Owners of Amazon Fire Sticks can unlock hundreds of TV shows without paying a cent

There are so many streaming apps these days and it costs a ton to subscribe to them.

Please note that even watching non-live programs on BBC iPlayer isn't free, as you need a TV license – which rises from £159 to £169.50 in April.

But there are tons of little-known free on-demand alternatives you can try out on your Amazon Fire TV Stick packed with movies and shows.

Here are three worth checking out:

Play UKTV

UKTV is home to Freeview channels Dave, Drama, W and Yesterday.

The company's UKTV Play service hosts a number of shows, including classic programs and foreign imports.

In the classic category you can relive old episodes of EastEnders, The Bill, Casualty and even Spooks.

But UKTV Play also has a number of exclusive shows in the UK, including Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Outsiders and Australian series The Heart Guy, to name a few.

You need to register an account, but it's free.

FYI: UKTV Play will change to U later this year.

Freevee

Freevee is Amazon Prime's answer to free content.

It has some classic shows and movies, but also a growing number of originals.

Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis – which just added a second season – follows the American interior designer as he goes behind the scenes of the stars' home renovations.

For children there are films such as Top Cat, All Dogs go to Heaven and Pudsey the Dog: The Movie.

Some older Amazon Prime originals, like Bosch season one, are also available on Freevee.

Discovery+

Discovery+ may be a paid streaming service, but there are some hidden freebies too.

The broadcast giant says it has free content from its Quest, Real, Quest Red, HGTV, Food Network and DMAX channels available that are worth watching.

How to lower your streaming bills with the best FREE TV

Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime aren't cheap – and subscription costs seem to be rising year after year.

Fortunately, there are a lot of free streaming TV alternatives that not everyone knows about.

And we're not just talking about BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Here are some free alternatives worth trying: