The Channels app is a great option for owners of an HDHomeRun network TV tuner to use to watch their live content on Fire TVs and other streaming devices, but its $24.99 price has certainly deterred many people from giving the app a try. The independent developers behind the app have just released a free version of their app, called Channels DVR, that can be used indefinitely by anyone subscribed to the Channels DVR subscription service. Combined with the 30-day DVR free trial, it also now serves as a free way to try the Channels app, whether you’re interested in the DVR service or not.

The new free Channels DVR app is identical to the original Channels app in every way, except it requires a Channels DVR subscription to use. The new free app is also available for the Apple TV and Android TV, so this means that DVR subscribers who pay the $8 monthly fee can use Channels across all platforms without having to also purchase an app or pay anything extra.

If you’ve been curious about the Channels app but haven’t wanted to pay the daunting price to find out if it’s right for you, you can now sign up for the free 30-day DVR subscription trial and begin using the new free app without paying anything. Since the paid app and the free app are identical, the DVR trial essentially serves as a trial for the paid Channels app as well. If you decide after the free trial that the DVR service is not right for you but you liked the standalone Channels app features, you can then choose to pay the one-time fee to purchase the main app.

The main Channels app provides a polished interface for an HDHomeRun tuner. It lets you pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, view a rich program guide, quickly flip channels, and much more. The optional Channels DVR service allows you to set up a local PC or NAS where you can record your live content to through the Channels app.