Flixed.io's contributors and editorial team will often recommend products we believe to be useful for our readers. We may receive an affiliate commission from product sales generated through these affiliate links.
Sling
A low-cost cable replacement for streamers
You can watch CNN live for 24/7 news. CNN also offers original programming, such as Anderson Cooper's "AC360" and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon. In addition to your on-air favorites, now that CNN+ has shut down, the best way to catch CNN original content is straight from the source. All of this, and more, is now available without cable.
There are many ways to watch CNN without cable, including Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV.
If, for whatever reason, watching CNN on Sling doesn't work for you, we've also rounded up 3 more options — and we even divided them up into the best picks for people who also watch lots of sports, news, reality TV, and more. Let's get into the best options for everyone.
Cheapest pick: Stream CNN on Sling
If you're looking for the cheapest way to stream CNN, Sling is our team's pick. Of all the services that carry CNN, Sling has the lowest monthly price, and the Flixed team also rates it the best way for most people to watch what's live on CNN.
Here's why:
- Sling is available at the lowest monthly price point: $45.99.
- Big families (or roommates or friends) can watch Sling without stress, as they offer up to 4 simultaneous streams.
- Sling is available in every region of the United States. (Viewers outside the US can try to access Sling with a VPN, like ExpressVPN — or one of our other top VPNs.)
Watch CNN with Sling
Sling Orange
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
- 30+ channels
- ESPN
- Stream on one device
$45.99/month
Sling Blue
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
- 40+ channels
- Local channels in select cities
- News and entertainment
- Stream on three screens
$45.99/month
Sling Orange & Blue
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
- General cable replacement
- 45+ channels
- Stream on four screens
$60.99/month
Our Sling review also includes more about why our team loves Sling.
Sports fan pick: Stream CNN on YouTube TV
Most sports fans already know and love YouTube TV. If you're trying to watch CNN without cable and you also watch a lot of sports, YouTube TV is probably the best pick for you.
Youtube TV’s most attractive feature for sports fans is its upcoming NFL Sunday Ticket package. Get every Sunday game that’s not airing on your local CBS or FOX network, along with the standard 100+ live channels and have all of the sports you need in one place.
See YouTube TV plans, channels and devices
Watch CNN with YouTube TV
YouTube TV
$59.99/mo for the first 2 months (new users, ends Nov 16, 2026)
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts for one price
- Stream on three screens
- 100+ live TV channels
$82.99/month
Other channels on YouTube TV include: Cable News Network, HLN, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, AMC, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, CNBC, Disney Junior, and more.
Devices supported by YouTube TV include: chromecast, web-browsers, android, ios, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and samsung-tv.
Some sports might be live on YouTube TV right now.
YouTube TV isn't only great for sports fans, though. Our team took YouTube TV for a test drive and put all of our thoughts together in our YouTube TV review.
Plus, we've compiled a list of the best overall streaming services for sports fans.
News fan pick: Stream CNN on Hulu Live TV
If you're someone who watches a lot of news, you probably want to subscribe to a streamer with access to the most popular news channels. No reason to subscribe to a different streaming service just to get access to CNN. Our top pick for most news fans to get access to CNN is Hulu Live TV. Plenty of news shows are airing live now on Hulu Live TV.
Get all of your news and everything else in one place with Hulu + Live TV. The service offers all of the top news networks, including ABC News, CNN, MS NOW (ex-MSNBC), and Fox News, along with 80+ channels, on-demand content, and access to Disney+ and ESPN Select.
See Hulu Live TV plans, channels and devices
Watch CNN with Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV only
- 95+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$98.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN Select included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN Select and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 95+ live channels
$99.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN Select included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN Select and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 95+ live channels
$109.99/month
Other channels on Hulu Live TV include: Cable News Network, HLN, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, A&E, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, Science, FYI, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, CMT, CNBC, Disney Junior, and more.
Devices supported by Hulu Live TV include: chromecast, web-browsers, ios, android, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and lg-tv.
We've written even more about why we like Hulu Live TV, but another great option for streaming local news is an OTA antenna. News fans often use antennas for streaming live TV like news shows for free, without cable.
All the streaming services where CNN is or isn't available
The choices for watching CNN aren't limited to our top picks. Here's where you can and can't watch CNN without cable.
Yes, CNN is included in your Sling subscription. In fact, that's why Sling is our cheapest pick for watching CNN without cable.
Read our full review of Sling.
No, CNN isn't included in your Fubo subscription. That's why we recommend trying Sling.
Yes, CNN is included in your YouTube TV subscription.
Read our full review of YouTube TV.
No, CNN isn't included in your Philo subscription. That's why we recommend trying Sling.
Yes, CNN is included in your DirecTV Stream subscription.
Read our full review of DirecTV Stream.
Yes, CNN is included in your Hulu Live TV subscription.
Read our full review of Hulu Live TV.
Watching CNN on top devices
No matter what device you have at home, it's probably possible to watch CNN on it — yes, even without cable. Read on to learn which streamers support both your device and CNN live streams.
How to watch CNN on Roku devices
It's definitely possible to watch CNN on your Roku device, be it a streaming stick or actual Roku TV. Subscribe to Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get CNN on Roku.
How to watch CNN on an Android smart TV
Have a Samsung smart TV or another type of Android TV? These are some of the easiest to use to get CNN access without cable. Just subscribe to Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get CNN on your Android smart TV.
How to watch CNN on an Amazon Fire TV
Whether you have a Fire TV Stick or a Cube or another device, you can get access to CNN. Ask Alexa to sign you up for Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get CNN on Amazon devices.
How to stream CNN on iOS
Have an iPhone? An iPad? Not every app is available on Apple's App Store, but depending on the streaming service you have, you can watch CNN on an iOS device with ease. Subscribe to Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get CNN on your iOS device.
How to watch CNN on Android phones
You can watch CNN on your Pixel or Samsung or Nokia or whatever type of Android you have! Just subscribe to Sling, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get CNN on Android phones.
The bottom line: you have 4 great options for watching CNN without cable
We found 4 great options for watching CNN without cable, including YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. Our cheapest pick is Sling.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
Read Next
Channels → HLN
Flixed Team – November 9, 2026
