The 10 Essential, Free Live TV Apps Your LG Smart TV Needs Right Now
Category: Tech Talk / Home Hacks
Read Time: 15 Minutes (Honestly, you'll probably read it faster. It's good stuff.)
Let’s just get this out of the way: The era of the cable box is dead. Seriously, who in 2026 is still paying $150 a month just to have a clunky black device plugged into their TV? Plugging a coaxial cable into the wall feels less like technology and more like a museum exhibit.
Sure, Netflix and Disney+ are fantastic for those planned Friday night movie marathons, but let's be real—they don't scratch that specific itch we all get. I'm talking about the pure, simple joy of watching TV.
You know the feeling: you don't want to spend 45 minutes scrolling through a million thumbnails, paralyzed by choice. You just want to power up your set, see a guide, pick something, and let the content wash over you. We need local news, live sports scores, or (don't judge me) a mindless reality TV marathon playing in the background while we cook dinner.
If you bought an LG Smart TV—whether it's one of those beautiful, jaw-dropping OLEDs or a reliable 4K NanoCell—you’ve essentially bought a golden ticket to free television. The webOS Content Store is absolutely stuffed with legal, high-quality apps that totally replicate that cable experience, minus the soul-crushing monthly bill.
I’ve waded through the garbage, and these are the 10 best apps for real, honest-to-goodness Live TV on LG webOS in 2026.
🥇 The 10 Essential, Free Live TV Apps for LG webOS
1. LG Channels
The Native Cable Killer (Seriously, why aren't you using this?)
We have to start with the giant hiding in plain sight. If you own an LG TV, you already have this app. In fact, by 2026, calling it an "app" feels almost insulting—it's just part of the operating system's furniture.
- The Experience: LG designed this thing to launch seamlessly, often integrated into the initial inputs, just like the cable used to. No sign-up, no login, absolutely zero credit card required. It just works.
- The webOS Integration: The best part? It plays perfectly with the LG Magic Remote. Point, click, and scroll through the guide like you’re changing channels—it’s intuitive and fast.
- What You Can Watch: The lineup is solid. You’ll find major news, lifestyle channels, comedy, and tons of movies. It’s powered by providers like Pluto TV and Xumo, giving you a curated best-of-both-worlds scenario.
- Why it wins: It’s the path of least resistance to passive viewing, and that’s a beautiful thing.
2. Pluto TV
The Undisputed King of "Zapping"
Do you miss that satisfying feeling of flipping channels until something decent stops you? Pluto TV is your ultimate nostalgia trip. Owned by Paramount, this service remains the gold standard for Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST).
- The Interface: It's sleek, blue, and, most importantly, incredibly responsive on webOS. No lag when you pull up the guide, which is a massive win in my book.
- The Live Factor: They have some on-demand stuff, sure, but let's be honest, you're here for the grid. It's 100% focused on linear viewing.
- What You Can Watch: Because Paramount is funding this, you get surprisingly premium content. Think MTV channels, Nickelodeon classics for the kids, Comedy Central highlights, and dedicated movie channels sorted brilliantly by genre.
- Pro Tip: Seriously, hunt down their "Pop-Up" category. They rotate brilliant, highly specific channels seasonally (like a dedicated Bond movie channel).
3. Tubi
More Than Just Bad Movies (It’s Live!)
We all know Tubi for its massive on-demand movie library (often B-list, but sometimes hiding gold!), but listen up: their "Live TV" section has exploded in size and quality.
- The Live Expansion: Tubi has quietly integrated robust "Live News" and "Sports" tabs. It's not just static clips; these are continuous, linear feeds.
- Sports Focus: Being under the Fox Corporation umbrella means Tubi often pulls in great sports content, including replays, analysis shows, and niche events you won't catch anywhere else.
- Regional Content: If you’re lucky enough to live in a larger market, Tubi can even pull in local news feeds, which makes it feel much more personalized than national headlines.
4. Xumo Play
Your Go-To for Quick News and Viral Chaos
Owned by Comcast, Xumo Play often gets overlooked, but it's an absolute necessity for anyone who wants information now.
- The Speed: Xumo is incredibly lightweight. If you have an older LG model that occasionally struggles, Xumo loads near-instantly. It’s one of the fastest apps on this list, period.
- News Junkie Focus: If you live on news updates, this is your home base. It aggregates live feeds from major players like NBC News, Sky News, Bloomberg, and CBC. Perfect background noise while you’re making your morning coffee.
- Niche Channels: Xumo is excellent for "background entertainment." They specialize in viral fail videos (hello, FailArmy) and endless pet compilations. Does it sound silly? Yes. Is it perfect for having guests over? Absolutely.
5. Plex
The Geek’s Choice That Went Mainstream
Plex started as a highly technical way to organize your personal hard drive of movies. Now, it’s a full-blown broadcaster—who saw that coming?
- Global TV: Plex has some of the most interesting international partnerships. If you're tired of the same US content, you can find channels from Europe, Asia, and Latin America here.
- The Interface: Visually, it’s stunning. The guide is packed with metadata—you can see cast info and episode descriptions right in the live menu. It makes the others look a little dated.
- Community Feel: They offer great niche channels dedicated to very specific hobbies: gaming (IGN TV), cooking (Tastemade), and the kind of classic cinema only film students love.
6. NewsON
The True Antenna Replacement (Fixing the biggest complaint)
If you're anything like me, your biggest complaint about "cutting the cord" was losing local channels. NewsON solves this problem so well, it’s almost cheating.
- The Mission: NewsON is laser-focused on local TV stations. They partnered with station groups across the US to stream their actual, live news broadcasts.
- No Antenna Needed: That's right. You don’t need to deal with a flimsy, ugly antenna. If you want to see your local anchors covering your city's traffic and weekend events, this is the app you must download.
- On-Demand News: Missed the morning broadcast? No problem. NewsON lets you instantly replay the most recent newscast.
7. Haystack News
Your Own Personalized News Anchor (Finally!)
If you want to watch the news, but you don't want to sit through three segments on city council votes you don't care about, Haystack is a game-changer for your LG TV.
- How it works: This isn't one channel; it's a personalized feed. You select your interests (Tech, Politics, Weather, Local Sports), and the app literally builds a continuous "Live" broadcast custom-tailored just to you.
- Why it’s essential: It completely replaces the anxiety of waiting for the 6:00 PM news. The information you need is delivered right when you open the app. It’s smart TV, actually being smart.
8. DistroTV
The Diverse, Underdog Alternative (Time to try something new)
And finally, for those who feel that the main apps are too "mainstream" or US-centric, DistroTV is the diverse, underdog alternative that deserves your attention.
- International Content: DistroTV is a godsend for multi-cultural households. They have a massive selection of "Desi" (South Asian) channels, plus content from Africa and Southeast Asia you won't find on Pluto.
- Unique Categories: They cater to very specific niche interests: independent film festivals, dedicated channels for MMA fighting, and obscure music scenes.
- My Takeaway: It’s a clean interface and, while the streams are sometimes a bit lower quality than LG Channels, the variety is unbeatable.
9. Crackle
The Movie Fan’s Second-Hand Store
Crackle (owned by Sony) is often ignored because its name sounds like a cereal, but it consistently offers a strong, ad-supported catalog of Hollywood movies and TV shows.
- The Value: While its channel guide isn't as robust as Pluto's, its linear feeds often show full-length movies continuously. It's great when you just want a movie marathon, but don't want to pay VOD prices.
- The Niche: It excels in classic action and cult horror movies. It's the perfect background app for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
10. The Roku Channel
The Stealth Player
Wait, "Roku" on an "LG"? Yes! The Roku Channel is an app available on webOS, and it’s a brilliant content aggregator.
- The Surprise: Roku has quietly invested heavily in its own original content (often picking up canceled premium shows) and licensing high-quality movies for its Live TV section.
- The Interface: It’s designed to be simple and focused. You’ll find fewer, but often better, channels here compared to the others.
A Final, Crucial Note for LG webOS Users
You’ve just unlocked over 1,000 channels without spending a penny. But if you want a perfectly smooth viewing experience, your internet needs to be solid. Live TV hates buffering.
Quick Tip to Prevent Stuttering: If you notice the picture quality dropping, do yourself a favor: use the wired Ethernet port instead of Wi-Fi. It’s a 5-minute fix that guarantees that perfectly smooth, lag-free, cable-TV feel we all miss.
Enjoy the free ride!
