Samsung TV Plus Channel: Complete Guide to Getting Started

If you’re exploring how to add your content to a Samsung TV Plus channel, you’re not alone. Samsung TV Plus reaches over 88 million viewers globally through its free, ad-supported streaming (FAST) platform built directly into Samsung smart TVs. But here’s the catch: getting your content onto Samsung TV Plus isn’t a self-serve option like uploading to YouTube. The platform operates more like traditional television, with Samsung curating channels and negotiating distribution deals.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about Samsung TV Plus channels—from how viewers access them to what it takes for content creators to launch their own channels on the platform. We’ll also explore alternative streaming platforms that give you more control over your content and revenue.

What Is Samsung TV Plus?

Samsung TV Plus is a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service built into Samsung smart TVs manufactured since 2016. The platform offers over 250 live and on-demand channels spanning news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and niche content—all without requiring a subscription or additional apps.

According to TechCrunch, Samsung TV Plus reached 88 million monthly active users in 2023, making it one of the fastest-growing FAST platforms globally. Unlike subscription-based streaming services, Samsung TV Plus generates revenue through advertising, with Samsung taking a percentage of ad inventory while sharing revenue with content partners.

Is Samsung TV Plus a Free Channel?

Yes, Samsung TV Plus is completely free for viewers. You don’t need a subscription, cable login, or even a Samsung account to access the service. If you own a compatible Samsung smart TV, the platform is pre-installed and ready to use. Just turn on your TV and navigate to the TV Plus app or press the dedicated button on your Samsung remote.

The free model works because Samsung monetizes through advertising. As a content creator or channel operator, you’ll share ad revenue with Samsung rather than charging viewers directly—similar to how YouTube operates but with a traditional TV-style presentation.

How to Find Samsung TV Plus on Your TV

Finding the Samsung TV Plus channel list on your television takes just a few seconds:

Press the Home button on your Samsung remote to open the Smart Hub
Navigate to the Samsung TV Plus icon—it’s typically visible on the main menu bar
Select the app to launch the channel guide

Alternatively, many Samsung remotes include a dedicated TV Plus button that launches the service directly.

Once inside the app, you’ll see a traditional channel guide interface showing what’s currently airing and upcoming programming. The interface resembles cable TV more than Netflix or Hulu, with numbered channels you can browse linearly.

Pro tip: You can bookmark your favorite Samsung TV Plus channels by pressing and holding the “Select” button while viewing a channel. This creates quick access shortcuts for channels you watch regularly.

Understanding the Samsung TV Plus Channel List

The Samsung TV Plus channel number system varies by region, but in the USA, channels are organized into categories:

1000s: News and weather channels
2000s: Sports and competition programming
3000s: Entertainment and drama
4000s: Movies
5000s: Lifestyle and home improvement
6000s: Kids and family content
7000s: Special interest and niche programming

Is There a Guide for Samsung TV Plus?

Yes, Samsung TV Plus includes a built-in TV guide accessible directly within the app. Press the guide button on your remote while viewing Samsung TV Plus to see the full programming schedule across all available channels.

The guide shows:

Current and upcoming programs for each channel
Program descriptions and duration
Channel numbers and names
Time slots for the next several hours

You can also find the complete Samsung TV Plus channel list on Samsung’s website, though availability varies by country and sometimes by specific TV model. Samsung doesn’t officially publish a downloadable Samsung TV Plus channel list PDF, but third-party sites occasionally compile these lists for reference.

Getting Your Content on Samsung TV Plus

Here’s where reality diverges from expectations: you can’t simply create a Samsung TV Plus channel the way you’d launch a YouTube channel. Samsung TV Plus operates as a curated platform with strict requirements for channel partners.

Requirements for Samsung TV Plus Channel Partners

Samsung typically requires:

Professional content library: At least 500+ hours of high-quality video content
Linear programming schedule: Content must follow a traditional TV broadcast format with scheduled programming blocks
Business entity: Registered media company or content network (not individual creators)
Technical infrastructure: Ability to deliver broadcast-quality streams meeting Samsung’s technical specifications
Revenue potential: Sufficient audience size and content appeal to justify ad inventory

The approval process involves pitching Samsung’s content partnerships team, negotiating revenue-sharing agreements, and meeting technical integration requirements. This typically takes 3-6 months from initial contact to channel launch.

For independent creators, fitness instructors, educators, and small media companies, this presents a significant barrier to entry.

Alternative: Build Your Own Streaming Platform

If you want the control and economics of your own streaming channel without the barriers of Samsung TV Plus, consider launching your own white-label platform. With tools like Vidori’s custom app builder, you can create branded streaming apps for Samsung TV (Tizen), Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android, and web—all from a single platform.

Here’s what makes this approach different from Samsung TV Plus:

You Keep 100% of Revenue

Unlike Samsung TV Plus’s ad-revenue sharing model, subscription-based platforms let you keep every dollar from subscriber fees. Vidori charges a flat monthly platform fee starting at $99/month with zero revenue share and no per-subscriber fees. Whether you have 10 subscribers or 10,000, your platform cost stays predictable.

Compare that to ad-supported models where you typically earn $5-15 per thousand views (CPM), with the platform taking 30-50% of total ad revenue.

Full Control Over Content and Branding

Samsung TV Plus controls programming schedules, content approval, and channel branding. Your own platform gives you complete creative control:

Upload content on your schedule
Organize videos into series, seasons, and collections
Brand everything with your logo, colors, and messaging
Create custom pricing tiers and membership levels
Build community features like comments and discussions

The catalog management tools let you structure content exactly how you envision it, not how a network programmer thinks it should flow.

Direct Audience Relationship

On Samsung TV Plus, Samsung owns the viewer data and relationship. You’re essentially renting access to their audience. Building your own platform means:

Collecting first-party viewer data
Building direct subscriber relationships
Owning your email list for marketing
Controlling the entire customer experience

This direct connection becomes invaluable for long-term business growth and audience development.

Platform Comparison: Samsung TV Plus vs. Owned Platform

Feature	Samsung TV Plus	Owned Platform (Vidori)
Setup Cost	Free (after approval)	Starting at $99/month
Revenue Model	Ad-supported (shared)	Subscription (100% yours)
Content Requirements	500+ hours, linear schedule	Any amount, on-demand
Approval Process	3-6 months, highly selective	14-day free trial, instant setup
Branding	Samsung TV Plus branding	Fully white-label
Platform Access	Samsung TVs only	16+ platforms including Samsung TV
Viewer Data	Limited access	Full ownership

For creators focused on building a sustainable business with predictable revenue, Vidori’s SVOD solutions typically make more financial sense than ad-supported models. A subscription business with just 100 paying members at $20/month generates $2,000 in monthly revenue—far exceeding what most creators earn through ad-supported platforms with similar viewership.

Pro tip: Many successful streaming businesses use a hybrid approach: they distribute some content through FAST platforms like Samsung TV Plus for discovery while keeping premium, exclusive content behind their own subscription paywall. This maximizes both reach and revenue.

Technical Considerations for Multi-Platform Distribution

If you’re serious about streaming content professionally—whether through Samsung TV Plus or your own platform—you’ll need to understand technical requirements:

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

Modern streaming platforms use HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) or DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) to automatically adjust video quality based on viewer internet speeds. This prevents buffering and ensures smooth playback across different devices.

Platforms like Vidori handle this automatically through cloud transcoding, converting your source video into multiple resolutions (from 240p to 4K) without requiring technical expertise.

Content Delivery Networks (CDN)

Professional streaming requires global CDN distribution to minimize latency and ensure fast load times regardless of viewer location. Samsung TV Plus handles CDN distribution for partners, but if you’re building your own platform, look for solutions with multi-CDN architecture.

Vidori uses both Cloudflare and AWS CloudFront with 200+ global points of presence, ensuring reliable streaming performance whether your viewers are in New York or New Delhi.

DRM and Content Protection

If you’re distributing premium content, digital rights management (DRM) prevents unauthorized downloading and sharing. Samsung TV Plus applies DRM automatically to partner content. For owned platforms, look for Widevine and FairPlay DRM support—both included in Vidori’s platform.

Learn more about video security in the platform settings documentation.

Monetization Models Beyond Advertising

While Samsung TV Plus operates exclusively on advertising, owned platforms support multiple revenue streams:

Subscription Tiers

Create different membership levels with varying content access:

Basic tier: Access to core library ($9.99/month)
Premium tier: All content plus live streams ($19.99/month)
VIP tier: Everything plus exclusive community access ($49.99/month)

The monetization documentation covers setup for subscriptions, free trials, and promo codes.

Pay-Per-View

Charge one-time fees for special events, workshops, or premium content without requiring ongoing subscriptions. This works particularly well for:

Live workshops and masterclasses
Conference recordings
Exclusive interviews or documentaries
Seasonal content drops

Bundles and Add-Ons

Combine multiple content collections or services into package deals that increase average revenue per user (ARPU). For example, a fitness creator might offer:

Workout library subscription ($15/month)
Meal planning add-on (+$10/month)
Bundle discount ($20/month for both)

These monetization options give you far more revenue flexibility than ad-supported models where CPM rates fluctuate based on advertiser demand and viewer demographics.

Key Takeaways

Samsung TV Plus is a free, ad-supported streaming service with 250+ channels reaching 88 million viewers globally
Getting your content on Samsung TV Plus requires significant content libraries (500+ hours), business infrastructure, and partnership approval—not suitable for most independent creators
The channel guide is accessible via the TV Plus app on Samsung smart TVs, with channels organized by category in numbered ranges (1000s for news, 2000s for sports, etc.)
Alternative platforms let you build branded streaming apps for Samsung TV and 15+ other platforms with full control over content, revenue, and viewer relationships
Subscription-based monetization typically generates higher revenue per viewer than ad-supported models for creators with engaged audiences

Build Your Own Streaming Platform Today

While Samsung TV Plus offers impressive reach, the barriers to entry and lack of control make it impractical for most content creators. If you’re ready to build a sustainable streaming business with predictable revenue and full creative control, explore Vidori’s pricing to see how affordable professional streaming platforms have become.

Start with a 14-day free trial—no credit card required. Launch branded apps for Samsung TV, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and mobile within days, not months. You’ll keep 100% of your subscriber revenue while building direct relationships with your audience.

Ready to get started? Try Vidori free for 14 days and see how easy it is to launch your own streaming channel.