Amazon Freevee: What is it and how do you get it?

8 Feb 2023

Nik Rawlinson

The ad-supported streaming service includes a mix of classic programmes, original series and movies.

Consider BritBox, Netflix, Disney+, Now and Amazon Prime Video, to name just the most obvious contenders, and you’ll see that viewers already have plenty of streamed content from which to choose. But while all those are subscription-based, Freevee is different. As its name suggests, it’s free.

Backed by Amazon, it features a particularly strong range of classic content, as well as a selection of original series and movies that you won’t find elsewhere.

Learn more about Amazon Freevee

What is Amazon Freevee?

Freevee is the new name for IMDb TV. Previously only available in the US, IMDb TV launched in the UK in autumn 2021, and adopted its new name in spring 2022. It expanded to Germany in August this year.

Upon launch, it primarily featured archive content, but Freevee is quickly making a name for itself as a home for original series and films commissioned by Amazon Studios. The range of original content remains fairly narrow compared to rival offerings such as Netflix, but the service has announced plans for a 70% increase by the end of 2023.

The service broadcasts HD content where available, with 5.1 surround sound. Naturally, whether you can enjoy the full benefits of the service will depend on whether you have a compatible television or streaming device. Where supported, content also has audio description and subtitles.

How do I get Amazon Freevee?

Freevee is a streamed online service. The Freevee app is installed by default on Amazon Fire TV sticks and is available for download for other devices, including Chromecast with Google TV, and smart TVs. You can also access the service through a browser and the Prime Video service, and there are apps for iOS and Android devices.

Compatible set-top boxes and streaming sticks include:

It’s also supported by smart TVs from a range of manufacturers including:

JVC
LG
Panasonic
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony

While it isn’t necessary for you to log in to the service to access content, doing so will allow it to keep track of what you’ve been watching and where you last paused. That way, you can pick up again from the same location the next time you log in – even if you’re using a different device.

How much does Amazon Freevee cost?

Freevee is ad-supported. There are no subscription fees, no minimum term contracts, and there’s no need to sign up. Whether there are plans to change that in the future remains to be seen, but Amazon’s official line is that: “At this time, it isn’t possible to turn off or skip any advertisements that appear while watching content…”

You don’t need to be an Amazon Prime member to enjoy the content – and, in fact, Prime membership doesn’t bring you any benefits as a Freevee viewer: you still have to sit through the ads when they appear.

Do I need a TV licence to watch Amazon Freevee?

TV Licensing’s guidance states that, “You don’t need a licence if you only ever watch on demand or catch-up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer (and you also never watch live TV programmes on any channel, including on BBC iPlayer).”

Freevee only includes on-demand and catch-up content, so you shouldn’t require a TV licence to legally access the service.

Can I apply parental controls on Amazon Freevee?

Yes. You can set up a PIN that must be entered to access Freevee content via the Prime Video settings on your Amazon account.

Sign in, then enter a PIN and click Save. You can now set a maximum rating between U and 18 to restrict content, and apply the restriction to each of the video-enabled devices associated with your Amazon account. As well as Amazon apps and Echo devices with screens, restrictions can be applied to web-based access and Google streaming dongles.

If you’re accessing Freevee using an Amazon Fire TV stick, you can also use the stick’s integrated parental controls to limit access to Freevee content.

What programmes are available on Amazon Freevee?

Freevee has a strong back catalogue of archive programmes, so it’s a great way to roll back the years and enjoy your favourite series’ from the very beginning – or to catch up on the cult TV you may have missed on its first airing. These include:

The West Wing – Before we had House of Cards, there was The West Wing, in which Martin Sheen plays US president Josiah Bartlet, and Rob Lowe is his deputy communications director. You’ll find seven seasons on Freevee, comprising 154 episodes of around 42 minutes each.
Magnum PI – Classic American action series in which former Naval intelligence officer and now private investigator Thomas Magnum, played by Tom Selleck, solves mysteries in Hawaii. The first two of the programme’s eight seasons are available on Freeview, comprising 40 episodes of around 45 minutes each.
Little House on the Prairie – Historical drama set in the 1870s to 1890s, originally broadcast from 1974 until 1983. Based on a series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, it stars Michael Landon, who had previously featured as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza. There are 204 episodes of around 48 minutes each.
The A-Team – Hannibal, Face, Murdock and BA Baracus, better known as the A-Team, were Vietnam veterans on the run, who used their military talents to help those in need. It originally ran for five series between 1983 and 1987. Two series are available on Freevee, with episodes running to 48 minutes.
Baywatch – You’ll find nine seasons of the era-defining lifeguard-focused drama series on Freevee. Most episodes run to around 47 minutes, and they’ve been remastered for online viewing.

Amazon is also commissioning original content for Freevee that you won’t find elsewhere. New content includes:

Alex Rider – London teenager Alex Rider is pulled into the world of spies and espionage as he investigates his uncle’s death, in a mission that takes him high into the French Alps. Based on the books by Anthony Horowitz, you’ll find two series here, comprising 16 episodes of around 45 minutes each.
Bosch: Legacy – Private investigator and former policeman Harry Bosch must team up with a one-time adversary to investigate and solve cases. Ten episodes of 42 – 53 minutes each.
Judy Justice – Retired family court judge Judy Sheindlin arbitrates real cases, with participants presenting their respective arguments on TV. There are 120 episodes of around 24 minutes each.
Sprung – When Jack is released from prison after 20 years inside, he joins forces with a group of other former convicts to use their criminal skills to do good. Comedy starring Garret Dillahunt. Ten episodes of 35-40 minutes each.
The Center Seat – An extensive history of Star Trek in all its guises, hosted by Gates McFadden, also known as Star Trek: The Next Generation’s chief medical officer, Beverly Crusher. Eleven episodes of 44-60 minutes each.

What movies are available on Amazon Freevee?

Although Freevee has so far released two films of its own, the majority of its movie content is bought in, including:

The Breakfast Club – Coming of age comedy drama starring Emilio Estevez and Molly Ringwald. One of the biggest successes of the mid-1980s, it has since been added to the United States National Film Registry of culturally important films.
Flatliners – Julia Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland, William Baldwin and Kevin Bacon star in a film about medical students who experiment with near-death experiences… with unpredictable consequences.
Les Misérables – Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway star in the 2012 musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s acclaimed door-stopper. Nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Toast – Film adaptation of cookery writer Nigel Slater’s biography, starring Freddie Highmore and Helena Bonham Carter. Originally shown on BBC One, it was later released in cinemas.
The Man in the Hat – Quirky British comedy in English and French, following a man (in a hat) driving his Fiat 500 through the French countryside. Easy, relaxing viewing that’s perfect for when you need a dose of on-screen sunshine.