What you need to know
- US viewers can now watch complete seasons of several popular TV shows on YouTube for free with ads.
- Some of the shows that are now available to stream include Hell’s Kitchen, Andromeda, Heartland, and Relic Hunter.
- YouTube also has more than 1,500 movies from Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, FilmRise, and more.
In October 2018, YouTube quietly added a “Free to watch” category to its movie section, allowing viewers to watch several feature films for free with ads. YouTube has now announced that viewers in the U.S. can stream nearly 4,000 episodes of their favorite TV shows for free, including Hell’s Kitchen, Andromeda, and Heartland.
While there are currently only about 100 TV shows that you can watch for “free,” more shows will be added in the near future. YouTube also offers more than 1,500 movies that viewers can stream for free with ads. New titles added this month include Gone in Sixty Seconds, Runaway Bride, and Legally Blonde.
Users in the U.S. can now access these movies and TV shows on web browsers, smart TVs with the YouTube on TV app, as well as the best Android phones. A large number of these titles are available to stream in 1080p with 5.1 surround sound on supported devices.
The addition of new ad-supported content should allow YouTube to further increase its lead over rivals as the leading ad-supported streaming platform. According to Nielsen Streaming Platform Ratings, YouTube reached over 135 million users on connected TVs in the U.S. in December last year.
Along with free, ad-supported TV shows, YouTube is also rolling out a new “streamlined navigation and immersive banner art” to its smart TV app. YouTube says these changes are aimed at making it easier for users to find their favorite TV shows, whether they choose to rent, purchase, or watch for free.
