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Sling
A low-cost cable replacement for streamers
ESPN U acts as the collegiate branch of ESPN, broadcasting university sports coverage as well as being another destination for common ESPN programming.
There are many ways to watch ESPNU without cable, including ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV.
But our team's pick for most people to watch ESPNU, 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 ESPNU on Sling doesn't work for you, we've also rounded up 5 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 6 picks for streaming ESPNU without cable
Sling
New Essentials plan starts at $19.99/month
$45.99/month
sling.com
Channels
30+
Simultaneous streams
1
On-demand titles
70,000+
Top channels
Fubo
5-day free trial
$88.99/month
fubo.tv
Channels
216+
Simultaneous streams
10
On-demand titles
15,000+
Top channels
YouTube TV
$59.99/mo for the first 2 months (new users, ends Nov 16, 2026)
$82.99/month
tv.youtube.com
Channels
100+
Simultaneous streams
3
On-demand titles
2,000+
Top channels
DirecTV Stream
5-day free trial, then $30 off your first month
$89.99/month
directv.com
Channels
90+
Simultaneous streams
Unlimited
On-demand titles
40,000+
Top channels
Hulu Live TV
$98.99/month
hulu.com
Channels
95+
Simultaneous streams
2
On-demand titles
42,000+
Top channels
Top pick: Stream ESPNU on Sling
If you're looking for the best way to stream ESPNU, 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 ESPNU because it offers the ideal combination of price, channels, and features.
Watch ESPNU 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
Other channels on Sling include: 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, CNBC, and more.
Devices supported by Sling include: air-tv, tivo, ios, android, chromecast, web-browsers, portal, android-tv, amazon-fire-tv, lg-tv, samsung-tv, and vizio.
Our Sling review also includes more about why our team loves Sling.
ESPNU-only pick: Stream ESPNU on ESPN Unlimited
If ESPNU is the only channel you need, ESPN Unlimited lets you stream it without paying for a full live TV package. It's the ESPNU-only option: you get ESPNU live, but not the wider cable lineup a live TV service includes.
ESPN Unlimited streams ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPN Deportes live, straight from ESPN, with no live TV bundle attached. The trade-off: there are no other cable channels, so it suits viewers who mainly want ESPN.
Watch ESPNU with ESPN Unlimited
ESPN Unlimited
- ESPN, ESPN2 and all ESPN networks live
- 47,000+ live events a year
- Stream on three screens
$31.99/month
ESPN Unlimited + FOX One
- ESPN Unlimited and FOX One in one plan
- FOX, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network and FOX News
$39.99/month
Devices supported by ESPN Unlimited include: web-browsers, ios, android, chromecast, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and samsung-tv.
Read our ESPN Unlimited review.
Budget pick: Stream ESPNU on Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is an affordable option for overall cable replacement. Coming with Disney+ and ESPN Select, unlimited DVR space, and easy cancellation, you find yourself with a well-balanced streaming package.
Watch ESPNU 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
If you only want on-demand shows and movies, not live TV:
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.
Take a look at what's live on Hulu Live TV right now.
Devices supported by Hulu Live TV include: chromecast, web-browsers, ios, android, android-tv, apple-tv, amazon-fire-tv, and lg-tv.
Our team shares even more comprehensive analysis of Hulu Live TV in our Hulu Live TV review. For the true budget streamer, we've also compiled a list of our favorite free streaming services.
Sports fan pick: Stream ESPNU on Fubo
Most sports fans already know and love Fubo. If you're trying to watch ESPNU without cable and you also watch a lot of sports, Fubo is probably the best pick for you.
With its focus on sports content, fuboTV is a haven for any sports lovers out there. Along with ESPN, the service offers almost every league, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. With unlimited cloud DVR and multiple simultaneous streams available, you’ll never miss a game. Fubo Pro offers 216+ channels to choose from, so you’ll have access to more than just sports as well.
Watch ESPNU with Fubo
Other channels on Fubo include: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, TV Land, BET, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Family Channel, ESPNU, Freeform, FX, INSP, Science, MTV2: Music Television, Animal Planet, BBC America, beIN Sports, CMT, Disney Junior, Discovery Life Channel, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, and more.
Some sports might be live on Fubo right now.
Devices supported by Fubo include: android, ios, chromecast, web-browsers, amazon-fire-tv, android-tv, vizio, and samsung-tv.
Fubo isn't only great for sports fans, though. Our team took Fubo for a test drive and put all of our thoughts together in our Fubo review.
Plus, we've compiled a list of the best overall streaming services for sports fans.
News fan pick: Stream ESPNU 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 ESPNU. Our top pick for most news fans to get access to ESPNU 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, MS NOW, and more.
Watch ESPNU 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.
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.
All the streaming services where ESPNU is or isn't available
The choices for watching ESPNU aren't limited to our top picks. Here's where you can and can't watch ESPNU without cable.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your Sling subscription. In fact, that's why Sling is our top pick for watching ESPNU without cable.
Read our full review of Sling.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your Fubo subscription.
Read our full review of Fubo.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your YouTube TV subscription.
Read our full review of YouTube TV.
No, ESPNU isn't included in your Philo subscription. That's why we recommend trying Sling.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your DirecTV Stream subscription.
Read our full review of DirecTV Stream.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your Hulu Live TV subscription.
Read our full review of Hulu Live TV.
Yes, ESPNU is included in your ESPN Unlimited subscription.
Read our full review of ESPN Unlimited.
Watching ESPNU on top devices
No matter what device you have at home, it's probably possible to watch ESPNU on it — yes, even without cable. Read on to learn which streamers support both your device and ESPNU live streams.
How to watch ESPNU on Roku devices
It's definitely possible to watch ESPNU on your Roku device, be it a streaming stick or actual Roku TV. Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPNU on Roku.
How to watch ESPNU 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 ESPNU access without cable. Just subscribe to ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPNU on your Android smart TV.
How to watch ESPNU on an Amazon Fire TV
Whether you have a Fire TV Stick or a Cube or another device, you can get access to ESPNU. Ask Alexa to sign you up for ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPNU on Amazon devices.
How to stream ESPNU 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 ESPNU on an iOS device with ease. Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPNU on your iOS device.
How to watch ESPNU on Android phones
You can watch ESPNU on your Pixel or Samsung or Nokia or whatever type of Android you have! Just subscribe to ESPN Unlimited, Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu Live TV to get ESPNU on Android phones.
The bottom line: you have 6 great options for watching without cable
We found 6 great options for watching without cable. While our top pick is Sling, there are 5 other ways to watch live programming, including ESPN Unlimited or YouTube TV. The cheapest option is ESPN Unlimited.
Check out the business of streaming in the Stream Report and the most popular streaming content in The Popcorner.
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.
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