The Netgem Pleio – the first standalone Freely streaming box – has jumped in price from £99 to £119.88, making an already expensive device harder to justify for viewers who just want live TV without buying a new television.
The price increase, which went live this week, caps off a remarkably turbulent two months for the new device.
Since launching in late November as a streaming alternative to Freeview (and Freesat), the Pleio has faced repeated stock shortages, changed how it’s actually sold, and now costs 21% more than its launch price.
For anyone interested in the cloud gaming that comes with the subscription, the new pricing might still make sense.
But for viewers who only want Freely for live TV and catch-up? Paying nearly £120 for a streaming box is becoming a very tough sell – particularly with alternatives on the horizon.
The Pleio’s Chaotic Two Months
The Pleio launched on November 21, 2024, as the first device bringing Freely to existing TVs without requiring a complete hardware upgrade.
At £99, it delivered live streaming channels from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5 and around 55 others through your broadband, alongside full Android TV access and 250+ cloud games with an included gamepad.
Demand was immediate and overwhelming. The device sold out on Amazon within hours, creating stock shortages that lasted weeks.
Early buyers who ordered on launch day received their devices quickly, but anyone else faced lengthy waits or complete unavailability throughout late November and December.
By early December, Netgem extended the included gaming and extra channels trial from 3 months to 12 months – a significant improvement that made the value proposition considerably better.
The device continued selling out whenever stock appeared, with frustrated buyers checking Amazon multiple times daily hoping to secure one.
Then, the terms changed when Netgem updated how the Pleio is sold. What was originally framed as buying hardware with a trial…