As you’d expect, Pluto TV is only one of many services that fall within the FAST category — it is joined by similar offerings like Amazon’s Freevee, Roku’s “The Roku Channel,” Sling TV’s free variant called Freestream, and similar. FAST services are distinct from options like on-demand Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video due to the way they’re made financially viable: they typically offer content sorted into “channels” that each have their own themes, such as comedy or drama. Users get an experience similar to watching live TV, and that includes regular ad breaks that can’t be skipped.
That’s similar to paid live streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV, which fall under the over-the-top (OTT) category. The big difference there is that OTT services offer access to the latest episodes and shows, whereas FAST services like Pluto TV often feature episodes from older seasons, classic shows, and aging movies.
