⚡Quick verdict
Freeview is free, licensed and gives every home the main UK channels through an aerial, with Freely doing the same over broadband on newer TVs. If you watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and little else, you do not need to pay anyone. Telly Hub TV adds pay sport, film channels and channels from other countries.
- Freeview costs nothing beyond the TV licence.
- No Sky Sports or TNT Sports on Freeview or Freely.
- An aerial keeps working when broadband goes down.
Side by side
| Freeview / Freely | Telly Hub TV | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (TV licence aside) | from £5.42 |
| Main UK channels | Yes | Yes |
| Pay sport | No | Sport channels in the line-up |
| Film channels | Film4, Great! Movies, a few others | Many more, plus on-demand library |
| Channels from abroad | Very few | Many, by country and language |
| Needs | Aerial (Freeview) or a Freely TV | Broadband and a player app |
| Licensed | Yes | We do not claim so |
When free is enough
Plenty of homes watch the news, the soaps, a quiz show and Match of the Day, and never miss pay TV. If that is you, keep your money: Freeview, Freely and the free catch-up apps are excellent, and our Freeview Play page explains how to get the most from them.
When people add something
The usual reasons are live Premier League or Champions League football, F1, a channel from home in Polish or Punjabi, or box sets from Sky Atlantic. Those are what paid services, licensed or not, sell.
From £5.42 a month
Borrow a full log-in for 24 hours before paying a penny. No card, no contract, no silent renewals.