Everything on this page holds a licence for what it shows. Prices are what a new customer pays in October 2026; most rise each spring.
What can you watch for free?
| Service | What you get | Needs a TV licence? |
|---|---|---|
| Freeview (aerial) | About 70 channels, plus HD, on Freeview channel numbers 1 to 100+ | Yes, for live TV |
| Freesat (dish) | A similar line-up by satellite, no monthly fee | Yes, for live TV |
| BBC iPlayer | Every BBC channel live and on demand | Yes, always |
| ITVX, Channel 4, My5, U | Live channels and box sets, with adverts | Yes for live TV; no for on-demand only |
| Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, Rakuten TV | Free ad-funded channels | Only if they include live broadcast channels |
What do the paid services cost?
| Service | Price (October 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sky (Essential TV + UK Sports) | From £35 a month, 24-month contract | Most live Premier League, F1, cricket, golf |
| NOW Sports | £14.99 a day or £34.99 a month | UK Sports without a contract |
| TNT Sports (on HBO Max) | £30.99 a month, or £25.99 on a 12-month saver | Champions League, Saturday 12:30 Premier League |
| Netflix | £7.99 with ads, £13.99 Standard, £20.99 Premium | Films and series |
| Disney+ | £5.99 with ads (rising to £6.99), £9.99, £14.99 | Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, children |
| Amazon Prime | £8.99 a month or £95 a year | Prime Video, plus one Champions League game on Tuesdays |
| DAZN | About £24.99 a month rolling, £39.99 for Ultimate | Boxing |
Add the £180 TV licence and a household that wants all the football, a couple of streaming services and the boxing can spend well over £100 a month. Our TV bill checker adds up your own total.
What is missing from each?
No single legal service has everything. Sky has most live Premier League games but not the 52 on TNT Sports; TNT has the Champions League but not the Tuesday game on Prime Video; Netflix, Disney+ and Prime each keep their own series. This is the main reason people look at IPTV, and the reason to check carefully what a cheaper service is selling.
How do you check a service is licensed?
A licensed service names its company, sells through app stores or its own site with normal card payments, and appears in Ofcom’s or the provider’s press releases. If a seller offers all of the above for a few pounds a month, ask the questions on our legal page.
Readers also ask
What is the cheapest legal way to watch the Premier League?
Are there legal free IPTV services in the UK?
Is Freeview Play an IPTV service?
Sources
- TV Licensing: How much does a TV Licence cost? checked 6 October 2026
- NOW: All about NOW Sports Membership checked 6 October 2026
- WBD Sports: TNT Sports set to stream on HBO Max in the UK from 26 March checked 6 October 2026
- Advanced Television: Netflix raises UK subscription prices (4 September 2026) checked 6 October 2026
- Cordbusters: Disney+ UK is hiking prices again checked 6 October 2026