Live NetTV v5.0Short answer: no. You can find a Freely app in the UK Amazon Appstore, but its own listing says it only works on compatible Freely devices and does not provide Freely services to Fire TV sticks. When Freely's owner, Everyone TV, agreed its deal with Amazon in October 2024, it covered Fire TV smart TVs, not plug-in sticks or the Fire TV Cube. Nothing announced since has changed that.
That does not leave a Fire TV Stick without UK channels. The broadcasters behind Freely all have their own free apps on the stick, which carry the same live channels.
What Freely is
Freely is a free TV service from the UK's public service broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. It launched in April 2024 and is run by Everyone TV, the company behind Freeview. It streams live channels and on-demand programmes over broadband, laid out in a single channel guide, so it works without an aerial. Freely says you need broadband of at least 10 Mbps to stream its live channels, and adding an aerial unlocks more of them.
Think of it as Freeview delivered over the internet, built into the TV's own home screen.
Where Freely works
| Device | Freely? |
|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, 4K Max, Fire TV Cube | No |
| Amazon Fire TV smart TVs and most new UK TVs running Fire TV built in | Yes, built in on supported models |
| Freely TVs from Hisense, Sharp, TCL, Haier and Philips | Yes, on Freely-badged models |
| Netgem Pleio and Manhattan Aero boxes | Yes. These are Freely boxes that plug into any TV with HDMI |
| Roku, Google TV, Apple TV, games consoles | No Freely app |
A TV supports Freely only if the model is sold as a Freely TV. Look for the Freely logo on the box or the retailer listing, or check the device list on Freely's website.
How to get the same channels on a Fire TV Stick
Install the broadcasters' own apps from the Amazon Appstore (Find › Search on the Fire TV home screen). All are free:
- BBC iPlayer — every BBC channel live, plus the archive. A TV Licence is required.
- ITVX — ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe live, with adverts.
- Channel 4 — Channel 4, E4, More4 and Film4 live, with adverts.
- Channel 5's app — Channel 5 programmes and live channels.
Then open the Live tab on the Fire TV home screen. On supported apps it gathers live channels into one guide, which is the closest a stick gets to the Freely experience. For more free channels, add Pluto TV and Samsung TV Plus if you have a Samsung TV, or see our list of free live TV apps.
Freely vs a Fire TV Stick with broadcaster apps
| Freely TV or box | Fire TV Stick with apps | |
|---|---|---|
| BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 live | Yes | Yes, through each app |
| One combined channel guide | Yes | Partly, through the Live tab |
| Aerial needed | No (optional) | No |
| Other streaming apps (Netflix, Prime Video…) | Depends on the TV or box | Yes |
| Cost | A new Freely TV or box | Free if you already own the stick |
If you want Freely's single guide on the TV you already have, a Freely box such as the Netgem Pleio or Manhattan Aero is the way to get it. If you just want the channels, the apps on your Fire TV Stick already cover them.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Freely in the Amazon Appstore if it does not work on sticks?
The same app runs on Fire TV smart TVs that are certified as Freely devices. Its listing states that it does not provide Freely services to Fire sticks or other devices that are not Freely devices.
Will Freely come to Fire TV Sticks?
There has been no announcement. The 2024 Amazon deal specifically left out portable Fire TV devices such as sticks.
Can I sideload Freely onto a Fire TV Stick?
No. Freely only provides its service on certified Freely devices, so a copy installed on a stick will not stream. Install the broadcasters' own apps instead.
Do I need a TV Licence?
Yes, to watch or record live TV on any channel or service, including Freely and the broadcaster apps, and to use BBC iPlayer at all.
Is Freely the same as Freeview?
Both are run by Everyone TV. Freeview comes through an aerial; Freely streams over broadband and can add aerial channels if you have one.