You can watch local TV channels without cable via Amazon Fire TV with one of these streaming services: fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, NewsOn, CBS All Access or PlayStation Vue. In this article, we’ll help you decide which streaming option is best for you. Let’s get started!
Before we continue, we want to highlight a particularly relevant stream for news, sports, and entertainment. Sling TV is one of the best options for streaming with a rich catalogue of 50+ live channels and 50k+ on-demand movies and episodes.
Try Sling TV today.
Watch Local TV Channels on Roku with fuboTV
fuboTV started as a sports-only service, but since then it’s expanded into general entertainment. When it comes to local TV coverage, fuboTV is a pretty good option. The only notable gap is ABC. CBS, NBC and FOX are available, though. You can also get local Univision and Telemundo stations through this unique cable replacer.
fuboTV Pricing and Packages
The Fubo Standard package is all you need to get access to your local CBS, NBC and FOX stations if they’re available. The total base package includes around 90 channels. You can get even more channels by purchasing various add-on packs. Check fuboTV’s website for more details.
| Pro 7-day free trial $69.99/ month | 138 channels 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
| Elite 7-day free trial $79.99/ month | 202 channels 54 more channels with fubo Extra 12 more channels with fubo News Plus 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
| Latino Monthly $8 off for the first month $33/ month | 45 channels 2 simultaneous streams 250 hours of DVR space | SIGN UP |
| Ultimate 7-day free trial $99.99/ month | 240 channels 54 more channels with fubo Extra 12 more channels with fubo News Plus Showtime Live and On Demand Sports Plus with NFL Redzone 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
To learn more about fuboTV’s pricing and packages, click here.
fuboTV Channels
fuboTV has signed deals to broadcast various CBS, NBC, FOX, Univision and Telemundo stations all over the country. Some FOX broadcasts even air in 4K. fuboTV rolled out its beta 4K program last year and it’s been adding more 4K programming ever since. If you have a 4K-capable TV, this is a big benefit since none of the other streaming services offer live 4K streams. Other live channels that offer 4K content through fuboTV include Big Ten Network, NBCSN and FS1.
To learn more about fuboTV’s channels, click here.
fuboTV Supported Devices
fuboTV has above average device support:
- TV streaming media players: Apple TV (4th gen and up), Amazon Fire TV and TV Stick (1st gen and up), Chromecast and Roku (2, 3 and 4)
- Smart TVs: Android TV (4.4 and up)
- Game consoles: None
- Mobile devices and tablets: Android and iOS
- Desktop browsers: Most Mac and PC browsers
Click here to learn more about fuboTV’s device support.
fuboTV Simultaneous Streams
fuboTV lets you watch TV on two devices at once. If you have a larger number of people you intend to share your account with, you upgrade to three streams for $6 per month.
To learn more about fuboTV’s simultaneous streaming policy, check here.
fuboTV DVR
FuboTV also offers a cloud DVR service, which lets you record up to 30 hours of video without any additional costs. The Cloud DVR Plus add-on boosts your recording limit to a rather impressive 500 hours.
To learn more about fuboTV’s DVR, click here.
fuboTV On-Demand Library
fuboTV’s on-demand library isn’t huge, but it has a decent amount of content.
Click here to learn more about fuboTV’s on-demand library.
Watch Local TV Channels on Roku with Hulu With Live TV
Hulu with Live TV is yet another cable alternative that has teamed up with all four American broadcast networks. If Hulu has signed deals with all the local broadcast network affiliates in your area, you’ll be able to watch ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX live through Hulu with Live TV.
Hulu with Live TV Pricing and Packages
Hulu with Live TV offers just a few all-inclusive plans. The main package has 60+ channels and costs $45/month.
Hulu + Live TV
No Hassle TV
$69.99/ month
SIGN UP
Hulu + Live TV
No Ads
$79.99/ month
SIGN UP
To learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s pricing, click here.
Hulu with Live TV Channels
As always, you should visit the Hulu with Live TV website and enter your zip code to see if Hulu has signed deals with the local network affiliates near you before you join. Coverage is good overall, but there are still a few holes– particularly in rural areas. If all is well, you’ll be able to watch CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC through Hulu with Live TV.
Click here to learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s channel options.
Hulu with Live TV Supported Devices
Hulu + Live TV has great device support. The most popular streaming devices are available.
- TV streaming media players: Apple TV (4th gen and up), Amazon Fire TV and TV Stick, Chromecast and Roku (most models).
- Smart TVs: LG TV (select models), Samsung TV (select models), Android TV and Roku TV.
- Mobile devices and tablets: Android (5.0 and up), iOS (11 and up), Amazon Fire (tablets).
- Game consoles: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
- Desktop browsers: Most Mac and PC browsers.
- Smart home devices: Amazon Echo Show (video and voice controls).
- Desktop operating systems: Windows 10 (dedicated app).
To learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s supported devices, click here.
Hulu with Live TV Simultaneous Streams
The base subscription comes with only two simultaneous streams. Hulu’s Unlimited Screens add-on lets you stream to an unlimited number of devices on your home network.
To learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s simultaneous streaming policy, click here.
Hulu with Live TV DVR
A robust 50-hour cloud DVR comes free with the basic subscription. Your storage capabilities can also be increased up to 200 hours with the Enhanced Cloud DVR add-on.
To learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s DVR storage options, click here.
Hulu with Live TV On-Demand Library
Hulu with Live TV’s best feature is its huge on-demand catalog.
You can learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s on-demand library by checking here.
Watch Local TV Channels on Roku with Sling TV
Sling TV is notorious for its somewhat meager local TV options. The live TV streaming pioneer only carries NBC and FOX and lacks ABC and CBS. The reason why we’re mentioning Sling TV here is that it’s the only streaming service that gives you a free HD TV antenna when you join. That’s why it might be worth checking out– particularly if you have a Roku that has a built-in antenna jack.
Sling TV Pricing and Packages
Sling TV offers three options for new subscribers. You can choose between two base plans or get both base plans for a discounted price. Both base plans cost $25.
* You get 1 stream for Sling Orange channels and up to 3 simultaneous streams for Sling Blue channels.
Sling Orange
Great Value
$40.00/ month
Try Sling
Sling Blue
Great Value$40.00/ month
Try Sling
Sling Orange + Blue
Best Value
$55.00/ month
Try Sling
To learn more about Sling TV pricing, check here.
Sling TV Channels
If you get Sling Orange, you won’t get NBC or FOX. You have to get Sling Blue for that. If you get Sling Orange and Sling Blue together, you will get NBC or FOX if the streaming services has signed deals with your local TV affiliate. Since Sling TV has somewhat mediocre local TV affiliate coverage, you should definitely check the Sling TV website first before you join– that way you’ll know what you’ll get.
To learn more about Sling TV channels, check here.
Sling TV Supported Devices
Sling TV has great device support:
- TV streaming media players: Apple TV (4th gen and up), Amazon Fire TV (all versions), Chromecast, Roku (LT and up), AirTV.
- Smart TVs: LG TV (Web OS 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0, as well as select 2016-2018 models), Samsung TV (2016 through 2018 models), Android TV (4.4 and up), Roku TV, Mi TV.
- Mobile devices and tablets: Android (4.4 and up), iOS (11 and up), Amazon Fire (tablets).
- Game consoles: Xbox One.
- Desktop browsers: Chrome is recommended for use with Mac and Windows.
Check here for more info on Sling TV’s supported devices.
Sling TV Simultaneous Streams
With Sling Blue, you get three simultaneous streams. That’s more than industry standard (which is two streams), and more than you’d get with Sling Orange (only one stream).
To learn more about Sling TV’s simultaneous streams, click here.
Sling TV DVR
Sling TV doesn’t come with a free DVR, but you can add recording functionality for $5/month extra. You can’t record any Sling Orange channels, though.
To learn more about Sling TV’s DVR, check here.
Sling TV On-Demand Library
Sling TV does have an on-demand content library, but it’s somewhat limited compared to some streaming services.
Click here to learn more about Sling TV’s on-demand library.
NewsOn
NewsOn is a free app for Roku and a number of other devices that allows you to stream local news on Roku, free of charge, from all around the country. You’re not just limited to your own geographical area – you can browse stations from all around the US and pick the one that you want to watch.
The service currently has more than 170 TV stations from 108 US markets, and they claim to cover 83% of the US population, with more stations added every year.
However, you can only watch news coverage with NewsOn – not local sports or event coverage, or Fox/NBC/ABC/CBS dramas, sitcoms, or other national coverage, so it’s not a perfect solution unless you’re only interested in the evening news.
Local affiliate station apps
There are many local news stations which have their own apps on the Roku Store. Visit the website of your local ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC station, and see if they have added their channels to the Roku Store.
CBS All Access
If you’re only interested in CBS stations, CBS All Access could be a reasonable way to watch local TV Channels on Roku. This service costs around $6 per month. In return, you’ll get up to 10,000 episodes of CBS shows on-demand, as well as live coverage of CBS events nationwide.
Live TV is also available in 199 markets. You can see the full list of supported regions at this link. If your local CBS affiliate is on this list, you’ll be able to watch all of the local news, sports, and other content that’s broadcast on the channel.
| Essential - With Commercials 7-Day Free Trial $4.99/ month | 40K+ episodes on-demand Paramount+ Originals Watch CBS & CBSN live 3 Simultaneous streams | TRY FREE |
| Paramount+ Bundle 7-Day Free Trial $11.99/ month | 40K+ episodes on-demand Paramount+ Showtime Watch CBS & CBSN live 3 simultaneous streams No commercials | TRY FREE |
Watch Local TV Channels on Roku with PlayStation Vue
PlayStation Vue and fuboTV have a lot in common since they are both internet-based cable TV alternatives. However, PlayStation Vue’s channel lineup isn’t as sports oriented as fuboTV’s. If you’re looking for a more diverse range of channels, it may be worth checking out. Another plus: PlayStation Vue carries all four of the major American broadcast networks– not just three of them.
PlayStation Vue Pricing and Packages
You don’t have to pay extra or do anything special to get local channels after you subscribe to PlayStation Vue. All subscribers get equal access to them. However, you should check the PlayStation Vue website to find out if Sony has signed deals with the CBS, ABC, NBC and FOX affiliates in your area before you create an account.
Click here to learn more about PlayStation Vue’s pricing and packages.
PlayStation Vue Channels
Access is designed for people who don’t want to spend much money on TV entertainment. It has around 50 channels, including ESPN, Disney and lots of others. The next step up, Core, gives you access to NFL Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and more. Elite’s focus is movie channels. Ultra is the most expensive plan and it comes with several premium cable channels.
To learn more about PlayStation Vue’s channels, click here.
PlayStation Vue Supported Devices
Don’t worry: despite what the brand name suggests, you can use PlayStation Vue without a PlayStation. Supported devices include:
- TV streaming media players: Apple TV (4th gen and up), Android TV (all gens), Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick (all gens), Chromecast (1st gen and up) and Roku (firmware 8.0 and up).
- Smart TVs: Amazon Fire TV (all gens), Android TV (all gens) and Roku (firmware 8.0 and up).
- Mobile devices and tablets: Android OS 5.0 and up, iOS 9 and up, and Amazon Fire HD6 tablets and up.
- Game consoles: PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
- Desktop browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge are recommended (most recent versions will work).
Click here to learn more about PlayStation Vue’s device support.
PlayStation Vue Simultaneous Streams
PlayStation Vue allows users to stream on up to 5 devices at once, which is far more than what most other streaming services allow.
To learn more about PlayStation Vue’s simultaneous streaming policy, check here.
PlayStation Vue DVR
PlayStation Vue’s unlimited DVR lets you save as much TV as you want. Recordings expire after four weeks.
To learn more about PlayStation Vue’s DVR, click here.
PlayStation Vue On-Demand Library
PlayStation Vue’s on-demand content library is good, but it’s not comparable to streaming services that specialize in on-demand.
Click here to learn more about PlayStation Vue’s on-demand library.
Alex Munkachy is a freelance writer, game developer and hobby robotics enthusiast. You can find his blog about robotics news and reviews at robotfanatics.com.
A friend of mine told me last night that she gets all local programming with her Roku and insists she isn’t paying extra to have this service. I do not know how her Roku would work differently than ours do. Thoughts?