Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) on the phone at oil fields in the Longmire episode The Calling Back.Image via Netflix
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Michael John Petty
Published 29 minutes ago
Michael John Petty is a Senior Author for Collider who spends his days writing, in fellowship with his local church, and enjoying each new day with his wife and daughters. At Collider, he writes features and reviews, and has interviewed the cast and crew of Dark Winds. In addition to writing about stories, Michael has told a few of his own. His first work of self-published fiction – The Beast of Bear-tooth Mountain – became a #1 Best Seller in "Religious Fiction Short Stories" on Amazon in 2023. His Western short story, The Devil's Left Hand, received the Spur Award for "Best Western Short Fiction" from the Western Writers of America in 2025. Michael currently resides in North Idaho with his growing family.
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When it comes to Western TV, it doesn't get much better than the classics. With countless hours of Western programs that have aired on television and been made available on streaming over the years, it's always disappointing when your favorite horse opera isn't on the streaming service you pay for. If you're looking for a new Western binge but don't want to pay for Paramount+, Peacock, or HBO Max, then we have some great news for you: some of the best Western programs can be streamed for free.
Although you will likely have to endure some commercial breaks, some of the very best (and most prolific) Westerns out there can be found for free on platforms like Tubi and PlutoTV, which don't charge viewers a dime. This is great news for fans of television cowboys and weekly lawmen. While there are other great Western programs, like Bat Masterson, Wagon Train, Bonanza, and others, that you may be able to find in parts on various free-to-stream platforms, we're focusing on those that you can enjoy from beginning to end. So, without further ado, here are the best Westerns that you can stream in their entirety right now for free.
1 'The Young Riders' (1989–1992)
The cast of 'The Young Riders' on horseback, including Louise "Lou" McCloud (Yvonne Suhor), Buck Cross (Running Buck) (Gregg Rainwater), James "Jimmy" or "Wild Bill" Butler Hickok (Josh Brolin), The Kid (Ty Miller), William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody (Stephen Baldwin), and Aloysius "Teaspoon" Hunter (Anthony Zerbe).Image via ABC
Free to stream on PlutoTV, The Young Riders is a Western adventure that follows a group of Pony Express riders on their weekly adventures. Riding off the horsetails of theatrical hits like Young Guns, the ABC drama featured a fascinating blend of historical figures like James "Wild Bill" Hickok (Josh Brolin) and William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody (Stephen Baldwin) and fictional additions like the mysterious Kid (Ty Miller). Under the direction of a former Texas Ranger-turned-Pony Express manager, the group find themselves in trouble on a weekly basis, but always band together to ride out of it.
With three seasons and 68 episodes to binge through, The Young Riders is a great series that offers plenty of thrills and dramatic excitement that's great for both older and younger audiences alike. Like most Western programs, this series is pretty character-driven, and only gets better as more are added to the Pony Express team. Christopher Pettiet shows up as Jesse James in the final season.
2 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' (1958–1961)
Steve McQueen as Josh Randall in Wanted: Dead or AliveImage via CBS
Steve McQueen has always been known as the "King of Cool," but his first foray into the cool factor was Wanted: Dead or Alive. Free to stream on PlutoTV, the Western series featured McQueen as bounty hunter Josh Randall, who travels across the Old West on new jobs far and wide. While technically a spin-off of another TV Western titled Trackdown, McQueen's series was the more popular by far.
Another three-season binge, this 94-episode CBS drama was a one-man show, but it was led by a man who could carry the scene effortlessly. Wanted: Dead or Alive didn't last as long as some of the more popular horse operas of the day, but it did manage to thrust its leading man into the spotlight on the big screen. Still, there are few Western firearms more iconic than Randall's trademark Mare's Leg.
3 'Death Valley Days' (1952–1970)
Two cowboys on horseback in color on Death Valley Days.Image via McGowan Productions
Like many Western television productions, Death Valley Days started on the radio before transitioning to television. Now free to stream on Tubi, the anthology program was created by Ruth Woodman, who aimed to bring the lesser-known true tales of the American West to life through dramatic renditions that were as educational as they were entertaining. Although there was no recurring cast, actors like Stanley Andrews, Robert Taylor, Dale Robertson, and even future U.S. President Ronald Reagan all hosted at one point or another.
Despite the name, Death Valley Days expanded to more than just the specific Californian locale that inspired the title. With 18 seasons and 452 episodes under its gunbelt, this is one of the longest-running Westerns of all time, and, combined with its radio broadcasts, was on air for 25 years. If you're looking for an expansive binge where you can jump in and out without needing to invest in any particular characters, Death Valley Days is the Western for you.
4 'The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp' (1955–1961)
Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp poses by a sign on a building in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.Image via ABC
Long before Tombstone, Wyatt Earp was thrown into the collective pop culture consciousness by a series of Hollywood pictures and one underrated television series that contributed to the lawman's legendary status. Now free to stream on Tubi, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp starred Hugh O'Brien as the titular U.S. Marshal, who traveled across Kansas and eventually Arizona to enforce law and order in the Old West. Beginning with his days as a lawman in Ellsworth, the series concluded with its own take on the Tombstone story, highlighting Earp's ability to get the job done.
Spanning six seasons and 229 episodes, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp had a killer theme song and plenty of great adventures that are worth revisiting after all this time. While the supporting cast changes depending on where our hero is currently hanging his hat — with Bat Masterson (Mason Alan Dinehart), Hal Norton (William Tannen), and Doc Holliday (Douglas Fowley and Myron Healey) all joining the show at different times — O'Brien's Wyatt Earp is as consistent as he is upright throughout. Don't sleep any longer on this slept-on Western classic.
5 'The Magnificent Seven' (1998–2000)
The full cast of 'The Magnificent Seven,' including Laurie Holden, Andrew Kavovit, Michael Biehn, Eric Close, Dale Midkiff, Rick Worthy, Ron Perlman, and Anthony Starke.Image via CBS
While The Magnificent Seven is easily best known as a feature film (or a series of them), CBS brought the tale to television back in the late '90s for a drama that certainly lived up to its name. Now streaming for free on PlutoTV, The Magnificent Seven followed the titular batch of gunslingers — played by Michael Biehn, Eric Close, Andrew Kavovit, Ron Perlman, Dale Midkiff, Anthony Starke, and Rick Worthy — as they band together to protect a small Western town without a traditional lawman. As they do, they get themselves into more trouble than they bargained for.
In the span of two seasons and 22 episodes, The Magnificent Seven did what none of the movies have been able to do: spend quality time with each member of the gun-toting posse. Every one of the Seven is expanded upon here in finer detail as the show turns these gunslingers into far more than just stock heroes with six-shooters. Although it was canceled too soon, it's a horse opera that's easy to turn around and watch all over again.
6 'Rawhide' (1959–1965)
Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) and Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) in cowboy hats looking at something off-screen on 'Rawhide'Image via CBS
Currently free to stream on PlutoTV, Rawhide is where Clint Eastwood got his start on the Western. Led by trailboss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) with Eastwood's Rowdy Yates as his right-hand man, the series embarked on annual cattle drives as the cowboys in question pushed the herd from one place to another. On the dusty trail, the group often encountered bandits, outlaws, lawmen, and those in need, always stepping in to help.
Rawhide ran for eight seasons and 217 episodes total, ending around the same time Eastwood got serious about his career as a big-screen movie actor. But for those eight years, Rowdy and the gang "kept those doggies rollin'" along the open range, no matter the weather or the obstacles that got in their way. By the final season, Eastwood headlined the show himself, ending the show a bit abruptly when the network axed the series mid-season. Still, it's one of those traditional Western shows you just can't miss.
7 'Have Gun – Will Travel' (1957–1963)
Paladin (Richard Boone) looks at his opponent in the 'Have Gun — Will Travel' episode "The Manhunter".Image via CBS
As far as Westerns with a memorable and iconic leading man go, Have Gun – Will Travel is one of the very best. Currently free to stream on PlutoTV, the CBS program follows the gunslinger Paladin (Richard Boone) as he takes odd jobs across the American West, often hunting down bounties or helping weary travelers. What set Paladin apart from the other gunslingers and lawmen of his day was that he was a man of true intelligence who often used his brain to outsmart his opponents, oftentimes without the use of his gun.
For six seasons and 225 episodes, Have Gun – Will Travel sent Paladin all across the map, and Richard Boone commanded the screen with his hardened features and determined presence. A one-man show, there are few Westerns with the type of clever wit and Man in Black style as this one. While many of the Westerns on this list are hour-long programs, Have Gun only ran 25 minutes per episode, making it a quicker binge than most.
8 'Longmire' (2012–2017)
Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) on horseback in the Longmire series finale Goodbye Is Always Implied.Image via Netflix
For fans of neo-Westerns that pull the traditions and values of the Old West into the 21st century, look no further than Longmire. Free to stream on PlutoTV, this modern take on the genre follows Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor, but not the one who once hosted Death Valley Days) as he patrols the fictional Absaroka County. Alongside his small batch of deputies and his best friend, Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), Walt proves that sometimes the old ways are the best, no matter how modern the mystery.
Longmire ran for six seasons, but since it's a modern show, that means there are only 63 episodes of material. Based on the beloved mystery novels by Craig Johnson, the series is a must-watch that will have every fan of the traditional horse opera pining for the modern American West. With an exceptional balance of standalone mysteries and overarching conspiracies, Longmire is a show you'll wonder why it ever went off the air.
9 'Lonesome Dove' (1989)
Robert Duvall as Captain Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Tommy Lee Jones as Captain Woodrow F. Call in 'Lonesome Dove' (1989).Image via CBS
Okay, admittedly, Lonesome Dove isn't a traditional television series, but it's one that continues to stick with us for a reason. A CBS miniseries, this Larry McMurtry adaptation is free-to-stream in its entirety on Tubi, where you can relive the adventure, romance, and passion of the epic Western novel. Following Robert Duvall as Captain Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Tommy Lee Jones as Captain Woodrow F. Call, the inspired casting brings this iconic piece of American literature to life in a way that many still consider cinematic.
A miniseries consisting of four 90-minute segments, each chapter of Lonesome Dove feels as if you're watching a movie rather than a television program. If you want more, the good news is that Tubi is also home to the plethora of prequels and sequels that spawned from the original classic. The sequel, Return to Lonesome Dove and the prequels Streets of Laredo and Dead Man's Walk are also available on the platform.
10 'Gunsmoke' (1955–1975)
The cast of 'Gunsmoke', including Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), Quint Asper (Burt Reynolds), Festus (Ken Curtis), Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), and Doc Adams (Milburn Stone).Image via CBS
Is there a more impressive or iconic Western series than Gunsmoke? Free to stream in its incredible entirety on PlutoTV, there was no horse opera that better rolled with the times than the adventures of Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness). Going from black-and-white to color, half-hour episodes to full-hour dramas, Dillon-driven stories to an anthology-like wheel of entertainment, Gunsmoke knew how to keep audiences' attention for several decades, including its years on the radio beforehand. Now, the whole adventure can be streamed free online.
Coming in at 20 seasons and 635 episodes, Gunsmoke was a Western that spoke to multiple generations, and still impacts pop culture today. The phrase "get out of Dodge" likely originated with the program, and the brand's over 600 episodes continue to find new audiences on pay-for streaming platforms today. But why pay when you don't have to?
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TV-PG
Western
Action
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Release Date
1955 - 1975-00-00
Directors
Andrew V. McLaglen, Harry Harris, Ted Post, Bernard McEveety, Vincent McEveety
Writers
John Meston, Charles Marquis Warren, Paul Savage
Cast
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James Arness
Marshal Matt Dillon
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Amanda Blake
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