How to Watch Free Cable TV Legally

Ah, cable TV! The most mediocre entertainment venue man has ever settled for. Cable TV was never such an amazing source of entertainment. The long commercial times, the bad reception, and the inability to choose content individually aren’t great features. Things are starting to improve, though, as more people are hopping on the bandwagon of cord-cutting; getting rid of your cable subscription. Here is a list of ways you can still get free Cable TV legally even if you cord-cut.

How to Watch Free Cable TV Legally

Watch Free Cable TV on Free Entertainment Networks

One of the easiest ways to watch Cable TV for free is to use the free content found online. Most of these are networks that require a subscription, meaning you do have to log in to watch the content. However, they have zero registration fees. Let’s get to listing!

Sony-Crackle

Also known as Crackle, this is an ad-supported video entertainment streaming media network. It’s available in 21 countries and is accessible on Android, iOS, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and tablets. You can watch shows like The Oath, Snatch, and SuperMansion. You can choose to register to Crackle or not. However, registration does provide you with the option to personalize your viewing experience. What’s great about this site is that both options are completely free, which is why the network is ad-supported.

If you’re located in a country that is geo-restricted by Crackle, a VPN or Smart DNS connection is all you need to bypass this pesky block. I would suggest trying out ExpressVPN or Unlocator to get around this restriction. You can learn more about unblocking Crackle here.

Yahoo! View

Just like Crackle, Yahoo! View is an ad-supported streaming network. This isn’t the first time Yahoo! has tried to get its hat in the online streaming race. This time, though, it’s partnered up with Hulu to provide a depository for content from ABC, NBC, and Fox. Yahoo! View also has content from its general archives, and while it doesn’t compare to paid streaming services with the versatility of content, it’s absolutely free!

Also same as Crackle, you can unblock Yahoo! View outside the US with a VPN or a Smart DNS proxy.

TubiTV

Number 3 on this list is another free movie streaming website, Tubi TV. Like most free streaming services, you will have to suffer through some ads, but they’re relatively short compared to other services. With over 35 categories to choose from (with one in particular called “Not on Netflix”), the content is great for anyone wanting to watch free Cable TV online. Tobi TV’s app works on Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TVs, Sony Smart TVs, and PlayStation.

If you’re outside of the US, here’s a handy guide on how to access all of the American content from Tubi TV anywhere in the world.

Popcornflix

Continuing with the ad-supported free streaming services, Popcornflix is another awesome site you can use to watch free Cable TV. Available through browser-based web apps (low-quality app) and on iOS, Android, Roku, Xbox 360, Samsung, BlackBerry World, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast (better quality). While the quality of the content isn’t as high as paid streaming networks, Popcornflix is a great site to use to watch free Cable TV online.  Here’s a guide that explains how to unlock the full potential of Popcornflix outside of the US.

TV.com

This CBS owned website is an interesting twist on consumer-centric content. TV.com has an active community of video buffs that are constantly sharing knowledge about movies and TV shows. While the content on TV.com isn’t as large of some of our other picks, the added value of the human element in its community is a welcome plus.

YouTube

Ok, we all know about YouTube. The platform is a great place to share original content, build your own brand, and explore your creative video making side. While YouTube isn’t technically seen as a streaming service, you can still find a boatload of shows and movies with a little search. However, you’re probably not going to find anything very recent. Try out the search button and see if you can find what you’re looking for, you’ll be surprised by what the video platform has to offer.

Watch Free Cable TV on Streaming Services Using the Free Trial Period

You can get also your hands on some Good Ol’ Fashioned quality entertainment through the long list of streaming sites available. Most streaming sites offer a month’s free trial period, so this would be a good way for you to try out the cord-cutting life-style before investing in it.

Sling TV

Sling TV is a paid streaming app which ranks as one of the cheapest streaming services out there. They have 3 plans, ranging in price from $25 to $50, and a 7 day free trail period. The downside is that the cheaper plan still contains ads, even though the ads run for a significantly shorter time than the non-paid services.

So far, Sling TV is only available in the US and Puerto Rico, but we’ve got an easy way to get around that.

DirecTV Now

DirecTV Now is another paid streaming service, this time from AT&T. This is a channel that lets you watch CableTV online, but it’s definitely not free. The cost of a subscription is roughly $60 and you can pay an extra $5 to subscribe to HBO too. If you’re interested in giving DirecTV a shot and you live outside of the US, try this guide on for size.

Hulu Live TV

Hulu’s live streaming service, Hulu Live TV, is Hulu’s new (still in beta) Cable TV and live TV platform. Hulu Live TV offers a 7-day free trial, with a cost of $39.99. It includes all content found on Hulu. You can watch it on your browser, iOS, Android, Roku, Fire TV, 4th Gen. Apple TV, Chromecast, and Xbox. Unblock Hulu Live TV if you’re outside of the using this guide.

YouTube TV

YouTube’s very own paid media streaming service is a great way to get live access to programs from the major US broadcast networks. YouTube TV is accessible through browsers, Smart TVs, Roke, Apple TV, iOS, and Android and has a 7 day free trial for you to test it out. Learn more about what YouTube TV is here, and unblock it outside of the US using this guide.

PlayStation Vue

PlayStation Vue, also known as PS Vue, is Sony’s paid-for internet television service. Found only in America, PlayStation Vue is a mix of live TV, on-demand video, and cloud-based DVR with a 14-day free trial option. You can unblock PS Vue via VPN or Smart DNS and get access to all the content goodness from anywhere in the world.

Free Cable TV Online – Final Thoughts

It’s simple: You really don’t need cable to get good content anymore. Whether you decide to try out the free options I mentioned at the beginning or want to go for the paid streaming services, you can easily get all the free Cable TV you need legally and with no hassle. What are your thoughts on streaming sites? Do you use any of the sites mentioned above? Let us know in the comments!