6 Best Services to Watch ESPN Live Without Cable in 2025

cord-cutting › espn • March 27, 2025 • The Staff

Get the latest highlights across every major sport, from hockey, football, basketball and baseball to UFC and more. If you never want to miss a score, here are some of the best deals to get ESPN without cable.

You can watch ESPN without cable on Sling Orange, DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, or ESPN+.

The cheapest option to watch ESPN live is Sling Orange for $45.99/month. Once Disney+ starts carrying ESPN (expected fall 2025), it is likely to become the cheapest option at $30/month.

Below, we list all of them in detail. We made this ranking based on each service's value: how many other channels each dollar of subscription will get you.

ESPN on Sling Orange

Sling Orange's $45.99/month price tag makes it de facto the cheapest option to get an ESPN live stream without cable and without contracts. This so-called "skinny bundle" includes all three ESPN channels, and throws in TNT, TBS, A&E and more.

Go to Sling Orange

Price: $45.99 $23

Channel lineup: A&E, AMC, AXS TV, BBC America, BET, Bloomberg TV+, Cartoon Network, Charge!, CNN, Comedy Central, Comet, Disney Channel, EPIX Drive-In, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Food Network, Freeform, Fuse, HGTV, History, IFC, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Local Now, MGM+, MotorTrend, Nick Jr., QVC, Sling Scapes, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel, Vice

Device availability: AirTV, Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Cox, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, Mi Box, Roku, Samsung TV, TiVo, Vizio, Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox, Xbox One

ESPN on DirecTV Stream

DIRECTV Stream offers a five day trial which includes ESPN, so you can watch the game or event you're looking for, and if you choose, cancel and not pay anything. There are, however, plently reasons to keep this complete cord-cutting package: local channels, RSNs, unlimited DVR, and the ability to watch on an astounding 20 devices at once in your home (3 devices outside).

Go to DirecTV Stream

Price: $86.99/month

Free Trial: 5 days

Channel lineup: ABC, ACC Digital Network, AccuWeather, Alien Nation, AMC, Anger Management, Animal Planet, Are We There Yet?, Ax Men, AXS TV, Baby First, BBC America, BET, Big 12, Bloomberg TV, Bob Ross, Boomerang, Bravo, BUZZR, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, Cheddar News, Cleo TV, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN en Espanol, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy Dynamics, Court TV, Crime 360, Curiosity Now, CW, Daystar HD, Declassified, Discovery Channel, Duck Dynasty, E! Entertainment, EarthxTV, Ebony TV, El Rey Rebel, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, FMC, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Weather, Freeform, FUEL TV, Fuse Music, FX, FXX, Galavision, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, HerSphere, HGTV, HLN, Home Shopping Network, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, ion Television, Jewelry Television, MeatEater TV, MotorTrend, MovieSphere, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, News Nation, Newsmax, Nick Jr., One America News, Ovation, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount Network, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, Poker GO, Pursuit Channel, QVC, QVC2, QVC3, Racing America, REELZ, REVOLT, RFD-TV, RSNs, Scientology Network, Scripps News, Shop LC, Somos Novelas, SportsGrid, Start TV, SundanceTV, SYFY, Tastemade Home, Tastemade Travel, TBS, TCM, TeenNick, Telemundo local channels, The First, theGrio, TLC, TNA, TNT, truTV, TV Land, TV One, Univision, Up TV, USA Network, VH1, Waypoint TV, WE tv, Women’s Sports Network, Yahoo! Finance

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

ESPN on Fubo

Fubo is a good option to stream ESPN, especially for their 7 day free trial. Once branded as a sports-focused streaming service, it also comes with RSNs, CBS Sports, both Fox Sports channels FS1 and FS2, as well as ESPN2 and ESPN3. The only area it falls short of being the perfect cord-cutting solution for sports fans is that it doesn't include TNT.

Go to Fubo

Price: $84.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, AccuWeather, Bein Sports, Big Ten Network, Bravo, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, CBSN, Cheddar, CMT, CNBC, Comedy Central, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, CW, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Estrella TV, FETV, FMC, FOX, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Freeform, fubo Sports Network, FX, FXX, FYI, Galavision, GetTV, Golf Channel, GRIT, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, History, IFC, Intravel, Local Now, MASN, MSNBC, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBCLX, NBCSN, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Olympic Channel, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, RSNs, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SYFY, Tastemade, Telemundo, Telemundo local channels, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, TUDN, TUDNxtra, TV Land, TVG, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Universo, USA Network, VH1, Vice, WGN America, Willow, YES Network

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Roku, Xfinity Flex, Xumo

ESPN on Hulu with Live TV

Hulu and ESPN are both owned by Disney, so it makes sense that: a- Hulu's Live TV service includes ESPN, and b- ESPN+ and Disney+ are included in Hulu with Live TV's main plan that costs $82.99/month. You'll be getting ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN College Extra, ESPNews, and ESPNU all in one place, together with local channels, ABC, CBS, and Hulu's on-demand library. The price might be steep but you do get a lot for it.

Go to Hulu with Live TV

Price: $82.99/month

Free Trial: 3 days

Channel lineup: A&E, ABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BET, Big Ten Network, Bloomberg TV+, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS News, CBS Sports Network, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Cozi TV, CW, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN College Extra, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News Channel, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, FYI, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, History, HLN, ID, Justice Central TV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, LiveNOW, Localish, Military History Channel, Motor Trend, MSNBC, MTV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBCLX, NBCSN, News Nation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, OWN, Oxygen, Paramount Network, Pop, QVC, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, SYFY, TBS, Telemundo, The Grio, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, TVLand, Universal Kids, USA Network, Vevo '80s, Vevo '90s, Vevo Country, Vevo Features, Vevo Hip-Hop, Vevo Pop, VH1, Vice, Weather Channel

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, iOS, iPhone, LG TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Samsung TV, Xbox

ESPN on YouTube TV

It's 100+ big-name channels (ESPN included of course), unlimited DVR, 3 concurrent streams, and there is also an option for extras like the NFL Sunday ticket - all packaged into the familiar interface of Youtube.

Go to YouTube TV

Price: $82.99/month

Free Trial: 7 days

Channel lineup: ABC, ABC News, ACCN, Adult Swim, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Big Ten Network, Bounce, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports Network, Charge!, Cheddar, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy TV, Comet, Court TV, Cozi TV, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN U, ESPN2, ESPNews, Food Network, FOX, Fox Business, Fox News, FOX SOUL, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, Fox Weather, Freeform, FX, FXM, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, Get TV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Mystery, HGTV, HLN, HSN, IFC, Investigation Discovery, ION, Justice Central TV, LAFC Channel, Law & Crime, Live Now, Local Now, Localish, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, My TV, Nat Geo Wild, National Geographic, NBA TV, NBC, NBC local channels, NBC News Now, NBC Universo, NBCLX, NBCSN, NECN, Neon, News Nation, Newsmax, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City Channel, OWN, Oxygen, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount, PBS, PBS Kids, PBS local channels, PC Mag, Pop, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, SNY, Start TV, Sundance TV, SYFY, Tastemade, TBD, TBS, Teen Nick, TeleHit, Telemundo local channels, Tennis 2, The CW, The Great Courses, The Walking Dead Universe, The Weather Channel, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, Tru TV, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, TYT, Unimas, Unimas local channels, Universal Kids, Univision, Univision local channels, USA Network, VH1, WE tv, YouTube Originals, Zen channel

Device availability: Amazon Fire TV, Android Phones, Android TV, Apple TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, LG TV, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung TV, Sharp, Vizio, Xbox

ESPN on ESPN+

ESPN+ is a great way to stream some ESPN content, including live games from college football as well as some MLB and NHL games. As the "plus" in ESPN+ would indicate, it is meant to be a complement, not a substitute. To get a live stream of all of ESPN, you have to subscribe to one of the other services on this list.

Go to ESPN+

Price: $11.99/month

Channel lineup: ESPN

Device availability: Android Phones, Chromecast, Fire TV, Google TV Streamer, iOS, Oculus, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Website, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xfinity Flex

How to watch ESPN for free?

You can watch ESPN with a free trial on:

  • YouTube TV (7 days free)
  • Fubo (7 days free)
  • DirecTV Stream (5 days free)
  • Hulu with Live TV (3 days free)

What is the cheapest way to watch ESPN?

The least expensive way to watch ESPN is to get a subscription to Sling Orange for $45.99/month.

Can you watch ESPN live with ESPN+?

The simple answer is no, there is no 24/7 ESPN live stream on ESPN+. That said, you can stream many ESPN live events on ESPN+, like some NFL, NHL, and MLB games. You can find the full list here.

Which streaming service has both ESPN and TNT?

You can get both ESPN and TNT on Sling TV, DIRECTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV and Youtube TV.

Do you need a TV provider to watch ESPN?

No, you can simply subscribe to any of the cord-cutting services we listed here, many of which offer a free trial, and none have a minimum commitment period.

How to watch ESPN outside the US?

You can watch ESPN abroad by combining NordVPN and one of the streaming services above like Sling Orange, DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, or YouTube TV.