Pleio Freely Box Back In Stock, With A Surprising New Offer

The Pleio Freely box has finally returned to Amazon after weeks of stock shortages – and Netgem has sweetened the deal considerably whilst everyone was waiting.

The Pleio is the first standalone box that brings Freely – the streaming replacement for Freeview – to existing TVs without needing to buy new hardware. It delivers live TV channels through your broadband instead of an aerial, alongside streaming apps and cloud gaming.

Now, instead of the three-month trial period that launched alongside the device, buyers will get a full 12 months of free access to the cloud gaming library and 150+ extra channels before deciding whether the £9.99 monthly subscription is worth continuing.

For a device that already sparked unprecedented demand when it launched three weeks ago, this extended trial transforms the value proposition significantly.

Whether that’s enough to justify the £99 price tag over cheaper streaming alternatives depends entirely on how much you value having proper Freely integration – and whether a year of free gaming appeals to you or your household.

Here’s what’s changed, and whether this is now the right time to buy one.

Update (9/12) – The Pleio keeps going in and out of stock, but as of this writing, it’s available again. Check here:

• Get the Pleio on Amazon

What Happened With The Pleio Launch

The Netgem Pleio launched on November 21 as the first standalone device bringing Freely to existing TVs without requiring a new television purchase.

For £99, you get live streaming channels from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and around 55 others delivered through your broadband (no aerial required), full Android TV with access to Netflix, Disney+, and hundreds of other apps, plus 250+ cloud games with an included wireless gamepad.

I tested the Pleio extensively and found it delivered on the core promise despite some rough edges. Setup was straightforward, streaming quality was excellent with decent broadband, and the Android TV integration worked well. The gaming element was surprisingly enjoyable for casual play.

There were also a few quirks: a noticeable 3-4 second lag when changing channels, three separate search functions that don’t talk to each other properly, and occasional frame drops in demanding apps.

But the biggest story wasn’t the device itself – it was the demand.

The Pleio sold out on Amazon within hours of launching. Early buyers who ordered on the first day received their devices immediately, but by evening the product showed as completely unavailable.

Some customers managed to secure orders before stock vanished, whilst others missed out entirely.

Netgem’s managing director told us the response “far exceeded our expectations,” with the company selling through their initial allocation in under 24 hours.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for restocking – Black Friday week meant Amazon’s warehouses were dealing with huge volume, creating delays in processing new inventory even when it was physically on-site.

Fresh stock trickled in sporadically over the following days, but availability remained inconsistent. For nearly two weeks, anyone wanting to buy a Pleio faced either lengthy waits or complete unavailability.

That changes today.

The Pleio Returns – With A Much Better Deal

Today, the Pleio went back in stock on Amazo, though it seems to be going in and out of stock throughout the day.

It was initially meant to return last Friday, but the stock renewal was delayed until today (Monday).

More significantly, Netgem has extended the included trial period from three months to 12 months for both the cloud gaming library and the 150+ extra FAST channels.

Previously, buyers got three months of free access before facing the £9.99 monthly subscription decision. Now, you get a full year to explore the gaming catalogue and extra channels before committing to anything beyond the upfront £99.

To be clear: Freely itself remains completely free. The core 55+ channels, the EPG, the catch-up services, and all the basic Freely functionality continues working forever without any subscription beyond the TV Licence.

The £9.99 monthly fee only applies if you want to keep the cloud gaming and extra channels after your free year expires.

According to Netgem, this change comes directly from customer feedback. Early users reported wanting more time to explore the gaming features before deciding whether to continue paying, with data showing around 80% of Pleio buyers have tried the games – hopping between family titles, racing games, and strategy options to sample different genres.

Sylvain Thevenot, Netgem’s UK managing director, explained: “We know that Cloud Gaming in particular is new for some, and we’ve received feedback that it might take more than three months to become familiar with – so we extended the Gaming access to twelve months.”

Customers who already purchased the Pleio during the initial launch will receive the extended trial automatically. Netgem says they’ll be contacting existing buyers directly to confirm the upgrade.

What This Actually Means For Value

The 12-month extension changes the Pleio’s value calculation.

At launch, one of the recurring complaints was the price. At £99, the Pleio costs significantly more than a Fire TV Stick or Roku, and that premium was partly paying for gaming hardware that many potential buyers had zero interest in.

The prominent gamepad in all the marketing likely put off viewers who just wanted Freely for live TV and catch-up – why pay extra for a controller you’ll never touch?

The three-month trial didn’t really address that concern. If you weren’t interested in gaming from day one, three months wasn’t going to change your mind – and you’d still paid £99 for features you ignored.

A full year changes the psychology considerably. You’ve now got 12 months to casually try games when the mood strikes, explore the extra channels when you’re bored of mainstream content, and genuinely assess whether these features add value to your household – all without worrying about subscriptions kicking in.

For families with children or grandchildren who visit regularly, this can be appealing. The included gamepad and instant-access gaming means entertainment that’s always ready without needing a separate console.

A year gives you multiple school holidays, birthday visits, and rainy afternoons to discover whether cloud gaming becomes a genuine household feature or just a novelty you tried once.

More importantly, the extended trial makes the £99 price tag easier to justify. You’re not just buying a Freely box – you’re getting a full year of gaming and extra channels included.

Even if you never touch the games, the perception of value improves significantly when you’re getting 12 months of extras rather than just three.

For households with no interest whatsoever in gaming, the extension doesn’t change the reality that you’re paying for hardware you won’t use. But at least you’re getting a proper chance to test this out.

The extra 150+ channels follow similar logic. Most are FAST channels that you can access elsewhere for free through apps like Pluto TV or Samsung TV+.

The Pleio’s advantage is having them all integrated into one guide, which is convenient if you enjoy channel surfing. A year lets you properly assess whether that convenience justifies paying to keep them.

How Does This Compare To Alternatives?

Even with the extended trial, the Pleio costs more upfront than mainstream streaming alternatives.

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K sells for £59.99, delivering a more polished streaming experience with better-integrated search and a massive app library. Its Live tab provides BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and others in one guide – not quite as seamless as Freely’s unified interface, but functional enough for many viewers.

Roku’s Streaming Stick Plus comes in even cheaper at £39.99, offering exceptional simplicity that’s genuinely intuitive for anyone intimidated by modern streaming devices.

The Pleio’s £99 price tag buys you something specific: proper Freely integration with its streaming EPG and unified live/catch-up experience, plus a year of gaming and extra channels thrown in.

Whether that’s worth the premium depends entirely on how much you value that seamless interface versus simply jumping between apps on a cheaper stick.

Pleio Coming To ISP Bundles

Whilst retail customers were waiting for Amazon restocks, Netgem has been busy signing up broadband providers to offer the Pleio as part of bundled packages.

Three local ISPs have announced Pleio partnerships over the past fortnight, positioning the device as their main TV offering for customers who want integrated entertainment without aerials.

BRSK became the first to launch, offering what they call “BetterTV” for £5 per month as a promotional rate (normally £10 monthly) with a £10 activation fee. The offer runs until the end of January 2026 and is available exclusively to new BRSK full-fibre broadband customers.

Connect Fibre followed, launching at £10 per month as part of various broadband bundle options. They’re positioning it particularly toward younger households and renters who might not have aerial access and prefer streaming-first entertainment.

WightFibre joined last week, offering the Pleio for £5.95 monthly for the first 12 months (then £8.95 thereafter) to both new and existing broadband customers on the Isle of Wight. They’re emphasising the reliability benefits for coastal areas and older properties where aerial reception can be inconsistent.

For these ISP customers, the Pleio subscription (gaming and extra channels) is included as part of the broadband package – meaning they never face the £9.99 monthly decision that retail buyers encounter after their free year expires.

These partnerships signal where the industry is heading. Just as Sky Stream and Virgin Media Stream have made streaming-only boxes their default offerings, regional ISPs are now positioning broadband-delivered TV as the natural complement to full-fibre connections.

Should You Buy One Now?

The Pleio makes most sense for specific situations.

If you’ve got terrible Freeview reception – pixelated pictures, missing channels, signals that vanish when it rains – the Pleio solves that completely.

As long as your broadband is solid, you get perfect picture quality on all the main channels without ever touching an aerial.

It’s ideal for second rooms where running aerial cables is a hassle. Bedrooms, kitchens, home offices – anywhere you’ve got Wi-Fi, the Pleio gives you full access to live TV and streaming without complicated installations.

And if you’ve been curious about Freely but didn’t fancy buying a new TV just to try it, this is your entry point – now with a full year to explore everything the puck offers before committing to ongoing costs.

What the Pleio isn’t is a replacement for traditional Freeview recorders. There’s no recording capability whatsoever – you’re entirely dependent on broadcaster catch-up services.

For viewers who rely on recording to skip adverts or build libraries of content, that’s a limitation no amount of streaming convenience can overcome.

For £99 with a year of extras included, the Pleio is now an easier sell. It’s a reasonable proposition for anyone who wants Freely without buying new hardware, values having all their streaming in one place, and has decent broadband to support it.

• Get the Pleio on Amazon

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