How To Watch BBC America Without Cable

Are you an Anglophile? As in, do you call your cookies ‘biscuits’? Do you have a daily tea ritual? Did you pore over the Royal Wedding photos – and maybe even have a watch party complete with fascinator hats?! If so, you may be worried about watching BBC America, when you cut cable TV.

However, all you need to watch BBC America is a streaming device like a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, etc. and a streaming service that carries BBC America. Before I go into the details, let’s list the streaming services that carry BBC America.

Where to Watch BBC America

Philo – Carries BBC America and over 50 other channels for just $20 a month. They even include a cloud DVR to record shows you miss. The value of this service makes it our top pick for watching BBC America without cable. They offer a no-risk 7-day free trial.

Sling TV – Live BBC America is a part of both their “Blue” and “Orange” package for $30 per month. You can try it free for 7-days.

FuboTV – They provide BBC America as well as over 80 other channels. They also offer a 1-week free trial.

YouTube TV – Last but not least, you can watch BBC America on YouTube TV.

I certainly need my BBC America. After all, I’m a hardcore Whovian (that’s a fan of Doctor Who, for the uninitiated). Being able to access as many of the show’s 840 episodes as possible is a must – as well as the BBC’s other popular shows like Blue Planet, Orphan Black, Luther, and the latest hit Killing Eve.

Being deprived of the BBC’s wry, witty British sense of humor, and cutting drama is enough to leave any Anglophile sobbing into their Union-Jack dishtowels and Earl Gray tea.

Fortunately, I discovered that you don’t need to subscribe to a cable provider to access BBC America – and in fact, some services offer many more past episodes. The streaming service BritBox, for example, allows you to access many more past Doctor Who episodes than the BBC America app – and get maybe even more Whovian clout at the same time.

How to Watch BBC America Online

As with most content on cable today, there are alternate ways to enjoy the channels and shows you want without forking over mountains of cash to a cable TV provider. Here are a few of the cable contract-free ways you can stream BBC America online.

BBC America on Philo

The most affordable way to watch BBC America without cable is by subscribing to the streaming service Philo. For just $20 a month, you over 50 channels, including BBC America, as well as the ability to record as many shows as you like and watch them for 30 days. That will get you a lot of Doctor Who once the new season starts in October.

With online access to BBC America streaming through Philo, you will never miss great shows like “Doctor Who,” “Killing Eve,” “Top Gear America,”  and “The Last Kingdom.”

You don’t even need to provide a credit card number for the seven-day free trial – all you need is your mobile phone number. That said, Philo does not offer sports or the Disney channel, so if those options are a priority for you, you may want to look elsewhere. Check out our review of Philo for more information on the service.

BBC America on FuboTV

FuboTV is an excellent place to go for sports, but it offers many other more general channels as well, including BBC America. BBC America is offered, along with 70+ other channels,  on its basic package for $54.99/month. The FuboTV app is available on major platforms, including Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. The service also includes a DVR and lets you watch on 2 screens at once (upgrades are available.)

You can sign up for a 1-week free trial or check out our review of FuboTV for more details.

BBC America on Sling TV

A more price-conscious alternative is Sling TV. BBC America is in its “orange” and “blue” packages, each of which is $30 a month. Sling TV provides a live stream of BBC America, so you can watch what would be airing on BBC America just as if you had cable.  It is included in its Cloud DVR program, so that you can record shows for later.

Sling TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more, so it’s not a problem to enjoy BBC America on a TV, tablet, computer, or other smart devices.  There are more channels available on Sling TV than what I’ve mentioned here. To find out more about what Sling TV has to offer, and more information about Sling TV device compatibility, check out this detailed review of Sling TV.

The review includes information on a Sling TV free trial and ways to get discounted (and Free) streaming devices, so be sure to check it out. Currently, there are offers for a 7-day trial and free Amazon fire stick if you sign up for two months.

Sign up for a free trial to Sling TV!

BBC America on YouTubeTV

YouTubeTV also offers BBC America streaming live, as well as limitless storage space for recording your shows. Your library of recorded shows can be streamed anywhere. BBC America is included in the base package for $49.99 a month.

Youtube TV includes a cloud DVR and supports Roku, Android, iOS (includes AirPlay to Apple TV), and Chromecast/Chromecast-compatible TVs. Please read our review of YouTube TV for more details.

BBC America on Amazon Prime

Many of the shows on BBC America, including Doctor Who, Orphan Black, and Top Gear, are included for streaming in an Amazon Prime membership. However, this will only provide older seasons. You will need to have one of the services mentioned previously to watch the current season of shows airing on BBC America.

Purchase BBC America Shows Online

If you are merely interested in a few BBC America shows, you can purchase the full run of the current season online from Amazon, Itunes, or another service.  This may be a cheaper option than subscribing to a streaming service to deliver all BBC America has to offer. To buy the latest season of a BBC America show on Amazon, a season pass costs between $7-35, which is less than many monthly services and makes sense if it’s the only show you want to watch.

That said, there you may be interested in shows on other networks. In that case, you may be better off going with Philo.  It ultimately depends on how many shows you are going to follow in a year. Almost every popular show is available online, and once you purchase it, you own it.  That means you can watch it whenever you want.

Watch with the BBC America App

The BBC America app on your Apple TV, Roku, or other devices will allow you to watch its shows on-demand if you have a subscription to the streaming services Philo, Fubo TV,  and YouTube TV. The library available is not exhaustive (you cannot necessarily get old episodes of your favorites), but you will be able to see a lot of what BBC America has been showing recently.

Additionally, you can use the app to watch BBC America shows if you have the login credentials to a paid cable or satellite TV subscription.

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