If you’re tired of paying $100 or more per month for cable, and you have a Roku, there’s good news! You can watch NBC live on Roku, as well as just about every other major broadcast network and cable channel – without paying for cable.
Wondering how you can watch NBC live on Roku devices? Read on, and get all of the details that you’ll need to cut the cord on pay TV for good.
A note about affiliate availability
Before we start going over your options, including “skinny bundle” internet TV services which have NBC, we need to clear something up about the availability of NBC channels.
NBC is, like ABC, CBS, and Fox, among others, a broadcast network. That means you can get NBC for free with an over-the-air antenna. (More on that later.) But it also means that each most local NBC channels are independently owned and operated, unlike cable channels.
This makes things hard for services like Fubo, Sling TV, and other internet TV services. They must negotiate with each affiliate owner independently to add their channels to the service lineup.
What does this all mean? To boil it down, not all NBC channels are available in all broadcast markets. For example, you may find that you can get NBC with Sling TV, but not Hulu With Live TV – or that you can’t get NBC in your area at all.
But don’t worry. Each of the below services has a free trial and tools that you can use to make sure you’ll get NBC in your area, so you can still try them all risk-free.
Fubo
Source: Fubo
Fubo was originally designed to appeal to sports fans. But with plenty of news and entertainment on offer, it’s become a legitimate contender as a cable replacement service. Let’s discuss the details now.
Plans, deals and pricing
With Fubo, you have three basic subscription plans to choose from:
Fubo Pro
Try 7 days free
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Stream on ten screens
- 180+ channels
$74.99/month
Fubo Elite
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
$84.99/month
Fubo Premier
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Showtime included
$94.99/month
To get NBC, you’ll just need to get the base-tier “Fubo” plan. You’ll also get CBS and Fox, though you can’t get ABC, which may be a bit disappointing for some cord-cutters. Beyond this, you’ll get top cable channels like Fox Sports, HGTV, NBCSN, CNN, TBS, TNT and more for a total of 170+ channels.
If you opt to pay $8 more per month for the Fubo Extra package, you can get some extra channels like Cooking Channel, GSN and DIY Network, as well as BBC World News.
You can use this tool from Fubo to check and see if you get NBC in your area. If you do, Fubo is a pretty good option.
Features and extras
Fubo has decent extras, and it works well on the Roku. Naturally, you can download Fubo directly from the Roku store, and the app has reasonably good reviews. Beyond Roku support, you can watch on iOS and Android devices, as well as on your web browser, and on Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
It’s a good thing multiple devices are supported, because you can watch Fubo on up to 2 devices at once, or on 3 devices if you pay for the “Family Share” add-on.
You’ll also be able to record content on your Roku with the free, 30-hour DVR, with no time limits or content expiration dates. You can boost this to 500 hours of DVR storage with a $10/month add-on, if you’d like. If you’d like to watch NBC live on Roku with Fubo, you can try it for free for 7 days, and see if you like the service.
Sling TV
Source: Sling TV
Sling TV, owned by DISH Network, was founded way back in 2015, and it was the first “skinny bundle” internet TV service. It remains a good way to watch NBC live on Roku, though the plans are a bit confusing.
Plans, deals and pricing
Sling TV has three primary plans, as you can see below:
Sling Orange
$10 off your first month
- 30+ channels
- ESPN
- Stream on one device
$40/month
Sling Blue
$10 off your first month
- 40+ channels
- Local channels in select cities
- News and entertainment
- Stream on three screens
$45/month
Sling Orange & Blue
$10 off your first month
- General cable replacement
- 45+ channels
- Stream on three screens
$60/month
If you want to watch NBC live on Roku, you’ll need the Sling Blue package. While Sling Orange contains some sought-after channels like ESPN, it doesn’t have any broadcast networks like NBC. However, you can combine both Sling Orange and Blue if you’d like to get a more complete set of channels.
For your Sling Blue subscription, you’ll get Fox and NBC in select markets. You won’t get CBS or ABC, though. Other channels you’ll get include FX, CNN, Fox Sports, NBCSN, and more, for a total of around 40 channels. You can use this tool from Sling to confirm that you can get NBC in your area.
Features and extras
Sling is available for the Roku, and you can download it directly from the Channel Store here. Beyond Roku, a wide variety of devices are supported, including the Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. iOS and Android phones and tablets are supported, as are web browsers. Select Samsung and LG smart TVs also support Sling.
As far as simultaneous streams go, you’ll be able to watch on up to 3 devices at once with Sling Blue. Sling Orange channels, though, can only be viewed on a single device.
Also, a DVR is not included with the price of your subscription. You’ll have to pay $5 extra per month for a 50-hour cloud DVR.
If NBC is available in your area, Sling TV is definitely the cheapest way to watch it using internet TV. You can try the service yourself for free now, with a week-long trial.
Hulu With Live TV
Source: Hulu With Live TV
Hulu With Live TV launched in 2017, and has quickly become one of the best ways to watch NBC live on Roku. Get the details now.
Plans, deals and pricing
Hulu With Live TV only has a single subscription plan. With your subscription, you’ll get between 90+ live cable channels, depending on your location. You also get a free Hulu on-demand subscription, which is definitely a nice benefit.
You can get NBC, as well as ABC, CBS, and Fox if they’re available in your area. You’ll also get a good complement of news, sports, and entertainment channels, like ESPN, CNN, A&E, HGTV and more.
To see if NBC is available in your area, just go to the Hulu website. Then, scroll down and click “view channels in your area.” Enter your ZIP code, and you’ll be able to check if you’ll get NBC.
Features and extras
Hulu With Live TV is available on Roku, through the standard “Hulu” app. You can add it to your Roku here. And, of course, Hulu With Live TV can also be viewed on any other device that supports Hulu. This includes your web browser, Android and iOS phones/tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, the Xbox One and Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and select Samsung/LG smart TVs.
You can stream on 2 devices at once, but the Unlimited Screens add-on lets you stream on unlimited devices in your home network for a $15/month fee. The DVR is free, and comes with 50 hours of storage, upgradeable to 200 hours for a $15/month fee. You can combine both of these upgrades for $20/month if you want.
YouTube TV
Source: YouTube TV
YouTube TV is Google’s foray into live, internet TV streaming, and it’s been successful so far. With great features and channels, it’s a good choice if you want to watch NBC live on Roku.
Plans, deals and pricing
Like Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV offers just one package of channels. You’ll get around 100 channels, including NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS if they’re available in your area. In addition, you’ll get most major sports, news, and entertainment channels, including ESPN and Fox Sports, CNN, Fox News, FX, AMC, E!, TNT and more.
To see if you get NBC in your area, head to the main YouTube TV website, and enter your 5-digit ZIP code. You’ll get an overview of every channel available to you, including locals and regional sports networks (RSNs).
Features and extras
YouTube TV has incredible features, as well as a Roku app that just became available in 2018. Beyond Roku support, you’ll be able to watch on Chromecast and Apple TV, as well as your Android/iOS devices, and the Google Chrome web browser, and the Xbox One. Smart TVs from Hisense, Sharp, Samsung, LG, and VIZIO are also supported.
You can stream on up to 3 devices at once, which is above the industry average. The best feature, though, is the cloud DVR. You can store unlimited recordings for up to 9 months. And because you can create up to 6 different user profiles, it’s easy to share your subscription with the rest of your household.
DirecTV Stream
Source: DirecTV
DirecTV Stream is a good way to watch NBC live on Roku, but lags behind the competition when it comes to features. Here’s what you need to know about DirecTV Stream.
Plans, deals and pricing
You can choose from four channel packages with DirecTV Stream:
DirecTV Stream Entertainment
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 75+ channels
- Stream on unlimited devices at home
- Unlimited DVR space
- Three months of Max free
$79.99/month
DirecTV Stream Optimo Mas
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Three months of Max free
- Unlimited DVR space
$79.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 105+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$108.99/month
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
Pay $49.99 for the first 2 months
- 140+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$119.99/month
DirecTV Stream Premier
- Unlimited DVR space
- 150+ channels
- Includes Max Cinemax SHOWTIME and STARZ
- Includes regional sports networks
$154.99/month
To get NBC, you’ll just need the Entertainment package. You’ll also get ABC, CBS, and Fox if they’re available in your area.
Features and extras
DirecTV is a bit lacking when it comes to features. Device support is good, with a Roku channel, as well as support for iOS and Android, web browsers, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast.
Like YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream also offers unlimited cloud DVR. Simultaneous streaming is even better, with 20 streams available for devices connected to your home network.
The NBC app
Source: Roku Channel Store
One nice thing about subscribing to an internet TV “skinny bundle” is that you can enjoy most of the benefits of a traditional cable subscription at a lower cost. This includes using your login information to watch content directly on NBC.
All of the above services – Fubo, Sling, Hulu With Live TV, YouTube TV, and DirecTV Stream– allow you to do this. You can download the NBC app for your Roku, then sign in with your login to one of these services, and watch both live and on-demand NBC content.
Why do this at all? The main reason is that, when watching content on the NBC Roku app, you don’t use up one of your streams for your internet TV service.
If you had DirecTV Stream, for example, you could watch NBC live on Roku, for example – while 2 of your family members watch their own shows on different devices. This helps you get around the 2-device limit.
OTA channels on Roku with an antenna
One great thing about NBC is that if you have a digital antenna you can get NBC for free – without even paying for an internet TV “skinny bundle!” You can just buy an antenna, set it up, plug it directly into your Roku, and watch all of your favorite local channels right from your Roku device.
Want to learn more? Check out this article from Roku to learn more, and watch NBC live on Roku for free!
Eric Liston • Author
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.
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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