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 HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, and MGM+ with each package so you get 5 days of those premium channels free 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
$59.99 for the first month
- 90+ channels
- Local channels and ESPN Unlimited
- Unlimited cloud DVR
- Unlimited streams
$89.99/month
DIRECTV Stream Óptimo Más
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Unlimited cloud DVR
$74.99/month
DIRECTV Stream Choice
$64.99 for the first month, then $10 off for 2 months
- 125+ channels
- Includes regional sports networks
- Unlimited cloud DVR
- Unlimited streams
$94.99/month
DIRECTV Stream Ultimate
$99.99 for the first month, then $10 off for 2 months
- 160+ channels
- Includes regional sports networks
- STARZ Encore and NHL Network
- Unlimited cloud DVR
$129.99/month
DIRECTV Stream Premier
- 185+ channels
- Includes HBO Max, Paramount+ Premium, STARZ and Cinemax
- Includes regional sports networks
- Unlimited cloud DVR
$159.99/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 10 days to try out the platform. Sign up for the free trial to get 10 days of CNN free 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 pay $59.99/mo for the first 2 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.
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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