How to Watch MTV Without Cable in 2026

Updated on December 30, 2025 • Staff
The golden era of MTV might be behind us, but it's still a channel worth watching for its reality TV programming and some scripted series like Girl Code and Ridiculousness.

You can watch MTV on Philo, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, DIRECTV (ex DirecTV Stream), Sling TV + Entertainment Extra, YouTube TV, or Spectrum TV Stream.

The cheapest option to watch MTV is Philo for $33/month.

$33/month | MTV + 95 channels

MTV on Philo

Philo is currently the most affordable way to watch MTV and plenty of other entertainment channels. The live TV plan only costs $28/month, and it already comes equipped with cloud DVR, on-the-go viewing, and simultaneous streams. It's able to offer all these and more because it doesn't come with local channels or live sporting events, so if those are dealbreakers for you, you can either pair Philo with an antenna or consider more comprehensive live TV services, like Sling or DirecTV Stream.
Go to Philo
$73.99/month | MTV + 83 channels | 7 days free trial

MTV on Fubo

Fubo is known as a sports-forward live TV streaming service, but it also airs a good number of entertainment channels, including MTV. Unfortunately, it had to let go of Discovery and A&E channels because of a carriage dispute, but it's still home to plenty of specialty sports channels like Willow TV and Golf Channel. You can also add Paramount+ as an add-on if you want to watch even more MTV shows.
Go to Fubo
$88.99/month | MTV + 105 channels | 3 days free trial

MTV on Hulu with Live TV

Hulu with Live TV combines 90 live channels with countless on-demand titles, as provided by Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. Hulu's Live TV plan is already packed with content, but if you want more, it gives you the option to add Paramount+ with Showtime, which is where you'll find MTV classic hits and present shows.
Go to Hulu with Live TV
$89.99/month | MTV + 137 channels | 5 days free trial

MTV on DIRECTV (ex DirecTV Stream)

DirecTV Stream is expensive, but with that price tag comes everything good about cable, minus the hassle. It has a consistently crisp streaming quality, unlimited DVR, on-the-go viewing, and more than a hundred live channels, including MTV, local news, and more regional sports networks than any other service. Unlike DirecTV cable, DirecTV Stream is contract-free, which means you can cancel it anytime you wish. Just be ready for a potential price hike, considering DirecTV Stream has gone through a couple in the past few years alone.
Go to DIRECTV (ex DirecTV Stream)
$52/month | MTV + 9 channels

MTV on Sling TV + Entertainment Extra

MTV isn't included in any of Sling TV’s base plans, which start at $46/month. But if you add $6/month, you get nine extra channels, including MTV. For your base plan, you can either select Sling Orange, which has Disney and ESPN, or Sling Blue, which has Bravo, FS1, and in select markets, local affiliates of ABC, NBC, and FOX. If you do get local channels, you have to pay an extra $5/month for broadcast fees. Either way, the Entertainment Extra gives you access to MTV, plus channels like Paramount Network (home to Yellowstone) and CMT (home to country music’s finest).
Go to Sling TV + Entertainment Extra
$82.99/month | MTV + 143 channels | 7 days free trial

MTV on YouTube TV

YouTube TV is a comprehensive cable alternative that gives you access to more than a hundred live channels, including MTV, MTV2, and MTV Classic. The great thing about YouTube TV is that you can record as many shows as you want using its easy-to-use cloud DVR. And apart from a free trial, it also offers new customers an introductory discount (it varies, but right now, it's half price for two months). That said, it notoriously doesn't have the best picture quality, and it doesn't carry A&E channels. Like Sling and Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV offers Paramount+ as an add-on, in case you want to watch MTV on demand.
Go to YouTube TV
$40/month | MTV + 90 channels

MTV on Spectrum TV Stream

Spectrum users don't need to look too far for cable alternatives. Spectrum TV Stream, available to anyone on the provider's internet plan, lets you watch more than 80 live channels, including MTV, VH1, and CMT, among many other music channels. Unlike Spectrum's cable plans, you can cancel TV Stream anytime without having to worry about fees. TV Stream costs $40/month, but your total will depend on what internet plan you're on. At the moment, TV Stream doesn't offer local and sports channels.
Go to Spectrum TV Stream

2025 on MTV

MTV has been on a steady decline since it replaced music with reality shows. It only seems to be airing Ridiculousness, the show where hosts react to viral videos, intercut with Big Bang Theory reruns and old Paramount films. Sometimes, it will go back to its music roots and air an episode of Love & Hip Hop or Unplugged. But for the most part, it looks like Paramount is steering viewers away from cable and into streaming—MTV’s entire catalog, past and present, can be found on Paramount+.

What is the cheapest way to watch MTV without cable?

If you want to watch MTV live, the cheapest way to do so is by subscribing to Philo. At just $28/month, you get MTV as well as MTV2, MTV Classic, and a host of other channels.

However, if you’re fine watching MTV on-demand, then Paramount+ is the way to go. For $7.99/month, you can access MTV originals like RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jersey Shore, and Teen Mom anytime you want. Classics like Daria and The Real World are all here too.