If you’re looking to catch live episodes of popular shows like Mr. Robot, Suits, or Shooter, you’re going to be out of luck without a cable subscription – unless you choose one of these top 6 alternatives for watching USA Network without cable! Let’s get started.
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How to Watch the USA Network Live Without Cable
Luckily, every major “skinny bundle” service out there offers USA Network as one of their included channels. This means you have a half-dozen services to choose from if you want to watch USA Network live without cable. Here are your options.
Sling TV
If you are interested in the lowest-cost method of streaming the USA Network, Sling TV is a good choice.
Sling TV provides USA Network as part of its $25/month Blue package.
| Sling Orange | Sling Blue | Sling Orange + Blue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $20 | $25 | $40 |
| Channels | 30 | 45 | 50 |
| Simultaneous Streams | 1 | 3 | 4* |
| ESPN | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fire TV Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special Offers | FREE ROKU DEAL | FREE ROKU DEAL | FREE ROKU DEAL |
Alongside the USA Network, you’ll be able to watch programming from FX, AMC, TNT, FXX, TBS, A&E, SyFy, and more. For $25, you get a total of 45 channels and pretty good cable channel coverage, overall.
There are some caveats, however. First, not all Sling channels are available in the Blue package. You’ll need to buy an Orange package subscription to watch ESPN and Disney networks, for example. Buying an Orange + Blue subscription will cost you $40/month.
And while Sling TV has a fairly good DVR, it’s not free, which is another drawback. You’ll shell out an extra $5/month for 50 hours of DVR storage – which puts the total cost of Sling TV at $30/month.
Despite these caveats, Sling TV offers consistent stream quality, and supports quite a few different devices. You can stream simultaneously on 3 devices at once with the Blue package, which is better than DirecTV Now, fuboTV, and Hulu With Live TV.
You can stream Sling TV on platforms such as Roku, Chromecast and Apple TV, all modern Android and iOS devices, Samsung/LG Smart TVs, and the Xbox One video game console.
The bottom line
If you want to watch the USA Network live, Sling TV Blue is the cheapest way to do it – period. At $25/month, it’s the least expensive option on our list unless you’re an AT&T Unlimited Subscriber and can get the $20/month DirecTV Now deal.
So if what you’re mainly interested in is a low price, Sling TV Blue is a good choice. However, when you add DVR service, the price jumps to $30 – which puts it near the price range of more flexible, easier-to-understand streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu With Live TV.
Click below to find out more about Sling TV.
fuboTV
fuboTV started out as a soccer-focused streaming service. However, their focus has shifted somewhat in recent years, and they now offer a large complement of cable channels, alongside sports networks like beIN Sports and NBCSN.
| Fubo | Fubo Latino | Fubo Português | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $44.99/mo. | $14.99/mo. | $19.99/mo. |
| Channels | 60+ | 13+ | 6+ |
| Simultaneous Streams | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fire TV Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sign Up | 7-DAY FREE TRIAL | 7-DAY FREE TRIAL | 7-DAY FREE TRIAL |
The service will cost you $19.99/month for 2 months. After this promotional period, you’ll pay $39.99/month. You’ll get access to the USA Network and 74+ total channels including FX, FXX, and FX Movies, as well as A&E, SyFy, and E! However, you will miss out on AMC, TNT and TBS, which may be an issue.
fuboTV does include a cloud-based DVR, but it’s pretty limited compared to some other ones on our list. You can only record up to 10 shows or 30 hours of programming time. Your recordings are not time-restricted, but will be overwritten if you record new shows.
You can also only stream on 2 devices at once, which is limiting if you plan on sharing your account with anyone else.
fuboTV does have pretty good platform support. You can watch fuboTV in your browser, on modern iOS and Android devices, and on Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV devices. fuboTV doesn’t have apps for gaming devices like PlayStation and Xbox consoles are excluded, though.
The bottom line
If you are a big sports fan and also want to be able to watch the USA Network live, fuboTV is an okay choice.
However, if you want a cable alternative that gives you access to all the major cable networks like AMC, TNT, and TBS, fuboTV is not going to be worth the money – you’d be better off with one of the other choices on our list.
Click below for a free 7-day trial of fuboTV.
DirecTV Now
DirecTV Now is a reasonably good way to stream the USA Network live without cable. You can get access to the USA Network by subscribing to the $35/month “Gotta Have It” package – their cheapest service offering.
| Live a Little | Just Right | Go Big | Gotta Have It | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35/mo. | $50/mo. | $60/mo. | $70/mo. |
| Channels | 60+ | 80+ | 100+ | 120+ |
| Simultaneous Streams | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| ESPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fire TV Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roku Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special Offers | FREE FIRE TV DEAL | FREE FIRE TV DEAL | FREE FIRE TV DEAL | FREE FIRE TV DEAL |
This basic, $35/month package comes with a total of 60+ channels (depending on your area) making it a good deal. You won’t just get USA Network, either. You can also watch content from cable-only channels like A&E, AMC, FX and FXX, TBS, TNT, and Spike, so there are plenty of entertainment options.
However, there are some issues that may make you reconsider subscribing to DirecTV Now. The first issue we have with this service is the lack of a DVR. Currently, DirecTV is testing DVR functionality with a group of beta users. The company says they’ll add DVR functionality sometime in 2018 – but you probably don’t wait to wait that long.
The other issue with DirecTV Now is that it’s fairly restrictive when it comes to simultaneous streaming. You can only stream on 2 devices at once. This is okay if you’re only watching TV on your own, but if you want to share accounts with friends or family, you’re going to run into some trouble.
On the other hand, DirecTV has pretty good platform support. You can use DirecTV on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast, as well as modern web browsers and iOS/Android devices. However, there is no support for gaming consoles as of yet.
The bottom line
It’s hard to recommend DirecTV Now. Alternatives like YouTube TV and Hulu With Live TV give you more for your money. However, if you are an AT&T Unlimited customer, you can add DirecTV Now to your subscription for just $20/month. That makes it one of the least expensive method of watching USA Network on our list.
Click below to get a free trial of DirecTV Now and see if it’s right for you.
Playstation VUE
PlayStation Vue costs $39.99 for the entry-level “Access” package – the same price as Hulu With Live TV and fuboTV. This baseline package will get you access to the USA network, as well as plenty of other popular cable channels like AMC, TNT, TBS, SyFy, FX/FXX, and TLC.
PlayStation Vue has carved a niche out for itself in the world of cable alternative streaming services. It’s absolutely the best choice for larger families, or for people who wish to share their accounts with friends. You can stream on 5 devices simultaneously – more than any other service on this list (with the exception of Hulu With Live TV + the Unlimited Screens package).
PlayStation Vue also offers a pretty good DVR for no additional fee. DVR recordings expire after 28 days, but you get unlimited storage space. That means you don’t have to worry about accidentally erasing older recordings, or running out of recording slots.
Platform support for PlayStation Vue is pretty good, too. You can stream content on your web browser, iOS/Android devices, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire devices, as well as PlayStation 3/4 consoles. However, Xbox support is absent, which is not surprising given the Microsoft-Sony rivalry.
The bottom line
PlayStation Vue offers all of the essential cable networks for a reasonable price, and has a fantastic DVR and simultaneous streaming policy. If you are part of a large family and sharing a streaming service, it’s absolutely your best choice.
However, cheaper services like YouTube TV or Sling TV may be better a better alternative for you if you don’t need to stream on up to 5 devices at once.
PlayStation Vue offers a free 5-day trial at their website, so you can see if you like the service before you commit.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a relatively new entrant into the world of “skinny bundle” cable alternatives, but has already made a splash. For $35/month, you get a package of 40 channels that includes USA Network, as well as AMC, FX, FXX and FX Movies, IFC, and Sundance TV. However, you won’t get TBS or TNT.
If you don’t mind missing out on TBS and TNT, YouTube TV is a superb choice, for two primary reasons.
The first reason is the YouTube TV DVR. It’s the best DVR in the business. You get unlimited recordings for 9 months, with no limits on simultaneous live recordings. This blows every other DVR service out of the water.
The second reason is their simultaneous streaming policy. You can stream on up to 3 devices at once with YouTube TV, which is better than DirecTV Now, Hulu With Live TV, and fuboTV.
YouTube TV does have relatively limited platform support, however. You can stream to Apple devices using Airplay, but the experience is very inconsistent. Primarily, you’ll have to use iOS/Android devices, web browsers, and Google Cast devices.
However, Youtube TV recently introduced support for Xbox One and select Smart TVs. It certainly seems they are dedicated to providing more platform support in the future.
The bottom line
YouTube TV offers a good number of channels for a reasonable price. If you don’t care about TNT or TBS and only really want to watch the USA Network, it’s a good choice, especially given the DVR and simultaneous streaming options.
However, other services like Sling TV and DirecTV Now offer you more cable channels, so we recommend checking out both of them before deciding to subscribe to YouTube TV.
You can get started with a free trial of YouTube TV at their website.
Hulu With Live TV
Hulu With Live TV is still in its beta phase, but is a great way to watch USA Network without cable. For $39.99/month, you’ll get 55+ cable channels including USA Network, A&E, FX, FXX and FX Movies, TNT, TBS, and SyFY. AMC is not on the menu, though.
Your $39.99 monthly subscription also includes a basic Hulu subscription, so you can watch archived content and the full library of Hulu streaming shows – that’s a huge benefit.
With your default subscription, you will be limited to streaming on 2 devices simultaneously. You can add a $14.99/month Unlimited Screens package to stream on 3 devices outside your home network, and unlimited devices on your home Wi-Fi network.
The Hulu With Live TV DVR is also pretty solid. You can record 50 hours of content with no time restrictions. For $14.99/month, you can add on the Enhanced DVR package to double this to 100 hours of storage. You can combine the Enhanced DVR + Unlimited Screens package for $19.99/month, if desired.
Hulu With Live TV had limited support early in the beta program, but it’s now on-par with most competing services. You can stream on iOS and Android devices, web browsers, the 4th-gen Apple TV, Amazon Fire devices, Chromecast, Xbox, and some newer Roku devices, as well as Samsung Smart TVs.
The bottom line
If you subscribe to Hulu With Live TV, you’ll miss out on AMC. But you do get a complimentary Hulu membership, as well as a good DVR and plenty of other cable channels.
If you’re already a Hulu subscriber, Hulu With Live TV is worth it, because you’re essentially getting a $7.99/month discount. However, alternative services like Sling TV can provide you with more cable channels for a lower price – though you’ll miss out on Hulu VOD content.
Our Verdict: The Best Way to Watch USA Network Without Cable
The best method for streaming USA Network depends on your individual needs – but here are our top recommendations.
Cheapest, best overall way to stream USA Network
Sling TV wins here. For $25/month, you get USA Network, AMC, TNT, TBS, FX and FXX, SyFy, and A&E.
Even if you add on the $5/month DVR, Sling TV is still cheaper, unless you can get the $20/month AT&T Unlimited deal for DirecTV Now.
Not only that, you can stream on 3 devices simultaneously, which is more than enough for most cord-cutters.
Streaming USA Network with a large family
PlayStation Vue wins here. Though it’s about $15/month more than Sling TV, you get access to the same great cable channels including the USA Network, and the 5-person simultaneous streaming policy is an incredible value.
While Hulu With Live TV + the Unlimited Screens package is a viable option, it would cost you about $55/month. For that same price, you could upgrade your PlayStation Vue package to “Elite” – and get access to over 100 total channels.
Our runners-up
YouTube TV and Hulu With Live TV are decent choices, but lack some major cable networks, which is why they’re not our top picks. DirecTV Now is good as well, but it has no DVR.
