If you just unboxed your Amazon Fire Stick, the last thing you want to do is sign up for three more streaming subscriptions before you even watch your first show. I can't tell you how many friends I've helped set up Fire Sticks who immediately start paying for extra services before they check the no-cost content that's already available or easy to add to their device, so we put together this breakdown of what is free on Amazon Fire Stick to help you get the most out of your purchase without emptying your wallet. I've tested every category of free content on my own Fire Stick over the past two years, so I can also tell you which options are worth your time and which come with annoying catches you'll want to avoid.
What Is Free on Amazon Fire Stick Right Out of the Box?
You don't have to download a single extra app to access a ton of free content as soon as you set up your Fire Stick. Amazon Freevee comes pre-loaded on every model, no separate download or Amazon Prime subscription required. It has thousands of movies, full TV series, and even original exclusive content, all supported by short ad breaks that are way shorter than traditional cable commercials. Prime users do get access to an extra ad-free library alongside the free Freevee offerings, but you won't miss out on most of the content if you don't have a Prime membership.
You also get pre-loaded access to the Amazon Music Free tier, which gives you access to over 100 million songs with occasional ad breaks, plus curated playlists for every mood and activity. If you like listening to music while you cook or clean, you don't need to pay for Spotify Premium to get good audio on your TV. The built-in Alexa voice tools are completely free too, so you can set timers, check the weather, get live sports scores, and control compatible smart home devices all through your Fire Stick remote, no extra fees required.
Top Free Third-Party Apps to Add to Your Fire Stick
The pre-installed free content is great, but you can expand your options dramatically by downloading free apps from the official Amazon App Store, all of which are verified safe for Fire Stick devices. All of the apps on this list are 100% free to download and use, with no hidden costs for core functionality:
- Tubi: Owned by Fox, this app has one of the largest libraries of free movies and TV shows, with new titles added every week. Ad breaks are limited to 2-3 minutes per hour of content, and you don't need to create an account to start watching.
- Pluto TV: This app works like free cable, with hundreds of live channels covering news, sports, reality TV, and movies, plus a large on-demand library. You can customize your channel guide to hide categories you don't care about, making it feel far more personalized than basic cable.
- Crackle: Owned by Sony, Crackle has a strong selection of classic movies and original series, with no account required to watch. It also has a dedicated section for anime fans, which is a rare perk for free streaming apps.
- RetroArch: If you like gaming, this free emulator lets you play thousands of classic retro games from systems like NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis, right on your Fire Stick. You'll just need a Bluetooth controller to play comfortably, no extra game purchases required.
Most of these apps let you pay a small one-time fee to remove ads if you find the breaks annoying, but the free ad-supported version works perfectly well for most users. Just make sure you only download apps from the official Amazon App Store, because sideloaded apps from unknown sources can carry malware or violate copyright laws.
Hidden Free Features Most Fire Stick Owners Miss
A lot of people only use their Fire Stick for streaming shows, but there are a ton of free features you're probably overlooking that make the device way more useful. First, screen mirroring is completely free on all Fire Stick models, and lets you cast content from your phone, tablet, or laptop directly to your TV. That's perfect for showing family photos, playing mobile games on a big screen, or watching content from apps that aren't available on the Fire Stick App Store.
You also get free access to a custom screensaver tool that lets you upload your own photos to use as a screensaver, turning your TV into a digital photo frame when you're not watching content. The built-in accessibility toolkit is also 100% free, with closed captioning for all content, voice guidance for people with visual impairments, and text-to-speech tools all available at no extra cost. If you have multiple Fire Sticks in your home, you can sync your watch history and preferences across all devices for free too, no subscription required. You can even access most local news channels through free streaming apps, so you don't need a cable subscription to stay up to date on what's happening in your area.
Important Things to Know About Free Fire Stick Content
While most free content on the Fire Stick is completely safe and legal, there are a few caveats you should keep in mind to avoid issues. First, almost all free streaming content is ad-supported, so you will have to sit through occasional commercial breaks. That said, most free apps have far fewer ads than cable TV, so many people find the tradeoff worth it to avoid paying monthly fees. You also don't need to share your credit card information to access most free content, except when you're signing up for a free trial of a paid service.
Always double check that you're not accidentally signing up for a recurring subscription when you download a new app. I once accidentally signed up for a $9.99 monthly sports app subscription when I was trying to access a free live game preview, so I always double check the checkout page before I click confirm now. Set a reminder to cancel free trials before they renew if you don't want to pay for the full service. Another thing to note is that some free content is only available in certain regions, so you might not be able to access every show or movie if you're traveling outside of your home country. Finally, avoid any app or service that claims to give you free access to newly released movies or pay-per-view events, because those are almost always pirated content that can get you in legal trouble, and they often carry malware that can harm your Fire Stick or steal your personal information.
At the end of the day, you don't need to spend a fortune on subscriptions to get tons of value out of your Fire Stick. From live TV and classic movies to retro games and smart home controls, there's a huge range of what is free on Amazon Fire Stick if you know where to look. Take an hour to browse the Amazon App Store and test out a few of the free apps we mentioned, and you'll probably find that you can cancel at least one of your current streaming subscriptions without missing your favorite content. Just stick to official apps, watch for accidental subscription signups, and you'll be able to enjoy hundreds of hours of no-cost content whenever you want.