Tubi TV Review

8

Great

Price 9 out of 10

Interface 7.5 out of 10

Compatibility 9.2 out of 10

New Shows 8 out of 10

Tubi TV is a streaming service which is designed for those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription for services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime TV. It launched in 2014 and offers over 12,000 titles across movies and TV from major studios. The main perk with Tubi TV is that the service is completely free, with commercials shown in breaks during programming.

The platform has reported impressive usage, with June 2019 seeing an announcement that there were over 20 million active monthly users. In September of that year, it was revealed that users had streamed 132 million hours of content.

Tubi has a section on its platform called Tubi Kids, which is a dedicated hub for family focused content streamed via Roku and its supported devices.

Expansion is coming quickly with this platform, as October 2019 saw Tubi announce an expansion to the UK in early 2020. Furthermore, in January 2020 Tubi revealed they would be expanding to Mexico thanks to a partnership with TV Azteca.

In February 2020, Fox Corporation were reported to be entering negotiations concerning their acquisition of Tubi. This was followed up by their purchase, which set them back $440 million.

There is content from a number of partners on this platform. Notable examples include Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Studio 100, Shout Factory, WildBrain, Funimation, Viz Media and NBCUniversal.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Free of charge. This service does not require its users to pay a subscription fee, so content can be enjoyed without worrying about making payments.

Decent content library. Despite its lack of subscription fee needed, the available content you can browse on Tubi TV will still keep you entertained for hours.

Mark shows to watch later. This platform lets users mark specific titles they don’t have time to watch now, but could engage with in the future.

Cons

No paid options. Those who aren’t enjoying watching content with adverts will have to find another platform to watch their title on, as there is not a paid option available with Tubi.

Poor streaming resolution. Those who like to use 4K streaming devices, or watch content in 1080p or UHD, will find that adjusting the streaming quality will not generally be an option on Tubi.

Technical issues. Some users have experienced issues with glitches and buffering when attempting to watch a movie or TV show on this streaming platform.

Genres and channels

There is a wide variety of genres available to browse through on Tubi TV. The main menu shows a selection of popular options, which includes Featured, Leaving Soon, Most Popular, New Releases, Recently Added and Trending Now.

The genre overview includes the following:

  • Action
  • Anime
  • Classics
  • Comedy
  • Crime TV
  • Documentary
  • Docuseries
  • Drama
  • Faith
  • Family Movies
  • Foreign Language Films
  • Foreign Language TV
  • Home & Garden
  • Horror
  • Indie Films
  • Kids Shows
  • LGBTQ
  • Lifestyle
  • Martial Arts
  • Music & Musicals
  • Music & Musicals
  • Preschool
  • Reality TV
  • Romance
  • Sci-Fi & Fantasy
  • Sports Movies & Shows
  • Stand up Comedy
  • Sword & Sorcery
  • Thrillers
  • TV Comedies
  • TV Dramas
  • Westerns

There are also collections – for example a user can choose to watch series which are in the spotlight, titles which are specifically not to be found on Netflix, cult classics, those which are highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes or simply a selection of movies for a night in with friends or family.

Top Tubi TV shows and movies

Movies

Beauty Shop – A hairdresser moves to Atlanta with her daughter, but after butting heads with her boss, she decides to set up her own salon.

Tekken – After seeing Anvil murder his mother, Jin prepares to take him on in the ultimate battle.

Robocop 2 – Cyborg Detroit policeman Murphy must fight against issues such as a crime boss and the spread of a dangerous new drug as the sole officer on duty.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure – High school friends Bill and Ted start a band, but if they fail history, Ted will be sent to military school. Fortunately, a time traveler helps them out.

School of Rock – Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, a down and out rocker who impersonates his friend Ned Schneebly and teaches a school of kids how to perform in an epic concert.

Crocodile Dundee – A New York reporter heads to Australia to interview Crocodile Dundee. She takes him back to America, where he is stunned by the way of life.

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging – A coming of age drama which follows a close knit group of friends as they navigate crushes, heartbreak and big life changes.

World Trade Center – Two officers become trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center after helping people escape from the 2001 terrorist attacks.

True Grit – An outlaw murders a young girl’s father, so she hires a trigger-happy lawman to help her avenge him.

Showgirls – Nomi arrives in Vegas with dreams of making it big. After starting out in a seedy strip club, she begins to achieve her dreams – but are they worth it?

TV shows

Duck Dynasty – A look at Louisiana-based family the Robertsons, who do well due to duck hunting season and operate a multimillion sporting empire.

Hell’s Kitchen – A brutal and fiery cooking competition hosted by top chef Gordon Ramsay.

Kitchen Nightmare – Gordon Ramsay travels across the United States to help struggling restaurants improve their business.

Yu-Gi-Oh! – A popular manga series about gaming which has developed into several TV series spin-offs.

Naruto – The story of a young ninja who dreams of becoming the leader of his village.

The Inbetweeners – A British comedy featuring a group of boys who attempt to navigate high school and become cool.

Storage Wars: Texas – Chronicles the journey of bidders who want to hit the big time by buying repossessed storage units.

Cajun Pawn Stars – Focuses on shop owner Jimmie and his family as they run the business and evaluate items for their potential.

Streaming library

The first step to take is downloading the app or visiting the website. You will need to either make a basic account or sign in using Facebook. It’s possible to watch select titles without being logged into an account, but you won’t be able to watch content which is marked Mature or R-rated. After your first sign-in, you’ll be asked to choose some favorites from a list of movies and shows. This allows the app to create personalised suggestions based on your viewing preferences.

When browsing Tubi TV on desktop and mobile, users will find that the interface is easy to master and features an economical design. The drop down menu includes plenty of genres to browse, and there will be various categories to scroll through. You’ll find that the video quality will vary according to the title you watch – while some will play in HD, others will only have streams in 360p.

Streaming quality

For those who enjoy streaming content in 4K, they will be disappointed with Tubi TV, as the maximum resolution available is full HD. Furthermore, another factor impacting the streaming experience is the device being used. Those with older models will not get the same level of streaming quality. There is not currently an option to upgrade streaming resolutions with Tubi, but the good news is those who are fine to watch in HD have a huge range of options when it comes to the content library.

Customer support

There is a help center available with Tubi TV for those who require assistance as they stream content on the platform. This site comprises a searchable database with a list of content categories according to compatible devices. These include Roku, Amazon, Web, Android, iOS, Chromecast, Vizio TV and so on.

Under the general section, the categories include video streaming, supported devices, account, password, parental controls, closed captions and history.

The main way to contact Tubi TV is by filling in a web support form with your name, email, platform being used to stream content and other personal details, before going on to describe your issue and categorising it according to the topic it falls under.

This platform has a strong Twitter and Facebook presence, but there is no confirmation that the service can be contacted using these resources.

Free trial

The main benefit found with a Tubi TV user experience is that there is no need to part with any cash before streaming titles. This means that no free trial is included, as it is not relevant. To begin streaming on Tubi TV, people only need to make an account and choose a title to watch. Accounts are free to sign up for, so those who no longer want to use the platform do not need to take any further action. That said, accounts can be deleted if desired.

Plans and pricing

Tubi TV is completely free, which means you won’t need to part with any credit or debit card information in order to enjoy the services provided. Furthermore, there is no paywall or premium account upgrade required to unlock the full library; viewers can simply use the service in exchange for watching ads at set intervals. The frequency of these ads will vary, depending on which content you watch and how long you’re using the service overall. You may find that a 30 second commercial will run before content begins playing, and during a TV episode there could be two shorter ads around halfway through. There may be no ads for most of a movie, but other movies could show them every 15 minutes. This is the only downside when it comes to using a free service like Tubi TV.

Competitors

There are several competitors in the free streaming services market, such as Pluto TV and Crackle. Each one has its own individual benefits and offerings, and Tubi TV is no different. While there aren’t any recent blockbuster movies or the latest episodes of top TV series to explore, Tubi has made the effort to partner with several major studios in order to provide high quality titles. Additionally, the user interface makes use of detailed genre breakdowns and categories in order to direct people to the kind of content they want to watch quickly and easily.

When it comes to paid contenders, these are clearly platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Amazon Prime TV. The main factor people consider in such a scenario is money – Netflix’s monthly subscription has slowly risen since its inception, while having to part with money isn’t a factor if you’re a Tubi TV user. That being said, the rise in cost for Netflix’s content is due to the fact that a huge amount of money has been spent on original programming, which makes its content library stand out. There won’t be any original content on Tubi TV, but there will be unusual picks such as popular anime series, which will appeal to a niche audience or those looking for something new.

Is Tubi TV worth it?

Tubi TV is a good streaming service for those who want a solid collection of old school movies and TV series without having to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee. The download and sign up process is easy, as is the navigation when browsing for content. Supported by ads which users will watch at regular intervals, this seems like a small price to pay.

It’s clear that Tubi TV will remain a staple product for years to come, as nobody will be able to resist the concept of watching free content. By sitting through some adverts, people can watch thousands of movies and TV shows without needing to pay a dime. The major partners such as Paramount, Lionsgate, Starz and MGM add recognition and credibility to the brand.

The user experience is designed so that it’s focused on the consumer. For example, viewers can sync their watch queue to all of their devices – making it easy to begin watching on one device and pick it up on another.

Furthermore, the ability to browse through curated collections and navigate lists of buzz worthy content means a similar experience to major platforms such as Netflix is gained.

Overall, Tubi TV is a great choice for those who want to cut back on their bills or would simply get enjoyment from this content library without needing to pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime TV or similar.

FAQ

How to cancel my Tubi TV subscription
  1. Sign in to your Tubi TV account.
  2. Tap on your name in the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap on Account Settings.
  4. Tap on Delete my account
  5. Select your reason for leaving.
  6. Enter your password.
  7. Tap on Delete.
How to login to my Tubi TV account

  1. Click onto the Tubi website.
  2. Click on the Sign In button.
  3. Click on Sign In via Facebook if you signed up using this platform.
  4. Alternatively, enter your email and password.
  5. Click on Sign In.
  6. Start streaming!
How to delete my watch history on Tubi TV
  1. Navigate to tubitv.com/account/history
  2. Sign in to your account.
  3. Click on your name on the top right hand corner of your screen.
  4. Click on Account settings.
  5. Click on History & Queue.
  6. Click on Delete your watch history – this button is located on  the bottom of the page.
  7. Alternatively, click on a title and select Remove to delete a specific show or movie.
How to restart my Tubi TV subscription later


As there is no paid subscription to Tubi TV, users do not need to worry about restarting an account or a plan. Instead, they can simply log back into their account in the future when they feel like watching a title again.

How to get a refund on Tubi TV?

There is no need for users to request a refund for Tubi TV, as no payments are made to the site in order to stream content.

Are there any good alternatives to Tubi TV?

There are a number of platforms which provide free streaming of content to people that is ad supported. Examples include Sony Crackle and Pluto TV. Ultimately the difference between these platforms is personal preference. Many will prefer Tubi TV due to its focus on a multitude of genres and a selection of collections to browse through.

Can I use my Tubi TV account in another country?

Those who reside in the USA will be able to receive full access to the Tubi TV library. There is a restricted version of the content library available in Australia and Canada, while elsewhere in the world Tubi cannot typically be accessed.

How to sign up to Tubi TV
  1. Navigate to the Tubi TV website.
  2. Click on the Register button in the top right hand corner of the screen.
  3. Alternatively, click on the Watch Now button located on the homepage.
  4. Choose to register via Facebook or email.
  5. If using email, enter your first name, email and password.
  6. Enter your birthday and gender.
  7. Click on Register.
  8. Start streaming!

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