You can watch NFL games live without cable with one of the following options: fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV. In this article, we’ll help you decide which streaming option is best for you. Let’s get started!
Before we continue, we want to highlight a particularly relevant stream for news, sports, and entertainment. Sling TV is one of the best options for streaming with a rich catalogue of 50+ live channels and 50k+ on-demand movies and episodes. Try Sling TV today.
Watch NFL on fuboTV
fuboTV is not a bad option for NFL fans. The fact that this streaming service doesn’t carry ESPN is a major downside. However, fuboTV does have great local TV affiliate support. Another plus: NFL Network is available and so is NFL RedZone.
fuboTV Pricing and Packages
The basic fubo Standard package comes with around 90 channels, including NFL Network. Various add-on packs let you get even more channels. The Sports Extra add-on has NFL RedZone.
| Pro 7-day free trial $69.99/ month | 138 channels 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
| Elite 7-day free trial $79.99/ month | 202 channels 54 more channels with fubo Extra 12 more channels with fubo News Plus 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
| Latino Monthly $8 off for the first month $33/ month | 45 channels 2 simultaneous streams 250 hours of DVR space | SIGN UP |
| Ultimate 7-day free trial $99.99/ month | 240 channels 54 more channels with fubo Extra 12 more channels with fubo News Plus Showtime Live and On Demand Sports Plus with NFL Redzone 10 simultaneous streams 1,000 hours of DVR space | TRY FREE |
To learn more about fuboTV’s pricing and packages, click here.
fuboTV Channels
Roughly half of the channels in the basic lineup are sports channels, many of which are not carried by competing streaming services. None of the ESPN channels are available through fuboTV, though. However, NFL Network does come with the base plan. The Sports Extra add-on has NFL RedZone and 22 other sports channels. To make up for the lack of ESPN, fuboTV has developed its own sports news channel: fubo Sports Network.
To learn more about fuboTV’s channels, click here.
fuboTV Supported Devices
fuboTV has above average device support. All the major devices that are popular with cord-cutters are present and accounted for.
Click here to learn more about fuboTV’s device support.
fuboTV Simultaneous Streams
fuboTV lets you watch TV on two devices at once. If you have a larger number of people you intend to share your account with, you upgrade to three streams for $6 per month.
To learn more about fuboTV’s simultaneous streaming policy, check here.
fuboTV DVR
fuboTV offers a cloud DVR service, which lets you record up to 30 hours of video without any additional costs. The Cloud DVR Plus add-on costs $10/month more and boosts your recording limit to a rather impressive 500 hours.
To learn more about fuboTV’s DVR, click here.
fuboTV On-Demand Library
fuboTV’s on-demand library isn’t huge, but it has a decent amount of content.
Click here to learn more about fuboTV’s on-demand library.
Watch NFL on Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV‘s major selling point is its huge on-demand catalog. When there’s nothing interesting on live, you can choose from thousands of TV episodes and movies. Another nice thing about this service is that it has good local TV station coverage. It has all the major ESPN channels, but lacks NFL Network and NFL RedZone.
Hulu with Live TV Pricing and Packages
Hulu’s main subscription plan comes with over 60 other cable TV staples. The cost is comparable to fuboTV and other streaming services.
| Hulu + Live TV No Hassle TV $69.99/ month | 75+ Live TV Channels 2 simultaneous streams Unlimited DVR Disney+ and ESPN+ Included | SIGN UP |
| Hulu + Live TV No Ads $79.99/ month | 75+ Live TV Channels 2 simultaneous streams Unlimited DVR Disney+ and ESPN+ Included | SIGN UP |
For more information about Hulu with Live TV’s plans, click here.
Hulu with Live TV Channels
Hulu with Live TV’s base plan includes ESPN– and as mentioned above, its support for local TV broadcast stations is quite good. However, there’s no way to get NFL Network through Hulu with Live TV. NFL RedZone isn’t available, either.
Click here to see the full list of Hulu with Live TV channels.
Hulu with Live TV Supported Devices
Hulu with Live TV has above average support for TV devices. Whether your have an Amazon Fire TV or Roku, you’ll likely find a Hulu with Live TV app.
Click here to learn more about devices that work with Hulu with Live TV.
Hulu with Live TV DVR
If you hate commercials, you may want to consider buying Hulu with Live TV’s DVR upgrade. Without it, you’ll have to sit through repetitive advertisements when you watch your recordings.
Click here to learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s DVR.
Hulu with Live TV On-Demand Library
Hulu has one of the largest libraries of on-demand content on the internet. Hulu with Live TV subscribers can watch Hulu originals and all the other shows and movies for free.
Learn more about Hulu with Live TV’s on-demand library here.
Watch NFL on Sling TV
If you like the idea of creating your own TV channel lineup, you may want to look into Sling TV. Sling TV was one of the first streaming services to hit the market and it’s still the leader when it comes to customization. It’s a great way to catch NFL action and all kinds of other sports, as well.
Sling TV Pricing and Packages
Sling TV offers three options for new subscribers. You can choose between two base plans or get both base plans for a discounted price. After you get a base plan, you can expand your entertainment options by purchasing channel add-on packs.
* You get 1 stream for Sling Orange channels and up to 3 simultaneous streams for Sling Blue channels.
Sling Orange
Great Value
$40.00/ month
Try Sling
Sling Blue
Great Value$40.00/ month
Try Sling
Sling Orange + Blue
Best Value
$55.00/ month
Try Sling
To learn more about Sling TV pricing, check here.
Sling TV Channels
Sling TV carries both ESPN and NFL Network. NFL RedZone is also available. However, the fact that Sling TV has poor local TV coverage means that you may have to use your TV antenna to catch some of the games.
To learn more about Sling TV channels, check here.
Sling TV Supported Devices
Sling TV has great device support, perhaps owing to the fact that it was one of the first streaming services to hit the market.
Check here for more info on Sling TV’s supported devices.
Sling TV Simultaneous Streams
With Sling Blue, you get three simultaneous streams. That’s more than industry standard (which is two streams), and more than you’d get with Sling Orange (only one stream).
To learn more about Sling TV’s simultaneous streams, click here.
Sling TV DVR
Sling TV’s DVR is greatly improved, but it’s still not as good as what some streaming service offer in the way of recording features. You get ten hours when you join and then you can upgrade the DVR to get more space if you need it. The biggest difference in the upgrade is that you can now record almost every channel. Before, you couldn’t record ESPN or any other Sling Orange channel.
To learn more about Sling TV’s DVR, check here.
Sling TV On-Demand Library
Sling TV does have an on-demand content library, but it’s somewhat limited compared to some streaming services.
Click here to learn more about Sling TV’s on-demand library.
Watch NFL on YouTube TV
If you don’t have a TV antenna, YouTube TV could be your best option for cutting the cord. One of the best things about Google’s YouTube TV is the fact that it has great support for NBC, FOX, CBS and ABC. ESPN is also included in the base plan. That means that you’ll be able to get a lot of NFL action through this streaming service. However, there’s a catch: YouTube TV doesn’t carry NFL Network or NFL RedZone.
YouTube TV Pricing and Packages
YouTube TV recently raised its subscription rates. The base subscription now costs about the same as what other services charge for their cheapest plans. It comes with around 70 channels.
To learn more about YouTube TV’s pricing options, click here.
YouTube TV Channels
The base subscription comes ESPN and all national broadcast networks. However, if you want to catch the games that NFL Network broadcasts, you’ll be better off with a competing streaming service. As is the case with Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV doesn’t carry NFL Network.
To learn more about YouTube TV’s channel list, click here.
YouTube TV Supported Devices
Now that the YouTube TV app is back in the Amazon app store, YouTube TV has excellent TV device support.
Click here to learn more about YouTube TV supported devices.
YouTube TV Simultaneous Streams
YouTube TV supports three simultaneous streams.
To learn more about YouTube TV’s simultaneous streams, click here.
YouTube TV DVR
YouTube TV’s has an unlimited cloud DVR. You don’t have to pay extra to use it, either.
Click here to learn more about YouTube TV’s DVR options.
YouTube TV On-Demand Library
YouTube TV has an above-average on-demand library compared to other similar services.
Click here to learn more about YouTube TV’s on-demand library.
How to Watch NFL on Amazon Fire TV
You can watch NFL on Amazon Fire TV with one of these streaming services: fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV. Free trials will let you find out how you like each service. Just download the apps from the Amazon app store to get started.
How to Watch NFL on Roku
You can watch NFL on Roku with one of these streaming services: fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV. Go to Roku’s app store and download the app that meets your entertainment needs.
How to Watch NFL on Apple TV
You can watch NFL on Apple TV with one of these streaming services: fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV or YouTube TV. Apple’s app store has all the apps. They all have free trials, so you could even install them all on your Apple TV if you want to compare them.
A Better Way to Watch Local NFL Broadcasts
Everyone knows that you can use an ordinary TV antenna to watch locally broadcast NFL games – but here’s the catch: NFL fans have to sit through about 70 commercials per game. If the trend continues, even more annoying ads will be shoved into NFL games next season.
If you attach a TV tuner and a TV antenna to your computer at set up a software DVR, you’ll be able to fast forward through bothersome commercials and schedule recordings of locally broadcast games with ease.
Here’s a basic overview of all the equipment you need to capture and record OTA broadcasts with your computer.
Antenna
Believe it or not, the 1080p picture quality that you can get via a digital OTA antenna is much better compared to cable.
Digital TV antennas from Amazon and Mohu are cheap (typical prices range from $15 to $20) and strong enough to pick up TV signals from up to 60 miles away. You may not need a super powerful antenna if you live near a TV tower, though. (Check AntennaWeb.org to find out how far away you are from your local TV stations before you buy.)
TV Tuner
In my opinion the best TV tuner brand out there right now is HDHomeRun. HDHomeRun devices are affordable (the cheapest model is $79.99) and easy to use. All you have to do is plug your antenna into your HDHomeRun and connect it to your local network.
Once you’re up and running, you can access OTA TV channels from any HDHomeRun app. HDHomeRun makes apps for pretty much every platform, including Mac, PC, Xbox One, PS3 and PS4, Android, Kodi, Plex and more.
You can access live TV feeds and use HDHomeRun’s EPG (Electronic Program Guide) for free, but you have to upgrade to a paid subscription to unlock its DVR features. The price of HDHomeRun’s DVR service is super cheap, though, at just $35 a year.
Once you get HDHomeRun’s DVR service, you can just use your computer’s hard drive to save recorded TV shows. Alternatively, you can buy a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device if you’re running low on hard drive space.
Streaming TV Stick
If you want to watch DVR’d NFL games on your living room TV set and you don’t have an Android-powered smart TV, you’ll need some type of streaming TV stick or box to make the magic happen.
One of the most popular streaming sticks out right now is Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. An Amazon Fire TV Stick costs $39.99 on Amazon and is super easy to use. Once you connect your Amazon Fire TV Stick to your TV and enter your WiFi password, just download the free HDHomeRun app from the Amazon App Store.
After you have the HDHomeRun app on your Amazon Fire TV Stick and sign up for HDHomeRun’s DVR service ($35 per year), you’ll be able to zoom through all the local broadcast commercials.
Total cost: between $135 and $175
To set up a DVR for NFL games using the setup described above, you’ll need to spend about $20 for a TV antenna, $80 for an HDHomeRun and $35 to subscribe to HDHomeRun’s DVR service. That brings the total cost of turning your computer into a DVR to around $135. (To watch HDHomeRun on a non-smart TV, you’ll need to pay about $40 more for an Amazon Fire TV Stick.)
Alternative setups
Tablo and Tivo both make physical DVRs that come with built-in TV tuners. However, physical DVRs are about twice as expensive as HDHomeRun ($200+). Once you pay for the equipment, both Tivo and Tablo require you to pay a monthly fee (about $5 – $10) to unlock additional features.
HDHomeRun is better because it’s cheaper and works on any device that can run apps. You still have to pay a small yearly fee ($35) for DVR functionality, though.
Related: How to Watch Local TV Channels Without Cable – The Master Guide
How to Watch Out-of-Market NFL Games Via the Web
If you moved across the country and want to watch your hometown NFL team play, an OTA antenna setup won’t do you much good – and neither will a cable replacement service.
DirecTV’s new internet-based NFL Sunday Ticket plan and Verizon’s NFL Mobile app are your only options for tuning in live if you want to catch out-of-market NFL games.
DirecTV
DirecTV’s “NFL Sunday Ticket TV” plan provides the best way to watch all the out-of-market NFL games that your local broadcaster doesn’t carry.
Of course, there is a catch.
Only students, people who live in a townhouse, condominium or an apartment can sign up for the web version of Sunday Ticket.
DirecTV won’t let you pay for their internet-based version of NFL Sunday Ticket if they think they can sell you a satellite dish instead.
- Note: If you liv in a private home and for some reason can’t install a satellite, DirecTV may grant you an exception. Contact DirecTV for more details.
If you can come up with an excuse for getting the web-only version of DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket, it’s not a bad deal – especially now that the satellite TV company has dropped their prices.
Now, you can stream any NFL game on all your devices for 3 monthly payments of $70. If you can prove you’re a student, you can get “NFL Sunday Ticket U” for 3 monthly payments of $23. For a few extra bucks, you can upgrade to the “Max” plan and get NFL RedZone and DirecTV’s Fantasy Zone channel.
Verizon’s NFL Mobile App
If you get cellphone service through Verizon, you can catch live streams of every NFL game (including out-of-market games) through the NFL Mobile app.
The NFL Mobile app is free and it provides access to all games broadcast on CBS, NBC, ESPN, FOX, and the NFL Network.
Another nice perk: the data you use to stream NFL games won’t count against your monthly data usage limit.
However, there is one huge caveat:
“Live games, NFL Network 24/7, NFL RedZone, and NFL Game Pass content cannot be screencast from a smartphone. As such, AirPlay, Chromecast and other services and products designed to cast video to television will not function.” – NFL Mobile App Support
In other words, you can watch any NFL game you want via the NFL Mobile app – but only on a small screen, and only over Verizon’s mobile network. Additionally, your video quality is limited to 720p when you use the app.
To get NFL RedZone you have to pay $2 extra per month.
Alex Munkachy is a freelance writer, game developer and hobby robotics enthusiast. You can find his blog about robotics news and reviews at robotfanatics.com.
Innocent Question – If I subscribed NFL with the game pass, When I watch pre-season, I mean is it available only Sunday or I can watch everyday.
Hi Suraj, you can watch the recording of the games anytime if you get NFL Game Pass.