8 Best Services to Watch Discovery Channel on Roku Live Without Cable

If you like channels such as Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and TBS, Sling Blue is a cheap alternative to cable - costing only $50.99 a month.

Hulu with Live TV is a comprehensive live TV package that comes with more than 80 live channels, including major local networks like ABC and NBC and sports channels like ESPN and CBS Sports. Plans start at $83/month, but Hulu with Live TV has a range of add-ons you can purchase. You can download the Hulu app on Roku to start watching on your Roku device and log in with your Hulu credentials if you already have an account. If you don’t, you can sign up through Roku, where you will be billed, but note that add-ons can only be managed directly on Hulu.com. If you’re on a basic tier, you’ll also want to update your plan on Hulu rather than Roku to enjoy bundle inclusions like Disney+ and ESPN+, which should come at no additional cost with Hulu with Live TV.

DirecTV Stream’s cordless TV packages are pretty much the same as their cable counterparts. There’s Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier, which are known to be some of the most expensive but complete plans out there. If you already have an account with DirecTV Stream and want to access it on your Roku device, you can actually do so using the Roku app, which serves as a control center of sorts. On your app, go to Apps on Roku, download DirecTV Stream, and add it to one of your channels. You should be able to watch DirecTV Stream on Roku after logging in with your DirecTV account details, but make sure your Roku device is upgraded to software version 9.4+. Otherwise, you might encounter some playback issues.

Nothing beats the price: $25 is really cheap, one of the cheapest ways out there to get Live TV. And the fact that you get unlimited DVR -if you care about that kind of stuff- on top of that is kind of crazy. Just as a comparison, Youtube TV offers unlimited DVR but it costs three times as much.

While cord-cutters can always get the original YouTube TV base plan, choosing this one means $5 off the total streaming cost. That $5 saved adds up over time.

Sports channels can get rather expensive due to the programming costs required. Some families simply don't watch sports, and therefore, might prefer plans like this that exclude these channels entirely.

If you just don't like sports, or you want to keep streaming and news updates separate, the Entertainment Plan is for you. Additionally, given that it's the cheapest base plan YouTube TV has to offer, it's also a great choice for cord-cutters who would like to try the platform, but aren't too sure they want to pay the pesky RSN and local programming fees certain channels have tacked on.

YouTube TV has more than a hundred channels including local, entertainment, and sports networks. If you’re a fan of the latter, then you might already know that YouTube TV is also the exclusive home of the NFL Sunday Ticket. That’s why at $73/month, it’s a favorite among cord-cutters, especially since you can play it on almost all streaming devices including all Roku models (best to keep them updated, though). YouTube TV’s clean interface coupled with Roku’s minimalistic design make quite the match, just remember to download “YouTube TV” from the channel store if it’s not pre-installed yet, not “YouTube” or “YouTube Premium” if you want to watch live TV.