pluto.tv
It can also be purchased in addition to other paid services.
Large corporations are realizing the potential of global streaming platforms and today, you?ll find streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video catering to audiences from all over the globe. The demand for premium streaming content has risen considerably and media conglomerates are looking to make the most of this opportunity. A particular platform that is right in the mix of the best streaming apps is Pluto TV by ViacomCBS. Pluto has been positioned as a free mobile TV-viewing app which allows users to watch content for free. It can also be purchased in addition to other paid services.
What is Pluto TV?
Pluto TV is an app that allows users to watch free live-stream of more than 100 channels, including premium channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. The owners have managed to keep the app free by using pre-roll ads. As a user looking for free-content, you can certainly bear with ads if you want to watch premium channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central for free. With Pluto's on-demand service, users can watch movies, TV Shows, and news from 100+ TV channels.
With the Android app, you can have a television-like experience right on your mobile screen. Not just that, you can actually use the app to cast content on your TV using various TV apps and Chromecast devices.
What should you expect from Pluto TV?
Pluto TV offers excellent compatibility and I'm sure you have at least one device that you can use to watch content on this app. While it can be streamed via a web browser, you can download and stream directly from the app on iOS and Android platforms. Not only that, Pluto has a dedicated local and international version of the app to meet the needs of the audience. Other than laptops and mobile phones, you can use Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast, and PlayStation 4 to access the app. If you have Smart TVs from Samsung, Vizio, and Sony, you can stream on those devices as well!
On-Demand Content
This point is a blessing in disguise. Though Pluto TV isn't short of on-demand content, the service isn't available on every platform. For instance, among all the compatible devices mentioned above, PlayStation 4 lacks the on-demand content feature. So, if you have Fire TV, iOS, Roku, Android or Apple TV, you're good to go but if it's Sony's gaming console, you don't get access to the on-demand feature.
Refreshing Interface
The Pluto TV app sports a clean user interface. The dark theme follows the one you generally see in top streaming sites. Thanks to the intuitive design, accessing various genres such as news, sports, movies, comedy, and entertainment is seamless. With just one click, you can access any content you want. The video-on-demand has the same UI functions along with the traditional TV guide feature which allows you to stay on top of everything that's airing on the platform.
Massive Content Library
Since Pluto TV is a collaboration between Viacom and CBS, you can be certain that there will be a plethora of content on this platform. Some popular channels that you'll find on the app include The Addams Family, Fear Factor, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Hillsong Channel, MTV Bloc Party, American Gladiators. Other than these networks, you'll find Awesomeness TV, VH1's various channels and Pluto TV Sci-Fi. Trust me we haven't even scratched the surface with these names, there are plenty of other top channels as well.
Pluto TV App Information
The latest update for the streaming app was just released a few days ago on April 8, 2020. It's a very popular service with over 10 million installations on Android devices. If you have the latest Android versions, you can stream on the app. The size of the app will vary based on the device you're using it on.
How to access Pluto TV?
To access Pluto TV, simply download the app on your device. It is available on Android mobile devices, Android TV, as well as iOS devices. You can browse the platform and even stream content without having to sign up.
Design
The Pluto TV app is a must-have for those who are looking to explore the latest content options.
The Pluto TV app brought a complete overhaul in March 2020 which changed the entire interface. Earlier, users were required to hassle through the channels and find them manually. However, with the recent update, the entire process has been streamlined, making playback and content discovery much more seamless now. With an intuitive design, navigation across various categories such as sports, news, movies, comedy and entertainment is hassle-free. You no longer need to weed through 250+ channels and can save the clips, mark shows, and add content to your watch list. The Pluto TV app is a must-have for those who are looking to explore the latest content options.
The toggle options allow you to check out other categories while you're streaming. The genre-based sorting function is a valuable addition. And finally, the channel guide gives the platform a contemporary look that was much-needed.
Content
I like Pluto TV because it has a lot of great movies, cult classics, and blockbusters such as Shutter Island, Batman Begins, Purple Rain, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Legally Blonde, Hellraiser, Overboard, Two Night Stand, Child's Play, and Rango. There are thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows along with 17 exclusive channels that you wouldn't find anywhere else.
On this platform, you can watch films of all kinds, whether you're looking for explosive action movies or chills down your spine with horror titles. Excellent documentaries, romantic flicks, bold indie movies, comedy and classics - you name it - are all available on this platform. You'll find not just English films but hundreds of Spanish titles as well.
This app offers a variety of content, including more than 100+ top TV channels. You can watch on-demand movies and live channels, as well as other content for free.
Channels
Since CBS is on board, you could probably predict the news. Users can access news channels throughout the day. Sure, it doesn't host the entire programming and you'll just find key highlights, condensed clips capturing the key segments or commentary on a subject. The list of news channels on the app includes NBC News, CBSN, CNN, Bloomberg, Cheddar News, Court TV, WeatherNation, Newsmax TV, and Best of the Today Show.
Sports: Well, as you can see, there are no live sports channels here. However, you can watch highlights and condensed clips from the actual events on these channels- Fox Sports, NFL Channel, Red Bull TV, and Major League Soccer.
Entertainment: With Pluto TV, you can access various channels from networks such as "Comedy Central", "MTV", "Nickelodeon", "VH1", "Spike TV", "Entertainment Tonight?", "CMT", and "BET". Remember, you won't have access to the entire channel library, but you will get to watch clips and episodes.
Desktop/Mobile experience
I'm not sure I agree with content-wise, but I do have some complaints with the ads. There are way too many pre-roll ads that ruin the streaming experience. In fact, watching Pluto TV feels like you're streaming on some traditional channel. For every 30 minutes of streaming, you'll need to watch 4 commercial breaks. Each break houses 5-7 ads of 20-30 seconds each. Sure, the commercials aren't as repetitive as we saw on Crackle but it's just too much.
Suggestions I have for Pluto TV
I'd urge the developers to bring down the number of commercials in each slot on Pluto TV. It's an amazing platform, but it gets bombarded with ads which can lead people to find alternate streaming apps.
Conclusion
The ads aren?t terrible, but they are there.
If you can handle the ads and just want to watch highlights and stay up-to-date with the latest content, you won't regret streaming on Pluto TV. While the quality of the stream is good it is marred by advertisements. So, if you stream on the platform thinking you're watching a usual TV channel, you won't be disappointed. The ads aren't terrible, but they are there.