Saikat Basu · August 10, 2020 · 6 min read Will TV go out of fashion? It’s difficult to say. A burgeoning number of people are cutting the cord every day. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ etc are streaming in. Then, smart devices like Amazon Fire Sticks are helping you customize the way you surf TV channels.
The Amazon Fire Stick is one of the best alternatives to Google Chromecast. But whichever device you choose, there are just so many hours in a day. So, your choice of movie and TV channels becomes critical to getting the most out of them.
Here are some of the most popular Amazon Fire Stick channels you should install. Also, be sure to check out the short video we made on YouTube going through the apps below.
YouTube
YouTube was the victim of a tiff between Google and Amazon. Then it came back on Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon devices. And why not? Where else would you get to watch 30+ million channels and content in more than 80 languages? YouTube handles a third of the web’s traffic.
Install the YouTube app on the Fire Stick and let Alexa do its thing with a, “Alexa, play the latest song from Taylor Swift” voice command.
Download: YouTube (Free)
Tubi TV
The Tubi TV Fire Stick channel has a nice feature called Collections that you can use as a shortcut to watch acclaimed movies. For instance, the Highly Rated on Rotten Tomatoes collection will help you discover some rare gems like the “Requiem for The American Dream”.
It is the world’s largest ad-supported video on demand service with over 20,000 movies and television shows from every major Hollywood studio. That’s a claim you can test while binging on its vast collection.
Tubi is available in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Download: Tubi TV (Free)
FilmRise Classics
Want to return to the best classics? On the FilmRise Classics Fire Stick channel you can watch shows like 21 Jump Street and Third Rock From The Sun here. You can also turn to more recent films like Monster, Memento, and Spotlight if you’re tired of TV shows. There’s a selective lineup of free documentaries too for a dose of reality.
Download: FilmRise (Free)
Popcornflix
Watch streaming movies, viral videos, and web series episodes. A selective lineup of free to watch foreign films and documentaries completes the package. You have to put up ads through them, but the content is free to air.
An interesting trivia is that the Chicken Soup for the Soul company owns the online channel.
You will find documentaries foreign films and original web series. Use the directory to browse for shows across all genres from action to Asian action. And don’t miss out on some of the unique categories like Standup Comedy and Bro Movies.
There’s a special Popcornflix Kids Amazon Fire Stick app too.
Download: Popcornflix (Free)
IMDb TV
IMDb is an Amazon company but needs no separate introduction for film lovers. It always had trailers, celebrity interviews, and other short form content. Last year, Amazon launched IMDb TV (earlier it was IMDb Freedrive) as a free but ad-supported Amazon Fire Stick channel for movies and TV shows.
It is available only in the U.S. Look out for the “Watch Free on IMDb TV” sign when you are browsing the site to instantly know if the title is available on IMDb TV. You can also find IMDb TV titles in your Watchlist on the site.
Download: IMDb TV (Free)
TED TV
TED Talks have always been the easiest way to get brain food. You can move from your desktop or mobile to the couch with its Amazon Fire Stick app.
The easy sync between the devices ensures that you keep your favorite talks and watch history wherever you watch the talks. Plus, you can bring them up with voice commands.
Download: TED TV (Free)
XUMO TV
The XUMO Fire Stick channel has a channel lineup that looks just like the one offered by your cable provider. There are 180+ free channels to pick from. All channels are free to watch and stream from any device.
Apart from free movies, you can relax with ABC News Live, NBC News NOW, HISTORY, PGA Tour, FailArmy, and other channels XUMO partners with. Of course, like any other cable channel you have to tolerate commercial breaks and ads.
One happy benefit of XUMO’s free offering is that it tries to add new channels every month.
Download: XUMO (Free)
Crackle
Sony Entertainment brings you Crackle. The free video streaming app showcases movies and TV shows while supporting ads. Browse the content that is organized into neat “channels” that makes discovery easier than Netflix.
For instance, you can go through the Home School Channel to find kid-friendly shows. Or, the Film Fatales Channel for some kickass women-centric films. Crackle is available in the U.S. only.
Download: Crackle (Free)
NASA
Space and astronomy are back in vogue. If you want to catch up, then NASA’s awesome content is the first place to tap because it’s not a niche Fire Stick channel for space buffs. And yes, it streams everything for free.
Watch news, live events like space launches, broadcasts from the ISS, interviews with astronauts, and even historical content. NASA also uses other partners to beam its content like YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch among others for public education.
The Amazon Fire Stick app and a 4K TV is a good combination for a lean back spacefaring experience.
Download: NASA TV (Free)
PBS Kids
The Public Broadcasting Service has a bunch of apps with family friendly shows. PBS KIDS is for the little ones. It is the most trusted source of good quality educational content for kids.
The 24×7 edutainment is all free. It could be the perfect distraction for your kids when schools are closed, and they are stuck inside the house.
Download: PBS (Free)
Free Amazon Fire Stick Channels: More Than You Can Count
An Amazon Fire Stick can turn any dumb TV into a smart TV and save you a lot of money. Install the right streaming channels and you can even drop your cable subscription for good.
But don’t just stop at these apps. Download these amazing Amazon Fire Stick apps and turn your TV into a multipurpose entertainment hub.
