behind other options
Google’s recent announcement that Freeplay would add on-demand content is an impressive step forward for the free streaming service. The free, ad-supported service will offer more than 10,000 movies and TV shows, while increasing the number of live channels available to more than 300. However, Freeplay still lags behind other free streaming services in terms of the amount of content offered.
As of summer 2026, Roku’s free, ad-supported streaming service (The Roku Channel) offered more than 500 live TV channels. Plus, you’ll find over 80,000 titles on demand with The Roku Channel. It also offers exclusive live events, such as NBA G League basketball games and the Miss Universe pageant. Freeplay does not currently offer any original productions.
Likewise, Tubi’s free, ad-supported streaming service offers significantly more content than the Freeplay offerings. By the end of 2025, Tubi claimed to have nearly 300,000 movies and TV shows available on its platform. At the time, it also had 400 Tubi Originals, designed and exclusive for the Tubi service.
