Home to all things true crime, A&E has been keeping the masses entertained with tons of investigative shows and miniseries as well as other lifestyle-based reality series, including titles like The First 48, Cold Case Files, and Storage Wars.
You can watch A&E for free using free trials from streaming services that offer it in their channel lineup, and we’ve highlighted our top 2 options.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has undergone quite a few name changes and ownership shifts since it began in 2016, but, it still stands out for its impressive channel coverage. DirecTV, with nearly 30 years of satellite TV experience, provides a diverse content selection, including a wide range of regional sports networks (RSNs), major broadcast networks, and entertainment networks, including A&E.
DirecTV Stream free trial
DirecTV Stream’s free trial is on the shorter side, but it still gives you 5 days to try out A&E. The good news is the free trial is available at every subscription level, so you can get 5 days of any channel package: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier. The other good news? You can also include a 3-month free trial of Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, and MGM+ with each package so you get 5 free days of those premium channels too!
To avoid being charged, just be sure to cancel your free trial within those 5 days. You can learn more about the DirecTV Stream free trial here.
DirecTV Stream plans and pricing
As mentioned above, DirecTV Stream offers 4 different channel packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier. You only need the Entertainment package to get A&E, but we suggest trying out the Premier option since it comes with almost twice as many channels.
DirecTV Stream Entertainment
Try 5 days free
- 75+ channels
- Stream on unlimited devices at home
- Unlimited DVR space
$84.99/month
DirecTV Stream Optimo Mas
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Three months of Max free
- Unlimited DVR space
$86.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice
Try 5 days free
- 105+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$114.99/month
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
Try 5 days free
- 140+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$129.99/month
DirecTV Stream Premier
- Unlimited DVR space
- 150+ channels
- Includes Max Cinemax SHOWTIME and STARZ
- Includes regional sports networks
$169.99/month
Philo
Philo appeals to most cord-cutters’ needs by offering an affordable live-TV streaming service with a channel lineup focused on entertainment, educational, and lifestyle networks. Though it lacks the more expensive sports and local broadcast networks, you’ll still have plenty to watch with this low-cost TV service, including A&E.
Philo free trial
Philo’s free trial lasts for 7 days, which is about average length among streamers. This means you have an entire week to flip through the 70+ channels offered through this service. Not only will you be able to watch A&E, but you’ll also be able to tune into networks like Food Network, VH1, and MTV.
Philo plans and pricing
Though Philo has the least channels out of all of the options in our list, it also has the best price. Philo only offers one channel package, but it comes in at roughly 1/3 of the cost of the other competitors on this list, making this the best option for cord-cutters who don’t want to break the bank.
Philo Base
Try 7 days free
- Unlimited cloud DVR saved for 1 year
- Stream on three screens
- Shows movies and 70+ channels
- 7-day free trial
$28/month
Davan Hamilton • Author
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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