Cord-cutting is a great way to save money. But one thing that many cord-cutters miss out on is live cable news channels, like CNN.
Luckily, the rise in cord-cutting has made it possible for you to choose between many different cable alternatives. If you’re interested in learning how to watch CNN without cable, keep reading.
Watching CNN Live Without Cable – Your Options
Even just a few years ago, it would have been impossible to watch CNN live without a cable subscription.
But as cord-cutting has become more common, more networks are agreeing to partner with, “skinny bundle” companies like Sling TV to provide their content to cord-cutters, for a fee.
Here are the 4 best options for watching CNN live without cable. They’ll all cost you under 40 bucks a month, and have no long-term subscription requirements.
FuboTV
Sports fans will find fuboTV to be one of the best services on the market. But this service also offers sports fans a wide selection of non-sports channels, including CNN. Thankfully, subscribers don’t have to pay extra to add CNN as the news channel comes included with a base channel package.
Price and packages
fuboTV has two basic service packages: the “fubo” package with 75+ channels, and the “fubo Extra” package that includes 95+ channels.
CNN comes with the lower-cost “fubo” package. At $44.99 per month, you can get CNN alongside other news channels, including the Fox News Channel, Fox Business, CNBC, CNBC World, and Cheddar Business.
The vast majority of fuboTV’s channels are, of course, sports-related, so you’ll have access to networks such as Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and a healthy dose of beIN sports, among many others. There are also a large number of must-have entertainment networks available through the base “fubo” package, including AMC, History Channel, SYFY, TBS and more.
All of fuboTV’s packages from with a 7-day free trial and a $5 discount on the first month of service.
Features and devices
fuboTV is a fully-featured option for those who like to get news, sports, and entertainment TV. You can use fuboTV’s 72-hour playback on almost any channel, but you’ll also get a 30-hour cloud DVR included with your subscription. You can expand the DVR with for a small monthly fee.
The service also provides all users with 2 simultaneous streams. This means you can watch CNN on one device while a family member watches a sports match on another device. If you have a larger family, you can upgrade to Family Share plan for an additional monthly fee.
And for those who do have multiple devices, fuboTV works on a large number of them. You can stream fuboTV on almost any device you may have, including Windows and Mac browsers, Android and iOS devices, Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV (like the Nvidia Shield), and Chromecast.
The bottom line
fuboTV offers an extensive channel package that’s hard to find, especially for the price. With an included DVR and multiple streams per account, you can use this service to cover most of your sports, entertainment, and news watching needs. Your biggest limitation will be if you’re an ESPN fan, as fuboTV has struggled to get ESPN offered through its service.
Sling TV
Sling TV has made a name for itself as one of the cheapest options for streaming a wide variety of cable-only content. If you want to stream CNN for less, it’s by far the most affordable option.
Price and packages
Sling TV splits its channels into two packages – the $25/month Orange package and the $25/month Blue package. CNN is available in both of these packages.
| Sling Orange Free Roku Deal $25.00/ month | 34 channels ESPN Free Roku Express 1 simultaneous stream. | SIGN UP |
| Sling Blue Free Roku Deal$25.00/ month | 49 channels ESPN Free Roku Express 3 simultaneous streams | SIGN UP |
| Sling Orange + Blue Free Roku Deal $40.00/ month | 56 channels ESPN Free Roku Express 4* simultaneous streams | SIGN UP |
The $25/month Orange package comes with a total of about 30 channels. You’ll get CNN, as well as some other news channels like Bloomberg, BBC America, Cheddar, and Newsy – so it’s a pretty great deal for news junkies.
However, the Orange package will limit you to streaming content on only a single device at a time, so it’s not great for families.
If you choose the $25/month Blue package, you’ll get the same news channels, but will also get some other great channels like Fox Sports, NBC Sports Network, FXX, and more. The primary benefit of choosing this package is that you can stream on up to 3 devices at once.
If you want, you can combine both packages for $40/month. This will give you access to a total of 40+ channels, but it’s not really worth it if all you’re looking for is an inexpensive way to watch CNN.
You can also add more cable news channels to your package with Sling TV’s customization options. For $5 more per month, you can get a total of 11 more news channels including BBC World News, The Blaze, HLN, Fusion, and RT.
Features and devices
Sling TV is a pretty good deal for cord-cutters who are news junkies, but it’s not perfect. You don’t get a DVR unless you pay extra for it, for example. You’ll need to fork over an additional $5/month for DVR service.
The DVR is fairly good, however, offering 50 hours of cloud storage with no recording “expiration dates”. However, one drawback is that not all channels can be DVR’ed, such as Disney and ESPN channels.
Platform support for Sling TV is fairly robust, which is good news if you like to stream on multiple different devices. You can use Sling TV to stream on Roku, Amazon Fire devices, Android/iOS devices, Apple TV and Chromecast, Samsung and LG smart TVs, and the Xbox One console.
The bottom line
If you want a ton of cable news coverage for a great price, Sling TV is a fantastic choice. The $25/month Orange package gives you CNN as well as a few other great news channels, and you can add on 11 more news channels for a $5 monthly fee.
Even if you throw in the DVR – another 5 bucks a month – the total cost for that would be $30, which is still the lowest on our list. If you want to watch CNN on the cheap, it’s your best bet. Sling TV also offers a 7-day free trial, so you can give it a shot and see if it’s right for you.
Hulu With Live TV
Hulu With Live TV has not yet exited its beta phase but is already becoming quite popular with cord-cutters. The primary reason for this is that the $39.99/month Hulu With Live TV subscription includes a base-tier Hulu membership.
Price and packages
This means that not only do you get 55+ cable channels and the ability to watch archived content, you get full access to the entire library of Hulu streaming shows. If you already have a Hulu subscription and want to watch CNN without cable, this new streaming service is definitely worth looking into.
Your $39.99/month membership gets you some good news channels like CNN and CNN International, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News and Fox Business, as well as ESPNEWS. This is a great value, even though you miss out on some international channels like RT and BBC/BBC America.
Features and devices
With a default subscription, simultaneous device playback is limited to 2 streams at once, which is on par with DirecTV Now. However, you can buy a $14.99/month Unlimited Screens package. This add-on lets you stream on 3 devices outside your home network, and on unlimited devices on your home Wi-Fi network. However, the price is a bit steep – if you need more than 2 simultaneous streams, we would probably recommend subscribing to PlayStation Vue instead.
Another positive aspect of Hulu With Live TV is that it has a great DVR service, included for no extra cost. You can record 50 hours of content without any time restrictions. Again, you can add-on a $14.99 Enhanced DVR package to double this to 100 hours. And if you want to combine the Enhanced DVR and Unlimited Screens package, you can do so for only $19.99/month.
Platform support for Hulu With Live TV has gotten significantly better throughout the beta program. Today, iOS and Android devices offer full support, as do web browsers, 4th-gen and newer Apple TVs, Amazon Fire Devices, Chromecast, Xbox consoles, and select newer Roku devices and Samsung Smart TVs.
The bottom line
If you are already a Hulu subscriber, we think Hulu With Live TV is the best way to watch CNN without cable. Because your Hulu subscription will be included in the monthly $39.99 fee, you’re essentially getting a $7.99 monthly discount – putting the cost at $32/month.
With a strong selection of cable news channels, a good DVR, and solid platform support, this makes Hulu With Live TV a strong contender for the best way to watch CNN without cable.
DirecTV Now
DirecTV Now has surprisingly great cable news coverage, even with their most inexpensive $40/month “Live A Little” package.
Price and packages
When you subscribe to DirecTV Now, you’ll get CNN, as well as a hand-picked selection of other cable news channels. This includes Fox News, Bloomberg, C-SPAN, Telemundo, Fox Business, MSNBC, and CNBC, for a total of 60+ channels.
DirecTV Now is definitely the cheapest way to get access to the “Big Three” cable news networks – CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. If you’re a hardcore news junkie and you love cable news, it’s a really good value.
Features and devices
DirecTV Now was late to the game in launching its DVR option, and what’s available is still highly limited. All customers will now get a 20-hour cloud DVR included with any package. However, that DVR is limited as videos expire after just 30 days. Additionally, skipping through commercials is limited as some options, such as channels owned by Disney, disallow commercial skipping.
The service also limits simultaneous streams to 2 at once. This is okay if you’re just watching CNN on your own, but if you plan on sharing an account with friends or family, it will likely lead to some issues down the line.
DirecTV Now has good device support. Notably, it lacks support for gaming consoles and smart TVs. However, it can be used on most major streaming platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. You can also use it on all modern iOS/Android smartphones and tablets.
The bottom line
If you don’t mind missing out on a DVR, DirecTV Now is a good choice for watching CNN without cable. The price is right, and you get access to tons of great cable news networks.
It’s an even better deal if you’re an AT&T Unlimited customer. Since AT&T owns DirecTV, it offers a $20/month DirecTV Now add-on for all AT&T Unlimited customers – so if you use AT&T, this is the most inexpensive option on our list, by far.
You can get a 7-day free trial via DirecTV Now to try out the service, and see if you like it.
PlayStation Vue
PlayStation Vue is a bit pricier than the previous two options on our list, coming in at $44.99/month for the base “Access” package. However, it’s worth the price of entry for those among you who may have large families and want to stream on multiple devices at once.
Price and packages
The base “Access” package contains quite a few cable news channels. You’ll get news coverage from CNN, as well as MSNBC and CNBC, Fox News and Fox Business, HLN, and BBC America.
Though DirecTV Now and Sling TV with the News Extra package offer more total cable news channels for a lower price, PlayStation Vue does have some great benefits that make it worth an extra $5/month.
Features and devices
The biggest reason to choose PlayStation Vue is their outstanding multiple-device streaming policy. You can stream your content on up to 5 devices simultaneously. There is no other streaming service in the industry that can beat this – with the exception of Hulu With Live TV if you add the Unlimited Screens bundle for an extra $14.99/month.
You also have tons of options when it comes to streaming PlayStation Vue content, which makes it easy for your whole family to stream at once. PlayStation Vue supports modern streaming devices like the Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire devices, and Chromecast, as well as Android and iOS devices, and PlayStation 3 and 4 gaming consoles. You won’t get Xbox support, however.
The PlayStation Vue DVR is also pretty great. You can only save content for up to 28 days, but you do get totally unlimited storage space. Again, this makes it great for families. Everyone can record as much content as they want, without worrying about accidentally deleting someone else’s show to free up space.
The bottom line
If you pick PlayStation Vue over DirecTV Now or Sling TV, you’ll miss out on a few extra cable news channels. But you’ll benefit from a great DVR and the best simultaneous-streaming policy on the market. If you plan on sharing your account with friends and family, PlayStation Vue is worth the price of entry.
You can get a 5-day free trial of PlayStation Vue by signing up at their website today.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV has made a lot of strides in the short time it’s been on the market. Now available to over 80% of the US, the service has been expanding its channel package (and unfortunately, its price as well). You’ll find CNN available alongside a large number of other options.
Price and packages
Thankfully, YouTube TV keeps it simple with only one channel package on offer. For $40 per month, you’ll get CNN as well as a few other news networks, including Cheddar, CNBC, ESPN News, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and Newsy.
There are also an impressive number of entertainment and sports channels available through YouTube TV’s single package, such as ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, AMC, TNT, USA, Cartoon Network, BBC America and more.
Features and devices
YouTube TV has among the best features you’ll find for any service of its kind. For the price, you’ll get 3 simultaneous streams, a 9-month unlimited cloud DVR service, and the ability to create 6 user profiles. Even more impressively, each user profile gets its own 9-hour cloud DVR storage, so you don’t have to bump into anyone else’s recorded videos.
You’ll also find wide device support for YouTube TV. Most devices have apps for the service, including a growing number of smart TVs and even the Xbox One and One S. What you won’t find, however, is an app for Amazon Frie TV devices. Unfortunately, Amazon and Google (which owns YouTube and YouTube TV) have been engaged in an on-going disagreement that resulted in the removal of Google apps from Amazon’s app store.
The bottom line
With the exception of its missing Amazon Fire TV app, there’s very little to dislike about YouTube TV. With over 60 channels available for a comparatively low cost, and an equally impressive set of features, YouTube TV is a strong contender. That is, so long as you can get it. The service is still widely available in rural communities, leaving millions of potential subscribers unable to get access.
AT&T Watch TV
AT&T entered the streaming market with a super skinny bundle intended to compete directly with Philo. The service is $1 cheaper than Philo’s cheapest channel package and provides a noticeably smaller number of channels, but unlike Philo it does carry CNN.
Price and packages
In a similar fashion to Hulu and YouTube TV, AT&T Watch TV provides just one channel package. For $15 per month (the lowest on our list), you’ll get just over 30 channels, including CNN.
The package also includes other news and entertainment channels, such as BBC World News, AMC, Discovery Channel, and HGTV. Unlike its competitor Philo, AT&T Watch TV also lets users pick one “premium” channel from its lineup, such as HBO or Showtime. But just like Philo, WAtch TV carries no sports networks.
Features and devices
You’ll find AT&T Watch TV extremely lacking in features. There is no DVR with this service, and unlike Sling TV, you can’t even add one for an additional price. AT&T Watch TV also limits subscribers to one device stream at a time. That means it’s not a great option for anyone sharing an account with a family.
On the positive side, AT&T Watch TV does have decent device support. You can stream through a dedicated app for Android or iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV devices, and on web browsers.
The bottom line
Yes, AT&T Watch TV is cheap. It is, in fact, the cheapest way to access CNN on our list. But it’s also severely limited in what it offers, both in the number of channels and in what features it offers for the price.
Additional Options to Consider
The cord-cutting market is growing rapidly. As a result, new services are popping up and shutting down with some regularity. The following two new options are on our radar but are not ones we’re strongly considering yet as they have yet to prove themselves in the crowded market.
This service is offered by HD HomeRun, a well-known provider for over-the-air TV antennas and devices. Their Premium TV service is just $35 per month and offers over 30 channels, including CNN and some other must-have entertainment and sports networks.
Red Stick TV from Red Stick Wireless
Red Stick Wireless is an MNVO wireless services provider that now offers a live TV channel package. You can purchase a subscription to their TV option for $29 per month, and in return, you’ll get over 50 channels, including CNN. It’s an interesting prospect with a low cost but may or may not survive in the current market.
Our Verdict: The Best Way to Watch CNN Without Cable
Depending on what you’re looking for, any of these streaming services might be right for you. Here are our picks:
Your cheapest option
Sling TV has basically no competition here unless you are an AT&T Unlimited subscriber and can get DirecTV Now for $25/month. Sling TV Orange offers CNN and a couple other cable networks for just $25/month.
And even if you add DVR service and the News Extra package, the total cost for that package will be $35/month – which is still the cheapest option on our list.
The top overall pick
Hulu With Live TV is the champion here. You get a top selection of cable news channels, as well as a variety of other great TV channels for $39.99/month, as well as full access to Hulu’s library of video content. And with a great DVR and solid platform support, Hulu With Live TV outpaces the competition in just about every area.
Best for families
PlayStation Vue wins here, hands-down. For no added fee, you can stream on 5 devices at once. Though Hulu With Live TV offers unlimited screens, that’ll bump the price of subscribing up to $55.98/month – which is quite a bit more than the $39.99/month “Access” package that PlayStation Vue offers.
With good platform support, an unlimited DVR, and the best simultaneous streaming options in the business, PlayStation Vue is the best for large families, even though you won’t get quite as many news channels.
