Free-to-view TV has been a staple of home viewing for decades, from public broadcast services such as BBC and Channel 4, to platforms such as Freeview and Freesat, and ad-supported online channels in Pluto TV.
TV Plus is Samsung’s entrant into the free-to-view market, with thousands of movies and TV programmes available to be streamed direct to your home for free.
That sums up Samsung TV Plus in a nutshell, but we’ll dig deeper and explain where you can get it, which countries it’s available in and what you can watch on this live on-demand service.
What is Samsung TV Plus?
If you own a Samsung TV, you’d have noticed Samsung does not support Freeview Play, the catch-up and on-demand platform supported by the likes of LG, Panasonic, Hisense and other TV brands in the UK.
Instead it paved its own path in 2015 and created TV Plus, a FAST (free ad-supported TV) streaming and video service that presents sports, news, movies and TV channels to the viewer for free, integrated into the company’s Tizen smart TV platform.
There are no downloads as it’s all streamed online, no need for a subscription and it doesn’t require an external device, like a video streamer, to provide access. Simply turn on your Samsung TV, click on the TV Plus icon and away you go.
As of August 2022 it was available in 24 countries, and can be found on a variety of Samsung products (including refrigerators). According to Samsung’s own research it’s rated third among OTT (over-the-top) services on its own TVs.
What devices is TV Plus available on?
Samsung TV Plus is mainly available on the Korean brand’s devices. That includes TVs since 2015, (it’s pre-installed on its smart TVs since 2016), smart monitors, mobile and, interestingly, Family Hub refrigerators.
You won’t find it on platforms such as iOS. It is available on Android but strictly for selected Galaxy devices. Those who own smartphones from other Android manufacturers will see a message indicating the app won’t work with your device.
Will it appear on other TV platforms? There have been rumours that Samsung is interested in placing the app elsewhere, but there’s been no movement so far.
Which countries can I watch Samsung TV Plus in?
Current info pegs TV Plus’ availability in 24 countries. Content differs from region to region, with specific programming available in one market but not in another.
The full list of countries where Samsung TV Plus is available is: UK, United States, Spain, Korea, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Denmark, Brazil, Australia, Belgium, Finland, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Luxembourg, Norway, India and New Zealand.
Access to the mobile app is different as it’s available in fewer countries. These include:
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Italy
- France
- Spain
- Austria
- Switzerland
What can I watch?
There are around 200+ live channels on the service and what you can watch on Samsung TV Plus depends on where you live.
In the UK channels include CNN, Bloomberg, The Guardian and Reuters for news. In terms of entertainment there’s Baywatch, Pluto TV Drama, Comedy Hub, American Idol, Homes Under the Hammer, Come Dine with Me, and Deal or No Deal (US). The US has Top Gear US as an exclusive.
Sports include MMA TV and Edge Sport, while factual TV, as Samsung terms it, has the likes of Homicide Hunter, Rakuten TV documentaries, PBS America and 5 Building Britain.
America’s Got Talent is exclusive to TV Plus in the UK, while the latest production of Das Boot is available on Samsung 8K TVs in Germany (in actual 8K). German Samsung TV owners also get an exclusive free version of the sports service DAZN that includes live sports.
Samsung has teamed up with partners in each region to provide content, with viewers in Australia and New Zealand able to see shows from the 80s, 90s and 00s under umbrella channel Throwback TV; while those in India get content from the likes of Republic TV, Aaj Tak, Mastiii, Q TV, and Pitaara.
FAQs
No, an account isn’t necessary to view TV Plus but it is useful in the sense that having one allows you to set favourite channels, watch lists and create reminders, which can be remembered across devices.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.