How FAST works
- Scheduled, not on demand. Each channel plays a schedule, like broadcast TV. You join wherever it is, and many services show a guide grid.
- Adverts instead of a subscription. The service sells advertising in breaks, so viewers pay nothing.
- Themed channels. Channels are often built around a genre, a decade, or a single long-running show, which suits libraries of older programmes.
- Inside an app or TV. You watch in the service’s own app, or built into a TV brand’s home screen.
FAST services often have an on-demand library too, with adverts, alongside the channels.
FAST services in the UK
| Service | Where it is | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Pluto TV | Apps for Fire TV, Android TV and Google TV, Apple devices, Roku, LG and Samsung TVs, Xbox and web browsers, depending on region | Optional |
| Samsung TV Plus | Built into Samsung smart TVs from 2016; app on Galaxy phones and tablets with Android 11 or later | Not needed |
Some other TV brands run their own free channel services as well; check your TV’s home screen or app store.
FAST, broadcast and IPTV compared
| FAST | Broadcaster apps | IPTV subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, with adverts | Free (TV Licence rules apply) | Paid |
| Channels | The service’s own themed channels | The broadcaster’s channels | Many channels, chosen by the provider |
| Where you watch | The service’s app or TV | The broadcaster’s app | A player app of your choice |
| TV guide | In the app | In the app | Loaded into your player |
FAST and the TV Licence
GOV.UK says you need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or service, and that on-demand programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer don’t need one. If you’re unsure how that applies to a scheduled channel you watch, see do you need a TV Licence for IPTV or ask TV Licensing.
For all the free, legal ways to watch TV online in the UK, see free internet TV in the UK.