The beginning of the year brought electrifying news for Pokémon TV users – the app is shutting down. As of Monday 8 January 2024, it can no longer be downloaded – the app has disappeared from the App Store, Google Play, Roku Channel Store, Amazon Appstore, Nintendo eShop, and Pokemon.com.
Those who already own Pokémon TV can still use it for a while, as the platform’s final closure will occur on Thursday 28 March 2024.
For all fans of the pocket monsters, this news is undoubtedly devastating. Still, the adventures of Pokémon can be watched on other services – some shows and films are still available to stream for free.
Here’s our official Pokémon watch guide for viewers in the US and UK, so you can keep up with all the adventures of Ash, Liko and more.
Pokemon
How to watch the Pokémon anime shows for free
If you don’t want to pay for a streaming service, then there are several options to choose from. However, availability will depend on where you are based:
YouTube
On The Official Pokémon YouTube channel, you can find such productions as:
- Paldean Winds
- Hisuian Snow
- Twilight Wings
- Evolutions
- Pokémon Generations
- Pokétoon
These are available for both users in the US and UK.
Roku Channel
If you’re in the US, you can also use The Roku Channel, a free streaming service for owners of a Roku media player. You can catch Pokémon: Sun and Moon season 20-22.
Tubi
In the library of this free, ad-supported service, you will find Pokémon: Black & White season 14-16. To use Tubi, you don’t need to create an account. Unfortunately, the service isn’t available in Europe, so this option is exclusive for users in the US.
Freevee
American viewers can also access the free streaming channel formerly known as IMDb TV by logging into a standard Amazon account. On Freevee you can watch Pokémon Advanced (seasons 6-9).
Hoopla
If you are a member of a US library that pays for access to Hoopla, you can sign up for this service for free. All you need is your active library card and email address.
On the service, Pokémon fans will find several films, such as Pokémon: The First Movie, Pokémon the Movie 2000 or Pokémon the Movie: Black-Victini and Reshiram. Diamond and Pearl seasons 10-12 are also available on Hoopla.
BBC iPlayer
In the UK, you can watch the adventures of Pokémon for free on the BBC’s streaming service. You will find such productions as:
- Pokémon Horizons
- XY
- Diamond and Pearl
- Black and White
- Sun and Moon
BBC iPlayer is unfortunately only available in the UK. However, if you live abroad, you can log into the service through a VPN, which stands for virtual private network. Choosing the proper VPN application is crucial, as not all can unblock access to BBC iPlayer. We have successfully used NordVPN for this, one of the most popular and affordable apps on the market.
For detailed information on how to use iPlayer through NordVPN, see our article on how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad.
Sky
If you have a Sky TV package, then you can stream the following sagas for free on Sky Kids:
- The Johto Journeys
- Battle Frontier
- Advanced Battle
The Pokémon Company
How to stream the Pokémon anime shows
Paid streaming services offer extensive productions from the world of Pokémon. Here are all the options available:
Netflix
On Netflix, you will find the following productions in both the UK and US:
- Indigo League
- Journeys (seasons 23-25)
- Pokémon Concierge
- The Arceus Chronicles
- Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
- Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution
The basic subscription, Netflix Standard with Ads, costs £4.99/$6.99 per month. However, you can also purchase an ad-free version at £10.99/$15.49 per month. From February 2024, Netflix will also be the American home of the new anime reboot, Horizons.
Prime Video
With a subscription to Amazon Prime Video in the US, you can watch several Pokémon sagas:
- Gold and Silver (seasons 3-5)
- Advanced (seasons 6-9)
- XY (seasons 17-19)
- Pokémon 3: The Movie (UK)
Access to Amazon Prime costs $14.99/£8.99 per month. However, you can receive a 30-day free trial period.
In the UK you can use the Prime Video Pokémon channels, which offer a seven-day free trial. After that, it costs £2.99 per month on top of your Prime membership. With this, you can watch productions such as:
- The Beginning (season 2)
- Diamond and Pearl (seasons 10-13)
- Black & White (seasons 14-16)
- Sun & Moon (seasons 20-22)
Remember that Amazon is introducing ads to its service on Monday 29 January 2024 in the US and on Monday 5 February 2024 in the UK. You can learn more about this in our guide Amazon Prime Video ad-supported tier: Everything we know.
Hulu
In the United States, Hulu is also the home of Pokémon XY (seasons 17-19).
Hulu’s cheapest, ad-supported package costs $7.99 per month, but you can also purchase an ad-free version for $17.99 per month. When using the service, you get the first month for free.
The Pokémon Company
How to rent or buy Pokémon anime shows
If you want to watch any Pokémon tales but don’t want to buy a subscription, you can also purchase or rent specific productions. You can find series and movies on services such as Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Viz.
Why did the Pokémon TV app shut down?
The decision to shut down Pokémon TV fell on fans unexpectedly, and its reasons are unknown. Many speculate that there are plans to create a new service that could bring together the numerous movies and series from the Pokémon world in one place.
For now, however, there is no information on the matter. Some fans hope that the occasion for the announcement of the new platform will be Pokémon Day, which will be held on Tuesday 27 February 2024.
If this happens, we’ll let you know immediately.