Streaming services are getting more expensive every day. They constantly raise prices while getting rid of the original projects that brought in subscribers. While these inflated prices make streaming services seem useless, Tubi stands out with its unique business model.
Tubi was launched in 2014 with a unique stance: it’s free. However, Tubi is not the first streaming service to offer content at no cost. Hulu used to have free shows available on its web service, though this was discontinued in 2016. As such, Tubi stands out in an overpriced and oversaturated industry. In June 2025, Tubi reached 100 million active users, proving the demand for affordable content.
The streaming format that Tubi uses is known as free ad-supported streaming television. With this structure, advertisers carry the cost of licensing content. Ads can be inconvenient, but fans have shown they prefer watching them over paying for every movie or show they wish to see. This is likely due to the exhaustion of having to pay for several streaming services. With Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more, it has become increasingly costly to view entertainment. Tubi is a breath of fresh air.
Tubi’s offerings are constantly changing as it acquires and loses licenses. However, what it always has is variety. Tubi features an array of popular older movies and shows. I personally got to experience Much Ado About Nothing (one of my Letterboxd Four Favorites), Maurice, and Dirty Dancing through this streaming service, all of which are beautiful and impactful movies. You can find these through the many themed collections on the site or scroll through the offerings until something piques your interest.
Another aspect of Tubi that stands out is its promotion of Black-led projects. One of the top collections on the site is Black Storytelling, which features old and new projects, comedies, and dramas, showing a diverse depiction of the Black experience. Tubi contributes to this media sphere by releasing original projects that are helmed by Black creators. Boarders, Rockabye, and Unrequited are only some of these titles. It has even collaborated with a famous Internet personality, Kelon Campbell (also known as Psyiconic), for Terri Joe: Missionary in Miami.
This array of projects is incredibly important in a media landscape that is lessening its diversity. The percentage of people of color in movies and television has diminished, and these roles are also increasingly less substantial or being portrayed by ethnically ambiguous performers. Monoracial black women are consistently being replaced by half-white actresses. With this context, Tubi’s hiring and promotion of dark-skinned actors is a loud statement.
Tubi is also uplifting romantic comedies. People have been declaring the romcom renaissance for years, but I’m unsure if it has arrived, or if it ever will. I heard that claim when Crazy Rich Asians came out, and more recently with Anyone But You. However, to me, these movies are distinct from the romcoms of the 90s and 2000s. And that’s okay. I love those older films, but the genre has evolved, and so has its audience. Regardless, I do genuinely enjoy Tubi’s entries to the catalogue of tropey romance movies.
Over the past few years, Tubi has released romances based on Wattpad stories. Due to these origins, the movies are full of clichés and teenage drama. They are low-budget productions led by internet personalities. There is an inherent silliness in this casting that increases the camp and fun of the movies. These Tubi romances are not high quality, but they are an enjoyable form of entertainment that directly contrasts the blockbusters that are found in theaters.
The current media landscape is a difficult place to compete in: there is too much content, and people can only afford to pay for the best or their favorite. Tubi reimagines this race by providing free movies and television series to millions of viewers. The catalog it offers grows every day to include classic films, indie productions, and original releases. I, for one, am excited to support accessible media and watch the projects that Tubi will platform and create in the future.