This list has been on TechBii for years, so before rewriting it I re-checked every app on my own phone — and the entertainment world has shifted more since 2020 than in the decade before. Hotstar became JioHotstar, the drawing app Autodesk abandoned got rescued by its own team, and TuneIn found new owners. All five apps below survived my re-testing, and all five still earn their home-screen spot.
Quick Answer: The five best entertainment apps to try in 2026: JioHotstar for Indian streaming (IPL, movies, serials — plans from ₹79/month), TuneIn for 100,000+ radio stations, Sketchbook for free drawing, 9GAG for memes, and SoundHound for naming any song you can hum. All are free to start on Android and iOS.
The 5 Best Entertainment Apps at a Glance
| App | Category | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| JioHotstar | Streaming video | Free tier; plans from ~₹79/mo | Indian TV, movies, cricket |
| TuneIn | Radio & audio | Free; Premium optional | Live radio worldwide |
| Sketchbook | Creative drawing | Free | Artists of any level |
| 9GAG | Memes & humor | Free; premium removes ads | Quick laughs |
| SoundHound | Music discovery | Free; paid voice plan | Naming songs instantly |
1. JioHotstar — Best for Streaming in India
The biggest change on this list: Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema merged into JioHotstar in 2025, and it's now the undisputed streaming giant for Indian content — serials, movies, and crucially live sports including the IPL, which remains the app's killer feature. The January 2026 plan restructure added monthly options: a Mobile tier around ₹79/month (₹499/year), Super around ₹149/month, and Premium at ₹1,499/year with ad-free 4K on four devices. The free tier carries ads and limited content — enough to try it. One app, and genuinely the only one you need for Indian entertainment. See current plans at hotstar.com.
Best for: anyone in India (or the diaspora) who wants serials, movies, and live cricket in one place.
2. TuneIn — Best for Live Radio Around the World
TuneIn remains the easiest way to stream more than 100,000 live radio stations — local FM from your hometown, news from London, cricket commentary, MLB and commercial-free music stations — searchable by genre and location. The free tier is ad-supported and fully usable; Premium removes ads and adds recording. Note for 2026: TuneIn was acquired by media company Stingray (announced late 2025), so expect its audio lineup to keep evolving — the core free radio experience is unchanged and still excellent.
Best for: radio lovers, expats missing home stations, and sports commentary fans.
3. Sketchbook — Best Free Creative App
Here's the happiest story on this list: when Autodesk discontinued SketchBook in 2021, the original team spun it out into an independent company — and Sketchbook is now completely free on Android, iOS, and desktop. The interface stays out of your way, the brush engine feels natural on a phone or tablet, and the time-lapse recording turns any doodle into a shareable video. Professionals use it alongside paid tools; beginners can learn to draw without spending a rupee.
Best for: anyone who draws, doodles, or wants to start — at zero cost. Get it from sketchbook.com or the app stores.
4. 9GAG — Best for Quick Laughs
Nearly two decades old and somehow still the internet's meme head office: 9GAG aggregates memes, GIFs, and short videos across every fandom and mood, and it still tops the humor category globally with tens of millions of daily visitors. The app's sections and upvote-driven feed mean the good stuff rises fast, and doom-scrolling it for "five minutes" remains the known side effect. Free with ads; a premium tier strips them.
Best for: commute-length humor breaks and staying fluent in internet culture.
5. SoundHound — Best for Music Discovery
The party trick that never gets old: hum, sing, or play a few seconds of any song and SoundHound names it, with live lyrics and links to stream it. It still out-hums its famous rival when you don't know the words — genuinely humming a tune works. The company behind it has grown into a major voice-AI business (its tech now powers car assistants and restaurant ordering), but the consumer app remains free with optional upgrades.
Best for: identifying songs when you can't name them — and building playlists from what you find.
What Changed Since This List Was First Published
An honest look at how much moved under these five apps' feet — worth knowing if you read an older version:
- Hotstar → JioHotstar: Disney+ Hotstar merged with JioCinema (2025); plans and branding changed again in January 2026.
- SketchBook → Sketchbook: Autodesk killed it; its own team resurrected it free (2021).
- TuneIn: new owners (Stingray, 2025), same core service.
- 9GAG and SoundHound: steady — the rare apps that just kept being themselves.
How to Pick (30 Seconds)
- Want to watch something? JioHotstar — the free tier costs nothing to test.
- Want to listen? TuneIn for radio, SoundHound to find the song first.
- Want to make something? Sketchbook, free, tonight.
- Want to laugh? 9GAG, but set an alarm.
FAQ
What are the best free entertainment apps in 2026?
All five on this list are free to start: Sketchbook is entirely free, while JioHotstar, TuneIn, 9GAG, and SoundHound offer full usable free tiers supported by ads. If you want one genuinely unlimited free pick, Sketchbook — the entire app costs nothing with no ad interruption, which is almost unheard of in entertainment apps.
What happened to Hotstar? Is it still available?
Hotstar became Disney+ Hotstar in 2021 and then merged with JioCinema to form JioHotstar in 2025 — that's the current app on Android, iOS, and the web, still at hotstar.com. Plans were restructured in January 2026 (Mobile from ~₹79/month, Premium ₹1,499/year). If you had an old Hotstar subscription, it carries over to the new service.
Is Sketchbook by Autodesk still free?
Autodesk discontinued SketchBook in 2021, but the team spun the app out into Sketchbook Inc., and it is now completely free on Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. This is the rare happy ending in app history — a beloved tool rescued by the people who built it rather than shut down or moved to a subscription.
Which app is best for identifying songs by humming?
SoundHound — humming or singing a melody is its signature strength, working even when you don't know any lyrics. Shazam remains excellent when you have the actual song playing clearly, but for the "it goes like dum-da-dum" use case, SoundHound's recognition is the more forgiving of the two.
Are these entertainment apps available outside India?
Sketchbook, TuneIn, 9GAG, and SoundHound work worldwide. JioHotstar is India-focused; it offers international plans in select markets (UK, US, and others) with varying content libraries, and live sports rights differ by region. If you're outside India, check the app store listing for your country — the plan names and prices there will differ from the Indian tiers.
Do these apps work offline?
JioHotstar allows downloads of select movies and shows on paid plans for offline viewing. Sketchbook is fully offline — draw anywhere with no connection. TuneIn needs a live connection for radio streams. 9GAG and SoundHound are online-first by design, though 9GAG caches some content briefly. If offline entertainment matters, JioHotstar downloads plus Sketchbook cover both sides.
Related Reading
- The 7 Best Live TV Streaming Services
- Discover the Convenience of Streaming Services for On-Demand Entertainment
- Sites Like SolarMovie to Watch Movies Free
JioHotstar has replaced three separate subscriptions on my phone and Sketchbook has replaced my notebook — if you want a recommendation for your specific habit, tell me how you spend your free time in the comments.
