How to Watch ESPN Live Without Cable 2023 - Top 5 Options

There are many ways to watch ESPN without cable, including Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream.

But our team's pick for most people to watch ESPN, is Sling. Here's why:

• 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.)

If, for whatever reason, watching ESPN on Sling doesn't work for you, we've also rounded up 4 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.

Our top 5 picks for streaming ESPN without cable

Top pick: Stream ESPN on Sling

If you're looking for the best way to stream ESPN, Sling is our team's top pick. Using our streaming recommendation system, the Flixed team has determined that Sling is the best way for most people to watch what's live on ESPN because it offers the ideal combination of price, channels, and features.

Sling is available starting at $40 per month for 30 channels, including Bloomberg, BBC America, and Cheddar Business. Learn more about Sling plans and pricing.

Other channels on Sling include: Longhorn Network, Cable News Network, HLN, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, A&E, AMC, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, INSP, Science, FYI, MTV2: Music Television, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, and more.

Devices supported by Sling include: web browsers, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG/Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One.

Our Sling review also includes more about why our team loves Sling.

Budget pick: Stream ESPN on Hulu

If you're on a budget, Hulu is the best choice for watching ESPN without cable. Of all the streamers we review, Hulu is available at the lowest monthly price point: $69.99. Our Hulu plans and pricing article breaks down all of the Hulu plans.

Hulu Live TV is an affordable option for overall cable replacement. Coming with Disney+ and ESPN+, unlimited DVR space, and easy cancellation, you find yourself with a well-balanced streaming package.

Other channels on Hulu 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.

Take a look at what's live on Hulu right now.

Devices supported by Hulu include: web browsers, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG/Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One.

Our team shares even more comprehensive analysis of Hulu in our Hulu review. For the true budget streamer, we've also compiled a list of our favorite free streaming services.

Sports fan pick: Stream ESPN on Fubo TV

Most sports fans already know and love Fubo TV. If you're trying to watch ESPN without cable and you also watch a lot of sports, Fubo TV is probably the best pick for you.

With its focus on sports content, fuboTV is a haven for any sports lovers out there. Despite its lack of ESPN, the service offers almost every league, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. With upwards of a thousand hours of DVR space and multiple simultaneous streams available, you’ll never miss a game. At its cheapest plan, fuboTV offers 140+ channels to choose from, so you’ll have access to more than just sports as well.

Fubo TV plans start at $74.99. Our Fubo TV plans and pricing article breaks down all of the Fubo TV plans.

Other channels on Fubo TV include: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, TV Land, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, INSP, Science, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, CNBC, Disney Junior, Discovery Life Channel, and more.

Some sports might be live on Fubo TV right now.

Devices supported by Fubo TV include: web browsers, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG/Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One.

Fubo TV isn't only great for sports fans, though. Our team took Fubo TV for a test drive and put all of our thoughts together in our Fubo TV review.

Plus, we've compiled a list of the best overall streaming services for sports fans.

News fan pick: Stream ESPN on YouTube 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 ESPN. Our top pick for most news fans to get access to ESPN is YouTube TV. Plenty of news shows are airing live now on YouTube TV.

With its focus on sports and news channels, Youtube TV is a great choice for people looking to stay up to date with all the latest news. The service offers network channels like ABC News, FOX News, NBC News, BBC World News, CNBC, CNN, Cheddar News, MSNBC, and more.

YouTube TV plans start at $72.99. Our YouTube TV plans and pricing article breaks down all of the YouTube TV plans.

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: web browsers, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG/Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One, and Playstation 4.

We've written even more about why we like YouTube 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.

Other options for watching ESPN: DirecTV Stream

Not everyone streams live TV exactly the same way.

So while DirecTV Stream may not have been chosen as our top pick or as the best for families, sports fans, or budgets, you know what's best for you.

DirecTV Stream is a great way to watch ESPN without cable.

DirecTV Stream plans start at $74.99. Our DirecTV Stream plans and pricing article breaks down all of the DirecTV Stream plans.

Other channels on DirecTV Stream include: Cable News Network, HLN, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, A&E, AMC, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, E! Entertainment Television, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, Science, FYI, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, CMT, and more.

Devices supported by DirecTV Stream include: web browsers, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, LG/Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One.

All the streaming services where ESPN is or isn't available

The choices for watching ESPN aren't limited to our top picks. Here's where you can and can't watch ESPN without cable.

Watching ESPN on top devices

No matter what device you have at home, it's probably possible to watch ESPN on it — yes, even without cable. Read on to learn which streamers support both your device and ESPN live streams.

How to watch ESPN on Roku devices

It's definitely possible to watch ESPN on your Roku device, be it a streaming stick or actual Roku TV. Subscribe to Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream to get ESPN on Roku.

How to watch ESPN 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 ESPN access without cable. Just subscribe to Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream to get ESPN on your Android smart TV.

How to watch ESPN on an Amazon Fire TV

Whether you have a Fire TV Stick or a Cube or another device, you can get access to ESPN. Alexa, sign up for to Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream to get ESPN on Amazon devices.

How to stream ESPN 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 ESPN on an iOS device with ease. Subscribe to Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream to get ESPN on your iOS device.

How to watch ESPN on Android phones

You can watch ESPN on your Pixel or Samsung or Nokia or whatever type of Android you have! Just subscribe to Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or DirecTV Stream to get ESPN on Android phones.

The bottom line: you have 5 great options for watching without cable

We found 5 great options for watching without cable. While our top pick is Sling, there are 4 other ways to watch live programming, including Hulu or YouTube TV. The cheapest option is Hulu.

Check out what's airing right now in our TV Guide. Then, read up on the business of streaming in the Stream Report and the most popular streaming content in The Popcorner.

Flixed Team • Author

Flixed is a website run by a small remote team that helps people navigate the rapidly evolving streaming ecosystem. We're a platform that helps consumers choose the best streaming service for them through our content, resources, and tools for navigating the streaming landscape.