The cheapest option to watch History live is Philo for $28/month.
History was originally a place for purely historical shows, but now it's more geared toward reality TV shows like Pawn Stars and Alone.
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Contributors to AGMTW include Bilal Zouheir (founder), Renee Cuisia (lead curator), Maddie McCann (previously Showtime and CBS), Farah Cheded (published in Paste, The Playlist, The AV Club), Rory Doherty (published in Vulture, GQ, The AV Club), Emily Maskell (published in Vulture, GQ, W MAG).
Our top pick to watch History without cable is Sling TV (Orange):
Heartland Extra ($6) includes Nat Geo Wild and AHC
One of the cheaper ways to watch live sports
Good value for the price
Cons
DVR storage is limited
Free trial not offered
No local channels
Our rating
5.0
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
History is available on both Sling Blue and Sling Orange, but the latter gets the nod for having more sports (ESPN, TNT, and Motortrend) and channels for kids (Disney & Nick Jr.).
Pricier than Sling Orange if you have local channels in your area
Add-ons can drive up the price
Our rating
4.5
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
Sling Blue is the better option for History viewers who also want to stay updated on the history being made today. That’s because it streams more news programs than Sling's other plan, Orange, on account of it carrying local channels. However, you do have to pay an extra $5/month if you do get local channels where you live.
Unlimited DVR3 Simultaneous Streams10 profiles per account75000 on-demand titles included
A&E
AccuWeather Network
AMC
AMC Plus
American Heroes Channel
Animal Planet
aspireTV
AXS TV
Baywatch
BBC America
BBC News
BET
BET Her
Catchy Comedy
Cheddar News
Cleo TV
CMT
Comedy Central
Cook’s Country
Cooking Channel
Crackle
Crime-Investigation
Dabl
Deck the Hallmark
Destination America
Discovery Channel
Discovery Family
Discovery Life
FETV
Food Network
FYI
Game Show Network
GetTV
Great American Family
Great American Living
Gusto TV
Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Drama
Hallmark Mystery
Heroes & Icons
HGTV
History
IFC
INSP
Investigation Discovery (ID)
KIN
Law&Crime
Lifetime
LMN
Logo
Magnolia Network
MeTV
MeTV Toons
Motor Trend
MSG SportsZone
MTV
MTV Classic
MTV Live
MTV2
Nick Jr.
Nickelodeon
Nicktoons
Oprah Winfrey Network
Overtime
Paramount Network
Perform by LIFETIME
PlayersTV
pocket.watch
Pop TV
RetroCrush
REVOLT
Revry
Ryan and Friends
Scares by Shudder
Science Channel
Smithsonian Channel
Start TV
Story Television
Sundance TV
Tastemade
TeenNick
TLC
Travel Channel
TV Land
TV One
UPtv
Vevo 80s
Vevo 90s
Vevo Country
Vevo Hip-Hop
Vevo Holiday
Vevo Pop
VH1
Vice
WE tv
Xtreme Outdoor by HISTORY
Amazon Fire TV
Android Phones
Android TV
Apple TV
Chromecast
Google TV Streamer
iOS
iPhone
LG Smart TV
Roku
Samsung TV
Pros
Easy to use interface
Has unlimited DVR stored for 12 months, longer than many other streaming services
Cheap
Cons
Lacks sports channels
No parental controls
Our rating
3.9
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
With over 90 channels for as little as $28, Philo's price is tough to beat. Sports fans or local TV viewers might not appreciate the narrow lineup, but those who love watching History would be happy to find it there along with other reality TV channels.
Wide array of sports channels and on-demand content
Cons
Pricey
Issues reported for Apple TV and Samsung TV
Our rating
3.6
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
Fubo made its start as a sports streamer, but it quickly expanded its lineup to include lifestyle and entertainment channels like History, A&E, and IFC. It also has a 3-day lookback feature, so viewers who missed their favorite History shows can easily catch up on them. Just be on the lookout for potential tech issues, since Apple TV and Samsung TV users have reported some of them in recent years.
Best for a great mix of on-demand and live entertainment
Already bundled with ad-supported Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+
Cons
Pricey
Small on-demand library
Our rating
3.3
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
Hulu with Live TV is the fastest and most convenient way for Hulu users to get live TV channels without having to test out other unfamiliar streaming services. It offers a great mix too: along with channels like History, NatGeo, and Lifetime, users also get live sports from channels like ESPN and NFL Network as well as local channels like FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC.
Spectrum internet users looking for a cable alternative
Includes Animal Planet, AHC, ID, and Travel Channel
Good value for the price
Cons
Unable to record programs
Free trial not offered
Exclusive to Spectrum internet users
Sign-up at a Spectrum branch required
Our rating
2.5
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
Spectrum TV Stream carries a decent selection of educational live TV channels like History, Animal Planet, and the Travel Channel. If you're already paying for Spectrum internet, it's also easy enough to your bill. But if you’re not on their internet plan, subscribing to TV Stream might take too many steps and additional fees. In that case, it’s worth looking at other similarly priced services that stream History, like Philo or Sling TV.
You can't opt out of the surcharge that comes with local channels
Only available through calling Spectrum
Our rating
2.5
AGMTW Rating
Our team calculated this score using a number of factors such as price, channels, on-demand catalog, etc. As it is specific to each use case, it might change between our lists.
Spectrum TV Choice is exclusive to Spectrum internet users. It also comes with a $23.20 broadcast fee because it carries local channels. That said, TV Choice a nice enough cord-cutting option that lets you pick 15 channels and change them every month. Aside from History, you can choose between dozens of local, sports, news, and entertainment channels.
The cheapest way to watch History is through Philo ($28/month).
2025 on History
History is now better known for their unscripted shows like Pawn Stars and American Pickers, but once in a while, they go back to show actual history. Earlier this year, they aired a six-part series on Thomas Jefferson. History will be following that up with documentaries like the Wild West: Kevin Costner's The West and Sitting Bull, which is about the titular Lakota chief.
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