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⚡Quick verdict
Freeview Play is the version of Freeview built into most UK smart TVs and set-top boxes since 2015. Live channels come through your rooftop aerial, and catch-up from iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and My5 comes over broadband, all in one guide where you can scroll back to watch shows from the past week. It is free apart from the TV licence.
- It needs both an aerial and a broadband connection.
- No monthly fee, no contract.
- No pay sport: Sky Sports and TNT Sports are not on it.
How it works
Freeview Play combines two things that older Freeview boxes kept separate:
- Live channels picked up by the aerial, roughly 70 in standard definition and 15 or so in HD, depending on your transmitter.
- On-demand players from the main broadcasters, reached over your broadband.
The guide links them. Scroll back a few days on BBC One, pick a programme you missed, and the TV opens it in iPlayer without you hunting for the app.
What you need
- A TV or box with the Freeview Play logo.
- A working rooftop or loft aerial pointed at your local transmitter.
- Broadband for the catch-up part; around 5 Mbps is enough for most of it.
- A TV licence if you watch live TV or use iPlayer.
What it does not include
No pay channels: no Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Sky Atlantic or Sky Cinema. The free sport is what the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 show: highlights, England internationals, the FA Cup ties the BBC picks, the Six Nations and some cricket.
Freeview Play, Freely or IPTV?
| Freeview Play | Freely | IPTV subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerial needed | Yes | No | No |
| Monthly cost | None | None | Yes |
| Pay sport | No | No | Depends on the service |
| Main catch-up apps | Yes | Yes | Varies |
More on the newer option in What is Freely?
From £5.42 a month
Borrow a full log-in for 24 hours before paying a penny. No card, no contract, no silent renewals.