The Cheapest Streaming Services with Local Channels

Getting local channels with a cord-cutting service is not always straightforward, easy, or cheap. The cheapest streaming service that offers local channels is Sling. It costs $40/month and offers a lineup of NBC and FOX in select markets. The next best thing is Paramount+, which offers CBS affiliate channels. As a general rule, you should check with each service to see what they offer depending on your area.

Sling TV: ABC, NBC and FOX in select markets

As one of the cheapest cable alternatives, Sling TV is a great bang for your buck. This is especially true if you're looking to watch national channels like ESPN, A&E, Lifetime, and so on For local TV, Sling offers NBC and FOX in select markets.

Go to Sling

Price: $45.99/month

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: ABC, A&E, AMC, Android, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Cheddar, Cheddar Big News, CNN, Comedy Central, Cox, Discovery Channel, EPIX Drive-In, Food Network, Fox News, Fuse, FX, HGTV, History, HLN, IFC, Lifetime, Mi Box, MSNBC, National Geographic, NBC, NBC Sports Network, Newsy, NFL Network, Nick Jr., SYFY, TBS, TiVo, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tribeca Shortlist, truTV, USA

DirecTV: NBC, PBS, ABC, FOX, Telemundo, and CBS

At $89.99, regular DirecTV is not exactly cheap but their new "genre packs" offer an interesting alternative. Specifically, the MyNews genre pack includes local news from ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates; depending on your area for $19.99/month. If you're looking for the most comprehensive cord-cutting solution, the regular DirecTV subscription is probably your best bet.

Go to DirecTV Stream

Price: From $19.99/month for MyNews genre pack Free Trial: 5 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, AMC, Animal Planet, AXS TV, Baby First TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN en Espanol, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Disney XD, E! Entertainment, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1, Freeform, FX, FXX, Galavision, Gem Shopping Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, History, HLN, Home Shopping Network, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, One America News, Ovation, Paramount Network, QVC, QVC2, ReelzChannel, REVOLT, RFD-TV, SundanceTV, SYFY, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, TLC, TNT, truTV, TV Land, Univision East, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WE tv

Paramount+: CBS

Paramount+, costing only 13.99/month, offers CBS affiliate channels in most markets. However, there are some areas where you may not get a local CBS station. For example, my area only offers On Demand content from the network. In addition to that, the service also offers CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, ET Live, and a big on-demand library.

Go to Paramount+ Premium

Price: $13.99/month Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation 4, Portal TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Vizio, Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xfinity Flex

Channel lineup: CBS local channels, CBS Sports HQ, CBSN, ET Live

Hulu with Live TV: ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC

Hulu's live TV offering carries the four major local networks. You'll also get access to other channels like A&E, ESPN, and Bravo with your subscription; as well as Hulu on-demand's regular catalog, Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited.

Go to Hulu with Live TV

Price: $89.99/month Free Trial: 7 days

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Roku TV, Samsung TV, Vizio Smart TV, Xbox

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network (ACCN), Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Big Ten Network (BTN), Bloomberg, Boomerang, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Cozi TV, CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), Fox Sports 2 (FS2), Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Golf Channel, HGTV, History, HLN, Investigation Discovery (ID), Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network (LMN), MotorTrend, MSNBC, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, TCM (Turner Classic Movies), Telemundo, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Universal Kids, USA, Vice, WGN America

Peacock: your local NBC

Much like Paramount+, Peacock offers its own brand of local channels. NBC is included in the "Premium Plus" package for $13.99/month.

Spectrum TV Choice: local channels depending on your area

Spectrum TV can either be cheap or expensive: there is no way to know unless you call them. Not so cord-cut-y of them, but it is a cable company after all. This is their cable alternative option: and it usually runs cheaper than cable. The base price is roughly $30.00/month, but with a Broadcast Surcharge of $23.20/month for local channels on top of the base price, the "real" cost is closer to $53/month.

Completely free options: LocalNow & Newson

LocalNow: A free app/website providing localized news, weather, and traffic for almost every zip code in the US.
NewsON: Another free platform to stream live local news broadcasts from over 200 local stations.