If you’re a football fan, you’re likely already excited about the 2019 season. One of our main goals here is to enjoy all that life has to offer without having to pay top dollar to do it. The same goal exists when we’re talking sports. Unfortunately, with cable prices on the rise, it might seem that watching sports has become more expensive than ever! It’s no wonder that more and more people cancel their cable every day. Luckily, there are some cheap options for football fans to get their fix. An antenna is a good start for getting your local channels that carry NFL action, but not everyone can get reception where they live and that won’t get you the games that air on ESPN or other cable channels. Thankfully, you can still watch NFL games for free or cheap without cable! Keep reading to learn how.
How to Watch NFL Online Free or Cheap
Once upon a time, cable TV providers ruled the roost when it came to live sports. These days, you can get a streaming service like fuboTV or Sling TV that does the same thing as cable, but it costs less. Most streaming services start at $25-$50 per month and give you a variety of channels to enjoy. While there are ways to watch NFL games for free, unfortunately, this works for some games not the entire season. There is no legal way to watch NFL games free beyond free trials (usually last one week) from the streaming services you’re about to learn about. Some of the main perks to streaming include:
- You’ll pay less for a streaming package than you would cable
- There aren’t any contracts – you’re free to cancel when you want
- You can use them at home or on-the-go
- You can use a variety of devices – mobile devices, computers, streaming players, and more
When it comes to picking up the NFL live stream, you’ll get the games that air on the channels in your package, just like if you had cable. When it comes to football, most games will air on local channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC). Nationwide channels like ESPN and NFL Network will also air games. Most available streaming services do offer some or all local channels, but availability depends on location. Luckily, most services offer coverage of available local channels in their plan in the DFW area. Depending on the package you choose, you should be able to watch most of the games (if not all) live. Some services also offer access to on-demand replays should you miss a game live!
Now that you know a bit more about streaming, let’s look at the different options you have to watch NFL games on the cheap.
Watch the NFL Live Stream on fuboTV
At a Glance: 95+ channels for $55 per month. Over 30 sports channels per package and the chance to add more. No contracts! 7-day free trial.
fuboTV makes another great option with access to NBC, FOX, and CBS (where available), and NFL Network. Unfortunately, ESPN is not available. However, despite the lack of ESPN, fuboTV offers more sports content than any other service. Over 95 channels are included though, so when the sports aren’t on, you’ll still have lots to watch.
Plans start at $55 per month. This is a contract-free service, so you can cancel at any time. You will have access to most games, unfortunately, the lack of ESPN means you will miss a few games. Beyond sports, you can watch Animal Planet, AMC, FX, Food Network, and many other channels. Other sports and entertainment channels can be added for a fee.
Try the 7-day free fuboTV trial today!
Watch NFL without Cable on Sling TV
At a Glance: Plans start at $25 per month, though the $40 plan offers more NFL games streaming. You get ESPN (Monday Night Football), NFL Network (Thursday Night Football), NFL RedZone (live look-ins at Sunday afternoon games), NBC (select markets), and FOX (select markets). CBS is not available (cuts out a few Cowboys games for DFW residents). Free 7-day trial.
Sling TV is probably the most affordable option when it comes to a cable replacement that offers sports. The best option for NFL viewing is the combined Orange + Blue package, which offers 50+ channels for $40 a month. This includes NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NBC, and FOX, as well as ESPN, and several other channels. NBC and FOX are available in certain markets only, but even if you don’t live in one of the markets that carries those channels live, you can still use your Sling TV login info to access the games airing on FOX and NBC through their respective TV everywhere apps – FOX Sports Go and NBC Sports Go. You can also add dozens of other channels for a fee.
Sling TV starts their prices on the lower end to give you the chance to customize your package. This gives you more of the channels you want for less money. Plans also include on-demand content. A cloud-DVR is not included, but one is available as an upgrade. Streaming is possible on most devices.
Click here for the Sling TV free 7-day trial.
Watch the NFL Online with Hulu Live
At a Glance: 60+ channels for $45 per month. Hulu on-demand is included at no additional charge. Most devices are compatible.
Hulu Live started with on-demand content and now you can get all that the on-demand service has to offer plus over 60 channels of live TV! Plans start at $45 a month. You’ll have over 60 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and many other channels. While local channels are based on location, they are available in the Dallas area. Having the local channel access and ESPN gives you a chance to watch most NFL games this season. The only major channel you’re missing is NFL Network.
Beyond sports, you’ll have channels like Disney, FX, USA, TNT, Syfy, and many others. So, you’ll always have something to watch. There’s also the Hulu on-demand library, which includes Hulu Original content. This is a great deal at just $45 per month.
Check out Hulu Live to see if it’s right for you.
Get NFL Games Streaming Live on PlayStation Vue
At a Glance: Stream 45+ channels for $50 per month. Four package options available. No contracts. An on-demand library and cloud-DVR are included. 5-day free trial.
PlayStation Vue offers four package options starting at $50 per month. The starter package offers 45+ channels including ESPN and local channels (based on location). Depending on the package you choose you will have most or all of the channels you need to stream NFL games all season long.
PS Vue works on most devices including PS3 and PS4 consoles, Apple TV, Roku, mobile devices, computers, and more. You’ll be able to make user profiles for the rest of the family. Even better, you can stream on five devices simultaneously, so everyone can watch what they want at the same time.
Check out the 5-day PlayStation Vue free trial to see if it’s right for you.
Stream NFL Games this Season on AT&T TV NOW
At a Glance: Enjoy more than 40 channels for $50 per month. Multiple package options are available. A limited cloud-DVR is also included. Free 7-day trial.
AT&T TV NOW used to be known as DIRECTV NOW. Though the name is different, the service is essentially the same. You can choose from multiple packages starting with 40+ channels for $50 per month. This package includes FOX, NBC, CBS, ESPN, and even HBO in the main package. Other packages offer other channels, it just depends on how much you’re willing to spend.
Other features for AT&T TV NOW include an on-demand library, compatibility with several TV Everywhere apps, and a limited cloud-based DVR. You can stream on Chromecast, Apple TV, computers, Roku, mobile devices, and more.
On the fence? Try the AT&T TV NOW free weeklong trial today!
Watch NFL Streaming On-Demand with NFL Game Pass
At a Glance: $100 a season for complete on-demand only access to NFL games from 2009 to present. No contracts. Free 7-day trial.
NFL Game Pass is the streaming service offered exclusively by the NFL. The main difference between this and other services is that this service only offers football games and they are only on-demand. Games will become available shortly after they air live. The only games available live are available during the preseason and blackouts do occur if the games are available in your local area.
You can stream NFL Game Pass on most devices including gaming consoles, mobile devices, Apple TV, Roku, and more. This gives you complete access to the entire league for the whole season. You’ll even get a chance to watch full games in under an hour with the condensed game option.
Click here for a free 7-day trial!
If you have any other questions about how to watch NFL games without cable, just leave us a comment!
