Pluto TV

What Pluto TV does

Pluto TV is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform headquartered in Los Angeles, founded in 2014 and wholly-owned by Paramount Skydance Corporation (acquired by Viacom for ~$340M in 2019, brought under Paramount Global in 2022, and folded into Paramount Skydance after Skydance Media's $8B acquisition of Paramount Global in 2025). The platform offers approximately 100 live linear channels alongside a substantial on-demand library spanning news, sports, comedy, entertainment, and specialty programming, with 700,000 hours of content distributed across 35+ territories on four continents. It serves an estimated 80-90 million monthly active users globally, with its fastest-growing segment being Gen Z viewers (18-34), which expanded 30%+ between January 2025 and January 2026.

The platform's underlying technology combines live linear channel programming with video-on-demand capabilities, accessible via pre-installed smart TV apps (Samsung, LG), streaming devices (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV), iOS and Android mobile apps, and web browsers. The business model is entirely advertising-based with no subscription or payment required from consumers, displaying ad breaks similar to traditional television. Revenue is generated through advertisers targeting its viewer base. Content leverages Paramount's library alongside licensed franchises and live sports partnerships including FanDuel Sports Network (NBA/NHL), Tennis Channel, DAZN boxing, and Baller League USA.

Under new CEO David Ellison, Paramount announced in mid-2026 what it described as the most significant Pluto TV update in a decade, including merging the technology infrastructure with Paramount+, merging ad tech stacks, launching the Precision+ AI-enabled advertising product, and adding substantial content targeting younger demographics. A children's privacy lawsuit alleging improper data sharing via tracking pixels remains an outstanding regulatory risk.

Name

Pluto TV

Legal name

Pluto TV

Website

https://pluto.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pluto TV is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform offering ~100 live linear channels and on-demand content to ~80-90 million monthly active users globally. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Skydance Corporation, monetizing entirely through advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST)

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

FAST Channel Networks & Platforms (MPACAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Video Streaming Platforms (SVOD/AVOD/TVOD) (BPAMAJAA)

Keywords

• Free ad-supported streaming
• Live linear channels
• Video on demand
• FAST television service
• Ad-supported streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Pluto TV generates revenue through advertising, operating as a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service. The platform displays ads similar to traditional television, with the service generating revenue from advertisers targeting its viewer base. Pluto TV suffered a 16% advertising revenue decline in Q4 2025, which analysts attributed to under-investment in content and monetization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pluto TV is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service offering approximately 100 live linear channels and on-demand movies and TV shows across news, sports, comedy, drama, horror, and classic entertainment categories. The platform operates on an advertising revenue model with no subscription or registration required, delivering 700,000 hours of content across 35+ territories globally. Content spans Paramount-owned franchises and licensed series alongside live sports events, supported by an AI-driven advertising product (Precision+) and technology infrastructure being merged with Paramount+ in summer 2026.

Product overview

Pluto TV is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform operated as a core product offering by Paramount. The platform provides a hybrid model combining on-demand video library content with approximately 100 live linear channels across categories including news, sports, comedy, drama, horror, and classic entertainment. Content spans Paramount-owned franchises (Mission: Impossible, The Godfather, Top Gun) and licensed series (The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, Arrow, The 100) alongside live sports events. The platform operates on an ad-supported model with no subscription required. In summer 2026, Pluto TV is undergoing its most significant update in a decade, with plans to merge its technology infrastructure with Paramount+ to enhance personalization, content discovery, and advertising capabilities including the new Precision+ AI-driven ad product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pluto TV Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service providing on-demand movies and TV shows alongside approximately 100 live linear channels spanning news, sports, comedy, entertainment, and specialty programming, available across smart TVs, mobile devices, and web browsers with no subscription or registration required.
• Precision+ AI-enabled performance-driven advertising product with conversion API integration, showing up to 40% better results than standard advertising. Targeted at advertisers seeking optimized ad delivery on Pluto TV's platform, part of the merged Paramount+ / Pluto TV ad tech stack.

Quantifiable outcome

• VOD hours per user increased 60% year-over-year following recent platform updates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FanDuel Sports NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2025Expanded partnership to bring NBA and NHL games to Pluto TV's streaming platform for free, advancing access to live local sports content. This represents FanDuel Sports Network's digital distribution strategy through free ad-supported streaming platforms.
• FanDuel Sports NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 October 2025FanDuel Sports Network, operated by Main Street Sports Group, partnered with Pluto TV to stream select NBA and NHL games for free on the platform starting mid-November 2025. This initiative expands local sports reach through free streaming platforms as part of a broader strategy including a dedicated FAST channel launching in 2026. The partnership brings live local sports content to Pluto TV's viewer base, enhancing the platform's sports offering.
• ViaplaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2025Local partnership enabling Pluto TV's international expansion across territories. Viaplay collaboration supports Pluto TV's presence in European markets as part of its 35+ territory global footprint.
• TV AztecacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2025Local partnership in Latin American markets supporting Pluto TV's international content distribution. TV Azteca collaboration enables Pluto TV to reach viewers in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking territories.
• ZDFcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2025German public broadcaster partnership enabling Pluto TV's content offerings in European markets. ZDF collaboration supports Pluto TV's presence in German-speaking territories as part of its international expansion strategy.
• SkycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2025Partnership with Sky extending Pluto TV's distribution reach through Sky's established European pay-TV infrastructure. This relationship supports Pluto TV's content distribution in European markets.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tubi: Tubi is a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service owned by Fox Corporation offering live linear channels and on-demand movies and TV shows. It is the closest direct competitor to Pluto TV, holding a comparable ~2.1% share of US TV viewing and competing head-to-head for the same ad-supported streaming audience.
• The Roku Channel: The Roku Channel is Roku's owned-and-operated FAST service offering free movies, TV shows, and live linear channels, pre-installed on Roku streaming devices. It competes directly with Pluto TV for free streaming viewership and ad dollars, and together they form the top three FAST platforms by US viewing share.
• Samsung TV Plus: Samsung TV Plus is Samsung's FAST service pre-installed on Samsung smart TVs, offering free ad-supported linear channels. It is one of the largest FAST platforms globally and competes directly with Pluto TV for ad-supported viewers on connected TV devices.
• LG Channels: LG Channels is LG's free ad-supported streaming television service pre-installed on LG smart TVs, offering over 350 channels across news, sports, entertainment, and movies. It competes directly with Pluto TV in the FAST category, particularly on smart TV distribution.
• Xumo: Xumo is a free ad-supported streaming TV service offering live and on-demand content across smart TVs and streaming devices, owned by Comcast. It competes with Pluto TV as a FAST player and has been recognized alongside Pluto TV at the StreamTV Awards for advertising and innovation.
• Crackle (Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment): Crackle is a free ad-supported streaming service operated by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment offering movies and TV shows. It is a smaller-scale FAST competitor to Pluto TV, focused primarily on US audiences and competing for similar ad-supported viewers.

Broad incumbents

• YouTube (AVOD): YouTube operates the largest free ad-supported video platform globally with a vast user-generated and professional content library, including YouTube Free with Ads as an AVOD offering. It is a broad incumbent competing for ad-supported video budgets and viewer attention, though not a pure-play FAST service.
• Peacock (NBCUniversal): Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service offering a free ad-supported tier alongside paid subscription tiers, with extensive live news, sports, and entertainment content. It overlaps with Pluto TV's ad-supported free streaming proposition but operates more broadly as a hybrid SVOD/AVOD platform.
• Amazon Freevee: Amazon Freevee was Amazon's free ad-supported streaming service offering movies and TV shows, now integrated into Prime Video. It was a direct FAST competitor to Pluto TV before consolidation, and Amazon remains a broad incumbent in ad-supported video through Prime Video Ads.

Emerging players

• DistroTV: DistroTV is an independent FAST service offering over 150 free ad-supported linear channels spanning news, sports, movies, and entertainment. It is an emerging competitor to Pluto TV in the FAST category, smaller in scale but pursuing a similar channel-based ad-supported model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/plutotv
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlutoTV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pluto-tv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pluto TV