The Amazon Fire TV Stick could be a wonderful replacement or addition to standard cable subscription plans. However, would the Fire TV Stick be a good option particularly for your needs? There are so many streaming device options out there, so rightfully many people have a lot of questions about such services.
To help you better understand what the Fire TV Stick could deliver for the money, we’ll be giving answers to some frequently asked questions below.
What does an Amazon Fire Stick do?
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a digital media player that allows you to use the most popular streaming services from one place.
You may get the Fire TV Stick to enhance the functionality of your smart TV, and you could also turn a non-smart TV into a smart one.
So if you want to watch Netflix or Disney+ on your TV but don’t want to throw money for a smart TV, the Fire Stick is a very good option. To work, the Fire TV Stick only needs an HDMI input port as shown below.
For some people, the Fire Stick may be an excellent way for saving money on TV as well. The Fire Stick requires only a one-time payment, and it also has a variety of free TV channels to offer.
If those free channels correspond to your needs, then you may not need to pay any more money for TV after setting up Fire TV.
With that being said, some users may also need to purchase multiple streaming services to satisfy their needs. Needless to say, this could considerably increase your annual TV costs.
- Cinematic experience - Watch in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+.
- Home theater audio with Dolby Atmos - Feel scenes come to life with support for immersive Dolby Atmos audio on select titles with compatible home audio systems.
- Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1 million movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
Last update on 2023-03-22 at 19:40 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Fire TV Stick is somewhat similar to a USB stick, but it connects to your TV via HDMI. It also is just one among Amazon Fire TV products – Amazon offers three versions of the Stick, as well as the Fire TV Cube with enhanced functionality and Ethernet support out of the box.
Depending on which Fire TV Stick you get, you will be getting things like:
- 4K or 1080p streaming with HDR, HDR 10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision.
- Dolby Atmos Audio and HDMI pass-through for audio.
- 8 GB of storage.
- Alexa Voice Remote or Remote Lite.
Fire TV Stick supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac, but you may also get an optional Ethernet adapter. The Ethernet adapter is a good investment, especially if you are going to get the 4K version of the Stick. Wi-Fi can be fairly unstable at times, so the connection quality of Ethernet may come in handy.
What’s particularly nice about the Amazon Fire TV Stick is that it’s based on Android. Although you should be downloading apps from the Amazon Fire TV marketplace, this means that you could install Android apps on the Stick too.
Needless to say, you need to be careful with any apk file that comes from third parties, but you should be able to install any Android app on the Stick. Also, installing apps from third-party sources can be challenging and requires some tech-saviness.
Is there a monthly fee for Fire Stick?
No, there is no monthly fee for Fire TV Stick itself. However, the services that you will be using may require that you pay a monthly fee.
For the Fire Stick on its own, you only need to pay the purchase price. After that, you’ll only need to pay for the streaming services you use. Amazon may provide bundles or free subscriptions with some services as well.
Among the things that you may have to pay for are:
- Amazon Prime.
- Disney+.
- HBO
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Apple TV+.
If you buy many subscriptions, then your TV costs will quickly rack up. With that, you should try to minimize the number of streaming services that you pay for. Have a good look at what available streaming services offer and try to pick a few that satisfy your TV-watching needs.
Can you watch normal TV on Amazon Fire Stick?
Yes, the Amazon Fire TV Stick does allow you to watch normal TV. It is compatible with free apps like BBC iPlayer and All 4, allowing you to stream live TV.
With that said, the availability of TV channels on the Fire Stick may somewhat differ from your current cable subscription. You’ll be able to access some things for free, but in some cases, you may need to buy a membership.
If you want to use a TV channel app that is absent from the Amazon app marketplace, then you can side-load it since the Stick is based on Android. But again, remember about the involved risks – most importantly, safety. Don’t install apps from shady or untrusted sources.
What channels are free with Fire Stick?
Amazon Fire Stick comes with a range of free channels out of the box, including but not limited to:
Some people may even be able to fully replace their cable subscription with the Amazon Fire TV Stick and its free channels!
However, one thing to keep in mind with free channels like these is that they are mostly ad-supported. And given that you aren’t paying a dime to use them, this is reasonable.
To start using these channels, you need to download their apps from Amazon. Alternatively, you may look up the apps via the marketplace of the Fire Stick on your TV.
Once you do visit the marketplace for TV apps, keep an eye out because you can find many more than the listed 10.
Do I need a Fire Stick if I have a Smart TV?
This depends on the TV. Smart TVs can access streaming services anyway, so in some cases, investing in the Fire Stick may not be beneficial for smart TV owners.
However, some smart TVs support way fewer subscription services and channels than the Fire Stick. If this applies to your TV, the Fire TV Stick would indeed be a good investment. Some apps and services will overlap, but given that the Fire Stick is a one-time investment by itself, it’s fairly cost-effective.
You’ll need to have a better look at your smart TV to figure out if a Fire Stick would be a good addition to it.
Does Fire Stick need Wi-Fi?
Yes, you do need Wi-Fi to connect your Fire TV Stick to the internet. Fire Sticks do not have Ethernet ports, so they can’t be hooked to a wired internet connection – at least, out of the box.
However, you may purchase the Amazon Ethernet Adapter to be able to connect your Fire TV Stick to the internet via Ethernet. This add-on is going to cost you extra though.
If you don’t have Wi-Fi at home, then perhaps the Ethernet adapter is a worthy investment. It will allow you to avoid buying a wireless access point, and the connection quality should be better as well. The added speed and stability of Ethernet connections are especially great for 4K Fire Sticks.
If you do have good Wi-Fi at home, then you don’t necessarily need the Ethernet adapter. But it’s a good buy for internet stability anyway, so do strongly consider it.
Is Amazon Prime free on Fire Stick?
No, Amazon Prime is an independent service that needs to be paid for. Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for Prime, so you may make use of it to give the service a shot. After that, if you do end up liking Prime, it will cost you $12.99 a month or $119 annually.
Keep in mind that the benefits of Prime aren’t limited to just movies and music – you also get access to exclusive deals, free shipping options, and not only. Prime may thus be a worthwhile investment.
Is Netflix free with Amazon Fire Stick?
No, Netflix is a separate service and needs to be purchased. When you buy Fire Stick, you only pay for its price once. After that, you will need to take care of the recurring costs of the streaming services you use.
When it comes to Netflix specifically, its price and availability will vary depending on where you are.
Will Disney+ be on the Fire Stick?
Disney+ is already available on Amazon Fire TV Stick. To start using it, you need an active Disney+ subscription and the Disney+ app. You may download the Disney+ app from Fire Stick’s app marketplace.
Disney+ costs $7 per month or $70 per year in the United States. Fees may vary from region to region though, so always be sure to check local pricing.
What apps are on Amazon Fire Stick?
Amazon Fire Stick has hundreds of apps and offers access to 500,000 movies and TV episodes. Among others, here are some of the apps offered by Amazon for the Fire Stick:
- Youtube
- Fox News
- NBC
- CNNgo
- Newsmax TV
- NFL
- FOX Sports.
- ESPN
- Disney+
- HBO
- History
- Pluto TV
- Spotify
Fire TV also supports games like Candy Crush Saga, Asphalt 8, Hill Climb Racing, Crossy Road, and pretty much any other game that is available on iOS or Android. But for optimal gaming experience, you should get yourself a controller that is compatible with Amazon Fire TV.
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