If your TV budget is stretched but your nostalgia is not, there’s welcome news: Tubi is rolling out more than 100 classic cartoons you can stream entirely free with ads, no subscription or credit card required.
The ad-supported service is packaging a deep library of retro animation from the 1960s through the 1990s into an easy-to-browse hub, reviving the Saturday-morning vibe without the paywall. It’s a timely move as households juggle rising subscription costs and turn to free ad-supported TV, a category that research firms like Nielsen say now commands the largest share of total TV viewing time among major formats.
What’s Included and Why It Matters for Viewers
The new additions lean heavily on Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Television catalogs, spanning fan favorites and cult curiosities. Expect headline series such as Animaniacs, The Powerpuff Girls, Pinky and the Brain, and Justice League, alongside rarely seen gems like Yogi’s Galaxy Goof-Ups, Ricochet Rabbit, and The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley.
Many of these shows have been difficult to find online or were previously locked behind paid services. By licensing them into a free, ad-supported environment, Tubi is widening access while giving studios a new avenue to monetize library content that still carries brand equity and multi-generational appeal.
How to Stream the Classic Cartoons for Free ($0)
Download the Tubi app on virtually any device: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, smart TVs from major brands, iOS and Android phones and tablets, game consoles, and web browsers. Installation is quick, and you can start watching without creating an account.
Open the app and look for categories such as Animation, Family, and Nostalgia. There’s also a dedicated Tubi Kids area with a simplified interface if you want a kid-first experience. Search by show title or studio to jump straight to a series, and use the Continue Watching row to pick up where you left off. If you opt to create a free account, you’ll unlock watchlists, recommendations, and syncing across devices.
Prefer a lean-back channel feel? Head to the Live TV or Channels tab, where Tubi programs linear streams of cartoons and animated classics, so you can drop in at any point without making a selection.
Notable Titles and the Deep Cuts You Can Expect
Flagship series include Animaniacs and its spinoff Pinky and the Brain, both known for rapid-fire gags and pop-culture riffs that play to kids and adults alike. The Powerpuff Girls brings the late-’90s sugar-rush style that helped define Cartoon Network’s identity, while Justice League delivers ensemble superhero storytelling that still influences modern animation.
For animation historians, the real treasure lies in the oddities: Yogi’s Galaxy Goof-Ups mashes Hanna-Barbera icons with space-age antics; Ricochet Rabbit offers quick-draw slapstick from a bygone TV era; and Ed Grimley captures the SCTV and Saturday Night Live lineage in animated form. Availability can rotate based on licensing, and specific lineups may vary by region.
Ad Quality, Viewing Experience, and Parental Controls
Tubi uses brief ad breaks to keep streaming free, typically a lighter load than traditional cable. Ads are dynamically inserted and may be tailored to your device settings; if you prefer less personalization, adjust your platform’s ad tracking controls.
Video quality reflects source masters. Many classics arrive in their original 4:3 standard definition, while some later-series episodes and remasters stream in HD. Closed captions are widely available, and Tubi Kids plus account-based parental controls make it easier to keep viewing age-appropriate.
The Bigger Picture in the Rise of Free Streaming
The push into classic cartoons aligns with the surge of free ad-supported streaming TV, often called FAST. Services like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Freevee, and Plex have shown that audiences will trade a few ads for zero-cost access, especially for comfort-viewing libraries. Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends research has documented growing “subscription cycling,” with viewers mixing free and paid options to manage costs.
Tubi itself has scaled rapidly in recent years and reports a library of more than 200,000 movies and TV episodes alongside hundreds of live channels. By emphasizing beloved animation with cross-generational pull, it’s betting that families will turn to free platforms first for reliable, repeatable viewing.
Pro Tips For A Better Free-Cartoon Experience
Use search to filter by studio or decade if you’re chasing a specific era vibe, and check the Recently Added and Trending rows to spot new drops. Creating a free profile helps Tubi surface more of what you actually watch, and turning on Tubi Kids keeps navigation simple for younger viewers.
Most importantly, you don’t need to pay or even sign in to start. Install the app, hit play, and rediscover why these cartoons still work—snappy storytelling, bold art styles, and a nostalgia factor that doesn’t cost a dime.