Amazon Freevee is being shutdown: Here's what you need to know

Amazon has offered free streaming programming in some form for years but its latest attempt was Freevee, whichwas first formed in 2022. The free service offered a robust library of new and exclusive content, as well as a backlog of interesting movies and shows beyond that. Two years later, Amazon has announced it’s pulling the plug on Freevee for good. At the time of this update, the Freevee app was still accessible but expect it to go offline in the coming weeks.

What is happening to Freevee and what about its existing content

When Freevee first rolled out we had yet to see Amazon fully embrace ads on its Amazon Prime Video platform. At the time, you could watch Freevee content either on Amazon Prime or through the Freevee app, though you’d be served ads regardless. Now that ads are the norm everywhere, Amazon wants to shutter the service and redirect customers to its Prime Video app. The good news is that Amazon Prime Video will still continue to offer a free limited, ad-supported catalog in the US and UK.

You can learn more about the change in our original news coverage around the Freevee shutdown.

Can you still use the Freevee app after this merger?

Unfortunately, no. This is really the most disappointing part of the news. Why is that? Simply put, the Freevee app was less cluttered and easier to navigate than the bloated Amazon Prime Video app. A lot of this is because the Amazon Prime app isn’t just a subscription streaming service, it’s also a platform for buying and renting movies and shows as well.

The best Freevee originals

Freevee doesn’t have nearly as many originals as you’d get with a subscription service, but the number is certainly growing with over 20 shows or movies, and several new projects slated for release in 2023. Here’s just a spattering of the shows we recommend watching.

• Bosch: Legacy — The continuation of Amazon Prime Video’s Bosch crime drama series is only available via Freevee.
• Judy Justice — The star of the hit daytime court show Judge Judy returned to TV via Freevee. Judge Judy Sheindlin once again presides over her civil case court, with a whopping 120 episodes to watch already, and more to come.
• Leverage: Redemption — The former TNT series about a group of con artists who now try to help people is back on the service with new episodes, starring much of the original cast.
• Alex Rider — This UK import, based on the novels about a teenage boy who works as a super-spy, is a Freevee exclusive in the US.
• Pretty Hard Cases — This is a Canadian import show about two female police detectives, a Freevee exclusive in the US.
• Sprung — A comedy series about a man who’s just been released from jail and moves in with a former cellmate. Unfortunately for both of them, a global pandemic is starting to affect the world. It’s a limited run series that fans of Raising Hope or My Name is Earl will love.
• Play-Doh Squished — Modern Family’s Sarah Hyland hosts in this family-friendly reality competition show centering around Play-Doh. My 6 year old adores this show; we watch it every week when a new episode airs.

Best Amazon Freevee alternatives

Looking for a free alternative to Amazon Freevee now that it is going away? Here are just a few options:

• Crackle: Crackle was one of the first free streaming services to be launched, and it’s still one of the best. It includes a number of library movies and TV shows to watch, plus a small number of exclusive movies and shows. It even offers parental controls if you sign up for a free account. You can start watching Crackle free right from their website. 
• Tubi: Fox owns Tubi, and as such uses that relationship to quickly show recent episodes of Fox reality shows only a few weeks after they drop, like The Masked Singer. The service also has a number of exclusive films from B movie outlets like The Asylum, and a few original shows like the animated series The Freak Brothers. Tubi TV also offers live local news from over 200 Fox TV affiliates across the United States. Start watching Tubi now!
• Pluto TV: Pluto TV was the leader in offering a cable TV-like experience for streaming, with hundreds of channels to watch content. Paramount owns Pluto TV, so you can check out many classic and current movies and shows from that studio, including Star Trek, Mission Impossible, and more. Get started watching Pluto TV right from their website.
• The Roku Channel: Roku, the same company that makes streaming TV sticks, boxes, and the OS for several smart televisions, is also offering the free Roku Channel streaming service for several platforms. Like Freevee, it also has both on-demand and live streaming “channels” to check out. It also has a growing number of original shows and movies. You can check out the Roku Channel for more great shows and movies.