Freeview and Freesat set-top boxes: Freeview and Freesat digital TV Freesat

Freesat free digital TV

Watch BBC and ITV's HD TV services free on Freesat

Minimum cost Around £150 depending on which equipment you buy. This includes the £80 installation fee. 

Pros One-off payment with no subscription costs; available to around 99% of households in UK; HD channels included 

Cons Higher start-up cost than Freeview; you need to have a satellite dish to get Freesat

What is Freesat?

Freesat is a digital satellite service available for a one-off fee offering more than 140 channels. Freesat comes with an HD service, which allows you to watch free HD content available from the BBC and ITV. To get Freesat you'll need a Freesat HD digital box or a TV with Freesat HD built in. You also need an HD-ready TV to view content in high definition.

The Freesat + service is a HD digital television recorder (also known as a PVR) so you can pause, record and rewind live TV. To get this service, you need to buy a Freesat + HD PVR.

You'll also need to pay around £80 to get a satellite dish installed. PVR installation requires a second satellite feed and is available from around £110.

See the Which? Freeview and Freesat set-top box reviews for our test results of the latest models.

Freesat TV channels

You get more channels (around 70 more) than Freeview, but these do not cover all those included in the Freeview line up. Channels available on Freesat include:

  • Entertainment BBC Alba, BBC HD, Bet, Horror Channel, CBS Drama
  • News Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, EuroNews, France 24, NHK World
  • Children Kix!, Pop, PopGirl, Tiny Pop
  • Movies Film 4, Movies4Men, True Movies
  • Lifestyle Wedding TV, Rural TV, Food Network

The main channels available on Freeview that do not feature on Freesat are Dave, Five USA, Fiver, Sky 3, Sky News, Yesterday and Virgin 1.

Freesat equipment

As with Freeview, you are not restricted to one type of box or brand with Freesat. You'll need to have a satellite dish installed if you don't already have one. Standard installation costs start at around £80.

Freesat HD digital set-top boxes start from around £60. Freesat + HD digital TV recorders (PVRs) that can record HD TV programmes are more expensive, starting at around £150. Some Freesat + HD digital TV recorders allow you to play and record Blu-ray discs. Catch-up service BBC iPlayer is also available on some Freesat + boxes. 

Freesat+ Humax Foxsat-HDR PVR

The Humax Foxsat HDR allows you to record TV shows in HD

If you'd rather not have a separate box, you can also buy TVs with Freesat built in.

Check the Which? LCD and plasma TV reviews to see the latest TVs with built-in Freesat rated and reviewed.

Sport and movies on Freesat

Premium sports and film content is not currently available on Freesat. However, you may find there’s enough sporting content available free, with some football, rugby and events such as the World Cup available on free-to-air channels such as BBC and ITV.

If you want to find out more about which TV services show sporting content, have a look at the sports page in the Which? Free TV and pay TV services guide.

Freesat availability

Around 99% of households in the UK can get access to Freesat. 

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