The Black Entertainment Television (BET) channel is well known for having quality content created with African American viewers in mind. From Martin to House of Payne, this channel is the originator of a plethora of great TV series and movies that are worth watching.
In case you have missed one of their more revered TV shows, or you want to watch the channel live from your Firestick, then the BET streaming app is perfect for you.
This platform is a free solution to catch up on BET content, on the assumption that you already have a US TV subscription. Much like other TV Everywhere apps that are the norm for live TV streaming in the US, the client is obligated to have a TV subscription in order to access the content.
BET does offer another independent app called BET+ targeted to cord-cutters that do not want to get a TV subscription for their home. This platform is packed with all the on-demand content available on BET and is priced at $9.99 per month. The only difference is that BET+ does not offer live streaming of the TV channel.
Today, we will tell you all about both platforms, as well as some popular alternatives to streaming BET content right on your Firestick. Keep on reading to learn how to download and install both the BET and BET+ platforms on your Amazon streaming device.
Overview of the BET and BET+ Apps for Firestick
The Amazon Appstore is equipped with two applications that stream BET content: BET (formerly known as BET NOW) and BET+. The first one uses the TV Everywhere interface used by a lot of similar pay-TV channels and is free to use as long as you have a TV subscription. The second one is an independent app that comprises over a thousand hours of on-demand BET content.
Both of these apps give you unlimited access to great TV shows that you might have heard of, such as First Wives Club, American Gangster, Bigger, Ruthless, Get to Know Me, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Dark Money, Meet the Browns, College Hill, American Soul, Carl Weber’s Influence, and Tyler Perry’s The Oval.
The difference is that by paying the subscription package for BET+, you will not have to watch the commercials that appear on TV as well.
Another key distinction between the two variants is that BET+ only offers on-demand content, while BET also offers you the option to watch a live stream of the BET channel.
We like that ViacomCBS has decided to include subtitles on both of their BET platforms, which you can toggle on and off with a CC button on your player.
The user interfaces are very similar as well, which will make it simple to jump from one to another if you ever decide to switch them. The menu on the BET app includes these pages: Home, Live, Search, and Settings. On the BET+ app, you will see only Home, Search, and Settings.
The sections are very intuitive to use, especially for people that have other streaming apps on their Firestick:
- On Home, you will find selections such as Featured, All Shows, and Continue Watching, where you can find your favorite shows. Here you can scroll through the dozens of available TV series and movies and decide what to watch next;
- On Live, you will get access to a 24/7 livestream of the BET TV channel. This is not an available feature for BET+;
- You can use the Search page to look for a specific piece of content you are interested in;
- Last but not least, the Settings section lets you make changes to your account and player if necessary.
Reasons to Install BET or BET+ on Firestick
- You get full access to 1000+ hours of current and previously aired BET content;
- With the BET app, you can live stream the current feed of the BET TV channel;
- With the BET+ app, you can say goodbye to commercials and enjoy ad-free content whenever you want;
- You can choose whether you want to have a TV subscription or not by selecting either BET or BET+;
- You get closed captions on all of their content available for streaming.
- Installation Guide for BET and BET+ on Firestick
- Regardless of which app suits your needs more, the download and installation process is quite similar. All you have to do is follow the steps below:
- From your device’s home screen, you need to look for the Search button. This will be represented by a magnifying glass. Highlight it to being your search;
- Look up BET or BET+ either by using the keyboard provided on the screen or by activating the voice search on the Alexa remote;
- From the search suggestions, select the exact query that matches your desired app;
- No matter which one you are looking to install, you will find the respective logo in the Apps & Games search result;
- Once you have clicked on the app you want, look for the Get button to download and install BET or BET+.
You can open up the app directly after installing it or by visiting the home screen of your Fire TV operating system. Look for the section called Your Apps & Channels to consult a list containing all the applications downloaded on your Firestick. If BET is not one of the first results, you can select the See All button to get the complete list.
How to Log Into BET and BET+ on Firestick
We will walk you through installing the BET app first, then give you the activation steps for the BET+ app as well.
If you already have a TV Everywhere app on your Firestick, then you will notice the login process is exactly the same. Before getting to the guide, make sure you have a device with a browser app ready, as well as your TV subscription credentials.
- Start by opening up the BET app;
- On the top of your screen, you will see a gear icon that represents the app’s Settings menu. Click on it to open up the list of options;
- Select the Sign In with TV Provider section to receive an activation code from BET;
- On your smartphone or computer, you will want to access the Activate page on BET’s official website;
- Enter the code from your Firestick app onto your second device and press on the Continue button;
- The website will prompt you with a list of TV providers. Choose the one you have your TV subscription from;
- Now, you will get redirected to your TV provider’s website. Follow the instructions on the screen to log into your account;
- Once you are successfully signed in to the website, the BET app on Firestick will automatically give you access to their live and on-demand content.
In case you have decided to get the BET+ app instead, here is what you need to do in order to activate your account:
- Get a device with a browser like a smartphone or computer and go to the BET website to create a BET+ account;
- Enter an email address that you want to link to this account and a password to your liking. Select Agree and Continue to move on to the next step;
- The website will ask you for your payment details. Once you fill them in, select the Subscribe button;
- Now that you have your BET+ account ready, you will want to follow the same steps described for activating the regular BET app. Instead of choosing your TV provider, the BET+ app will let you introduce your BET+ account information to access the on-demand content.
Alternatives to Stream BET On Firestick
Whether you choose to opt for the TV Everywhere option or the BET+ app, you are sure to enjoy hundreds of quality content on your new streaming platform. If neither of these choices seem right for you, there are a few alternatives to watching BET content on your Firestick that we will present below.
Stream BET+ Content with Amazon Prime Video on Firestick
Since you have a Firestick device, it is more than likely that you have the Amazon Prime Video app on it too. If you already have this service activated and do not have a TV subscription for the BET app, this is a great alternative to the BET+ platform.
The content available on the BET+ app is all available in the add-on for Amazon Prime for the price of $9.99 per month. Keep in mind that this is an extra cost aside from your regular monthly payment of $12.99.
If you choose this streaming variant, you will not need to add another app to your Firestick, but you still get all the content that BET+ offers. However, much like on the BET+ app, you will not get access to the live TV channel.
Stream BET Live on Firestick with Philo
As of now, Philo is one of the cheapest solutions available for streaming live TV on your Firestick. Their package gives you access to 61 TV channels from the United States, which include both BET and BET Her. This rounds up to $20 per month.
Their service has a DVRing feature as well. Therefore, you can record the TV shows you cannot make it back home in time for. The platform has a menu for on-demand content that includes series and movies from BET as well, so binge-watching is also on the table with the Philo app.
Stream BET Live on Firestick with Sling
Sling is a well-known OTT provider for live TV channels. Their Sling Blue package is a great selection of over 40 TV channels that includes BET as well. If the other channels available interest you as well and you decide to get a Sling Blue subscription, then you will have to pay $30 per month.
Similar to Philo, Sling offers cloud storage for DVR recording your favorite show. On top of that, with Sling, you can connect your account to up to three devices that can all watch BET live at the same time. This is a great feature for when you are on the go.
Watch Select Free BET Content with YouTube for Firestick
If you are not yet sure that the BET content is worth the price of a new subscription, you can start out by watching their free YouTube videos. The YouTube app for Firestick is as easy to install as the ones described in this article, and chances are you already have it.
If you look up BETNetworks on your app, you will notice that the network offers a varied array of content for free: short clips of their TV shows, documentaries, and exclusive online live streams for digital originals. Check it out and refer back to this article when you are ready to install BET or BET+ on your Firestick.
Final Words
Nowadays, most TV networks recognize the importance of streaming platforms for their content. As you can see, ViacomCBS offers a few unique ways of streaming their BET content that you can choose from, even in the form of YouTube videos.
With today’s guide, now you are up to date with all these streaming options, and you know how to download and install BET and BET+ on your Firestick with ease.
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