Humax Freely TV Streaming Box Review 2026: Channels, Setup, and Best Freeview Alternatives

Freely is the UK’s free-to-air streaming service — essentially Freeview delivered over your broadband connection instead of a TV aerial. The Humax Freely TV streaming box (officially the Humax FT-4K Freely Streaming Box) is the most popular dedicated Freely device in the UK, giving you over 100 channels including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 without needing an aerial or satellite dish.

If you live somewhere with poor aerial reception, want to cut the cable TV bill, or simply want to replace a dying Freeview box with something modern and internet-connected, here is everything you need to know about the Humax Freely box and the alternatives.

What Is Freely?

Freely is a free streaming service launched in the UK in 2024 by Everyone TV — the same organisation that runs Freeview and Freesat. It delivers live TV channels and on-demand content over a broadband internet connection rather than through an aerial signal. Think of it as Freeview for the streaming era.

Key facts about Freely:

• 100+ free channels including BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, Channel 4, Channel 5, and all the standard UK free channels
• Live TV on all major channels plus on-demand from BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 streaming, My5, and UK TV Play
• 4K HDR content on supported devices and channels
• No aerial or satellite dish required — uses your home broadband
• All content is free — no subscription required (though a TV Licence is still needed for live TV and BBC iPlayer)
• Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) covering 14 days ahead

Humax Freely TV Streaming Box: Full Review

Spec	Detail
Full name	Humax FT-4K Freely Streaming Box
Price	From £149.99 (as of June 2026)
Resolution	4K Ultra HD (and Full HD, HD)
HDR	HDR10, HLG
Storage	Internal storage for series links; no HDD built in
Recording	Yes — via USB hard drive (not included); 2x USB ports
Connections	HDMI 2.0 out, Ethernet, 2x USB, optical audio out
Wi-Fi	Yes — dual-band Wi-Fi included
OS	Linux-based Freely OS
Channels	100+ including all major UK free channels
On-demand	BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, UK TV Play built-in
Remote	Standard Humax remote with shortcut buttons for iPlayer/ITVX/C4
Size	Compact set-top box — 220 x 40 x 135mm
Where to buy	Humax.co.uk, John Lewis, Currys, Amazon

Setup

Setting up the Humax Freely box is straightforward. Connect it to your TV via HDMI, plug in the power, and connect to your home broadband via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The initial setup wizard takes approximately 10-15 minutes. No aerial cable required.

Minimum broadband speed recommended: 10 Mbps for standard HD viewing; 25 Mbps for 4K content. Most UK broadband packages exceed this comfortably.

What channels does the Humax Freely box get?

The Humax Freely box delivers all standard UK free-to-air channels including the complete BBC lineup (BBC One, Two, Three, Four, News, Parliament, CBBC, CBeebies, Alba), all ITV channels (ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITVBe, CITV), all Channel 4 variants (C4, E4, More4, Film4, 4Seven), Channel 5 and its siblings (5Star, 5USA, 5Select, Paramount Network), and a range of additional free channels. The channel count exceeds 100 across SD, HD, and 4K where available.

Netgem Pleio Freely Box: The Main Alternative

The Netgem Pleio is the other main dedicated Freely streaming device. It is typically priced slightly lower than the Humax box and has a simpler feature set:

	Humax FT-4K	Netgem Pleio
Price	~£149.99	~£99-119
4K	Yes	Yes (select content)
Recording	Yes (via USB HDD)	Limited/no
Channels	100+	100+
On-demand	BBC iPlayer, ITVX, C4, My5	BBC iPlayer, ITVX, C4, My5
Best for	Full feature set; USB recording	Budget; simple setup

Freely on Smart TVs: TCL, Hisense, and Others

Several smart TV manufacturers have built Freely directly into their televisions, eliminating the need for a separate box:

• TCL Freely TVs — TCL launched UK smart TVs with Freely built in as the default TV OS in 2024; available in 32, 43, 50, and 55-inch screen sizes
• Hisense Freely TVs — Hisense UK models with Freely built in available from 2024 onwards
• Other brands — additional manufacturers are adding Freely support; check freely.tv for the full list of certified Freely devices

If you are buying a new TV anyway, choosing a Freely-enabled smart TV is a cost-effective option — it means one less box under the television.

How to Get Freely on Your Existing TV

If your TV is not a Freely-enabled smart TV, your options are:

• Humax FT-4K Freely Streaming Box — the most fully featured dedicated Freely device
• Netgem Pleio — the budget Freely streaming option
• Apple TV and Freeview — Apple TV does not natively support Freely, but you can access BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4 apps individually through the Apple TV app store. For live TV, Apple TV does not replace a Freeview box directly.
• Android TV boxes — third-party Android TV sticks and boxes can run the Freely app where it is available on Google Play, though compatibility varies and Freely’s official app availability on third-party devices is limited

Freeview Over Internet: Watching Without an Aerial

Freely is the official way to watch Freeview channels over broadband without an aerial. But there are alternative ways to access the same channels:

• BBC iPlayer — all BBC content; requires TV Licence
• ITVX — all ITV content on-demand; most programmes free; live TV requires TV Licence
• Channel 4 (channel4.com or app) — all C4 content
• My5 (channel5.com) — all Channel 5 content

These apps cover the main channels but do not replicate the full Freely experience of 100+ channels with a unified EPG. Freely provides the closest equivalent to a traditional Freeview box but delivered over broadband.

Alternative to Sky TV: Is Freely the Answer?

For viewers considering cutting the cord from Sky or Virgin, Freely covers all the free-to-air content but does not include Sky’s premium channels (Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Sky Atlantic). The realistic Sky replacement strategy for most households combines Freely (for all free channels) with streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime) for premium content.

Monthly cost comparison:

Option	Monthly Cost	What You Get
Sky Entertainment + Netflix	~£50-70/month	Sky channels + Netflix
Freely box (one-off) + Netflix + Disney+	£0/month (after box cost) + £16/month	All free channels + Netflix + Disney+
Freely box + Amazon Prime	£0/month + £9/month	All free channels + Prime Video
Freeview aerial box	£0/month (after box)	All free channels only

Remember that watching live TV or BBC iPlayer on any device still requires a TV Licence. Not sure if you need one? See our guide to who needs a TV Licence and who can get one free.

Want to understand exactly what counts as live TV for licensing purposes? See our complete student TV Licence guide covering the battery loophole and what requires a licence — the same rules apply to everyone, not just students.

Getting TV Licence enforcement letters at your address? See our guide to TV Licence enforcement and what inspectors can and cannot do.

Received an email claiming your TV Licence payment has failed? See our guide to TV Licence scam emails — how to spot and report them before entering any details.

Bottom Line

Best Freely box	Humax FT-4K — £149.99; 4K; USB recording; 100+ channels
Budget alternative	Netgem Pleio — ~£99-119; simpler feature set
Freely on smart TV	TCL and Hisense UK models have Freely built in
No aerial needed?	Correct — Freely works over broadband only
Channels	100+ including BBC, ITV, C4, C5, and all free UK channels
4K content	Yes on Humax FT-4K with compatible TV and content
Recording	Yes via USB hard drive on Humax; not standard on Netgem Pleio
TV Licence still needed?	Yes — for live TV and BBC iPlayer regardless of how you receive them

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Humax Freely TV streaming box?

The Humax FT-4K Freely Streaming Box is a set-top box that delivers live free-to-air TV channels and on-demand content over your broadband connection — no aerial or satellite dish required. It gives you 100+ channels including all BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 variants in up to 4K HDR, plus integrated access to BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, and UK TV Play. It is priced from £149.99 and is available from Currys, John Lewis, and Humax.co.uk.

Do you need an aerial for the Humax Freely box?

No — the Humax Freely box delivers all channels over your broadband internet connection. No aerial cable or satellite dish is required. You only need an HDMI connection to your TV and either a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection to your home broadband router.

What channels does the Humax Freely box get?

The Humax Freely box delivers 100+ channels including the complete BBC lineup, all ITV channels, all Channel 4 variants (including Film4 and E4), Channel 5 and its siblings, plus dozens of additional free channels. The electronic programme guide (EPG) shows 14 days ahead. On-demand apps for BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and My5 are built in.

What is the best alternative to Sky TV using Freely?

The most cost-effective Sky alternative combines a Humax Freely box (one-off cost ~£149.99) for all free-to-air channels with a streaming subscription for premium content. Netflix costs from £4.99/month (with ads) or £17.99/month (4K); Disney+ from £4.99/month; Amazon Prime from £8.99/month. The total monthly outgoing is significantly lower than a Sky Entertainment or Sky Sports bundle, though Sky’s premium sports and movie channels are not replicated.

Can you record on the Humax Freely box?

Yes — the Humax FT-4K supports recording via an external USB hard drive (not included). Connect a compatible USB HDD to one of the box’s two USB ports to record live TV and set series links. The Netgem Pleio has more limited recording functionality. Check the Humax website for compatible USB drive specifications.