It’s been a month since Netgem’s Pleio Freely box launched, and whilst it solves a problem millions of Freeview households have – terrible aerial reception – it’s become clear it also creates a few new ones in the process.
After repeated sellouts on Amazon, dozens of customer reviews, and more than a month of using the device myself, along with feedback from readers, a clearer picture has emerged of what the Pleio delivers.
Some limitations were obvious from day one. Others only became apparent after living with the device for a few weeks – and the problems it solves are now even clearer too.
Whether the Pleio makes sense for your household depends on understanding what you’re actually buying, who it works brilliantly for, and which limitations are deal-breakers versus minor annoyances you’ll quickly forget about.
Here’s everything you need to know before ordering one.
What Is The Pleio (And Why Does It Keep Selling Out?)
The Netgem Pleio is the first standalone device that brings Freely to existing TVs without requiring you to buy new hardware.
For £99, you get a tiny streaming puck that delivers live TV channels through your broadband instead of an aerial. BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5, and around 55 other channels stream directly through the unified Freely interface.
It also runs Android TV 14 with full Google Play Store access, plus 250+ cloud games with a wireless gamepad.
Freely launched in April 2024 as Everyone TV’s streaming platform, but until the Pleio arrived, your only option was buying a brand new smart TV. The Pleio changes that, bringing Freely to any TV with an HDMI port.
The device launched on November 21 and sold out within hours. Stock has remained sporadic ever since, with the Pleio briefly reappearing in early December with an extended 12-month free trial, only to sell out again almost immediately.
As of this writing, it’s back in stock – though based on the pattern, that probably won’t last.
1. It’s a Lifesaver If You Have Poor Aerial Reception
If you live somewhere with terrible Freeview reception – pixelated pictures, missing channels, signals that vanish when it rains – the Pleio completely solves that problem.
As long as your broadband is solid, you get perfect picture quality on all the main channels without ever touching an aerial.
No more fuzzy SD pictures, no more missing HD channels, no more adjusting things every time the weather changes (though, of course, the original picture quality also depends on the actual channel and its capabilities).
This is consistently the biggest praise in customer feedback – people in areas with dodgy reception finally getting reliable TV. It’s a genuine transformation if aerial problems have plagued your viewing for years.
But if your aerial reception is already fine, you don’t necessarily need this. You’re paying £99 to solve a problem you don’t have, whilst introducing new limitations that traditional Freeview doesn’t impose.
2. Your Broadband Matters
Here’s the fundamental trade-off: you’re swapping dependence on aerial signals for complete dependence on your internet connection.
The Pleio is WiFi only – no Ethernet port. When your broadband goes down, your TV goes completely dark. Broadband outages are rarer than dodgy aerial signals in many areas, but when they happen, you’re stuck.
Freely recommends minimum 10Mbps speeds, which most UK households can manage. The device supports WiFi 6 (backwards compatible with WiFi 5/4), so modern routers handle it fine.
But if your broadband is patchy or your TV is far from your router through thick walls, expect problems.
During testing, I had zero issues with streaming quality on decent broadband. But the Pleio rewards good infrastructure and punishes poor connections.
3. The 12-Month Free Trial Changes the Value Equation
When the Pleio launched at £99, one recurring complaint was the bundled gamepad inflating the price for people who just wanted live TV. The three-month trial felt token.
Netgem has now extended this to 12 months for both cloud gaming and 150+ extra FAST channels. That’s a big change – a full year to explore features before committing to £9.99 monthly.
To be clear: Freely itself remains free. The core channels, EPG, and catch-up work forever without subscription (beyond the TV Licence). The monthly fee only applies if you want gaming and extras after your free year.
4. Size and Portability Are Genuine Advantages
At 64mm across and 40g, the Pleio is genuinely tiny. The Bluetooth remote means no line-of-sight worries, so you can hide the puck completely behind your TV.
But the real advantage is portability. Pack it for holidays and you’ve got full live TV in rental properties. Move it between rooms in seconds without reinstallation. Take it to temporary accommodation without worrying about aerials.
5. You’re Paying £99 for a Gamepad You Might Never Touch
Let’s be honest: the bundled gamepad inflates the price for anyone who just wants Freely for live TV.
If Netgem offered a “Pleio Lite” for £60-70 without gaming features, it would probably appeal to more people. Forcing everyone to pay for hardware they might never use is frustrating.
That said, the 250+ cloud games stream instantly without downloads. For casual gaming or entertaining visiting kids, it’s actually decent. Some buyers report their children enjoying it over holidays, making it a useful bonus rather than dead weight.
But if you’re certain gaming isn’t for you, you’re still paying for that controller whether you want it or not.
6. It Can Replace Sky/Virgin Subscriptions (For Some)
If you’re paying £30-40 monthly for Sky TV or Virgin TV, the Pleio pays for itself in a few months.
Obviously, you lose Sky-exclusive channels and premium sports (which you can add and remove with Sky’s NOW app).
But for households mainly watching BBC, ITV, Channel 4/5 alongside Netflix and streaming apps, the Pleio delivers everything they actually use without ongoing costs.
7. Full Android TV App Support
Unlike previous UK boxes with limited selections (looking at you, original Humax Aura without Netflix), the Pleio gives you full Google Play Store access.
Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, NOW, Paramount+ – they all work properly. You can even install VPN apps if needed.
8. The Ecosystem Is Locked Down
The Pleio runs Android TV 14, but it’s much more restricted than standard devices. No sideloading, no developer mode, no tinkering with system settings.
For most people, the Google Play Store has everything needed. But tech-savvy buyers expecting full Android TV flexibility will find the locked-down approach disappointing. Cheaper Fire TV devices offer more freedom.
This isn’t necessarily bad – restrictions prevent confused users from breaking things. But if you want control over your device, look elsewhere.
9. You’re Future-Proofing for the IP Switchover
The government continues pushing for traditional broadcasting to end in the 2030s, with television moving entirely to internet delivery.
Buying Freely now means adapting on your own terms rather than scrambling when aerials (or satellites) stop working. You’re investing in infrastructure that will become standard, not clinging to technology being phased out.
Everyone TV’s research suggests Freely will serve 7 million homes by 2030. Getting comfortable with streaming TV now gives you time to understand its limitations and adjust your viewing habits without pressure.
10. There’s No Recording Whatsoever
This is a deal-breaker for some viewers. The Pleio cannot record anything. You’re entirely dependent on broadcaster catch-up services.
Live pause works, but only for 15 minutes before automatically resuming. If you’re used to pausing for extended periods, this limitation will frustrate you constantly.
If you rely on recording to skip adverts, build content libraries, or time-shift beyond catch-up availability, the Pleio simply isn’t for you.
The industry is moving away from recording – we’ve seen EE/BT neuter their features – but that doesn’t make the transition less annoying.
11. The Frame Rate Problem Is Real (And Won’t Affect Everyone)
ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 stream at 25fps on Freely, rather than 50fps. BBC channels look perfect at 50fps, but commercial broadcasters use lower frame rates, causing noticeable judder during fast motion.
If you have a smaller TV, don’t watch much sport, or aren’t frame-rate sensitive, you won’t care. But for sports fans with big screens, this can feel like a quality downgrade compared to aerial Freeview or Sky/Virgin.
This isn’t Netgem’s fault – they stream whatever broadcasters provide. But it’s worth understanding before buying.
12. Channel Switching Takes 3-4 Seconds (Not Instant)
During testing, the 3-4 second lag when changing channels was immediately noticeable compared to instant aerial switching.
You adapt fairly quickly – it becomes normal after a few days. But if you constantly flip between channels during advert breaks, the delay will irritate you.
This is inherent to streaming rather than a Pleio-specific problem. Sky Stream and Virgin Stream have similar delays, though slightly shorter. It’s just how streaming works compared to traditional broadcasting.
13. The Interface Is More Confusing Than It Should Be
The Pleio tries being both a Freely box and full Android TV device, creating interface confusion that shouldn’t exist.
Three separate search functions don’t talk to each other. Apps sometimes duplicate between Freely and Android sections. Navigation structure sometimes lacks clear logic, with content scattered across menus.
During testing, I figured it out within a day. But for elderly relatives or anyone intimidated by streaming devices, the “rich” interface can create unnecessary barriers.
14. Freely Has Fewer Channels Than Freeview (But It’s Growing)
Traditional Freeview delivers 80+ channels. Freely offers around 55+ – a noticeable gap meaning some niche broadcasters aren’t available.
Shopping channels, smaller independent services, and broadcasters without streaming infrastructure won’t make the transition. Check whether your regular channels are available on Freely before buying.
That said, the lineup keeps expanding. Recent additions include Talking Pictures TV and six Warner Bros Discovery channels, with more promised for 2026.
For most viewers watching mainstream channels, the current lineup covers everything they actually use.
15. More Freely Boxes Are Coming Soon
The Pleio won’t remain your only option. Multiple manufacturers are likely developing Freely devices following TiVo’s OS certification, meaning any company can now use TiVo software for Freely boxes.
The Humax “Aura EZ 4K Freely Recorder” exists and is “under internal testing.” Unlike the streaming-only Pleio, it appears to offer both Freely and aerial ports with over-the-air recording capability.
The BBC is exploring a “radically simplified” device for people who find streaming technology overwhelming – potentially the solution for elderly relatives.
The Pleio is first to market. If its limitations aren’t deal-breakers and you want Freely now, buy it. If you can wait, more choices will eventually arrive.
If you need Freely now and can live with these compromises, check the stock on Amazon – it still tends to come and go.
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I wish the someone would mention the fact that video and audio go out of sync after some time of watching, and if you do channel hopping, opening other apps like YouTube etc. I’ve reset it numerous times and it’s still the same. The UI isn’t combined, you have the Android TV side and the Freely side so you can’t make integrated watch lists….its basically like live tv on an Amazon fire device, the only difference is it don’t take you to the app to watch the live stream.
Thank you for your message. I don’t think it’s for me. It appears freesat will not be closed down just yet, and things are moving very fast so I will wait and see what comes next year. As I have no one in the UK even getting a new television or box is a difficult thing to do. U didn’t even know the neww box was available and of course it was sold out almost instantly.
Thank you for your message! So in effect I may be old but am right, I need a box jere in France that records UK programmes like the freesat I have now. I wish people would leave things alone. They make them more complicated to get money when there is no need.
Actually when Freesat does shut down (not any time soon), your main problem will be RECEIVING British television in France, not recording it. If you can’t receive it, you can’t watch it OR record it!
Possibly the only way you could receive it, is through internet streaming, perhaps with an “internet by satellite” system.
Another option may be to use a virtual private network (V.P.N.) or smart domain name system (D.N.S.). These would “trick the internet” into “thinking” you are in Britain. But the French legal system has just issued “rulings” to clamp down on this type of activity, and broadcasters themselves try to block these things.
Waiting and seeing is a good idea for now. Eventually, perhaps, a new service will start in France to cater for people like you. ANYTHING is possible with internet streaming.
I am almost 70 years old, don’t even have Internet in thr house or a computer and have no one to explain what streaming means. I am completely lost with all this and am not alone not understanding modern technology.
Streaming is like traditional television systems (transmitters, cable, and satellites), but uses the internet instead. No system is perfect, including streaming, but broadcasters are slowly moving away from traditional systems in favour of internet streaming.
There are advantages and disadvantages for this change. For broadcasters a significant advantage is that it will cut their costs. But it’s not all about money. Some people may not like the change but it is inevitable.
Something that should be mentioned about Freely is that it doesn’t provide any content or features natively!
Freely is just aggregating the content from all participating broadcasters using their own VOD and Live content. As a result, picture/sound quality and accessibility features are responsibility of broadcasters and not Freely.
I’m quite happy that at least they allow PlayStore to exist alongside Freely which would somehow justifies the high price tag. Since Freely has all the PSBs apps as a bundle, it makes it possible to not download the same apps twice on PlayStore but rather use other apps, even from other countries/regions.
Those who complain on Amazon reviews about lack of side loading, as it’s done on Amazon devices, are rather unreasonable since this device had to conform with DRM wishes of broadcasters before implementing PlayStore possibility.
I had to return ours. There is no universal search or watch list. There is no way to record. The apps don’t all work. The box is slow to go between channels. You can’t get Google play to install all play store apps on the device, it will duplicate freely apps. Also casting can be made to some apps but not others. You will struggle to use the Google TV app as a watch list. Why oh why is there a homepage for freely. Then another home for all apps. Then a home for apps. I had a number of occasions when the device would not boot. This could be down to the power management settings. I have to say fail.
Thank you for your message. I have no choice but to wait and see of course but Freesat is great especially with the time difference between the UK and France. Once freely boxes arrive that can record and are reliable it will be great, but at least you hsve reassured me I can wait a bit longer. Merry Christmas 🎅
Nowadays there is no need to record everything can be streamed endlessly?
If you can only stream you can’t skip any ads or even fast forward through them, unless of course you pay for the privilege?. You happy with that?
Plus you can’t stream endlessly, you can only stream a show until the content is removed and then moved to a different service where you have to pay for it all over again.
I really wish the commercial broadcasters would sort out their frame rates. The BBC has shown that 50 fps is perfectly possible. Until the others catch up Freely is too much of a quality downgrade to replace traditional broadcast services.
Thank you for your message but what is a VPN? and how do I get one. I am not vety tech savvy as you can see at 70 years old in rural France, and would welcome any assistance.
If it was set for France and I live in France, does that mean freely will work here please?
Marie-Louise, are you refering to my post below? I reset my Google account to UK from France. In your case, I think you would need a VPN to make this work, but I’m no expert on these.
I am so sorry I don’t know sure because Both Argos and AMAZON didn’t buy Freely when Christmas in December 2025 nothing they very sad missed Freely Box cry 😭
I’ve noticed a few comments about not being able to record, which is a deal-breaker for many people. However, I disagree. Times have changed. I had a recording-free Freeview box for years before moving to an area without Freeview coverage, and I never used it to record. We also now have catch-up, which is just a matter of moving left on the EPG. So far, I haven’t encountered any issues with frame rate on my Pleio. I’m also looking forward to the missing Freeview channels coming in 2026 (Great!, Sky and Discovery owned). You can watch these channels using separate apps in the meantime. I’m loving my Pleio box so far.
Your sort of missing the point in them deleting the opportunity to record.
They just want to take away the option for us to skip ads and for us to pay for that privilege with paid for apps. Thats the reality of “Catch up” . Surely you don’t want to spend your valuable viewing time watching 15 mins of ads per hour or having to pay to get rid of them when a record facility that we have had for 30 years does that for free?
Oh heck, what are people like me supposed to do?
Thank you for your message. I put in my old uk postcode for freesat and it’s fine here in France. I will wait until a recording box comes out because of the time difference between the UK and France and will get a new television then. It’s so annoying that freesat is being stopped as it works and is completely free once you have a box. I don’t have Internet at the house so would need to get it for freely. Maybe it should be called not really freely!
Without an internet connection you have to rely on satellites or terrestrial transmitters.
It’s about 10 years away but like making landlines digital only in Cumbria didn’t last long a few years ago in a storm.
Freesat won’t be “stopped” any time soon. The earliest year is likely to be twenty twenty-nine, as that is when Sky’s contracts with the satellite owner end. And some broadcasters have said that Freesat won’t be economical without Sky alongside it. But nobody knows the end date for certain.
I tried one last week from Amazon, not fully realising the limitations – this article would’ve saved me buying the Pleio in the fist place, had it come sooner.
The ability to record is of vital importance to us, to skip ad breaks and without it, it is useless.
I had hoped that having a smart LG TV with a USB hard drive plugged in that recording would be a breeze.
I tried and tried to get it to record, but no chance.
I also tried with a new Hisense TV with Freely and that’s a no go too.
I would’ve said that the ability to record should’ve been point one, it is the most important point to most people, I would’ve thought – at least you can skip the ads that way.
I guess my Sky TV sub is going nowhere anytime soon.
Point 10 should be point number one!
Surely Cordbusters must know that the ability to record is still the main priority for the vast majority of terrestrial TV viewers.
I can’t believe that even Cordbusters is starting to play this down as not being a really important issue.
Its a deal breaker for most people, so stop pushing Freely as the next big thing, your giving them free advertising for a new service that nobody wants except for the advertising companies that are desperate to stop people skipping ads!
Will the freely boxes work outside the uk? for example I live in France and have freesat which is great. Will freely boxes work here?
There is no reason why not, unless it checks your IP address.
It asks for your postcode, so put in one of the tv region you want.
I am sending mine back, so haven’t tried to jailbreak it and put a vpn in it.
My posts haven’t been published yet.
My Samsung tv can get 1000s of streamed channels for free.
And you are buying a subscription, the T&Cs say it’s Netgems property, and they will ask for it if you don’t subscribe.
You are NOT buying a subscription – the subscription is optional, and the device is yours to keep once you buy it (unless you’re getting it via some of the partner broadband providers – their terms may be different).
Go to the bottom of Netgem PLEIO web page, click on T&Cs and paragraph 5 clearly states it’s their property.
They do treat the £99 (in their terms) as your payment for the subscription – with the device included. I agree that it’s a bit unusual – But the terms do specify that once the included 12 months are up, the device “becomes” yours, even if you don’t start paying for the monthly subscription.
Freely’s services don’t work outside the UK (at least officially – they MIGHT work with a VPN, but I haven’t tried that)
Smart DNS might another workaround.
The pleio box does work in France using a VPN tunnel to the U.K.
Unfortunately the box isn’t very stable and there appear to be issues with audio and video sync; plenty of freezing and regular blue screens.
The interface leaves a lot to be desired with freely, pleio and Google having different screens and it’s not at all intuitive to use.
It’s a promising start but looks like it needs some significant tweaks and software updates to make it a viable option.
I’ll be using it on my return to the UK but on current experience it’ll be going back before the return window closes at the end of January.
To be fair, the sync and freezing issues could be related to using a VPN (I haven’t encountered those here in the UK, at least so far). But the UI issues are indeed inherent to how it’s designed at the moment.
Possibly but not experienced with an Apple TV 4K which is sitting next to it so suspecting it’s the pleio box.
If I had a Pleio Freely Box could I use it on WiFi when abroad on holiday? Is it geo-restricted?
It appears to be geolocked but a VPN client with a U.K. endpoint works.
I bought the Pleio puck a couple of weeks ago. All is as described in the above article except one thing. The Channel 4 app does not work. I get error message 4000-content-error when trying to open a show. Can anyone advise me on how to fix this. Freely helpdesk say call Netgem. Netgem phone number didn’t work and email I sent was not replied to. Thanks in advance
I have this issue also. I downloaded a separate channel 4 app from google store.
Thanks Leon. I had a rethink and found that my google play was still registered to France (where I used to stay). So all sorted, downloaded and reset now. Cheers, JW
Excellent review. I appreciate the work that has gone you have put in to this very informative analysis.
Thank you.
The frame rate problem is the biggest disappointment on Freely.
If you watch any sports events on non BBC channels then you’ll surely be immediately aware that what you’re viewing is sub standard with jerky motion compared to OTA Freeview/freesat even if you’re TV has smoothing/interpolation.
Sky Stream doesn’t suffer from this issue. It’s a shame that Freely didn’t insist on standardised minimum quality standards for the streams.
Having worse picture quality than Freeview/Freesat is not a step forward. It is also worth pointing out that the BBC channels have a prominent on screen graphic which Freeview/Freesat doesn’t have on live broadcasts.
How come Sky Stream has access to higher frame-rate streams?
Because they control the streams, and so insist on higher quality
Thanks for highlighting the frame rate issues on ITV, Channel 4/5 – very irritating – I won’t buy the device for that reason. I think a Freeview recorder remains a better option… won’t be getting rid of my aerial just yet.
Thank you. I love your summaries. Very helpful