CNN, or Cable News Network, was founded in 1980 and has since become one of the world's leading news outlets. CNN is best known for its 24-hour news coverage and reporting on a wide range of domestic and international news, including politics, business, technology, health, entertainment, and more—making it a must-watch station for many in America and across the world.
So you may be asking yourself, how can I watch CNN for free? You can watch CNN for free using streaming service free trials, and your top 2 options are DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV. Read on to find out more.
DirecTV Stream
Since its launch in 2016, DirecTV Stream has undergone a number of name changes and ownership shifts, but, it still stands out for its impressive channel coverage. The company, with nearly 30 years of satellite TV experience, provides a diverse content selection, including a wide range of regional sports networks (RSNs) and major broadcast networks, like CNN.
DirecTV Stream free trial
DirecTV Stream’s free trial is on the shorter side, but it still gives you 5 days to try out the service and watch CNN. The good news is the free trial is available at every tier, 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 before those 5 days are up. 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 CNN, but it may be worthwhile to try out the Premier option since it comes with the most channels and the free trial is available for it as well.
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
YouTube TV
As you can probably tell from its name, YouTube TV is YouTube’s live TV streaming service. Since its launch in 2017, it has expanded to offer a wide range of entertainment, sports, and news content, including CNN. It’s an excellent choice for cord-cutters of all ages, making it a great alternative to traditional cable for many users.
YouTube TV free trial
YouTube TV offers one of the most generous free trials across streamers, giving you an almost unheard of 21 days to try out the platform. Sign up for the free trial to get three free weeks of CNN and cancel before the end of your trial to avoid being charged.
If you decide you like the service, for a limited time only, you can get $20 off your first three months.
YouTube TV plans and pricing
YouTube TV only offers one main channel package, but it comes with over 100 channels in addition to CNN, including ABC, NBC, FOX, and ESPN. Outside of offering CNN, YouTube is also the new home for the NFL Sunday Ticket, so it’s a particularly good deal for football fans.
YouTube TV Spanish
Only $24.99 for the first 6 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts to share at home
- Stream on three screens
- 30+ Spanish channels
$34.99/month
YouTube TV
Only $54.99 for the first 3 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts for one price
- Stream on three screens
- 100+ live TV channels
$72.99/month
Lisa Holden • Author
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.
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