Skip to main content

Rabbit TV promises a lot of TV for a little cash, but is it the real deal?

If you’re a bit confused about the basics of Rabbit TV, don’t feel bad. The “as seen on TV” service is a lot like magicJack — most of us have heard about it at one time or another, but we have no idea what it actually is or what it does. Rabbit TV started out as a bright red USB dongle that promised “free access to 5,000 internet TV stations,” putting the word “internet” in very small type. Eventually, the company cut the USB stick and rebranded as Rabbit TV Plus, offering service to anyone with a web browser (assuming that web browser can run Flash). The word “free,” was slightly misleading, however, since the service initially charged $10 a year.

More recently, the price has gone up to $24 per year, which is still cheap compared to services like Sling TV or DirecTV Now. But what exactly are you getting for your money? To start, Rabbit TV Plus — also referred to on the company’s website as Rabbit TV, RabbitTV, or RabbitTV Plus, confusingly enough — doesn’t offer any content of its own, but is essentially little more than a content aggregator. And, in fact, in our final section we outline some similar alternatives that may well outdo Rabbit TV Plus at its own game. But first, we’ll dive into the nitty gritty of this mystery service to see what it offers, and just as importantly, what it doesn’t.

Recommended Videos

What does Rabbit TV Plus offer?

As mentioned, Rabbit TV Plus subscription doesn’t give you access to anything you can’t already get for free online. Instead, the service prowls the web for online video and serves it up in a TV Guide-style buffet that lets people pick and choose what they want to watch. In addition to aggregating content from various free streaming sources online, Rabbit TV Plus folds in movies and TV shows from Netflix and Hulu, assuming you have subscriptions to those services.

It will even fold in movies and TV shows from Netflix and Hulu, assuming you have a subscription to those services.

In recent years, the service has moved away from its claims of “thousands” of free TV channels, swapped for a similarly bold tagline: “all the world’s entertainment in one place.” Available live broadcasts include networks like The CW, PBS, Ion, Univision, Telemundo, This, and MeTV (all of which can be found over the air with an HD antenna), as well as news and shopping channels like Bloomberg, MSNBC, QVC, and HSN. The service has also added several international channels such as Eurosport, RT, and ZDF, among others.

It’s tough to put together a solid number on exactly how much content Rabbit TV Plus offers. The service’s website claims 2,000+ live channels, as well as 100,000+ movies, 400,000+ TV episodes, and 20,000+ streaming radio stations. But just a little bit lower on the page it says 500+ streaming channels are available to watch on an iPhone, iPad, or smartphone.

Rabbit-TV-Plus-screen-1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What makes this even tougher to gauge is that recently, Rabbit TV Plus has been moving increasingly toward on-demand content, and more specifically, on-demand content that you need to pay for on top of your subscription. It’s possible (and recommended in most cases) to browse only free content by selecting “Free Only” in the top-left corner of the site. Otherwise, you’ll see a “Watch Free” button for some shows and movies, while others will show an “Order Now” button. Sometimes you’ll see both buttons, which means some episodes of a show are available for free, but others are pay-per-view, either individually or by the whole season.

To make things even more complex, an extra tier of channels requires an active cable subscription to watch, making the service’s claim on its website that it is a “great alternative to cable” seem a little more dubious. Channels that require a cable subscription include ESPN, TBS, TNT, TruTV, Cartoon Network, Fox, AMC, and Disney, similar to the TV Everywhere apps you would find on a smart phone or streaming device.

It’s tough to put together a solid number on exactly how much content Rabbit TV Plus offers.

Millennials might not be impressed by Rabbit TV Plus, but the service isn’t really going after the tech savvy among us. The primary audience is made up of the 30-65+ age group, specifically those who don’t know where to look or don’t care to try looking for the most accessible online content. It was initially targeted at anyone on a PC or Mac — including those who barely know how to use them — to easily access streaming TV through simple selections. And since there is nothing to actually install, the simple register-and-log-in process makes it pretty simple. And more recently, Rabbit TV Plus has added even more ways to watch.

Which streaming devices are supported?

Though Rabbit TV Plus originally started out by limiting compatibility to Windows PCs and Macs, its move to a browser-based platform means it can work on a Chromebook or Linux machine. It can also work on select phones and tablets, though access is limited on devices that don’t support Adobe Flash, the number of which is increasing.

Until relatively recently, Rabbit TV Plus was available on both iPhone and Android devices, though it required a third-party browser in order to function. Now the app has disappeared from the App Store, leaving only the Android version. Even with Android phones, there is a catch: The Rabbit TV Plus app isn’t available in the Google Play Store, so you’ll have to go to the company’s website in order to download and install the APK file, something that the ideal Rabbit TV Plus user probably isn’t equipped to do on their own.

Rabbit-TV-screen-3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Is it a scam?

The short answer is no, Rabbit TV Plus is not a scam, but as you’ll see in the section below, that doesn’t mean it’s the best of its kind. Rabbit TV’s detractors were initially quick to judge it as illegitimate mainly because it doesn’t offer much — if anything — that isn’t already freely available on the web, but the company’s changes in its marketing definitely make it seem more legitimate. That said, the platform does seem to use the word “free” a lot for a service that costs $24 a year, affordable as that is.

There are, of course, some notable caveats to consider. Since Rabbit TV Plus can only show movie content which is already free, the selection is less-than-enticing. To get a feel for what you can expect, go visit Crackle and have a look at what it offers. Also, local TV station access from across the nation isn’t delivered as promised. The last time we checked, there was precious little available from New York, and Oregon (where Digital Trends is headquartered) wasn’t represented at all.

Local TV station access from across the nation isn’t delivered as promised.

The online TV segment has also changed a lot since Rabbit TV launched, and even since it rebranded as Rabbit TV Plus. More and more viewers, regardless of age, are watching their favorite shows and movies using streaming services, and many are actively looking to escape traditional TV’s old-school channel surfing method. Not to mention, competition from the likes of Sling TV, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, and Hulu with Live TV offers much of what users may find appealing about Rabbit TV Plus, but with more content that actually want to watch. The cost is considerably higher than Rabbit TV Plus, but all of those services have options much cheaper than most cable packages.

What are the best Rabbit TV Plus alternatives?

To keep things fair, we’ll leave the services mentioned above out of this since they do cost a good deal more than you pay for Rabbit TV Plus. Besides, we’ve already got a comparison of those services if you’re interested in seeing how they stack up. That said, there are two options that offer something very similar to this service, and one of them even comes from Rabbit TV Plus’s parent company, FreeCast.

SelectTV

For all intents and purposes, SelectTV seems like FreeCast decided to take the lessons it had learned from Rabbit TV and start over from scratch with a product that isn’t exactly the same, but is very similar. How close are they? Look at the Rabbit TV Plus website, then the SelectTV website. Notice any similarities?

Like Rabbit TV Plus, SelectTV costs $24 per year, but it also offers a monthly subscription for $3 per month. Yes, you’ll end up paying an extra $12 for a year if you choose this method, but it does allow you to try out the service for less money if you’re not sure you want to go all in. SelectTV is also available on a far greater range of platforms, with apps for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, iOS, and Android devices, as well as your browser.

Taking all that into consideration, it seems like if you’re considering Rabbit TV Plus, you’ll want to try SelectTV first. At this point, it seems that Rabbit TV Plus remains a separate service for those who already subscribed, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see it folded into SelectTV at some point in the future.

Pluto TV

Pluto TV launched in 2014, and seems a lot like what Rabbit TV originally intended to offer: Various channels of content, most (if not all) of which can be found elsewhere on the internet, presented in a live TV format (though on-demand movies are also available). The major difference here is that Pluto TV is completely free, earning all its revenue from advertising instead of subscriptions.

Channels are organized into sections like Movies, News, Sports, Comedy, Entertainment, and Life + Style. It seems that Pluto is aiming for younger viewers than Rabbit TV Plus, however, with additional sections like Chill Out and Geek + Gaming featured prominently, as well as several radio stations provided by Dash Radio. You’re not going to find the latest movies or TV series here, but you’re not likely to find them on Rabbit TV Plus or SelectTV either — at least not without paying extra.

Like SelecTV, Pluto TV is available on a far greater range of devices than Rabbit TV Plus, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, PlayStation 4, and a number of smart TVs.

In the end, it’s hard to say who exactly Rabbit TV Plus is for. Both of the above services provide the same or similar functionality, and are either available on more devices or offer more flexible pricing (or are free). Then you have options like an antenna and OTA DVR, or the ever-growing number of options for watching movies for free online. If you or a relative are using Rabbit TV Plus and are happy with it, there’s probably no reason to switch for now, but it couldn’t hurt to look at what else is available.

Topics
Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Best Samsung TV deals: Save on 4K TVs, QLED TVs, OLED TVs, 8K TVs
A person watching a Samsung TV.

Savings on top TV brands can be found by shopping Sony TV deals, TCL TV deals, LG TV deals, and even Vizio TV deals, but a new Samsung TV may provide the best balance of image quality, smart features, and affordability. We’ve tracked down all of the best Samsung TV deals available and among them you’ll find both QLED TV deals and OLED TV deals. You’ll also find the most important thing when it comes to TV deals — some big time savings. Read onward for all of the details on how to save on a new Samsung TV, and if nailing down the right TV size for a specific space is important to your purchase you can also find Samsung TV deals among the current 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and 85-inch TV deals.
Samsung 65-inch S90C OLED 4K Smart TV — $1,348 $1,998 33% off

OLED picture technology is an alternative to all of the best QLED TVs out there. It’s every bit as good as QLED, providing incredible detail and unbelievable screen brightness. This TV has a ton of bells and whistles we’ve seen scattered across other Samsung TVs. It has a Neural Quantum Processor for 4K upscaling, Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound to create an immersive audio experience, and Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro that keeps your image from lagging or breaking apart during fast-paced action or heavy gaming playback. This TV comes in at a good size at 65-inches, and it’s super slim, making it a good option to put at the center of nearly any home theater.

Read more
Best 70-inch TV deals: Get a big screen for sports for $380
The Samsung 70-inch Class 7 Series 4K TV in a living room.

A large TV is paramount if you’re looking to create a great viewing experience for all of your favorite content. And if you aren’t finding what you’re looking for among the best 65-inch TV deals, best 75-inch TV deals, or best 85-inch TV deals, here we're going to direct you to all of today’s best 70-inch TV deals. There are plenty of 70-inch TV deals going on right now from several different TV brands, and we’ve rounded them all up below. And if you’d prefer to shop for a new TV by brand rather than size be sure to check out all of the Samsung TV deals, Sony TV deals, TCL TV deals, LG TV deals, and Vizio TV deals going on right now.
Insignia 70-inch F50 4K TV — $380 $500 24% off

The Insignia F50 isn’t going to blow anyone away on paper, but when it comes to actually sitting down and watching this TV it’s going to give most people everything they’re looking for. It has plenty of smart capabilities, including the ability to connect directly to online content and easy, built-in access to streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, and YouTube. But without much fuss it also produces a sharp, clear 4K image that’s enjoyable to watch. It even has HDR capabilities, providing a wide range of color details and sharper contrast.

Read more
Best Vizio TV deals: Cheap smart TVs starting at $127
vizio 55 inch oled 4k tv deal black friday 2020

If you’re in the market for both a new TV and some affordability, Vizio is one of the best TV brands to turn to. You won’t often find any of its models among the best TVs, but that’s not what Vizio is aiming for. It makes quality TVs with impressive and immersive images for their price point, and it often produces affordable alternatives to what you’ll find among Samsung TV deals, Sony TV deals, LG TV deals, and even TCL TV deals. But there are many Vizio TV deals available as well, bringing its prices down even further. We’ve rounded up the best Vizio TV deals you can shop right now below, and if you aren’t finding the right Vizio TV for you the current 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and 85-inch TV deals may have something you’re looking for.
Today’s best Vizio TV deals
Vizio makes a full lineup of TVs, from large screens to more modest sizes, and from 4K showstoppers to high definition bargains. One of the lowest prices on a Vizio TV can be found in the Vizio D-Series 24-inch HD TV. And while it would make a nice addition to any apartment or smaller space, there are some Vizio 4K TV options to take a look at as well.

-- $127 $160 21% off
-- $299 $350 15% off
-- $378 $428 12% off
--  $427 $630 32% off
-- $545 $600 9% off
-- $893 $1,000 11% off

Read more